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sunmoonjune · 3 months

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spring tides [like the moon universe]

pairing: poly!ot8 ateez x fem!oc!reader

warnings: vague mentions of eating disorder, death and torture, scars, ptsd, very fluffy! a lot of comfort! not so dark this time xD I did not proofread this :D

word count: 14.1k

a/n: hello y'all :D I have returned with some LTM for you <;3 This is a oneshot for my like the moon universe! You don't necessarily need to read the series to understand this fic but it definitely helps the immersion and understanding some of the plot points! you can find all chapters of ltm on my masterlist <3

Seonghwa remembers something in the spring of your third year with Ateez. As he watches you at Jongho’s side, silently offering the guard slices of fruit as he cleans his claymore, Seonghwa recalls that he doesn’t know when your birthday is.

Jongho is murmuring something about the design of his blade and the engraving along the handle when Seonghwa stands abruptly. The eldest shifts on his feet, brows furrowed and teeth worrying his bottom lip. His lips purse when Jongho questions him.

“Hwa?”

The red-haired guard looks up at his partner with a lilt of concern in his voice, hands halting their motion on his blade. Jongho’s dark eyes glint as the fading sun catches the hickory color of his irises.

“Is there something wrong?” Jongho continues, already shifting to stand to his feet. “Are you alright?”

You rock on your feet, legs stretching as you prepare to stand with Jongho. Your eyes flicker across camp, scanning for whatever has caught Seonghwa’s attention. There’s two swords still strapped to your back and you can nearly feel the cool metal pressing into your skin – a haunting reminder of the terrible things you’ve done with them. The buzz beneath your skin itches with the beginnings of adrenaline, already prepared to stand and defend the two Ateez members at your sides.

Seonghwa lifts his hands and shakes his head to soothe you and Jongho before you can stand. He softly waves his hands to encourage you to sit back onto the carved log beneath you, a wary smile on his lips.

“No, it’s nothing,” he murmurs, still gnawing at his lip as he finishes. He offers a barely concealed sigh and shakes his head again. “‘M alright, just remembered something.”

Jongho doesn’t seem satisfied with the answer, but he settles back onto the floor regardless. His hands return to wiping down his claymore but he doesn’t look away from his partner.

You share the sentiment, continuing to watch Seonghwa and making note of each creak and scratch that echoes through the camp. You don’t know what startled him, but you’ll be prepared for the next time. The fruit in your hands has made your fingers sticky in the brief moments you spent looking up at Seonghwa rather than cutting the supple treat.

You don’t mind though. You like slicing fruit for Jongho. He doesn’t eat enough, you’ve noticed. You’re not quite sure why, but you suppose you don’t quite know how to ask. No matter the reason, it brings you comfort when he continues to take slices of succulent fruit from you as he cleans. He doesn’t look up, simply trusting you to place the pieces into his hands so he can eat without trouble. When you sat beside him that morning with the fruit in your hands, Jongho raised an eyebrow but didn’t mention it. You ate the first few slices before offering them to the wine-haired guard, who accepted them with a small smile. Every so often, he turns slightly, ensuring that you’re continuing to eat as much as he does.

At one point he tilts his head back, looking up at you with those pretty, boba pearl eyes and opens his mouth slightly. Both his hands are occupied, busy with the intricate care his blade necessitates. With your heart thumping quickly in your chest, you place a slice of fruit on Jongho’s waiting lips and try desperately not to linger on the thought of how full and supple they are.

“Thanks, love,” he murmurs without looking at you, the words sweet and saccharine in the low timber of his voice.

Seonghwa laughed when Jongho’s cheeks pinkened after that, but you weren’t really sure why.

Turning his attention to you, Seonghwa looks down at your figure. Sitting with a slight slump in your shoulders, the spymaster smiles faintly. Slouched posture is a good sign, he muses. You’re comfortable.

When you tilt your head to the side, silently questioning Seonghwa’s thoughts, you reach up to gingerly grasp his fingers. There’s no hesitation. There hasn’t been in a long while. Seonghwa extends his hand in offering when he notices your appendages twitch. His warmth sinks into your palm and you nearly hum at the soothing feeling.

You squeeze his hand twice before lingering for a longer third.

‘Are you okay?’ you silently question.

Seonghwa’s lips quirk into another gentle smile, but his eyes are distant. It makes your heart tug painfully. The hickory of his near-black irises is muted. You miss the glimmer of those sweet, dark eyes that show when he smiles.

“Yeah, m’alright, lovebug.”

Your heart slams into your ribs – a delighted feeling. Lovebug. You like that.

Seonghwa leans closer to repeat the gesture, squeezing twice and then lingering for an ‘okay.’ His other hand lifts to run over the back of your head with a delicate movement. Fingers carefully scratch against your scalp and you resist the temptation to lean into his hands and exhale softly.

“I have to go see Joong and Yunho, though. I really did just remember something I wanted to speak to ‘em about,” he whispers. Dragging his nails gently over the nape of your neck once more, Seonghwa smiles when you finally lean into his touch with a quiet rumble. He thinks you look positively cat-like. When one set of lashes flutters against your cheek in a tired, pleased expression, Seonghwa could coo at the endearing look. He withholds only to save you the embarrassment of his mother-hen tendencies.

Your one eye flickers over his expression once more before you relent and nod your head just once. Seonghwa’s hand begins to pull away from your head, and this time you do make a tiny sound of sadness. The eldest feels his heart squeeze at your reluctance to be parted from him, leaning close to drag his thumb over the stiff material of your mask with a sweet touch before he stands upright once more.

“I’ll be back in a minute, okay? You and Jongho finish up and join us for dinner soon.”

You let out a short exhale through your nose, a sound they’ve taken to signify your agreement. Jongho’s lips twitch at the noise, trying to hold back the laugh he wants to let out.

“Okay,” you whisper softly beneath your breath as you lean back against the back of the log. Seonghwa smiles and finally shifts his stance to leave, only pressing a gentle kiss to Jongho’s brow before walking off. Your head tilts one last time as Seonghwa leaves, wondering if perhaps one day he’ll kiss your head too when he takes his leave.

The archer finds Yunho before Hongjoong. The tallest of Ateez is easy to collect when Seonghwa gives him a meaningful look. The tension in the eldest’s brow must convince Yunho that there is something important he is needed for because he immediately follows after Seonghwa. The two find themselves in the Captain’s cavern, his and Seonghwa’s really, standing before the long-haired leader with a small frown on the archer’s lips.

Hongjoong mimics the frown, coming to a stand behind the desk currently holding a plethora of worn maps.

“What’s wrong?”

Seonghwa sighs, squeezing his fists together before he turns to face Yunho with a solemn expression.

“When’s her birthday?”

Yunho’s brow quirks at the same time the tension in his shoulders finally loosens a notch. Sighing softly, he licks his lips and answers.

“Tiny’s?”

Seonghwa nods, the expression on his face unchanging: serious and solemn, as if the situation was as grave as a wake. Hongjoong glances between the two men, his brow now lifted in surprise, but he says nothing.

“It’s been three years since she’s been with us,” Seonghwa murmurs tersely. “But we haven’t celebrated her birthday. The first year I could understand missing it – I mean, she was still adjusting to Ateez, and even after that she’s still a little apprehensive. Not that I blame her, of course – I just… It’s been three full years and I can’t believe we’ve missed her birthday at least three times.”

Yunho’s bottom teeth sink into his lip and his eyes suddenly dart towards the floor. He swallows once, shifting on his feet and sighs as he ponders how to answer Seonghwa’s question. The eldest watches his partner with that same, tense look and his eyes glisten with something sad – something understanding, as if he knows Yunho’s answer before he speaks it aloud.

“I don’t know,” Yunho finally answers quietly. He looks down at his feet, unable to meet his elder’s eyes. His eyes squeeze shut with another sigh that shakes through his shoulders. He repeats himself louder, still just barely above a whisper. “I don’t know.”

Hongjoong steps forward from behind his desk. “What do you mean ‘you don’t know’?”

“I mean I don’t know,” Yunho whispers sadly. “And she doesn’t either.”

Seonghwa licks his lips, grasping at strings as he scrambles to find the right words to say.

“I don’t understand. How can she not know her own birthday?”

Yunho won’t look up from his feet. His fingers curl into fists and the tips of his nails dig into his palms from the tightness of his grip. He can’t bring himself to loosen his hold.

“Tiny, uh… After everything that happened with her – with that village, they don’t particularly regard her… fondly, you know?”

Yunho speaks slowly and methodically, as if trying carefully to pick the right words to say. His tone is terse and cold, the disdain for the village of his past more than evident in his voice. Hongjoong looks up at his partner with a frown still on his lips, his heart pulsing sadly in his chest.

“But she doesn’t know her own birthday? No one in her village told either of you?”

Yunho sighs again, finally looking up at his Captain with grief plastered across his features in an expression neither man can ignore. Seonghwa is already stepping forward, settling an arm over Yunho’s shoulders and rubbing his thumb across the taller man’s jaw.

Yunho leans closer to Seonghwa and continues, voice deep and throaty with the weight of his words. “We celebrated it once. Back when we were young – back when… Daia was still around.”

Hongjoong looks away.

“But even then,” Yunho continues softly, trying not to think of the bony cage casting shadows of your quivering form. You were so young. Little fingers grasped the cold bars that separated him from you, desperately whispering a plea for him to leave. He should have known your father wouldn’t let you celebrate your birthday like he and the other children did. But the smile on your face was so pure, so genuinely happy that he could never utter the words that may wipe it away.

“We didn’t know the exact date – just that she was born in the spring. Her father… well he killed the attendants that assisted her mother through labor. Not that we could prove it, of course. Anyone around for Bug’s birth… isn’t around anymore. And Bug was raised kind of secluded the first few years of her life. No one knows exactly when she was born and her father certainly wouldn’t say.”

Seonghwa’s eyes continue to glisten with that broken look, and he licks his drying lips before he speaks. His heart throbs painfully, echoing the sadness in his face.. “And… after Daia wasn’t around anymore?”

Seonghwa hates that he asks.

Yunho shifts on his feet and looks away again.

“I, uh… I don’t know much of what happened after Daia…” he trails off for a long moment. “By that time, the village and her father turned their backs on Bug, and I… I was exiled a few years later.”

Seonghwa thumbs over Yunho’s jaw again, trying to soothe his lover’s agony. Hongjoong steps closer and lays his hand across Seonghwa’s back, their combined sadness near tangible in the cavern hall.

“Bug’s birthday…” Yunho finally continues. “She’s never seen it as a good thing, you know? Her father and the village certainly didn’t see it that way.”

Seonghwa’s eyes sadden, the shine of his irises dulling at Yunho’s confession. He turns over his shoulder to look at Hongjoong and presses his lips together, as if regretting bringing up the topic altogether.

“A good thing?” Hongjoong whispers.

Yunho shakes his head, his frown dragging down his lips as he breathes softly. “Not something worth celebrating. The day she was born was… the start of everything bad, I guess.”

Seonghwa’s eyes squeeze shut, the burn of tears forcing pressure to build in the corners.

“Sometimes I think,” Yunho whispers tiredly, his eyes cloudy and unfocused as he stares into the distance. “I think she might hate it; that she might despise the day of her birth because of all the pain that came after.”

Hongjoong takes a deep breath in through his nose, trying to soothe the anguish that swells inside his ribs. There’s grief there, rage too, settling in the pit of his stomach and pushing upwards into his chest and throat. It’s not directed at you – it could never be. It’s towards your father, towards your village, towards anyone that has looked at you with disdain and uttered that foul moniker he knows makes you flinch.

“I’m sorry, Yun.”

Yunho shakes his head, leaning into Seonghwa’s hand and looking down at Hongjoong with his eyes glistening with welling tears. He swallows, clearly resisting the urge to cry, and kisses Seonghwa’s thumb when it brushes his mouth. “‘S okay, Seonghwa. I know your intentions were honorable.”

Seonghwa nods, finally leaning forward until his head rests against Yunho’s collarbone. An arm wraps around the eldest’s shoulders and Hongjoong presses himself against Seonghwa’s back, encasing both him and Yunho.

“So don’t bring up her birthday, then?” Hongjoong whispers, frown still drawing his lips downward. He speaks the question into Seonghwa’s shoulder blade, his lips grazing the tunic covering his skin.

Yunho is silent for a long moment. No one speaks and the sounds of their hushed breaths are all that echo through the hollowed cavern. Yunho ponders his Captain’s question in the silence and thinks of your growth in the years you’ve spent in their camp. Would you rather they never mention your birthday again? Or would you appreciate a different kind of memory to replace the shaded pains of the ones long past?

Soon after, Yunho leans forward to bury his face into Seonghwa’s hair before he breathes deeply and pulls back, a small quirk lifting the corner of his lips. He thinks of you and that youthful grin that used to grace your lips more often as a child. Yunho recalls the mischief in your smile and the wonder that would flash across your eyes, and he begins to twist an idea around his thoughts. It’s that look he wants to see again. He always wants to see it; the mischief, the awe, the teasing grin you used to throw over your shoulder to get him to chase you through the training grounds. He wants that so badly.

“Actually, Captain…”

Hongjoong peels his head away from Seonghwa’s shoulder, looking up to meet Yunho’s eyes with a raised brow and a question in his eyes. “Hmm?”

Yunho finally manages a fraction of a smile, stroking his hand over Seonghwa’s shoulders as he speaks.

“I think there might be a way we can show her that her birth is something worth celebrating. I’ll need your help though.”

“Anything.”

“Anything for her,” Seonghwa finishes at the same time Hongjoong speaks.

Yunho’s heart swells. The soft grin on his features begins to stretch, mirrored by his two elders. Pride begins to surge beneath his skin and it makes him feel fuzzy.

“What do you need?” Hongjoong whispers into the fraction of space separating their lips. Yunho huffs a smile, leaning closer until his mouth brushes against his leader’s.

“How do you feel about a little trip, Captain?”

Time passes easily. About a week goes by after the conversation between you, Jongho and Seonghwa before Hongjoong announces that Ateez will be spending a few nights traveling away from camp. He won’t say where they’re traveling to nor why they’re going, but there’s a mischievous grin on his lips when you tilt your head in suspicion. No one will tell you anything about the adventure other than handing you a cloth pack to gather some things for the trip.

Mingi helps you clean your blades and slides them into the scabbards on your back for you. Seonghwa packs food away carefully and slides extra servings of dried and cured meats into your pack followed by the fruit he knows you and Jongho love. San and Yeosang sit by your side as you help sort the first aid supplies the camp may need. The inky vines wrapping around Yeosang’s forearms flashes from beneath his sleeves, and you find yourself following the sight of the tattoo each time you peek a glimpse of golden skin covered in leafy shapes.

San laughs and raises an eyebrow at his lover when he flicks his shirt above his waistband playfully, showcasing the span of scales descending over his hip and up his waist. He giggles when you reach forward to pull his shirt higher over his side, eager to follow the lines of ink up his torso. San pushes your hands away and promises to show you one day. Wooyoung enters the cavern a moment later and exchanges a knowing look with San, as if the same pattern of obsidian scales crawls up the opposite side of his own torso.

On the morning Hongjoong announced their leave, you pack the last of your things diligently in the cloth pack given to you. There’s something fond rippling through your chest as you slide a hand over the large tunic laid across your bed.

The sensation seeps all the way down to your toes, a bittersweet happiness that arose from the realization that you’ve never… owned things before.

In that village, nothing was ever yours. It was always stolen or taken, never owned.

But now…

Now there’s all kinds of things in your corner of the medical cavern. There’s the little rope of twine with eight little beads Yeosang gave you to fiddle with so you wouldn’t pick and pull at your nails. There’s the bear-hide blanket Jongho handmade when you started to grow cold in the winter nights. A pile of spare clothes tailored to fit your size sits beneath your bed. A hollowed shell of smooth, rich cream sits beside you, specially made for you by Wooyoung and San when they noticed your scars were particularly aching in the cold weather. There’s a whetstone and cleaning tools beside your swords, left there by Mingi when he noticed your blades were dulling. Seonghwa always leaves a myriad of flowers beside your bed each week, and the dried stems of all his past bouquets hang above your on a piece of twine Joong brought you. There’s armor and chainmail beneath your bed, presented by Hongjoong with a shy smile. He cleans them for you when he thinks you’re not looking, ensuring the armor stays in good shape and protects you well. One of Yunho’s thicker tunics lies at the foot of your bed, a staple of your growing closet of clothes. He knows you like having his scent nearby. There’s books too, ones from the medical cavern and ones from Wooyoung, who you’ve discovered is quite the avid reader.

There’s just… all sorts of things.

And you’ve never really owned things before. It’s strange. And quite enjoyable, you decide.

You like owning things. You like being part of Ateez – being part of a family.

With your lips twitching upwards into a fond smile, you stand with the last of your belongings and slide the straps of your cloth pack over your shoulders. It sits a little strangely on your back but you huff and step out of the cavern anyway.

The rest of Ateez is already outside, shuffling the last of their belongings into storage and closing up the cave system behind you. A wooden sort of door slides shut behind you and the viny, earthen cover falls over it. It’s perfectly concealed from the wild, appearing just like any other cropping of rocks and stone. You marvel at their ingenuity and turn to find Wooyoung approaching you with a smile on his lips.

“Good morning, Bug. Are you ready?”

Your head tilts with a question as Wooyoung’s hands shift upwards to the straps of your pack. He raises a brow once, always asking for permission before he touches, and you shift closer and slide your hands onto his hips with a nod of your head. Wooyoung’s smile seems to widen, if at all possible, and he carefully begins to adjust the straps of your pack so it sits better across your back. Your gaze follows his hands, tracing over the fading scar on his one wrist – the space where a rusty shackle used to sit. Your lips quirk happily at the sight of the missing metal cuff, now long buried in the earth. He hums happily at the feeling of your hands on his waist, and chuckles beneath his breath when he feels your hands attempting to weasel under his shirt – likely another attempt to get a look at the tattoo you know sits there.

Wooyoung huffs a breath as you skate a gentle hand over his bare hip, focusing on the wavy shape of an oscillating line your draw over his skin. He translates the word as ‘what’ and understands your inquisition to mean ‘Ready for what?’

“Can’t tell you,” he laughs, his chest shaking with the motion as you squeeze his hip in retaliation. “Sorry, baby. Captain’s orders; take it up with Hongjoong if you want to know so badly.”

Your one eye rolls and Wooyoung laughs again, that bright, cackling sound echoing through the trees in a burst of noise that makes your heart flutter. You like Wooyoung’s laugh.

“C’mon you two!” Hongjoong calls from a distance, already beginning to pace towards the southwest. “We’re burning daylight. Let’s get moving.”

You respond with a choked hum despite knowing your Captain can’t hear it. Wooyoung grins, finally satisfied with the adjustments he’s made on your pack, and turns over his shoulder to call back, “We’re coming, Captain. Relax a little. It’s barely dawn, we’re on schedule.”

You don’t need to see Hongjoong to know what expression the Captain has on his face. A tiny smile appears on your lips and when Wooyoung turns back to face you with a hand held out in offering, his grin beams once more.

“C’mon, baby. You wanna walk with me and Sannie today?”

Your answering nod is a little too eager, but Wooyoung doesn’t mention it.

To you, anyway. The smug grin he shoots over his shoulder at Mingi and Yunho is met with a sigh and an eye roll. The vulgar gesture Mingi throws back goes unseen by you too.

Seonghwa sees it though, and the sound of Mingi’s squawk when he’s slapped across the shoulder by the archer makes Wooyoung laugh again.

It’s springtime. The forest is filled with bright shades of emerald green and flowers have begun to sprout along patches of sunlight. Lupin tickle at your ankles when you pass and you watch their lilac and lavender petals sway in the wind with a fond expression. Your last bouquet from Seonghwa was fresh Lupin flowers, a growing favorite of yours he has noticed.

Wooyoung holds your hand as you walk, sometimes shifting to allow San to take his place. They talk happily as you stride through the forest, following Yeosang and Jongho as they lead your band of warriors through the trees. You still don’t know where you’re going nor why you’re going there, but you trust your Captain and you trust your family.

Eventually, you unlink your hands from San to step ahead and walk besides Mingi and Yunho. San’s resounding pout and soft sigh are lost on you, but Wooyoung slides his hand into his partner’s empty fingers with a grin and a teasing poke to San’s side. Mingi intertwines his fingers with yours with a beaming grin and a happy chuckle, swinging your hands between you as you walk. He points out the flora and fauna he recognizes along the hike, explaining their uses as he recalls Yeosang’s teachings. He mentions the honey-haired healer’s tattoo sleeve of medicinal herbs and shows you some of the plants he recognizes to be inked into Yeosang’s skin. You eagerly categorize the leaves and petals of each plant, hoping that you’ll one day be able to find each one decorating Yeosang’s skin.

The first night away from camp is spent sleeping beneath the stars.

Your group of nine lays huddled together in a clearing in the pines, with a small fire burning quietly in the center for warmth. Shifts for watch are assigned and you find yourself curling between Yunho and San that night with a promise to take the final watch with Seonghwa. With cicadas clicking in the distance and a cool breeze rustling the branches above you, you find sleep easy that night. Strangely enough, despite resting out in the open with no cover around, you find you can sleep calmly. Nestled between your Yunho and your San, their body heat keeping you warm even underneath the fur blankets swaddled around you, you feel safe enough to sink into a well-earned sleep. You know the others will wake you if there’s trouble lurking about. They would never let anything happen to their family.

The next day is spent between Hongjoong and Seonghwa, happily listening to their stories and eagerly nudging the both of them to show you some of the ink decorating their skin. Once you found out about Yeosang’s tattoos, there was nothing holding you back from asking the others about their own. Seonghwa relents with a teasing grin towards Hongjoong, showing you the pattern of large scales that crawl up his forearms. You trace the delicate scales with a happy sound, not noticing the shiver that crawls down Seonghwa’s spine. Hongjoong rolls his eyes at his partner, but he almost wishes to show you the ink decorating his back and spine too. He only waves you away with a laugh when you turn to him with a tilt of your head and a happy question on your lips.

That night you sleep between Yeosang and Jongho, one of your legs wedged between the youngest’s and your hand clumsily intertwined between the healer’s fingers. This time, the nine of you settle in a cliff alcove, sheltered from the fog and the light drizzle of rain that spatters through the forest around midnight.

There’s no telling how far you’ve traveled from Ateez’s hollow. It’s been two days of mostly hiking and stopping for breaks and meals, but you’ve long grown used to strenuous labor so the walk is not nearly as difficult as you once thought it to be. You still have little to no knowledge on your destination as your Captain is tight-lipped about the matter. He only gives you soft smiles and quiet laughter when you nag him about where or why you’ve left camp.

On the third and last day of your long journey, you walk between Yeosang and Jongho at the front of your pack. The two have been leading you for three days, seeming to know the way without needing a map or compass. Every once and a while, Yeosang looks up at the night sky and lifts a hand to palm at the stars. You understand he must be checking your position, ensuring that they’re still on the right path, but you don’t ask. You find Polaris winking down at you each night with a fondness in your chest, and you give her a gentle, barely-there smile each time you see her.

The healer and his partner pace through the trees with newfound urgency that morning. The two members eagerly shuffle through the trees with beaming grins and an energy that you cannot help but mimic. They’re excited about something – unfathomably so.

“We’re almost there, honey,” Yeosang encourages you, holding out a hand to help you scale the final boulder before you begin your descent back down the mountainside. “Just another mile or so, I promise.”

You trust him.

The others have begun to feed on the buzzing atmosphere building in the group. There’s tension simmering, but a good kind, as if there’s something awaiting your family at your destination. You don’t know what it is, but it must be something good if they’re eagerly beginning to quicken the pace.

Soon after you begin your descent down the small mountain, the dense foliage of pine trees and packed soil gives way to something softer – something you’ve never quite seen or felt before. It’s pliable and squishy beneath your feet, allowing your weight to sink into the material with each step. It leaves footprints in your wake, the ground shifting and moving beneath your feet.

Sand.

It’s sand.

You know it’s sand because Yeosang has some collected in a small jar in the medical cavern. You’ve never seen it before: sand or the sea. You found the tiny bottle of eroded stone once and carefully examined it with a puzzled expression until Yeosang found you. The miniscule grains of rock and shell shifted in the bottle as Yeosang explained where it was from.

You listened to him for hours that day.

He talked about the sea and his life as a captain of his own ship from the hour of the sun’s peak until it descended beneath the horizon. You were fascinated. Eagerly hanging onto every single one of his words, you listened to Yeosang with a rapture you couldn’t describe. He spoke of the ocean and the smell of salt in the fresh air, mentioning that there was a particular hint of something so ocean-like in the scent that he couldn't begin to describe. Yeosang described the sand and the shore, detailing how the plush sand like the stuff in his bottle gave way to harder packed ground the closer you grew to the sea. He talked of how it felt to play in the waves and to feel the cool touch of the ocean on his skin.

You marveled at him for hours, longing desperately to one day know the smell he spoke of, to feel the ocean breeze tickle your skin and to feel its waves brush against your feet.

It sounded wonderful.

So when the sand beneath your feet begins to thicken, giving way to clumsier footsteps and the sound of something roaring in the distance, you perk upwards.

Your entire body slams to a halt, startling San who walks behind you. Jerking upwards, your one eye darts over to Yeosang, who stands with Jongho at his side, already looking at you. There’s this look in their eyes; something fond and gentle – an expression you’ve begun to recognize. They watch you as you begin to piece together the information you’ve gathered of this little trip, smiles on their faces as you realize where they’ve taken you.

At your side, San begins to bend forward, his hands reaching out to pull at the laces of your boots and chuckling beneath his breath. You reach out to stabilize yourself on his shoulder as you make a sound of confusion.

‘What’s going on?’ you try to question without speaking.

At your back, Yunho runs a hand down your spine and soothes the tension in your shoulders. You reach back, grasping his hand with a strength that surprises you and draw that oscillating squiggle across the back of his hand with a bewildered expression.

‘What’s happening?’

There’s another word you want to say. One you don’t have a translation for. A word you’ve never spoken or seen.

Ocean. The sea.

You don’t have a word for it.

But you can smell it now. That salty, fresh sort of scent with a hint of something you cannot place. Just like Yeosang described.

The sea.

San taps your leg, garnering your attention and helping you lift your foot so you can place it on his knee. He’s kneeling at your feet, one leg propped up to lift your foot and the other in the sand beneath him. The healer pulls at your laces, beginning to untie your shoes and pull them from your feet with a grin.

“C’mon, sweetheart,” he murmurs with that low timber that makes you shiver. “Let’s get these off.”

Your held tilts in confusion. Seonghwa chuckles behind you, leaning into Mingi’s side and shooting a look over at Wooyoung. “Gotta take your shoes off unless you want sand in the soles, Bug. It’ll be a pain to walk back with all that in ‘em. I promise you’ll never be able to get it all out.”

Hongjoong laughs from beside Jongho, the Captain throwing his head back with a knowing grin. “Speaking from experience, huh, darling?”

Seonghwa rolls his eyes and ignores his lover, dropping a hand to intertwine with Wooyoung’s. The younger eagerly locks their fingers together, smiling happily and leaning his head onto Seonghwa’s shoulder as you process everything.

The others begin to pull off their own shoes, tying them to their packs or holding the laces in their fingers. Mingi laughs and pushes Wooyoung when he bends over to undo his laces, and when Wooyoung stumbles, he shouts indignantly and lurches upwards for revenge. Seonghwa laughs and tries to settle them, only to end up yanked out of the way by a grinning Yeosang. Wooyoung and Mingi screech at each other, beginning to race down the sand towards the roaring sound that continues to swell in the distance.

You worriedly look down at San, his dark irises already looking up at you with adoration swirling behind them. The healer pulls off your sock and carefully sets your foot back onto the sand, watching as you marvel at the plush, cool material beneath the soles of your feet.

“C’mon, tiny,” Yunho laughs behind you, chest rumbling as he speaks. The vibration echoes through your back from how close the warrior is pressed against you. He grins when you shiver pleasantly. “We’ve gotta catch up.”

San lifts your other foot delicately and places it on his waiting knee, repeating the process of taking off your shoe and sock before he ties the laces together and stores them away in his pack. Before he sets your foot back onto the sand, San’s eyes twinkle with something mischievous.

He leans forward and drags his fingers across the skin of your calf, eyes crinkling as he smiles. You look back down at him with your stomach fluttering pleasantly, watching as San leans forward and presses his lips to the side of your calf.

Oh.

His lips skate over the muscle and his hand rests where your thigh connects with the knee. You feel your breathing still. Air catches in your lungs, and some burst of emotion lurches into your throat as you stop and stare down at the healer with one widened eye. You can feel the smile on San’s soft lips as he drags his mouth from your calf to your knee, kissing your skin sweetly as he goes. He drifts over scars both fresh and faded, but does not stop moving as he ascends up your calf. San leaves a trail of goosebumps in his wake, your skin practically shivering under his touch and lighting ablaze when he pulls away.

Oh.

You stare open-mouthed at the healer when San finally slides a hand down your leg and deposits it onto the sand. You lick your lips once, trying desperately to come up with words to say, but there’s nothing. Just the trail of blazing heat San left behind and a roaring fire beginning to spread inside your chest. You can practically feel the heat in your face, and you lift a hand to palm at your cheek as San watches with a teasing grin. Your figure practically vibrates as you shiver through the emotion bursting through you.

“San…”

Said healer mimics your shiver as you whisper his name, fingers dancing along your calf before he stops. He presses one final kiss to your knee, at the crease of the joint, and this time your eye slides shut with a shiver. The plush feeling of his lips against your skin is ambrosia for your soul and the barest touch of moisture is left behind when he finally pulls away.

He looks up at you with honey in his irises, hand skating down your calf once more and smiles.

“C’mon, Bug. We’ve got places to be,” he teases, saccharine timber never failing to make you melt.

As if he wasn’t the one distracting you.

Finally, you’re able to squeeze his shoulder thankfully and San beams up at you in the way that makes those sweet little dimples poke out of his cheeks. You nearly lean forward to caress a finger of the indents that make your heart mushy, but still as the cool sand sinks between your toes.

It’s… soft.

The sand melts beneath your soles like butter, cradling your heels and caressing your skin like silk. You wiggle your toes and awe at the feeling, watching the sand shift and move with your lips just barely parted in wonder. San watches from your feet, his gentle eyes roaming over your partly-concealed face and grinning at the expression plastered across your features. Your lips are parted, but just barely, taking deep breaths to inhale the fresh air of the sea breeze and one eye dilated with awe. San's heart thumps vibrantly beneath his ribs, a song of your name. It calls out to you sweetly, and San swears that when he runs his hand across the bare skin of your leg, brushing over scars and broken skin, he can hear your heart call his name in return.

Your one eye darts upwards to meet your Captain’s gaze.

Hongjoong stares at you with some ineffable softness in his expression. He reaches a hand out to grasp your fingers, helping you step forward away from San. The healer stands from his kneeling position, his own footwear now missing, and joins you at your side.

“You like it?” Hongjoong whispers as you near.

The vigorous nod of your head is almost comical, and Hongjoong chuckles beneath his breath. Yes. Yes you like it.

San beams at your side, unable to stop the mirthful sound of his laughter. It erupts from his chest in that giggling way that you adore. You tilt your head to look at him, your chest swelling and heart thumping with the tumultuous feelings surging within you. San reaches out to run a hand down your arm and you lean close offering a single line of ‘thanks’ across his palm.

Yunho leans forward and pecks a kiss across your forehead, directly over the mask concealing the right half of your face and then turns to walk after Wooyoung and Mingi, San at his heels. He doesn’t acknowledge the kiss, but your heart jumps into your throat regardless. Your fingers itch to follow him, twitching in an attempt to reach for him, but you turn back to your Captain instead.

Hongjoong is still looking at you, that ineffable softness still radiating from him. “C’mon, angel. Let’s go see the ocean.”

You’ve never been more excited.

Hongjoong begins pulling you in the direction the others have disappeared in, following them over the dunes of sand. At first, he pulls your awestruck figure behind him as you make your way through the deeping sand, turning back to watch you marvel at the grains of white and cream colored grains. Your feet drag, slowing the two of you down as you continue to look down at the sand beneath you. At one point, you can’t resist the temptation and you stop, carefully pulling your hand from Hongjoong’s to bend at the knees and drop into the sand.

“Woah, angel!” Hongjoong gasps as you let go of his hand and urgently drop into the earth below. “Careful!”

Dragging your fingers through the silky material, you watch the tiny pieces of sediment cascade back into the hills beneath you as they trail between your fingers. The sand is cool to the touch and gentle as it scratches against your skin. You thought it would be rough, but it’s not. Not this sand anyway.

Seonghwa chuckles behind you, stopping to drop his hands beneath your shoulders and gently lift you back up to your feet. The others are little specks in the distance, just a few hundred yards away. The eldest carefully sets you on your feet and slides a hand down to intertwine with your own.

“C'mon, lovebug. We haven’t even reached the good part yet.”

The good part? You wonder. How could it possibly get any better than this?

But as the crashing sound gets louder with each step you take and the smell of salt continues to grow stronger, you begin to realize what the good part is.

Soon after, it becomes you dragging Hongjoong and Seonghwa through the sand dunes. Eagerly tugging them behind you as you race towards the others, you sink into the sand and stumble a few times, only catching yourself when either member scrambles to grab your waist. You push quicker through the deepening sand each time you right yourself, racing through the dunes until you finally see it.

The sea.

And you stop moving.

Hongjoong and Seonghwa nearly crash into your back as you freeze, body halting at the top of the sand dune. Your one eye is transfixed on the view before you, mouth parted and body slack with awe.

Waves are crashing along the shore, breaking into foamy surf as they collide with the cream-colored sand. There are little birds with thin, long legs dancing in the shoreline, pecking at things in the packed sand. You watch with fascination as they rush away in a flock from an oncoming wave. When the foam finally settles, they return to their feeding grounds, continuing to peck away at something beneath the darker sand. The smell of salt fills your senses and there’s a brush of water against your skin as a breeze carries a mist of salt onto the shoreline.

You’ve never seen so much… color before.

The ocean is blue. Green too, and teal and dark and bright, and every color in the range you can possibly think of. It’s aquamarine in the peaks of crashing waves and a darker cyan in the deepness of the salty water. There’s pale blue, creamy skies and even paler cream-colored clouds. You nearly wish you could reach out and touch one.

It’s wonderful. And it’s so much more than you think you deserve.

With awe on your features and mouth slightly parted, you stare mystified at the sea before you. Hongjoong steps up beside you, the others starting to circle back to stand nearby. They just stand there… watching you for a minute.

They watch your one pupil dilate and your expression softens into wonderous glee. Their hands intertwine with each other, fingers squeezing one another and hearts thumping happily in their chests. There’s pride there, and affection too, roaring madly beneath their skin and calling out to the sea with a throaty, triumphant call.

You like it. You like the sea.

And they like you.

Hongjoong slides a hand down your arm until he can gently link your scarred fingers with his own. Your attention briefly shifts away from the sea to look over at your captain.

His soft brown hair rustles as the sea breeze flutters through the strands, and Hongjoong smiles. Eyes scrunching into a beaming grin, the one that you like so much, he offers a squeeze of your palm. The scar crossing his one eye moves with his expression and you adore the way it looks when he smiles. Chocolate brown irises flicker in the brightness of the sunlight and for a moment, you think you much prefer the color of his eyes than the enchanting blue-green of the sea.

But it’s tough competition, of course.

Hongjoong squeezes your hand once more, fully drawing your attention back to him, and he leans close to carefully grasp the side of your face. His palm gently cups your mask, stroking his thumb over the tough material with a delicateness you cannot fathom deserving. But he touches you regardless, even if it's the mask instead of your skin. Hongjoong doesn’t care that you continue to wear it. None of them do. It’s a part of you, and they’ll continue to care for you all the same.

“Are you happy?” The Captain inquires, licking his lips as he watches you.

The vigor in your nod nearly makes him laugh. His beaming grin only seems to widen and you find yourself stunned at how beautiful he looks happy.

“Yeah? That’s good. I’m glad you’re happy, angel.”

You want to ask something else. Something about why your little clan has ventured this far or perhaps something else, but you can’t begin to find the words for it.

You don’t need to though.

Hongjoong leans closer, his warm, umber eyes scanning your features as he whispers something only for you to hear.

“Happy birthday, Bug.”

You barely register the sentiment before your captain leans forward and gently presses his lips to the crown of your head.

You don’t breathe. Too frightened that any movement will force him to pull away, you stay remarkably still and stare numbly into Hongjoong’s chest.

His lips linger for a long moment against your hairline, and you feel the warmth of his exhale against your scalp. The feeling makes your stomach flutter pleasantly and suddenly your body feels like you’re going to vibrate out of sheer enjoyment. Another shiver tickles its way up your spine and you finally exhale shakily. Reaching a hand upwards, you clutch onto the hand Hongjoong has still cupping your cheek.

Her heart finally throbs with a dull ache.

Your birthday?

You didn’t even think…

Hongjoong exhales softly and bends to drop a second kiss onto your mask, just above where your right eye would be. It throbs suddenly, but not so painfully this time.

Your birthday.

They came all this way for you?

All of this… leaving the camp, walking all this way, spending nights on the road, showing you the sea for the first time… they did this to celebrate your birthday?

Your heart hurts.

No one has ever done that for you before.

You suppose Yunho and Daia tried once… but that didn’t end so well. Salt wells behind your one eye and your lip twitches just once, but it's enough for Hongjoong to catch. Your chest aches with the memory of your mother. It’s a hurt you could never quite soothe.

The Captain’s smile is still bright when he pulls away but there’s a sadness beneath the joy. No, not sadness, you suppose. Something empathetic – something… bittersweet.

Hongjoong knows. They all do.

“My birthday?” Your mouth parts to let out the croaked sound. Your voice has gotten better. The deeper, rough tone of your voice has begun to fade after finally learning to use it again. It’s beginning to return to what it used to be – slow and steadily.

From behind you, Yeosang hums deeply. You recognize the sound without turning to look at him. His voice always carries that undertone of sweet and smooth honey, and you can’t find any other way to describe it.

“Yeah, honey. You told me you’ve never seen the sea, right? We thought it would make a good birthday present.”

The healer is standing behind Hongjoong, San and Wooyoung at his sides and the rest of Ateez just beyond. They’re all here. For you.

You shift on your feet, barely able to restrain the wetness of your one eye as you attempt to face them. Your heart still throbs, but it’s more of a pleasant ache – a good one. A sea breeze rustles your hair. Three silver rings click against your mask; a comforting sound that reminds you of home – of Yunho. The scent of salt in the air fills you with warmth and the silky sand beneath your feet cradles you in the earth’s gentle hands. The world itself seems to wrap around you in its kindness, delicately embracing you as if asking for forgiveness.

It feels like your mother – like the hugs you can barely remember.

The burn of tears returns tenfold.

You’ve never celebrated your birthday before. It was never a day others regarded with joy, so you supposed it was only fair to see it the same way. You don’t even really know what day you were born. Father never told you – he never told anyone.

But… perhaps this day – the day Ateez has chosen for you – can be your birthday. Maybe this time it doesn’t have to be a bad thing anymore.

“We wanted to show you something new. Something good. Do you like it?” Wooyoung whispers as you process your feelings. His voice is apprehensive, as if he isn’t quite sure how you’ll respond to celebrating your birthday. You can barely hear him over the roaring sound of waves colliding with the shoreline and birds peeping in the surf.

You’re already throwing yourself into Wooyoung’s arms before a moment of silence can pass. You crash into his chest with a crooned sound, a desperate cry of joy.

“Yes!” You finally croak, the word sounding more like a sob than an agreement. “Yes, I like it!”

Wooyoung laughs happily as he wraps his arms around your waist, burying his face into the crook of your neck with a joyful sound. His chest vibrates with his laughter and you love the way it feels against your body. One of your hands slides out from between you and you urgently grasp ahold of Yeosang’s shirt and tug him into your pile with a quick movement. San follows soon after, lured in by Wooyoung’s touch and suddenly you’re buried beneath a mountain of Ateez’s warmth.

Another wet sob leaves your lips, but it’s much closer to a laugh this time.

“I love it…”

And we love you.

He doesn’t say it aloud, but Wooyoung hopes you hear it anyway.

Seonghwa lets out a hearty laugh despite it sounding wet with his own tears, and he wraps an arm around Hongjoong’s shoulders as he tugs his captain close. The leader’s eyes are watery as he and the archer pile into your embrace. Mingi and Yunho follow quickly after, with the tallest of the two reaching out to snag Jongho’s tunic. The youngest is already moving, sliding beneath Yeosang’s arm to nuzzle into the healer’s side. One of his hands nestles between his lover’s ribs, resting atop your bicep. You push closer into their hands, warm and happy and still softly crying.

You love it.

It cannot possibly get any better than this. Not even the comforting breeze of the ocean air brushing over your skin nor the warmth of any roaring campfire could rival this feeling. There’s no warmth in the world that can surmount the heat of Ateez embracing you. Their hands carefully sweeping over skin leaves trails of pleasant heat in their wake, and the throb of your aching heart is only soothed by a soft coo leaving San’s lips. Wooyoung slides a hand over your head, pulling you closer into his neck, and you feel a bigger hand – Yunho’s, you know – scratch gently over your scalp. Another settles onto your hip, rubbing gentle circles into the bone. They’re Seonghwa’s, you recognize the calluses on his two fingers when they brush over the skin of your bare hip. Mingi’s hand settles across your back, resting between your shoulder blades. His firm touch and big hands are easy to decipher. Jongho’s wrap around your arm, strong and steadfast, just like you know him to be. Your captain’s smaller hand finds your fingers, sliding between them as you grip onto San with a fierce grip.

Hongjoong’s hands tremble when he twists his grip to drag a line down your left ring finger. His gaze finds yours, a watery smile on his lips when your mouth parts in shock and your one eye dilated beyond comprehension. The Captain finishes drawing the line at the tip of your nail, where each of his fingers meets the end of each of yours. Then Hongjoong slides his hand into yours and squeezes three times.

Yunho must have taught him that one.

Because no one else has ever uttered those words to you – least of all meant them.

Your grip tightens fervently, pulling until you can press Hongjoong’s hand into your chest and let him feel the racing pulse of your heart. It slams into your ribs with a thunderous pace, beating in a pattern you hope he can discern. You pull your head from Wooyoung’s neck just slightly. Just enough to lean down and press your lips to Hongjoong’s fingers.

You hope he knows what it means.

He does.

“Happy birthday, tiny,” Yunho murmurs into the shared space between the nine of you. “We’re so happy you’re here.”

You weep.

Ateez spends three nights and four days at the beach.

On the first, you don’t have the courage to venture too far into the shore. The roaring of waves crashing onto the sand is intimidating when you don’t know how to swim. You settle for watching the others splash and wrestle in the shallow sea. Their shouts of glee are enough joy to warm your heart.

You watch Mingi grapple with Hongjoong on the shoreline, huffing softly with a grin when Mingi inevitably gets the upper hand. The guard lifts Hongjoong over his shoulder and laughs deeply as he storms his way towards the sea.

“Put me down!” Hongjoong roars, smacking his hand against Mingi’s back. “Mingi!”

The guard only laughs and spins the two of them in the shallows as he wades deeper into the waves.

“Don’t you dare!”

You watch as Mingi laughs brightly once more, calling out a “too late!” as he unceremoniously dumps his captain into the sea.

Hongjoong dunks beneath the water with a roar, and for a moment you worry he won’t emerge again. He does, however, and lurches from the waves with an undignified shout and lunges towards Mingi as he laughs.

“Get back here!”

You grin and watch the two continue to wrestle in the waves.

Jongho takes you onto the nearby rocks and shows you the wonders of tide pools. He and Yeosang spent years living by the sea, and he murmurs hundreds of little facts about each of the animals he can find. Crouching down by a shallow pool, Jongho reaches into the cool water and ever so carefully lifts a sea star from the water. He cradles it delicately, leaving it half submerged as he pulls you closer with his other hand.

“This is a sea star,” he whispers, looking up at you and gesturing for you to crouch beside him. “You want to feel? You won’t hurt it.”

When you crouch at his side, Jongho pulls your hand towards him with a smile. Bent at the knees, you lean into his side and watch with a bated breath and marvel at the texture of the sea star still carefully held in Jongho’s hands. It’s soft and squishy beneath your delicate touch and you huff a smile as you watch with a mystified expression.

You watch some of the tiny feet of the sea star wiggle in Jongho’s hand and whip your head over to face him with a question on your lips.

Jongho is already looking at you, watching you instead of the sea star in his hands. He’s smiling, softly and sweetly, his eyes fixed on your one eye. They drift from your left one to where your right would be if not hidden behind the mask, then he drops them to your lips. Your breath stutters and you swallow shyly before Jongho lifts his eyes back to your own.

He smiles, as if nothing happened and continues, “See the poky creatures down here? The ones that look like they have needles? Those are urchins. The sea stars will eat those.”

It takes more effort than you’d like to admit to pull your gaze away from Jongho’s face.

At another tidal pool, Jongho points out a creature he calls an anemone. The vibrant teal and green color of its shape mystifies you and you lean closer to investigate it. Listening carefully to Jongho’s explanation of the anemone, you look back up at him with a question in your eyes.

“Yeah, you can touch that one too. Be careful though.”

You don’t understand his warning but carefully drop your hand into the pool to delicately caress the anemone anyway. The chill waters surround your skin and you lean closer to touch the creature, you let out a startled squeal when its sticky tentacles wrap themselves around your finger. Surprised, you lurch away from the pool, confusion in your face and hands braced on the rock beside you.

Jongho laughs so hard you think he might choke.

You turn to look at him with furrowed brows and an upset pout on your lips, a little disgruntled Jongho didn’t tell you that would happen.

The youngest continues to laugh at the utter confusion in your expression, finally bracing himself against you and apologizing.

“Sorry, I’m sorry, Bug. I couldn’t help myself!”

You frown and push gently at his chest, posing a little miffed at Jongho’s teasing. The youngest snorts and pulls you closer to his chest, wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

“I won’t do it again, I promise,” he laughs. “We should wash your hands though, the stingers on those anemones can leave toxins on your skin. I don’t want you to touch your face without cleaning your hands first.”

You huff and nod, letting him lead you away from the rocks and towards the others. When you find San, you race away from Jongho and bury yourself into his chest with a pretend pout. The healer wraps you up in his embrace without question, turning to look at Jongho with a raised brow. Jongho rolls his eyes and laughs.

Seonghwa and Wooyoung take you to collect shells in the afternoon.

Your footprints linger in the sand behind you as you hold the archer’s hand and walk along the shoreline. The sand is packed beneath your feet closer to the shore and you find that there are all sorts of different shells just above the water line.

You recognize some of the larger, smoother shells Yeosang and San use to store medicine sometimes. They’re scallop-shaped and hollow in the middle, and the healers like to use them for creams or other ointments. Seonghwa helps you carry some back to the healers who gratefully pile your collection into one of their packs. They can always use more shells in the medical cavern.

Further down the beach, you find a plethora of smaller shells and drop down into the sand to rummage through them. There’s hundreds of them, some twisting into points and others round at the edges. Some are still split into pieces and others are still whole. Some are closed like a locket. Seonghwa tells you to leave those ones alone – there’s still creatures living in those ones. You gasp and carefully set the shell back down into the sand ever so delicately. The archer smiles fondly at your care for the earth and her creatures.

One of the bigger shells that washes up on the shore catches your attention, and you rush over to the pristine, cream colored object. Yeosang called these conches. When you excitedly turn over the shell, you’re startled to find a spiny looking creature inside. A large claw grazes your hand and your heart lurches.

You shout in surprise, jerking away from the shell with a gasp.

“Bug?!”

Seonghwa is at your side in an instant, hands on your back and pulling you away from the shell. “What happened?”

He doesn’t know why you shouted at first, too worried something has hurt you. His hands slide across your shoulders, turning you to face him and urgently scanning you for injuries. But when he looks down at the crab claw emerging from the shell, Seonghwa feels his chest shake with quiet laughter. Your head jerks back to look at the archer.

“It’s alright, darling. You just startled the crab living inside this one. He won’t hurt you, honey.”

Each shell you turn over for the rest of the day is done carefully and gently, and Seonghea feels his heart tug affectionately at how cute you look doing so. You nudge one with a stick to see if any claws come out and Seonghwa has to bury his smile in Wooyoung’s shoulder.

“She’s so precious,” the warrior murmurs under his breath.

Seonghwa hums in agreement, his head lifting from his partner’s shoulder to find you waving them over excitedly.

“We’re coming, sweetheart!”

Wooyoung settles at your side with a grin and looks down at the smooth stones in your hands. There’s a few rocks mixed in with the more ornate looking shells you’ve gathered, and Wooyoung tilts his head in an attempt to decipher why you’ve called them over.

“What’s goin’ on?”

Seonghwa’s heart stutters at the beaming smile on your lips. You smile more and this is not the first he’s ever seen, but each time you look up at him with that grin on your face, Seonghwa feels his stomach flutter and pride swell from his gut. He almost bites down on his bottom lip to resist sending you back a grin of his own, but Seonghwa doesn’t. And he’s grateful he does, because the way your one eye crinkles with joy when he smiles down at you makes his cheeks burn and his skin tingle.

“Look!” You urgently whisper, swallowing around the word to repress how sore your throat is.

Directing his attention to the dark stones in your hands, Seonghwa’s brows furrow in confusion.

“I don’t understand.”

You lift the stone beside his face, pulling Wooyoung into your side as you do. The two of you face Seonghwa as the archer grows more confused. The dark brown, near ebony-colored stone is lifted just beside his temple and you watch with a marveled expression as you shift your gaze from the rock to his eyes.

“What is it?” Seonghwa urges.

Wooyoung grins, his teeth flashing as he laughs sweetly. His two-toned hair ruffles in the breeze and Wooyoung turns to face you, squeezing your hip as he slides an arm around you.

“That’s a good find, Bug,” he murmurs, looking back up at Seonghwa with honey in his gaze. “The same shade as his eyes. It matches him perfectly.”

You nearly vibrate with happiness, wiggling a little in Wooyoung’s arms as Seonghwa’s eyes crinkle. “Really?”

You nod fervently, reaching for his hand and dropping the smooth stone into his hand and curling his fingers around it. Seonghwa holds the rock carefully, not looking away from your one eye as he lifts it to press into his heart.

“Thank you, darling.”

You smile again, just a little twitch of your lips and nod. Then you turn to Wooyoung and weasel your way out of his grip to hold another up for him. This stone is a similar shade as Seonghwa’s, but just different enough that Seonghwa can see where you’ve matched this one to the exact hue of Wooyoung’s umber irises.

You hold it out to Wooyoung with a tilt of your head and Wooyoung has to resist the urge to lean forward and squish your cheeks. He’s rarely seen you so excited – so… at ease. It makes every muscle in his body eager with the urge to hold you close and squeeze you tight.

“For me?”

You nod excitedly and Wooyoung accepts the stone with a skip of his pulse. “Thank you, baby.”

He and Seonghwa exchange looks and Wooyoung slips the stone into his pocket, where he knows he’ll keep it safe.

“Help me?” You whisper softly, gesturing to the plethora of stones and shells beneath you. “For the others.”

“Of course.”

The two help you find six more stones, one of each of the other members of Ateez. Each one is the exact shade of their eyes – colors you know by heart.

Wooyoung cannot tell you that after the trip, the rest of the boys gather to look at the stones and shells you collected for them. He doesn’t tell you that Mingi finds some twine and they braid bands for each other, carefully depositing their gifts onto string and binding them to each other’s wrists.

On the first night, the nine of you sleep around a bonfire.

The crackling flames keep you warm from the evening’s cool breeze, but you don’t think you sleep at all. The excitement and pure glee from the day keeps you awake. Adrenaline still roars through your veins and you settle for watching the stars for a moment longer. You find the twinkling shape of Polaris easily, and whisper your thanks up at her, just like you do every night since Jongho pointed her out.

She winks back.

The fire continues to crackle and the smell of wood burning soothes your nerves. Eventually, you pull yourself from your bed roll, carefully maneuvering away from Yunho’s warm chest and wrap your blanket around your shoulders. Quietly, you make your way over to the massive piece of driftwood facing the shore.

Then, you drop silently beside Mingi, who sits and watches the sea. It’s technically his watch, but the guard faces the ocean as if he cannot bring himself to look away.

Mingi does not startle when you find your place at his side, only shifting slightly to allow you to get comfortable. As you settle, you scooch as close as you can towards Mingi’s broad chest. Your side presses into his as you rest your weight against him and Mingi smiles, still looking at the sea. He easily accommodates your weight and wraps an arm around your shoulder, covering both your forms with his blanket. You snuggle close, burying your face into his neck and continue to watch the waves crash against the shore as the moon illuminates their peaks.

You sit there for hours. Though you cannot sleep, excitement still pumping through your body, you find staying awake with Mingi is just as nice. Far more comforting, you’d even say. Mingi’s body heat keeps you pleasantly warm and his big arm stays wrapped around your waist. Soon after you settle, the guard drops his cheek onto your head and he breathes slow and deep.

Even when Yeosang relieves him of his shift, taking over his place for watch, Mingi remains still. The two of you stay there until neither of you can keep your slowly fluttering lids open any longer.

Yunho finds the two of you in the morning, and he kisses Mingi awake with a sweet grin and soft eyes. He brushes a hand through your hair and drops a kiss onto your head, eventually dropping onto your other side where he wraps an arm around both you and Mingi as the three of you watch the sunrise.

The second day, you finally find the courage to venture into the waves with San and Yunho at your sides. Yeosang stands in the waves, waiting for you.

San leads the way, walking backwards into the surf and holding both your hands. Yunho stands beside you, one of his arms reaching out to steady you and reassure you that he’s still there. You make eye contact with Yeosang and he winks at you. The honey-haired healer grew up in the sea. You know that if anything goes wrong, Yeosang will know what to do.

“Let’s go, tiny. You’ve got this,” Yunho encourages, softly nudging you forward as you apprehensively toe the water line.

You can’t swim. And you’ve never ventured into the sea before.

It’s a little daunting, but the dimples on San’s cheeks and the smile on his lips encourages you to keep walking. You clutch his hands with a vice grip and gasp as the cold, salty waves cascade over your toes.

“Sorry, lovebug. It’s a little cold.”

San laughs as you throw him a withering look. That information would have been helpful before you stepped into the sea. Yeosang laughs at your side, rubbing a hand along your waist and watching you shiver at the warmth of his touch.

No matter how many times they touch you, you cannot help the way it makes you feel.

“A little further and we can stop,” San murmurs, squeezing your hand when you stumble in the sand and pulling you closer. “C’mon, baby.”

A few steps further and you stand at Yeosang’s side, digging your toes into the plush sand beneath your feet and marveling at how the waves lap at your knees. It’s cold, but you don’t mind since it’s a reprieve from the midday sun. When you turn your back to the sea, a strong wave pushes you closer to San and he laughs when you stumble into his chest. Water splashes upwards, and you get your first taste of seawater.

“Woah!” San laughs, steadying you by the waist and watching as you stick your tongue out with an indignant sound. He can’t help the way laughter bubbles from his chest. You look positively betrayed by the ocean, as if the taste of salt on your tongue personally offends you.

Yunho and Yeosang dissolve into giggles behind San, leaning onto each other to support themselves. Your one eye narrows and you shoot them an angry look, but San thinks you look more like an angry, wet cat than anything scary. Of course, he would never tell you that.

“I’m sorry, Bug!” Yunho laughs. “You just look so funny!”

San listens to you grumble something under your breath, something that sounds like ‘showing him something funny,’ and then you bend at the waist and splash a mountain of water in his direction.

Yunho guffaws at the betrayal and San dissolves into his own laughter, bending at the waist and bracing a hand on his chest as he cackles. Your grin is positively menacing, Yeosang decides. He wonders if you’ll become as much of a brat as Wooyoung if this continues.

Yunho, now drenched in salt water and wet hair dripping into his eyes, enacts revenge and lunges towards you. San, ever the sweetheart, throws himself in between you and Yunho and the two sink into the waves with smiles.

Eventually, when your skin begins to wrinkle from the time you spend in the waves and the sun begins to set, Yeosang and you step away from the shore to settle against the same piece of driftwood that marks your temporary camp. Yeosang sits atop the log and you lay just below him on the sand. You lean against his leg, just watching the rest of the boys continue to dance and swim in the surf. The sound of their laughter makes your heart happy and their gleaming smiles leave a grin of your own on your lips.

It’s nice – smiling again, you mean. It’s a gift from Ateez they have not realized they’ve given, but you take care to treasure it regardless.

You wrap an arm around Yeosang’s tattooed calf, your fingers occasionally dragging along the pattern of thorns that descend from his thigh. They wind around his leg, ending at the bone of his ankle and you’ve seldom been able to keep your hands away from the obsidian ink since he showed you. This, of course, is much to Yeosang’s delight, and the honey-haired healer can barely resist the way he beams so brightly when your delicate hands skim across his tattoos again. He loves it when you touch him.

Mingi and Seonghwa leave the shoreline after a few minutes. They step away from the water to stoke the bonfire at the center of your makeshift camp. The flickering amber hues dance along burning bark and release a pleasant aroma onto the beach. You inhale deeply and lean further into Yeosang, humming happily when one of his hands reaches out to scratch along your scalp.

Head scratches have become one of your weaknesses, you suppose. All it takes is for one of them to run their nails along your head and you’ll sink into their embrace with a happy sigh and mushy bones.

When Mingi is satisfied with the roar of the campfire, he and Seonghwa press kisses to Yeosang’s hair and brush fingers over your hairline as they pace back towards the shore.

A harmonious shout of glee leaves San’s lips as Jongho tackles him into the shallow surf, and there’s an uproar of laughter from amongst the boys. San shouts something along the lines of being cold and twists in the waves in an attempt to pin Jongho beneath him. Jongho, easily the strongest of the nine of you, maintains his place above San but spits salt water out of his mouth in surprise when his partner douses him with a splash. In revenge, Jongho prepares to dunk San’s head beneath the water, only to be tackled into the sea by Yunho. The youngest lets out a squawk of surprise as he sinks into the water and the laughter begins again.

You turn your head towards Yeosang, resting your cheek against his knee and looking up at him with your one eye. You nudge him gently with your knuckles, drawing his attention to you.

“Are you going to join them?”

The honey-haired healer barely catches your question over the cacophony in the surf, but he smiles at the sound of your voice. He slides a hand deeper into your hair and scratches against the nape of your neck, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth when your eye flutters shut briefly.

His eyes, chocolate brown and gleaming with the flicker of flames before you, are warm and strong. They look down at you like you’re the only thing he sees – the only thing he wants to see.

It’s familiar. This moment is too.

Shivering gently from the weight of his gaze and bones feeling mushy and warm, you look up at Yeosang and wait patiently for his answer.

“No, not yet,” he whispers in return, expression soft and eyes tender. “I’m very happy where I am right now.”

You inhale deeply through your nose, recalling when he spoke the same words so long ago. The exhale that shudders through your lungs is accompanied by the sound of Yeosang’s deep, honey-sweet voice.

“I‘m happy here with you.”

He finally has the courage to say it.

You look away from Yeosang so he doesn’t see the water welling in your lone eye. The stroke of thanks you brush across his skin is enough to let him know what you mean. The swell of electricity zinging beneath your skin leaves you breathless and you lean into Yeosang’s legs to combat the shift in emotion.

The healer hums sweetly in response, unable to look away from you. He examines you as you watch his partners, lifting his head when another uproar of laughter erupts when Hongjoong overpowers Wooyoung in whatever game they’re playing in the waves.

But when you glance back at Yeosang shyly, you see it.

You see the way he looks at you now.

With stars in his gaze and affection glimmering in the shine of his irises, you see the way Yeosang’s features melt so sweetly as he watches you. He looks at you the way he looks at them; like he’s staring at his very heart and soul – like there’s nothing else in the world he’d rather gaze upon than your face warmed by the flicker of roaring flames and your one eye finally staring back into his. No apprehension, this time. No fear or confusion or worry or an amalgamation of all of them together. You just… look back at him.

Just like how he looks at you.

When Seonghwa and Mingi rejoin the parade, kicking up salt water and spinning through the shallows, the boys cheer gleefully and begin to dance. It’s chaotic and a mess of stumbling and laughter, but it’s dancing nonetheless. The sound of their joy is infectious and spreads along the beach until it reaches you and Yeosang.

But he’s not listening to them. He’s listening to you. His ears are trained on the sound that erupts from his feet, bubbling from your lips in a noise he’s been praying to hear.

Laughter.

You’re laughing.

There’s this bright, heart-stopping smile spread across your lips as you look up at Yeosang and listen to your family dance on the beach. Your shoulders shake softly with the movement of your laughter, and Yeosang can feel the vibrations of your chest pressed against his leg. It starts as a muffled giggle, barely concealed by your smile, but it deepens into a hearty laugh from deep in your belly.

He cannot tear his eyes from you.

You laugh.

You laugh and you look up at him with stars in your eyes and his heart in your hands, and it takes every fiber of his strength not to lean forward and drown himself in the taste of your lips. It’s all he wants – all he needs, he swears it. One taste of your lips would sate him for life, even though he knows he’d never be able to tear himself away again.

When you lean upwards, grabbing ahold of his fingers and pulling them towards you, Yeosang’s mouth parts to suck in a breath.

You kiss his fingers.

By the Gods, maybe that was a lie. One kiss would never be enough to sate him – there would never be enough of your touch or your kisses that could ever appease his soul. Even if he were immortal and your paths intertwined until the last of the stars burned from the sky, not even then would he have enough of you.

You laugh again, grinning up at Yeosang with a toothy smile and the corner of your mouth digging into your mask. If he wasn’t already sitting, he swears he would drop to his knees at your side.

He loves it – the sounds of your laughter. No matter how raw or croaked the sound is, he adores it. The sound of your voice once made his heart race with glee, but this… This is different.

It’s so much more.

This is joy. Unbridled and unashamed and so clearly you. It’s your laughter, your glee, your happiness that sinks beneath his sin and lights his nerves on fire. It’s your smile and your giggles that make his heart swell. Yeosang adores it. He adores you.

He cannot help the way he slides off the driftwood log and into the sand at your side. Yeosang is pulling you into his chest before you can question his actions. He wraps an arm around your shoulders and pulls your head into his neck, pressing you as tight to his chest as he possibly can.

“You’re laughing…” he whispers as he huffs in disbelief. “Bug! You’re laughing!”

The second time Yeosang utters the phrase, it’s shouted cheerfully as he squeezes you tight into his chest. His heart thumps brazenly beneath his ribs, and he can feel the pulse of yours against his own. You giggle again, wiggling to readjust yourself as you sink into the honey of his embrace. Yeosang’s heart trills excitedly again.

Yunho’s head darts upwards from the beach, startled by Yeosang’s call.

“What?”

San hears Yunho’s whispered disbelief and stands from the surf, attention drawn over towards you and Yeosang. “What did he just say?”

“It’s Bug,” Hongjoong answers, standing behind Yunho with his eyes blown wide. His heart stutters once in his chest as he takes in the sight of your shoulders shaking gently with your giggles. He can’t hear the sound of them, but Gods does he wish he could. “Bug’s laughing.”

“Holy shit…”

Yunho takes off from the beach without another word. He doesn’t even hear who curses.

Sand kicks up from his feet as he sprints towards you and Yeosang with his heart in his throat and a watery grin on his lips. He doesn’t even need to turn around to know that San is the one on his heels. Yunho knows the sound of San’s muffled sobs just as well as he knows the beat of his heart. Wooyoung is not far behind, a bubble of laughter leaving his lips and a chain missing from his wrist. Nothing binds him to that place anymore. You set him free.

Hongjoong and Mingi chase after the others, and the Captain manages to get some revenge for the day before as he shoves his guard into the surf on the way. Hongjoong’s mirthful chuckles as Mingi shouts are heard when Jongho pulls Seonghwa behind him, urging the archer to move faster.

“Bug!”

Your head pulls from Yeosang’s neck, that toothy grin still on your face just as Yunho collides with you and the honey-haired healer. The two of you sway as Yunho’s weight sinks into your figures, but Yeosang sets an arm down into the sand to support you. The black and white strands of San and Wooyoung’s hair drip with salt water as they throw themselves onto Yunho’s lap with a shout. Mingi follows just after, likely having passed Hongjoong on the beach with the length of his strides. He shakes his wet hair as he clings onto Yunho’s back and Wooyoung complains despite the fact that he’s already soaking wet. The giggly sound of Mingi’s laughter makes you chuckle again.

You laugh, as if it’s as easy as breathing.

Yeosang watches, his eyes welling with happy tears as he continues to cling onto you with one hand. He watches you giggle and the others pile into your space and listens to his new favorite sound.

Gods, he adores you. He adores them – this family.

Yunho is crying, his lip wobbling as he buries his head into your hair. He’s at your back, chest shaking with the sound of his watery sobs.

“Tiny…” he cries, but it’s a happy weep. You reach around to cling onto one of his hands. Yunho squeezes you tight, stealing the air right from your lungs, but you don’t need it. You would happily breathe in the pure euphoria of this moment instead. “Tiny, you’re laughing.”

San buries his wet hair into your lap with a joyful sound and the giggles commence again. The healer’s heart throbs so strongly but so pleasantly he thinks it will burst. You have a laugh that makes others laugh with you. Just like Wooyoung, he realizes.

Your other hand drops from Yeosang’s back to brush through San’s hair once and the healer looks up at you with glimmering half-moon eyes and a dimple poking out of his cheek. You allow your finger to poke the sweet little spot this time. His cheek muscles ache from how big his smile is. San nuzzles closer to your stomach and you let yourself shiver pleasantly, far too happy to deny yourself the joy of this moment.

You’re pretty, San thinks to himself. So pretty. Especially when you laugh.

Wooyoung melts into Hongjoong’s side and the Captain wraps an arm around his shoulder. They stand just behind Yunho, burying their happy tears into each other as Seonghwa pulls them close. Mingi and Jongho sink into the sand behind Yunho and pull each other tight. The taller guard squeezes his eyes shut and presses his lips into Jongho’s forehead, desperately hoping all his adoration is conveyed through the kiss. Jongho reaches out to squeeze Yunho’s shoulder and rests his weight against his elder’s back.

“I know,” you finally whisper into the space that separates you and Yunho. “I’m happy.”

One hand lifts to pull the mask away from your face. Without a moment’s hesitation, your nimble fingers detangle the knot from behind you, and you drop the obsidian mask into the sand. A hand wraps around your fingers when you finally let it go. Someone draws a line along the length of your left ring finger and twines their fingers with your own. They squeeze three times.

You repeat the gesture, tracing a finger down the fourth finger on their left hand, right over the thin, dark band you know is tattooed there. You squeeze their hand three times. This sign needs no translation.

You open both eyes.

“I’m so happy.”

bonus:

stranger: so who would you choose; ateez or–

reader: ateez.

stranger: you didn't even let me finish, ateez or–

reader, not missing a beat: ateez. I choose ateez.

a/n: This currently takes place sometime after the main storyline (probably xD) so it accounts for the boys knowing parts of Bug’s past (not revealed but it’s mentioned they know). For now, I won't consider these oneshots canon simply because I won’t know where it fits in the timeline HAHA xD this is essentially just a little bit of fluffy comfort for those who have been missing Bug and the boys! I’m catching up on their story but I hope you enjoy this filler for now <33 ALSO disclaimer, don’t pick stuff out of tide pools! my marine biologist family is screaming at me for including that xD just leave the creatures alone in their habitats!

sorry if bug seems a little ooc here! Loren and I have decided that bug goes from black cat energy to golden retriever after enough time with atz :’))) This is supposed to take place sometime in the future where she’s healed a little more and is a little more curious and open. There are a lot of references to things that have yet to happen in ltm so this is kind of a teaser for those xD

also shoutout to the loml @eightmakesonebraincell for the majority of the ideas in this :D she's a real one xD

taglist: *If you don't see your name on this taglist, you may have been removed if your tag doesn't work :( let me know if you don't see your name and I'll try to see what we can do to fix it :D

@verseoks @smallfrye @istgcyj @rensunjun @flowrsforfun @justchaoticwhispers @gayliljoong @http-lovelyknow @kpopnightingale @rielleluvs @queentiti72 @paralumanniluna @chittaphonstar @dear-dreamie @bangtanxberm @havetaeminforbreakfast @knucklesdeepmingi @pingyu-in-wonderland @5sos-wdw @atzcoke @ddeonghwva @sophxom @khjcoo @sunukissed @becauseiloveyunho @atinymonbebestay @goldenstarmermaid @simplyaghostsworld @multifandomizer @yeosangs-left-ass-cheek @revehosh @mysticfire0435 @side-angel @taestrwbrry @billboard-singer @jenseok17 @parkthothwa8 @jcngh0-hq @dream-in-progress @dees-writing-corner @frankenstein852 @darkdayelixer @ateezkeepmysoul @maruskz @ahhhhhhhhhghh @honeyhotteoks @simeonswhore @jxxngieteez

682 notes · View notes

dalivanmagritte · 8 months

Text

FIC REC : CHOI SAN (SAN)

in the quiet places (fav, FLUFFY FLUFF, smut)

kill them with kindness (angstish, fluff, TENSIONS)

it's sweatpants season! oh my! (smut)

sweet farmer (smut)

knots (smut, masseur!au)

limitless (smut, fluff, angst, knight!au, royal!au)

heists and celebration x wooyoung (smut, thiefs!au)

chicken noodle soup (fluff)

a lesser man (smut, fighter!au, boxer!au)

kalla (smut, BDSM)

i see red (smut)

warrior (smut, historical!au, shifter!au, werewolf!au, royal!au)

his princess (smut, badboy!au)

howling to your moon (smut)

let me protect you (smut, angst, victorian era!au)

better late than never (smut, husband!au)

give a little pow pow on the baby maker (smut)

slow it down x wooyoung (smut, mafia!au, boxer!au)

crazy form x wooyoung (smut)

demon cat boy (smut, catboy!au)

shut up and drive (smut, mafia!au)

imp!san (smut, imp!au)

hollow's eve (smut, demon!au)

vaya con dios (smut, religious!au, photographer!au)

*739 (smut, sex worker!au)

inexperienced (smut)

kinkuary day 1 (smut, royal!au)

pussy slapping (smut)

the big bad wolf (smut, fluff, angstish, hybrid!au)

catch me if you can (fluff, hogwarts!au)

the champion (fluff, angstish, hogwarts!au)

from the shadows (fluff, hogwarts!au)

darling, his darling (smut, angstish, royal!au)

at your mercy (smut)

descend to depravity x seonghwa (smut, demon!au)

twisted (smut, stalker!au)

after all, you're my wife (smut, mafia!au)

stay focused (smut, office!au, university!au)

an imprisoned nighttale (pirate ateez, kidnapping!au, angst)

i hate how bad i want you part.2 (smut, CEO!au)

be my americano (smut)

workout (smut)

san as your boyfriend (fluff, smut)

incubus: coming of age (incubus!san, smut)

#ateez #san #choi san #san smut #san fluff #san angst #san fic rec #san fanfic #san x reader #san x oc #san imagines #san oneshot #san scenarios #ateez san

378 notes · View notes

armpirate · 8 months

Text

Kalla || Choi San

pairing: Choi San x fem!reader || Strangers

w.c.: 5.2k

Warnings: Smut, softdom!San x sub!reader, teasing, protected sex, soft bondage, tickler, dirty talk, rough sex, mentions of voyeurism, swingers and BDSM. If you're a minor, refrain from reading it. Also, if you don't like this content, just keep scrolling.

Summary: The calla lily has a fair amount of symbols related to it. And the owner of the hotel you were sent to work to chose to use the hidden lustful, sexy and sensual meaning of it.

You struggled with trying to do many things at the same time: getting the luggage out of the cab’s truck, all while trying to keep your Gucci bag still hanging on your arm, holding your phone against your ear, and trying to look as neat and professional as you could manage to.

It was a challenge.

The fact that the cab driver didn’t even bother to get out of the vehicle to help you, and just limited himself to look through the rearview, pressuring you to end fast, was annoying you. Huffing once your things were out, and closing the truck as hard as you could, showing off your frustration, got you wondering if you’d have reacted the same way in any other circumstances.

Back home, you were in the middle of moving out from the apartment you shared with your -now- ex boyfriend, all while processing that he chose to cheat on you the same day you needed support the most after being rejected for a project you were looking forward to. Yet the Marketing manager, and also your friend, thought it’d be a good idea to make you travel all the way from home to Seoul to get you to talk with a possible new client -that was planning to open a new hotel in London.

“How was the flight?” Lizzie casually asked.

“Oh, it was great” you answered, the irony in your tone already getting your friend ready for your complaints. “Out of all the people in the plane, I was the only one who had a massage chair, which worked with the feet of a diabolic little kid” all the excitement that Lizzie built in mid sentence, dropped down as you finished up.

It seemed like the universe was urging you to give up on everything you had ever wanted. Marriage? Your boyfriend cheated on you and destroyed the four-year relationship you two had. Family? If it wasn’t enough to see your brother’s wife lose her tiny bit of sanity because of your nephews, you kept crossing paths with kids and parents that made you reconsider that deep wish of ever starting a family.

At that point, you only craved peace

You sighed, trying to regain some calmness that you seemed to have left at Heathrow. “Who is the client?”. You remembered his name was discussed in one of the meetings, but you were too distracted to pay enough attention -in your defense, you didn’t think that project would be yours anyway.

“Kalla” was written in big, with neat letters, sophisticatedly brightened by white lights, that also allowed the dark golden borders to shine, over the big revolving door.

Lizzie finally spoke again “He’s young, Asian…” you had to interrupt her when you heard that, because there was no way she used that only to describe.

“Well, no shit Sherlock, I’m in Seoul” you threw your head back, trying to not let your annoyance get the worst of you. “Nevermind, I’ll just ask for the owner” that’d definitely work better, and faster, than waiting for your friend to give details and explanations that could work out for you. And it wasn’t like you had the patience either.

After hanging up the phone, and dragging your things inside the hotel, you were surprised by the delicate reception that reeked of expensiveness.Maybe it was the high walls that seemed to have no ending, the white marble floor, or the big calla lily flower that adorned the curved black stairs to the first floor.

Heading to the huge counter across the reception, you supported your weight on it, getting the attention of a well dressed woman, who placed her waistcoat properly before speaking to you “I’m looking for the owner of the hotel. I’m Y/n, a representative from Youth. I had a meeting scheduled with him”.

The woman, all while smiling, nodded and checked on the computer hidden underneath the counterpart, confirming everything you’ve just said “Yes, here it is. But unfortunately Mr. Choi is busy right now. I’m afraid he won’t be able to meet with you until tomorrow morning”

Great. You tried your best at holding yourself back from rolling your eyes. It wasn’t like it was going to change your plans that much, because you wouldn’t be flying back home until two days later. But the plan was to have the first contact meeting as you arrived, and spend the next day exploring the hotel and discussing what objectives he had for his new hotel in London. You could still do all that tomorrow, but the slight change of plans -that messed with the strict schedule you settled to yourself- irked you.

“I’ll give you your room key” she announced, after you agreed on waiting for him. “Our spa is open until nine, just like the pool. The pub is open until three. And if you crave something yummy, the room service is available all day.” pointing the way towards the lifts on the left, she said “Your room is the 115 on the second floor. Hope you enjoy your stay” said that, she bowed and waited for you to leave.

When you got to your room, you wondered if you were getting a special treatment, or if all the rooms were alike. Because fucking hell. As you let your body dive in the fluffy mattress, you took a look around. Despite the black walls, the room still looked quite big for just one person. The decoration was quite minimalistic, following the white, yellow and black tones that you had already seen in the reception. In one corner of the room, next to the TV, you saw a black and white painting with a calla lily flower on it. And, considering the name of the hotel was “Kalla”, it made sense that their decoration focused on that flower in particular. Resting your head back on the mattress, you were finally aware of the several small mirrors on the ceiling, that could form one big mirror altogether if you looked properly. It was definitely a place to share with a partner, and Lizzie was so cruel for giving this work to you after what happened…

Rubbing that thought away, or at least trying to, you opened your luggage. It was eight, and it wasn’t like you were starving -because you made sure to stop somewhere to get something to eat before the supposed meeting-, but you needed a drink. And you were planning on staying in that pub until three.

You weren’t exactly planning on clubbing while in Seoul, or going out for drinks, so your clothes were focused on serious meetings and casual clothes. You tried your best at combining both, to get a decent look before you went downstairs with a pair of jeans, a lilac blouse and a pair of black stilettos -that got you regretting your decision of wearing them after fifteen minutes, rushing yourself to sit on the first free stool you saw.

San came back to the hotel where he spent most of his time, greeting the employees that were chattering behind the counter at the reception before heading directly to the open pub at the other side of the hall.

The atmosphere there was always… exciting. And he loved the huge variety of people that were there. From couples enjoying their time before they jumped straight to their rooms or single people that were looking for someone to spend the night with, to those who found joy only looking at others. Or so that was the typical thing there. Of course, there were exceptions, like the woman who was sitting at the corner of the counter, too focused on her own drink to bother herself by lifting her eyes from it.

And while he’d have ignored her to show some feedback to the women who had their eyes on him already, there was something in her aura that instantly attracted him to her.

“The same as always?” the bartender asked, receiving a short nod from San before he took the spot next to you.

He peeked at your drink, or what was remaining from it, and puckered his lips in approval. He had worked several years as a bartender to know that your drink was a Sex on the beach. The bitter taste of vodka, mixed with the fruity flavor of peach and cranberries was sexy. And the suggestive name of the drink was pretty much in line with the concept of the hotel.

Yet you seemed completely uninterested in anyone. So he wondered if you were one of those who liked to go solo but being watched by others. Maybe that was your thing.

“A pic will last longer” you caught him off guard by your comment, finally raising your eyes from the glass to the attractive man in front of you.

“I was just checking your drink”

“You know that sounds suspicious as fuck” you squinted your eyes at him.

You’ve dealt with several assholes while partying, those who’d do anything to get their dick wet -and you meant absolutely anything. But that man didn’t seem like one of those. Despite his harsh looks, you could find some kindness underneath. Maybe it was the way he was smiling, and the dimples that formed perfectly on each one of his cheeks before he spoke again.

“That’s not what I meant” he got momentarily interrupted by the waiter handing him a short, but wide, glass of what you thought could be whiskey. “I just thought it was a good choice”

Lifting your drink a bit, you twisted your lips “Honestly, it seemed to be the softest drink in the menu” you had a high tolerance to alcohol, you just hated the excessive taste of it.

“I’m San, by the way”

“Y/n”

San nodded again, scanning his eyes all over your body. Unable to not admire the way those jeans fitted perfectly in your curves, embracing your legs and ass on that stool, while his eyes avoided to be too obvious when they landed on your small cleavage -although, from his perspective, he could see more than enough to know that what you were hiding underneath was too good to hide it.

“I guess you come here often” you muttered, making him look at you with frowned eyes. “He said he’d get you the same as always”.

“So you like listening to others’ conversations” he teased you.

“More like, I’m an observer by nature” which was a requirement for your job.

San nodded, curious about your response. You were a flirt, but it was so unconscious and natural from you that he could tell you didn’t belong to that place. Yet at the same time you fitted so perfectly.

He could also tell you weren’t that good of an observer, because you seemed to be completely unaware of the three men that had their eyes on you two since he approached you. Or maybe you were aware, and he was just lucky that you were playing along with his game.

“What about you?” he took a sip from his drink. “What brings you here?”

“Business” you nodded. “I had to meet with someone for a project, but the asshole didn’t dare to show up and didn’t even bother to inform me beforehand. So I’m here, killing time”

Minutes went by, letting him invite you for another drink when he also asked for another one for him, while you two just talked about anything. You swore you had never been that comfortable with anyone before, not even your ex boyfriend. Talking with San was so easy and fluent, it was like there was no way the conversation could die, because you two always managed a way to connect the previous topic to a new one.

Well, that, and the fucking tension. You caught his eyes flying to your lips more than once while speaking, licking his own before smirking. And you’d done the right same thing a little too many times as well. He also touched your knee a few times, and you weren’t sure if he had done it on purpose or not, but the tickles in your stomach were dying for him to stick his hand there -accidentally or not. Something was pulling you to each other, but your own restrictions kept stopping any kind of move forward.

You didn’t know San was convinced of winning that inner battle you had, no matter what. And, maybe, you were willing to lose for once, as well.

“So you don’t like rough drinks” he brought up again.

“Picky taste, they call it” you joked, moving the short straw in circles.

He wondered if that was the only thing you didn’t like to be rough.

San then took a drink, and you were so lost on the way his Adam’s apple moved as he gulped the drink, that you were unable to control yourself.

Fuck whatever inner battle you were having.

“But… can I try it?” you asked.

Without hesitation, San turned to you and offered you his glass. Instead, you moved to him, both of your hands enclosing around his neck before you link both of your lips together. You wanted to forget about that lame pick up line you pulled, but most importantly, you needed to know if his lips felt as good on yours as you had been imagining for almost an hour. And fuck they did. The heart-shaped form molding on yours as if you had been destined to meet that night.

To your surprise, he answered your kiss, just as hungry and needy as you. Soon turning more possessive, controlling. You started the kiss, but he took control of it as his hands pressed on each side of your waist.

You weren’t a big fan of one night stands. You hated the idea of going to bed with a total stranger, even kissing one put you in a tough position. But something about San kept drawing you to him. You weren’t sure if it was the taste of whiskey every time his tongue twirled on yours, the way his thumb rubbed on your sides, or the heat that he was able to create with just his presence. But you were ready for everything he could give you.

“Should we take this somewhere?” he asked, breathless.

Yes, please.

But you didn’t beg out loud. You simply nodded, trying to guess how you’d stand up without falling down. Because your legs felt weak as hell at that point.

The big question was where. You had too many important documents in your room, regarding that hotel project, to mess it all up because you were horny enough to invite a hook up in there.

But again, he chose on your behalf, holding your hand to guide you towards the lifts you’d taken not that long ago. Your mind was too busy thinking about all the sinful things you wanted to do to him, to worry about your drinks not being paid. Your mind was filled with him, and when you got inside that elevator, his name intensified so deep in your brain that you couldn’t help but jump again on him, earning a chuckle from him against your lips that sent shiverings all over your body. And those only increased when he pressed you against the cold wall.

“Patience” he gasped, holding your hands on each side of your head when your fingers rushed to unbutton his black velvety waistcoat. “Don’t tell me I’ll have to teach you what that is”.

“Well, I’m quite a restless ass, so…” you managed to say under your breath.

That response, the way you tilted your head… You were one hell of a tease, and he knew he’d have a lot of fun with you tonight.

All his sinful thoughts, filled with all of the things he wanted to do to you, were interrupted by the bell of the lift when you two got to the top floor.

Sucking on your lower lip one last time, he held your hand and guided you down the hall. And with every step, you found yourself more nervous, but also excited and eager for what was to come. It was your first time ever hooking up with a man that you had just met, but you were ready for everything you two could offer to each other.

San moved the key card skillfully over the magnet, unlocking the door to his room. You held your breath, trying to get as much air as possible as you were waiting for another kiss. But, instead, he invited you in and followed you from behind, closing the door and turning the lights off.

His room was like yours, but reversed. Just a few things changed in the distribution, like the bathroom -instead of being at the left like yours, his was at the right.

There was a moment of silence, thick and heavy, almost unbearable by the way he was looking at you with such intensity. The sound of the heels of his shoes hitting against the wooden floor made your heart beat a bit faster, leaving you close to pass out when he stood in front of you.

His warm breath caressed your forehead, while his fingers pulled from your blouse, taking it out of your jeans before they moved up to those small white buttons. He unbuttoned each one, eyes focused on yours, as if he were wanting to say all the things he was planning for that night with them. He stopped his job though, moving his fingers upwards to your jaw, making a burning trail from that spot to your collarbones, moving the fabric enough to expose part of your shoulder before his fingers trailed down. He traced the curve of your breast, so slowly that it was painful, moving over the space between your tits, stopping at the place where he stopped unbuttoning your shirt.

“Get naked for me” he demanded, but in such a sweet tone that it felt like honey to your ears.

As you nodded, he stepped back, only taking off the waistcoat you tried to rip off back in the elevator, throwing it somewhere in the room, before taking a seat over the edge of the bed.

You took your heels off while you fought with the buttons left of your blouse, moving down to fight with your jeans when the upper fabric was long gone. You got naked in a new record time, but he stopped you when you finally took off your bra. Lifting two fingers in the air, he motioned you to start walking towards him.

“We have all night, babe” he assured you, placing you in between his open legs, before you almost lost all balance when his tongue swirled around your nipple.

He loved the way your body reacted to him almost instantly, feeling the buttons getting hard on his tongue with just a few moves, while you were trying your best at hiding your pleasure expression from him. Although, all that stopped when his lips closed around one of them. San was fast getting drunk from your taste, your reaction and that subtle coconut smell that was mixed with your arousal scent. Changing from one button to the other, he started slipping your panties down, making your skin burn with the way his fingers barely touched you on their way down.

You felt a throb shaking you up from head to toe when his lips got in contact with your belly for the first time.

“Lay on the bed” he demanded.

You just did what he said. Feeling good over him having that amount of power over you, strangely excited by how you were fully naked in front of him while he was still completely clothed -although he was fighting against the knot of his tie while he walked around the bed.

When he took out some pieces of the headboard to show off two long chains that came from each side, you instantly sat up.

“Why does your room have this?”

San looked at you confused for one second. All rooms had all kinds of sex toys or accessories, they were just hidden for the customer’s comfort and to keep the elegance of the hotel itself. “I’m sure yours has it, too”.

You still looked confused, because why the hell would a hotel have chains on the headboard of its beds.

“This hotel is designed for this, and aimed at people into this type of thing” he bothered to explain, kneeling next to you on the bed. “I thought you knew it”.

He knew there was something strange about you the second he laid his eyes on your body back in the pub, but he never thought it’d be that you were completely unaware of the hotel’s nature.

It was something that you’d have known if you had held the meeting with the owner, but you didn’t.

“We can stop it all right now” you heard him say.

And despite being confused about what was happening, you still rushed to stop him from moving. Could be you were too into that man, too lost in his inverted triangle torso under that white shirt, or the way his bulge marked under his slacks, but you didn’t really want it to stop.

“I want to go on” you assured him, instantly earning a sided smile from him.

He stretched the black tie in his hands, looking at you with a careful gaze “Whenever you’re unsure, uncomfortable… If you just want to stop, use the safe word, calla, and I’ll stop. Understood?”.

After seeing you nodding, he wrapped his tie around your head, covering your eyes with the black and thick fabric. Gently, he pushed you towards the mattress, with two fingers against your chest, until you were finally lying down.

With your eyes covered, you felt like your other senses multiplied per ten. You could perfectly hear the sound of the thin chains rubbing against the metallic headboard, you could feel the light weight of each one of the handcuffs next to your wrists as San placed himself on top of you.

He closed the two puffy handcuffs around you, restricting your moves, but also making sure they wouldn’t be that tight to hurt you.

Your back momentarily arched when you felt something light and soft caressing your skin, tracing an invisible line from your jaw, down to your neck and collarbones. San found delightful the way your body responded to the plastic flower running over your body. It was all your subtle responses that made him twitch in his pants faster than he’d want to. He wanted to teach you about patience, and there he was, almost close to losing his because of the way your hairs lifted as the petal drew the rugosity of your nipples, your how thick you swallowed when it kept moving down to your belly button.

The touch of that thing on your body, ghosting over your skin, and teasing your pelvis, as San moved back to straddle your thighs, was sending you to a whole new place. Needy, eager, desperate… Those were the words that would describe you right now, as your arousal kept leaking while all you wanted was him. San was a king at building up the moment and getting you ready for him. He was giving a whole new meaning to the word patience.

You stopped feeling his weight on your body, but you did feel it on the mattress, in front of you. Biting your lip to hold back a moan, when he lifted your leg from your ankle. That soft thing was tempting the curve of your sole, moving forward to the marked bone of your ankle, before it started moving up past your calve. Still going up to your inner thigh, you felt San’s strong hands enclosing around your knees, parting your legs to finally see by himself his creation. Your slick creating thin lines among your folds when he left you completely open.

“You’re so gorgeous” he assured, finally allowing you to feel his lips on the soft skin of your inner thighs.

It was your first time in that place, in that situation, but you were molding in so perfectly, you were looking so fucking tempting, he had to remind himself he had to be easy on you. He was dying to use one of the whips hidden behind the secret closet next to the TV, or overstimulating you with one of the vibrators until you asked him to stop. Only because you dared to go faster than what he was planning to back in that elevator.

Maybe another day.

You felt his weight disappearing from the bed, but you still heard the sound of his clothes moving, barely making a sound when they fell to the ground around him. Soon after he joined you again, placing himself between your thighs, and letting his heavy dick rest on your pubes, grinding on you “Are you going to take me like a good girl?”.

You nodded, thinking it’d be enough with just that. Until a hard span on your thigh made you jump, and bite your lip to shut the whimper tempting to get out.

“Use your words”.

“Yes” your voice sounded so weak, he found it cute.

Your hips instantly lifted when he moved his tip all over your slit, getting himself wet enough before thrusted in all at once, making a scream get drowned at the back of your throat while holding yourself onto the chains by the surprise. Waiting a few seconds, he rolled his hips back again slowly, before thrusting into you hard again, making your whole body collapse against the mattress.

He repeated that same move a few times, just to buckle his hips and go faster in you, not allowing you to feel empty for long enough before he was filling you completely again. “So tight and good” he moaned “You have no fucking idea what beautiful you’re looking right now, being fucked so good” His fingergrips dinted on your skin, and you were sure you’d be filled with his marks the morning after. But you couldn’t care less. You were too lost in pleasure, too over the moon by his cock rubbing against all the right spots, that you were even having a hard time controlling your own moans.

And he was aware, and bothered by it. San was seeing you moving your body constantly, clenching your jaw while pressing your lips together, with only small whines and gasps getting to escape your mouth with every thrust, forcing him to press his digits on your cheeks, parting your lips so those sounds would be filling the room.

“This is how I want you, babe” his hand went down to your waist, lifting your hips a bit more. “Be a fucking mess for me. Let everyone know who’s fucking you this good”.

You yourself were surprised by your own whimpers, finding it hard to believe those loud moans and begs were coming from you. Never in your life you thought you’d feel so much pleasure to be so loud, always thinking it was something exaggerated by the few porn movies you used to watch when you had to do the job your ex didn’t.

It was the first time in your life you were losing yourself completely, not having a single bit of control over your body.

His fingers dragged the tie down, now placed around your neck, before he pulled from it to force you to look at him.

You were too shy to keep your eyes on him, but too fucking turned on by own looks to move them away. His jaw was clenched, his eyes -almost covered with his bangs- were filled with sinful words that were roaming in the back of his head. You looked down at his marked abs, and the outline of his pelvis, pounding against you so hard that you thought he was planning to break you in half, while your body just bounced with it.

You were unable to resist when his fingers started tracing circles around your clit. Your legs kept being pushed apart by his free hand whenever you aimed to close them. “I’m gonna cum” your head hung in the air, now rocking with the rest of his body and his full control.

“You gonna cum on my cock?” he tilted his head. “Do it. Make a mess for me, babe”.

It took him those words, and three more circles around your bundle of nerves, and your pussy was milking him hard and tight while cumming all around him. And after seeing your eyes rolled to the back of your head, hearing that broken loud moan, and feeling you clench so tight around him, he reached his high short after.

After a few minutes, you were still recovering from that powerful orgasm, just that you were untied and looking up to the ceiling next to him in his bed. after he came back from throwing away the condom.

You were waiting for your client in the waiting hall of the hotel, still thinking about the amazing night you spent with that hot stranger. Although you felt a bit guilty after basically running away from his room after he fell asleep after the second round. San assured you you could spend the night there. And, while you agreed, there was something inside you that made you get up and leave him there while he slept.

Could be you’d see him again later today to be able to apologize. Could be you’d never see him again -and, honestly, that upsetted you more than it should have.

Your thoughts were interrupted by a group of voices that were getting closer to your room, until the door opened and showed a neatly dressed woman -that was probably around your age.

“Mr. Choi will be with you in a second” she assured her.

And just nodding, you sat back on the armchair while playing nervously with your fingers on your lap. You expected that man to be someone old, rough and difficult to handle. Because there was no way you were the only one in the office acceptable to take the job. You were sure more than one person rejected the project, and you were the only dumb one to take it.

“Sorry for being so late…”

You froze on the spot when you saw him. If you had had a way to hide yourself anywhere, you for sure would’ve jumped anywhere to close yourself inside forever. The man you were begging for more last night, that had you in shambles and almost crying from pleasure, the same man you abandoned at five in the morning in the sneakiest way possible, was standing in front of you.

“Mr. Choi?” you asked, nervously.

“You’re the agent from Youth?” unlike you, his looks brightened when he saw you. “So I’m that asshole?”.

Reminding how you ranted against the owner of the hotel with him, you were aware you were talking to the person you were talking shit of.

No. Now. Now was when you wanted to hide forever. That probably was the worst way to start the negotiations for a project.

#jjkvibe #ff #smut #one shot #reader insert #san #choi san #san smut #ateez #choisanxreader #sanxreader #ateez smut #san x oc #san one shot

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bro-atz · 3 months

Text

Irresistible

Gyuri seriously hates the CMO of her company, and the feeling seems to be mutual until one night after a company dinner, she gets involved with him in a way that she never in her wildest dream fathomed would ever happen.

San is the bane of her existence in every way possible— yet, he's irresistible.

pair: cmo!san/employee!oc

word count: 75k

content: smut, corporation!au, enemies to lovers, forbidden love

author's note: yes i know gyuri is the same oc as 1024ub but cut me some slack it's hard coming up with new names/characters why do you think i write ffs LMAO

network: @cromernet

apply here to be part of the taglist!

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT nsfw chapters in red

chapter one: why do you hate each other so much?

chapter two: smoking causes cancer

chapter three: who was it?

chapter four: let's pretend nothing happened

chapter five: rolling thunder hear my yelps

chapter six: how did i end up here?

chapter seven: why did you get out of his car?

chapter eight: a fucking nightmare

chapter nine: happy?

chapter ten: we need to stop waking up like this

chapter eleven: chain smoking

chapter twelve: there's no such thing as dibs

chapter thirteen: let's get the story straight

chapter fourteen: production problems

chapter fifteen: going with the flow

chapter sixteen: a really nice fucking dinner

chapter seventeen: bosses and bruises

chapter eighteen: and burns

chapter nineteen: this isn't just bad luck anymore, is it?

chapter twenty: white lily

chapter twenty-one: if that's what you want

chapter twenty-two: i really can't stay away anymore

chapter twenty-three: this... is love...

chapter twenty-four: the betrayal!

chapter twenty-five: i'm sorry...

chapter twenty-six: on the down low

chapter twenty-seven: this is why we can't have nice things

chapter twenty-eight: good riddance

chapter twenty-nine: bad and guilty

chapter thirty: how did you not know?

first chapter will be dropped march 1st chapters will be posted every thursday at 18:00 EST

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sorryimananti-romantic · 10 months

Text

Horizon (Chapter 1)

series masterlist

faerieprince!san x oc

royal/fantasy au, soulmate au

chapter wc: ~20k

chapter warnings: fluff, angst, tragedy, violence warnings, mention of death/su!cide, past traumas, a lot of atz interactions

chapter synopsis: gaeul gains consciousness after coming back from the dead, finding her magic reversing. the eight faerie princes and the princess can feel her presence disrupting the flow of nature. as wooyoung comes across gaeul and offers his help along with jongho, san arrives and finds that his connection with gaeul is unique. they start connecting dots and realise this might be the doing of an old enemy. seonghwa and yena worry it might be a result of a time anomaly. elsewhere, hongjoong sets to investigate the source and the case of the missing faeries with mingi, yeosang and yunho.

All Gaeul knew as dark spots started appearing in front of her eyes was the utter wrongness of this all.

All that she knew nothing of.

Nothing made sense anymore. The pain coursing through her body made her hurl her guts out into the potted plant in front of her and she almost fainted. She barely heard the passersby panic as they watched her skin turn from a dangerous pale to a flushed colour, to their surprise. Usually it was the other way.

Gaeul's head threatened to explode with the pain. She couldn't register anything at that moment. She didn't feel two wrinkly yet feminine hands grab her by the arms. She didn't feel someone carry her on their back. Neither did she recall how exactly she passed out.

She just knew that everything was wrong. She was supposed to be dead, yet she was breathing-

Everything was wrong, wrong, wrong-

—----------------

The glass of wine shattered dramatically on the floor, the red colour of the drink staining the white rug, to everyone's disappointment but more so surprise. San blinked a few times as if coming out of a trance.

"Are you okay?" Seokmin frowned, for once worried, unlike his usually cheerful and 'everything is fun and games unless someone is dying' manner. Though one could argue that he worried more than the rest.

San nodded, resting his hand on the ash ends of his overgrown hair. He bent down to pick up the shards but one of the cleaners made it disappear with a wave of his hand. San nodded in silent thanks.

"You don't look like it, man, I'm just saying," San’s Right Hand glanced at Mingyu who nodded, the two of them ganging up to stare at San. "You've been more clumsy ever since we came back from Wooyoung’s kingdom four months ago."

“I think he’s been clumsier ever since Antares.”

Antares, in Hongjoong's Kingdom. The City of Lights, representative of the Prince of Light itself. The place where everything concluded.

Everything, San summed it up in his head. The past two years had been the strangest of his life. He had somehow ended up meeting Yeosang's lost twin, Yena. The Princess of Space to the Prince of Spirit. San had also ended up helping the Lost Princess who wasn't aware of her identity at that time. During that process, he helped reclaim her powers and brought her back into everyone's life. Watched her battle her worst enemy who was once her best friend. Watched her fall in love with Seonghwa, the Prince of Dark. What a pair they made-

"San?" Mingyu called out and San hummed in response, aware that he hadn't really been listening to whatever he had said. "Where's your mind right now?"

"Away, away," San almost sang, playing it off with a smile sent at his guard. "Lost in the complexity of time and space."

"I get that," Seokmin agreed. "Sometimes when I'm working, this sudden realisation dawns upon me- ahh, that's what happened! You know? You suddenly recall something and realise how fate played us all for Princess Yena."

"Exactly," San laughed. "I mean, we did relive some piece of our life twice because she time travelled to save Seonghwa. I like to think back and wonder how it happened."

"You've been doing a lot of that lately. You don't look well, San," Mingyu was worried. "You've been way too clumsy on your feet. You'd think as the Prince of Earth, you'd be steadier."

"I've only grown weary," San got up, looking pointedly at the two of his closest court members. "I just need to rest. I'm absolutely fine. Don't get your knickers in a twist."

“There’s also the matter of the missing faeries- the number has risen from two to six in the last few months,” Seokmin sighed, showing San the reports. San scrolled through them, not really reading but thinking as Seokmin explained. “No traces detected. But a common occurrence is that all of them went missing in the thick of the forest or near the river. One witness reported some sort of a creature-”

“Could be a shapeshifter who’s doing the deed then,” San tossed the reports. “Send guards at the sites to investigate- and go along with them, the both of you. I need you two to report to me as soon as possible.”

Before the two of them could protest, San strolled outside the office, walking casually enough to his chamber. Once he was in the privacy of his room, he rushed to the sink and washed his face with cold water, watching his hands shake.

His heart had sank dangerously a few minutes ago- it wasn't the usual nervousness. It was a sign that something was wrong in this land- something so wrong unlike anything he had ever felt before. Maybe the ‘creature’ wasn’t even a faerie at all. Maybe that’s what it was.

Something was absolutely, utterly wrong. And it was calling out to him.

—----------------

"Madame! Wake up! Can you hear me?"

Gaeul clenched her eyes shut, wondering if she could cease to exist. But the voice only grew louder, forcing her to reality and she opened her eyes after a few not so gentle taps to her cheek.

"You need to drink this," the old woman forced the tip of the bowl to her mouth, making Gaeul swallow the bitter liquid that could only be medicine. She wanted to tell her that no medicine would work on her. How she knew that, she wasn't aware but she just knew, and she had only proven it in the previous few days as she threw up anything she ate, bleeding from her nose or eyes a few times a day, fainting horribly and whatnot.

The healers believed she was cursed at this point. They had never seen a faerie who could be in this condition and not simply die. It's like the very thing that had forced her into this condition was also the thing keeping her alive.

"Where am I?" Gaeul asked, aware that she didn't have much time before she would start feeling sick again. She looked at the various shelves lined with jars of what looked like anything from food to medicine to potions. A few frames of what looked like her family sat on the table by the fireplace.

"It's my house but also a clinic," the woman passed her a wet towel to wipe her face.

"No, I mean… What city? What kingdom?"

"Oh dear," she tucked Gaeul's dark hair behind her ears. "You're in Nunki. Kingdom of Sagittarius? Prince Wooyoung's territory? Recall how you got here?"

Oh she recalled, alright. Somehow, she had found herself in the middle of a forest, no memory of how she had gotten there. Gaeul recalled bits and pieces- something that she wasn't sure was memory, past life, or worse. Or maybe it was both- she had no idea. All she recalled right now was what might have been her 'death'- killed by the man with hair the colour of blood. Why? She did not recall.

But if it really was a recent memory, how was she alive without a scar of that blow? How was she here, existing? Or was it just her imagination, a dream? Gaeul almost scratched her hair out and the old woman who had gone to get her some snacks frowned at her.

"Maybe we should take you to the High Healers. I've never heard or seen something like this, I'll tell you the truth. I can't do much except give you rejuvenating potions."

"Uh, thank you, but I think I'll pass-" she coughed, her hand reflexively going to cover her mouth, feeling something wet- blood.

Internal bleeding? Great, she thought. Just what she needed.

"Yeah… I think not," the woman rolled her sleeves determinedly, setting her herbs down. "Wash up if you can, I'm calling the carriage."

Gaeul decided she was too weak to protest so she got up with immense struggle and made it to the toilet, retching her guts out and crying before coming out.

"See? You look a mere second away from death. Let's go."

—--------------

“Ah, the air doesn’t smell right these days.”

“Maybe you should admit that your sense of smell has gotten weak,” Siyeon looked at her Prince. Wooyoung frowned at her.

“I’m the Prince of Air. There’s no way my sense of smell can get bad.”

“Maybe he just sniffed himself,” Changbin commented as he walked in front of the two, dumping their camping bags in front of them unceremoniously. “What do you think?”

Siyeon grinned and Wooyoung shook his head at his Right Hand and Guard. “You lot will never understand.”

After bickering back and forth for a few moments while the three set up their tent, Wooyoung went to wash his face at the stream just a few feet ahead while Changbin and Siyeon looked at each other, worried.

“You’re thinking what I’m thinking?” Changbin asked.

“Last time he smelled something funny, it was Princess Yena. Remember how he complained about smelling something strange ever since she stepped on this continent?”

“That’s what I’m saying,” Changbin watched the Prince wipe his face and look at the mountains distantly. “I mean, everything’s been peaceful. It’s been more than two years, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Siyeon bit her lip nervously. “Let me casually ask him what exactly smells so strange to him later.”

“You two look awfully serious,” Wooyoung commented as he walked back, sitting in front of the wood that Siyeon had gathered. Siyeon sat cross-legged in front of him, lighting a fire with a click of her fingers.

“We’re not always cackling like someone I know,” she grinned and Wooyoung rolled his eyes.

“I have to admit that it’s nice to be out,” he leaned back, looking up at the cloudy sky. “I haven’t really had time to breathe ever since we came back from Antares, isn’t that so?”

“Yep,” Changbin said. “It was busier than we expected.”

“Well, the Lost Princess was found and now she rightfully sits on her throne. The people still have mixed feelings.”

“Can’t blame them, but if they knew of the hell that she, that you all have been through for peace to come… I think they will stop complaining.”

“Well, we can’t exactly tell people that the Princess went back in time and travelled different dimensions to defeat the monster- that darkling who could very well have destroyed our planet,” Wooyoung looked at Siyeon, having proven his point, inhaling deeply and wrinkling his nose.

“You still smell something funny?” Changbin teased.

“What exactly can you smell?” Siyeon asked casually.

“I don’t know, is what’s strange,” Wooyoung sighed, looking grim. “It’s not far. But it’s… nothing I’ve ever smelt before. With Yena, I could feel her magic and tell that it resembled Yeosang, but this? This just smells… wrong, somehow. Not of this world. I can’t really pinpoint the source either.”

Siyeon straightened- as the Prince’s Right Hand, jokes and teasing aside, she knew never to take anything he said unseriously. “Do you think it’s a darkling?”

“No, it’s not that,” Wooyoung looked sure, sniffing the air again for good measure. “If faeries, minus their magic scent, smell like honey, darklings have this inherent ‘burnt’ scent. Like burnt wood- not necessarily the bad kind. I can’t smell magic on whatever this thing is. I only smell… burnt honey. Does that make sense?”

Changbin couldn’t help but scoff at that. “A mix?”

“No, no, nevermind what I just said,” Wooyoung straightened. “This just smells… wrong. Like it’s not supposed to be here. Look at this,” Wooyoung slid his sleeve up, showing the raised hair on his arms. “I literally have goosebumps just after a whiff of it.”

“What if it’s your soulmate?” Siyeon wiggled her brows and Wooyoung narrowed his eyes at her.

“I don’t think my soulmate would smell wrong to me, Siyeon. Jokes aside, should we inspect?”

“Isn’t today your day off?” Changbin asked.

“Well,” Wooyoung got up, brushing his clothes, shaking his head so the dark tendrils of his hair messed up before he swept them back. “I don’t think us Princes can ever have a day off. And there’s also the matter of the missing faeries. There really can’t be peace even among the same race, huh?”

Siyeon scoffed. “Our fathers gave their lives to transport all faerie-kind to this planet, away from the cruelty of humans and darklings, and all it takes is two decades before we start acting like the very creatures we ran away from.”

“Let’s hope it is only a faerie, Siyeon,” Wooyoung looked grim. “Let’s hope.”

—----------------

Gaeul was pretty sure that she had passed out for most of the carriage ride before the woman stopped the carriage, waking her up.

“We’ve travelled for six hours now. I stopped two hours ago too but you were out cold. Now is the time to wash up and eat something. We’re stopping at an inn, come on now.”

Gaeul sat up straight, waiting for her head to stop spinning. “Are we staying here for the night?”

“That’s right,” she said, extending a hand and Gaeul took it as she jumped down, grateful the woman had not put her in a dress- just loose trousers and a shirt. “Come on, let’s get you inside and see if you can eat.”

She ordered soup and bread for Gaeul and she played with the bread, not feeling very hungry though her stomach grumbled. “Why are you helping me?”

“Why not?” She said, urging Gaeul to eat. “I’m not going to ask you to return the favour, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m just doing my duty. I’m going to drop you off at the High Healers and then you can forget about me, if that’s what you wish.”

“No, no, I… I didn’t mean it like that. Thank you for helping me,” Gaeul folded her arms, hugging herself. “It’s just… I wish I hadn’t been a burden to you.”

“Well, thanks to you, I get to meet my old friends in the palace,” the woman smiled and Gaeul sighed internally.

The Palace. She had forgotten the High Healers resided in the same space as the Prince. She briefly wondered if she would get to see Prince Wooyoung from afar.

“I can’t eat more,” Gaeul apologised and the woman told her not to force herself. She led her to a room, Gaeul taking the mattress and sitting down in front of the window, staring wistfully at the two suns that lit the sky, the purple one brighter than the orange, casting a dark but purple glow across the night sky with a slight orange tint.

Now that her head was clearer, she could recall something that felt like her own life, yet she watched it through a third eye. Fragments of herself playing on the beach, using her magic to grow flowers out of thin air or breathe life into dying animals- was she a healer? She couldn’t exactly recall. Gaeul raised her hands in the air, willing some sort of magic to come to her but she felt worse than empty. There was this pit in her heart that she was sure had never been there before. And it felt wrong.

Gaeul tried harder but it only made blood trickle down her nose and before she could wipe it, she fainted into the endless bliss.

—-----------------

Yena woke up covered in sweat and out of breath again.

She was glad Seonghwa was beside her. He was sleeping peacefully and Yena smiled at that, sliding out of the covers careful not to wake him up as she tiptoed to the bathroom, wanting to take off everything and just sit in some cold water.

She let the cold water soak her body, sliding down the tub until the tip of her chin touched the surface. She shut her eyes and tried to recall if she had seen a nightmare, but as the several times before, she knew she had seen no dream or nightmare. She had simply woken up, feeling that something wasn’t right.

This feeling wasn’t new to Yena at all. Her magic was very sensitive and she could sense something wrong even when her magic was blocked and she wasn’t aware of her identity. But this feeling was new, and it unsettled her in ways that she couldn’t explain. Like an impending doom.

She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt Seonghwa’s hand on her hand, sighing in relief when she opened her eyes and saw it was only her husband. Seonghwa frowned but smiled. “What’s wrong, love? You didn’t even sense me coming.”

“I was just thinking,” Yena squeezed Seonghwa’s hand.

“That same feeling again? Woke you up?”

“Yeah,” she slid further down in the tub, her blonde hair floating around her. “Something isn’t right in this… world right now, Seonghwa. I don’t know how big or small it is, if it’s here on this planet or in one of my dimensions or on another planet, but… something that is not supposed to exist is present- I can feel it. Tell me you feel it too.”

Seonghwa hesitated but finally nodded- Yena, of all people, should know. “I don’t know how exactly but I just know that it’s dark in nature- not necessarily a darkling,” Seonghwa added when he felt Yena tense. “It’s not that. It’s… something or someone, and if it’s a person, it’s not a darkling. I can’t say if it’s a faerie either. I just know that it is out of place. It shouldn’t be here.”

“So you can feel the darkness in magic too, Prince of Dark?”

“That’s the thing which is confusing me,” Seonghwa sighed. I can’t really feel any sort of magic. Not yet. Maybe it’s not magical, whatever this is.”

“Seonghwa,” Yena shut her eyes. She didn’t need to say more- Seonghwa could hear it anyway since he was touching her. Yena pushed her thoughts in his mind-

I’m so tired. Whatever this is… it’s wearing me out. I’m not ready for whatever it is. But… I know that I can’t ignore it either.

Seonghwa squeezed her hand, leaning down to plant a soft kiss on her lips. “You’re not alone this time. All of us are with you. Let me send a message to the others, see if they’ve felt something amiss too. Let’s rest for now, eh?”

Yena nodded, splashing water on her face that merged with the tears that rolled down her eyes before Seonghwa could see it.

—--------------------

Gaeul couldn’t breathe.

She woke up in the middle of the night, out of breath. The calm and chill breeze flowing through the open window did nothing to calm her down. She had to go outside, right now. She almost shook the woman awake but decided against it, stumbling down the stairs and making her way out and gasping for air as if she was being suffocated.

This wasn’t anything new. Many times her healer had caught her outside, unconscious, mostly a bloody mess. She would try to wake her up for a few moments before giving up and dragging her back. But this time…

Gaeul didn’t feel sick. For the first time in whatever length of time had passed, Gaeul suddenly could see and feel. Her head had never been clearer.

As if in a trance, Gaeul looked at her hands, sinking to the ground and picking up a wilting daisy. Gaeul tried recalling how her magic worked- it was second nature to her, from what she had recalled so far.

Gaeul shut her eyes, trying to reach her heart and will her magic to unleash, but the pit, that goddamned endless pit in her heart called to her and-

Gaeul was down memory lane. The redhead who had killed her mercilessly- why? What crime had she committed? Was it a past life? If so, why did she not remember anything-

“Are you okay?” She heard the familiar voice of the healer and it pulled her out of her trance. Gaeul turned her neck back to look at the woman who approached her cautiously.

“I just needed some air,” Gaeul got up, exhaling. “Did I wake you up?”

“No, I just felt strange. Woke up to see you weren’t there with me so I decided to check. Are you sure you feel okay?”

“Yeah, I feel better, I was just-” Gaeul looked at the flower in her palm, her eyes widening with horror as she saw it was no longer wilted but dead.

“I was just looking at this… flower,” Gaeul managed to say out loud. The woman raised a brow, inspecting the flower in her palm.

“This looks… why is this grey?”

“That’s what I’m saying,” Gaeul locked eyes with her. “It’s beyond dead.”

—---------------

Jongho felt it then. The strange feeling that had been looming around him for a few months now… he couldn’t deny it anymore or shrug it off as some sort of a nervous spell. It was real and existing.

And it was unnatural in every sense.

Jongho wiped sweat off his forehead and walked to the garden right outside his room. He had to check something and he hoped he would get answers. He sat down on the grass, closing his eyes and sending himself in a meditative state as his powers reached out and connected with everything that was natural around him.

He had no idea how long he stayed like that, but he could feel his skin warm up- the sun was probably out now which meant that he had been here for hours now. His magic reached out and further, linking with everything until he finally found the one thing that it didn’t connect with-

It made Jongho queasy in a matter of seconds and he tried wrapping his magic around it- it was a person, alright. He could hear the heartbeat. But the magic that it contained, it was no longer natural. And the very existence of this person…

His magic repelled and came back with a jolt, making Jongho gasp and clutch his throat as he normalised his breathing.

This wasn’t right. Something had gone incredibly wrong, and he needed to see the others right now. But first… he would go to Wooyoung and get his help in pinpointing who exactly this was.

Jongho got up, walking to his room, hearing the faint knocks on his door before it opened to reveal his Right Hand, Jooheon, who waved cheerfully but the smile fell off his face. “Have you been up all night? Because you look like a mess. Should I call the healers?”

“No, it’s okay,” Jongho almost tripped on his feet, laughing a bit. “Just used my magic all night, no big deal-”

Jooheon watched Jongho’s eyes roll back before he fell unceremoniously on, thankfully, the couch, though the position looked painful. Jooheon tsk-ed, shaking his head at how Jongho had tried shrugging it off. “Hyungwon! The Prince has fainted!”

Hyungwon peeked inside, narrowing his eyes at Jooheon who told him that Jongho had been awake all night. “Are you sure he didn’t just fall back to sleep after spending all his magic?”

He hadn’t.

—----------------

Yunho was the first one who received Seonghwa’s message. He read it over and over again, then tossed the paper into the nearest water body, dissolving it and making it one with the water.

If you have seen or felt something strange or wrong, unfamiliar or unnatural, whatever it was, report now.

Yunho couldn’t help but throw his head in his hands as he wondered how whatever he had felt months ago was related to this. He recalled the night from four months ago when he had started feeling a strange pit in his stomach, like a gut feeling that something was about to happen.

He had gone to the shore for a week straight, trying to feel it out, but it was just so unfamiliar. He had no idea what it was. Nobody around him felt it, so he wondered if it was just inside his head. He wondered if he needed to meet up with his friends and had been lonely recently.

He met up with Mingi. He stayed in his kingdom for two days. He didn’t feel anything there, but as he travelled back, the feeling grew stronger and stronger. He tried to find the source, swam endlessly in the ocean but to no avail.

And then one day, as quick as it had appeared, it disappeared completely. Yunho wondered then- had someone practised dark magic?

Somehow, the feeling reminded him very much of the one he’d got when Yena had been dumped in the middle of the ocean after jumping back in time and Yunho, unaware of her existence, had known a part of him was in danger and had gone to save her without knowing who he was saving.

Now he felt that he was in danger. Everyone was. It was like the same feeling yet its meaning was the opposite.

It felt wrong.

And last night, he had felt it briefly again. He had wondered if he was flipping but now he knew that he was still sane, alright.

Yunho sighed, going to his room and picking up a pen, beginning to write on the note.

Seonghwa and Yena.

Something is not right. I can’t explain it here, but I have a feeling that it’s connected to all of us. We have done something wrong.

—----------------

Gaeul couldn’t believe what she just did.

After summoning up her magic for the first time in as long as she could remember, she breathed death into a flower instead of life. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

And it didn’t stop at that. When Gaeul followed the old woman inside and she touched her forehead to heal her, the woman jolted back as if she had been hit by an electric current.

“What have you done?” She simply asked before she fell unconscious. Gaeul almost thought she had killed her too, but when her panic wore off she saw the healer’s chest still rising up and down, though slow enough to call for some medical attention. However, Gaeul was in no state to try that. She wasn’t even sure if she was a danger by simply being near. So Gaeul did what she had been doing for a while now- she ran.

She couldn’t risk being discovered anymore. She was a danger to all the living beings around her- her magic was getting out of control and as she dived deeper into the forest, she realised the trees around her that were unfortunate to have touched her were all wilting and dying as well.

She was death itself.

Gaeul had no idea how long she ran but she stopped when she heard the faint footsteps of men and a horse. Gaeul hid behind a tree, careful not to touch it. She peeked to see the two figures clad in black, muttering something.

Gaeul decided it was time to calm herself before she did any more damage. She shut her eyes and inhaled, breathing deeply in.

Everything would be okay. She would be okay. She would go to the High Healers herself. She would figure this out. There was no reason to give up yet-

She heard- no, felt something whip through the forest behind her-

“What have we got here?”

Gaeul’s eyes flew open- she hadn’t even heard the men come in front of her. The other man scanned her rather slowly, up and down. She gulped.

“What’s this pretty little thing doing in the middle of the forest at this hour?”

This wasn’t good. Her calm heart started beating rapidly again and she could feel the magic stirring in her stomach- perhaps their horse felt it too, because it panicked as soon as their eyes met. One of the men tried to hold its reins but the horse ran in the opposite direction, making the man follow him. The other who simply watched shook his head.

“He always gets unlucky at times like this,” he scoffed, but it changed into a smirk that made Gaeul draw back until her back touched the tree. “Perhaps, I can offer you some help-”

She felt something whoosh past where the horse and man had just been running off to. The man in front of her turned too, frowning but dismissing it as nothing. Gaeul decided to use the distraction to her favour- heavens knew what prowled in the forest at this hour.

“I’m- I’m good,” Gaeul managed to say, “I’ll be on my way.”

Gaeul started turning away, wanting to run, but the man grabbed her arm and Gaeul tried snatching it with a glare, but he pulled her forward.

“Now, now,” he whispered, “Be a good girl for me, will you?”

Something went off inside Gaeul. She nodded and grabbed his other hand, and shut her eyes, sending her magic through, and it wasn’t until she heard the man gasp for breath that she opened her eyes to see that he had shrivelled, just like the flower.

That was not what Gaeul had intended to do. She dropped her hands but the remains of her magic inside the man made sure that every last ounce of life was sucked out from him. Gaeul’s eyes blurred and she started running away, unable to breathe or run properly, but she couldn’t stop.

She had just killed a man.

She had not just killed. She had done something else.

She slowed down and spotted a set of yellow glowing eyes growing closer with every second, eyes that had to be larger than her hands. The sinister feeling of the creature and the magic inside her was so overwhelming that she welcomed unconsciousness.

—-------------------

Yeosang felt it the minute that it happened.

Someone had died a horribly gruesome death- nothing like he had felt before.

As the Prince of Spirit, he didn’t feel everyone’s death. That would be too much for him. But sometimes, the spirits who were still in pain after their death… he felt that. He didn’t share their pain but he could feel that they were hurt.

Yeosang was still lying on his bed, having woken up from his sleep the moment he felt it. He decided to check and see if he could get answers. Yeosang shut his eyes and focused on the deepest part of his mind, which was when his own spirit dissociated from his body and his soul shifted to the dimension that was a gateway for souls itself.

The spirit wasn’t far- not for Yeosang, who could jump directly to the spirit he wanted to meet. Yeosang tried doing that, but to his surprise, it didn’t work. His heart sank- something was wrong- not with him, but with the entire situation.

Yeosang roamed around in that dimension- it was all bleak and cloudy with no clues to what direction you were travelling in. He thought for a few moments and decided he would take another way- jump to the spirit nearest to his target.

But as soon as he did that, Yeosang fell on his knees. He could feel the spirit’s pain now. Yeosang struggled to breathe, getting up on his feet with immense effort and almost crawling towards the source.

If Yeosang was in his body then, he would have thrown up after seeing the grey ‘corpse’ that he saw. There was absolutely no way- the spirits that walked this dimension carried no scars of their life. But somehow…

“What happened?” Yeosang asked the walking corpse- its eyes were sunken and the only thing that gave indication of life. The skin was grey, hair burnt, all bones and skin.

The poor spirit tried speaking but it looked like it no longer held that ability. Yeosang sighed, walking to the spirit and touching it- he felt the unnaturalness of whatever had hurt it.

“I can rid you of your pain, if you don’t wish to walk in this dimension eternally like this. It is time to make a decision- do you want to stay because of some unfinished business, move on to a place I cannot guarantee might be heaven or hell, or cease to exist?”

The spirit held up three fingers. Yeosang nodded, touching its forehead and watched it disappear- not into smoke like spirits usually did, but into ashes.

Yeosang prayed no one else would meet a fate like him.

—-------------------

Mingi couldn’t sleep- not after feeling a soul burn twice.

Ever since Mingi had saved Yena from being their darkling enemy’s hostage and Yena had accidentally taken Mingi to another timeless dimension, Mingi could feel magic deeper than ever. He always thought being the Prince of Fire meant fire on the surface, the element of fire, but it was more than that, he learned after.

The first time he experienced a soul burning was when Yeosang had done the ‘soul extermination’, as Mingi dubbed it. Mingi had woken up with something like hot flashes, and no amount of cold showers could make him feel better. He talked to Yeosang, who was living nearest to him as they shared a continent. Yeosang then explained that some spirits in one of his dimensions could turn evil or become a threat if they stayed for too long and refused to move on. In cases like these, Yeosang would ‘kill’ the spirit. Yeosang was surprised to learn that it felt like burning- but how Mingi could feel it, he had no idea.

“Must be because of Yena and staying in that dimension for too long,” Yeosang had told him. “When you are somewhere you are not supposed to be, you live with the consequences. Looks like you can feel the fire inside of a soul now, Mingi.”

He was right. Mingi could feel when a living soul was burning with too much magic, something the possessor’s body couldn’t handle. Mingi could also feel whenever Yeosang burnt a spirit.

But he had never felt a soul burn twice- and both of those felt wrong in a way. Unnatural. Yeosang burning a spirit never felt wrong.

Mingi got up and decided to write a fire message to Yeosang.

Not sure if this was normal, but a soul burned. Twice. It felt wrong. Did you mess up or something? Because I’m getting a very strange feeling.

Mingi tossed the paper into the air and it caught flames, burning and disappearing. He waited for a reply, and when he got it, his heart sank to his feet.

You’re right. It is wrong and unnatural. This wasn’t me. Something’s walking around burning souls from the inside out. Not like you- not with fire. It’s like someone breathed death into the soul. I’m sending a message to Seonghwa- maybe he or Yena knows something. You should talk to Hongjoong- he might have something related to this in his big old library.

Mingi decided to send a fire message to Hongjoong in the morning- he wasn’t sure if he was awake and had felt whatever had happened.

—-----------------

Hongjoong felt everything that happened.

It was the one power he wished he didn’t possess. He was the Prince of Light. That didn’t mean that he had to know if everything was right wherever light touched a life.

But it did. And it kept him awake more nights than he had slept peacefully in his life.

The boys- the Princes always made fun of how Hongjoong could pass out anywhere. How Hongjoong always looked like he was tired and didn’t get enough sleep. He never told them they were right- he never got enough sleep. Not since Yena went missing when she was only two. Hongjoong was three then, and he hadn’t known then but when Yena was found and everything fell back in place, he finally started getting better sleep. He searched his library for old records and realised that put simply, the reason he never got to get enough sleep in the first two decades of his life was… Yena.

When he told Yena, she couldn’t stop laughing. And then Hongjoong couldn’t stop laughing because of how mad all of this was.

But after everything fell back in place, he slept well for a few months. He would only feel strange when someone’s magic had problems or someone tried a silly trick. Nothing that he couldn’t ignore now, given years of practice.

A few months later, he felt the strangest he had ever felt in his entire life- perhaps even more than when the darkling used his magic openly to kill. He immediately checked with Seonghwa and Yena to see if everything was fine, but they weren’t the reason this time. And they had felt it too.

Hongjoong told them not to worry about it, that sometimes, in one of the many dimensions that layered this planet, something goes wrong. It’s natural.

But this feeling was anything but natural.

So he decided to investigate on his own. He couldn’t pinpoint a source and there was no use travelling when he had a kingdom to run. He decided to check the records then.

But it had been months and he had found nothing, and the feeling only grew until tonight, when he felt that something had shifted in the air, in magic itself. Something was not where and how it was supposed to be.

He was pretty sure he was going to get a message from one of the Princes soon. There was no way that he was the only one feeling this.

—-----------------------

Gaeul woke up not because of the loud chirps of the birds but because every part of her body was aching immensely. She sat up with much struggle, lost for a few blissful moments as she looked around her before the events of last night made her put her head in her hands and sigh.

She had just killed a man. And… there was something that approached her- a monster that might have just spared her life.

Gaeul looked around her- the grass was still green, the flowers and plants still alive. Cautiously, she plucked a wild flower from the ground and held it for a few moments.

Nothing happened.

Good, she thought. I hope I never get that magic back.

Her mouth felt parched and her stomach felt tight. She shut her eyes, listening to the sounds of nature- her fae senses still worked perfectly for some reason. She could hear some sort of water body nearby so she decided to follow the sound.

She was on her own now with no idea of which direction she had gone. She could be straying away from the Palace, for all she knew. But then… she wondered if she wanted to endanger the innocent healers there as well.

Plus… the Prince lived there. She was pretty sure he was strong enough to kill her with just a wave of his hand, or maybe even a mere thought. She gulped, not sure if she wanted him to do exactly that or if she wanted to run away from it.

Gaeul walked for a few hours without stopping, without thinking about her magic in case it rose back from the pit in her heart. When the sound of water became louder, she practically ran in joy, stopping at the edge of River Al-Ard, looking far into the distance at the mountains of what could only be Rukbat- the capital. The place where the Prince resided.

Gaeul’s destination.

As she washed her hands and face and sat down, sinking her feet in the water, she wondered if she was worth saving. She could not figure out if the memories she had were actually her own or hallucinations at this point. But what she was sure of was that no one cared for her. She was lost.

And she was a danger to everyone. To herself too.

Gaeul looked up at the white fluffy clouds, smiling for the first time since she could recall. Time had only made her more miserable. Maybe she should put an end to all of it.

After all, this was a nice spot to die.

Gaeul started sinking herself down and down into the river, until the water came to her chin. She looked up for the last time, smiling as tears ran down, before she fully submerged herself into the water-

“Not so easily, you won’t!”

Gaeul panicked, thinking someone must have tracked her down after finding the poor man she had killed. She risked a one second eye contact with whoever had called her, finding not one but three people. She instantly dived deeper in the river.

“I got this,” Changbin started towards the river but Wooyoung grabbed his arm, shaking his head.

“She’s going to kill you if she touches you, I can feel it,” Wooyoung looked as grim as he sounded. “She’s not going to drown to her death.”

“So we stand here and do nothing?” Siyeon asked.

“Just don’t get any closer than this and let me handle it,” Wooyoung warned, hands raised. He made sure the girl trying to drown wouldn’t be able to lose her breath. That was all he could do for now.

Gaeul, meanwhile, wasn’t surprised, but for a different reason. She recalled what her healer had once told her- that whatever was killing her was also keeping her alive. Gaeul thought it was her magic keeping her alive.

She wasn’t entirely wrong.

She felt the magic rolling uncontrollably in her stomach and she dreaded whatever was going to happen.

This was a bad idea.

Gaeul knew her magic was going to explode with a burst, killing everything near it. So she dived up, trying to be faster than her magic, and she only had time to scream ‘RUN!’ before she folded in herself and her magic burst with a wave.

Wooyoung immediately drew a shield around the three of them but that wasn’t enough to hold him steady. He was thrown with the others a good few feet away, and when it was over and they got to their feet, they gasped collectively.

Everything within a few miles radius had… died. The trees were grey- Wooyoung had never seen anything like it. Everything looked like it was going to turn into ash with one touch. Remains of what could be fishes and other sea creatures unfortunate enough to have been victims of that magic floated at the surface of the sea. The birds fell as ashes floated timelessly in the air and Wooyoung touched a few, frowning because it resembled snow.

Gaeul looked around helplessly, tears of relief rolling down her cheeks when she saw the three were alive, mixed with tears of regret- she did not want to live anymore. Not after this.

“You’re lucky I’m the Prince of Air,” Wooyoung walked carefully towards her. “Because it looks like you need help.”

Gaeul gulped as she heard that- Prince Wooyoung had somehow found her. Was she some sort of a threat that he needed to exterminate-

“I’m not going to hurt you,” his voice was calming.

“I’ll hurt you,” Gaeul’s voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t want to, but I don’t know what’s wrong with me, my magic isn’t right- I-”

“Slow down, slow down,” Wooyoung nodded. “First, get out of the river. Come on, take my hand.”

“You’ll die if I take your hand.”

“I won’t,” the Prince passed Gaeul a warm smile. “I can feel that your magic is spent. You’re as normal as me right now.”

Gaeul looked at him sceptically- he was the Prince. He wasn’t normal anyway. Hesitating, she swam forward and took his hand, letting him drag her out of the river. She met eyes with the others who looked like they were ready to kill her this instant.

“Relax, they’re only my guard and my Right Hand,” Wooyoung passed the two a look and they shrugged, looking helplessly at each other. “Let me dry you.”

With a wave of his hand, all the water had dried from her skin and clothes. Gaeul nervously looked down and then around her- she really had sucked the life out of everything-

Is that why she was getting better? Healthier? No, no-

“Let’s get out of here first, shall we? We just crossed the river to come here by that boat-” Wooyoung pointed at his left where at a distance the boat was tied. “Looks like we need to get back anyway. We can talk while we row.”

Once settled in the boat, Changbin and Siyeon rowing, Wooyoung sat in front of Gaeul, scanning her- she was a faerie alright. Not an ounce of darkling blood in her. But her magic wasn’t right.

“I could sense you, perhaps because you were near me. Your magic- you weren’t born with this, were you?”

“I used to breathe life into things,” Gaeul smiled helplessly. “Looks like I suck the life out now.”

“Interesting,” Wooyoung stuck his tongue in his cheek while he scanned Gaeul again. Siyeon kicked his back lightly, muttering not to freak the girl out. Wooyoung shook his head. “So, how did you get here?”

“I don’t know, actually. I’m really confused about why and how I’m here. I think I lost my memories or something too. All I remember is that a few months ago, one day, I found myself at the beach- somewhere near Ascella. I literally just fell on the sand from nowhere- and I’ve been really sick since then. I keep coughing blood and fainting, but I’m clearly not dying. I went from being bones and skin to this-” she looked down at herself. Better than skin and bones.

“Do you remember who you are?”

“That’s the thing,” Gaeul sighed. “I don’t know if what I remember is a memory or a past life or something I made up.”

“I see, the healers might be able to help with that,” Wooyoung nodded. “Tell me about your magic now.”

“I didn’t know about this until last night. All my magic has done so far is make me sick. I was actually travelling to the Palace with a healer- she thought that the High Healers could help me. Last night, I held a wilting flower and tried making it alive like I used to- I think I used to,” Gaeul shook her head. “Anyways, the flower turned grey like now. And then… I think I hurt my healer too. She fainted but thankfully she was alive. But then…”

“You killed someone a few hours ago, didn’t you?”

Siyeon rolled her eyes at how blunt Wooyoung was. The girl clearly wasn’t handling all this well. She wiped her forehead and eyes and then looked down.

“I never meant to. I felt threatened, and it just happened- it wasn’t in my control. That’s why I panicked. I’ve only ever healed things- I’ve never hurt them. And now-”

Gaeul couldn’t hold back her silent sobs anymore and she hid her face in her hands. Wooyoung looked back at Siyeon and Changbin who were clapping sarcastically.

“Good job,” Siyeon muttered, shaking her head.

“What?” Wooyoung sighed. “I need to get the facts straight before I risk my healer’s lives, don’t you think?”

“He’s right,” Gaeul wiped her face, her eyes steadfast now. “I don’t wish to put anyone else at risk. If you think it’s wise to get rid of me, then do so. I have nothing holding me back.”

Wooyoung sighed, looking at her dark eyes- they had a tinge of grey, looking perhaps as hopeless as she felt. Wooyoung wasn’t sure if she was as innocent as she claimed she was. “You are a threat, yes, but that doesn’t mean you get to die so easily. Every life is precious and meaningful and so is yours. We need to look into whatever’s up with you, because you know it feels unnatural, your magic, right? It feels-”

“Wrong, I know,” Gaeul looked at him to his surprise. “Everything inside me is screaming that this is wrong, whatever happened to me. I’m not where I’m supposed to be. Nothing’s right. I think… you’ll need to look into my past if you want to see the origin of this.”

“Look into your past, huh?” Wooyoung looked at Changbin. “Now which one of us could do that again?”

—-------------------

To say that San was in a state of frenzy was a severe understatement.

In the past few days, he had been beyond restless. He was not focusing on his work to the point that his Right Hand, Seokmin complained that San should just step down since Seokmin was the one doing all the work anyway. However, he was worried too- he had never seen his Prince like this.

San tried explaining it to him, to himself, but it wasn’t that simple. He wasn’t sure if he had felt whatever this thing was before he had visited Rukbat four months ago but he was sure that thing was around there, and him going to Rukbat had somehow made both him and that thing restless. How the two were connected, he had no idea.

But after the amount of magic and wrongness he felt in the matter of the last 24 hours, he knew he needed to get back to Rukbat. And he couldn’t let anyone know.

Truth be told, he himself wasn’t sure what he was about to do. He had no idea who or what he was looking for. Something in his mind, in his heart, screamed at him to go, go, go. Go and find whatever was wrong and make it right. He simply had to trust his gut at this point, trust the thing tugging at him.

So San sat down still for the first time in a while as he etched out a plan in his head. He would leave at night when everyone thought he was asleep, take the secret tunnel out (he wasn’t even sure if he could call that tunnel ‘secret’ anymore since not only his Right Hand and Guard but one of his healers and Princess Yena knew of it too) and then…

Take a carriage? Walk? It would take far too long.

He needed Yena to portal him. That was the quickest and safest route. But he wasn’t sure Yena would understand or agree. Especially after the message he had gotten from them. And after all that had happened with Yena… he couldn’t ask that of her.

He needed to do this himself.

He waited rather patiently for the night to approach and everyone to sleep, which was when he packed a bag and took the tunnel out, went to the nearest stable and took a horse and started riding towards Rukbat.

He prayed he would get there before things went more wrong than they already were.

—-------------------

Jongho could feel each and every moment of the magical blast that had killed so much. It didn’t hurt him, and he was glad it didn’t because feeling its existence alone made his heart ache.

He wasn’t sure why exactly he had fainted earlier in the morning too. He was the Prince of Nature- doing magic while meditating and stretching his vision was like second nature to him. But this time, something fought back. And that was as dangerous as it could get not only for him, but all the Princes. Perhaps, he thought, Princess Yena could fight back against something like this. She was the most experienced in that department.

When he gained consciousness after fainting, he learned that he had been out for about six hours. That was a long period of time and even had his healer worried because the most he had been out was two hours, and that was when he had spent all his energy doing similar magic.

Jongho tried to explain to Jooheon why he needed to get to Wooyoung as soon as possible. Jooheon was suspicious about all of this, and he kept insisting it was a trap.

“Look, all I’m saying is that if you felt it, Prince Wooyoung must have felt it as well. He’ll take care of it- no scratch that. You both should sit this one out. This feels like a trap- especially with the recent problem that we have going on.”

“Did you feel it?” Jongho asked and Jooheon shook his head no. “That’s what I’m saying. This is like a cry for help, not a trap. As for the missing faeries… I didn’t really feel anything there.”

“That’s like, the first trick in the book of traps,” Hyungwon, who was reading a book, peeked up. “Are you seriously risking yourself for whatever this… person is?”

“In risking myself, I save a lot of lives that could possibly be lost if we don’t get this under control,” Jongho was groaning with frustration now. “If you’re not coming along, I’m going by myself-”

“Hey, hey, now that’s not what we meant,” Jooheon laughed helplessly, looking at Hyungwon who only shrugged. “I’ll take care of things here. Take Changkyun at least. And Hyungwon too.”

“You ready?” Jongho asked Hyungwon and he rolled his eyes.

“This feels an awful lot like the time we went along with Princess Yena,” he said and Jongho laughed, agreeing. Changkyun arrived, all dressed up for-

“We’re not going into battle, dammit,” Jongho laughed but Changkyun wasn’t having any of it. He only shrugged and Jongho nodded, urging Hyungwon to follow him out. They were going to Rukbat and it wasn’t very far from here- a long ride and a river was what separated them.

“Do you think we should let the others know too?” Jongho wondered out loud when they settled into the carriage, the horses made specially for quick transport by magic speeding twice as fast as a normal horse. “I mean, Seonghwa did order us to report anything strange.”

“I know what you’re thinking,” Hyungwon scoffed. “You want to find the person first before you give them anything.”

“Yeah, you got me,” Jongho shifted in his seat, running a hand through his red hair. “It’s just that I don’t want them to worry about something that we’re not sure about. I’m pretty sure Wooyoung ignored their message too, so there’s that as well.”

“If only you Princes could communicate better,” Hyungwon almost laughed. “Would have saved you a lot of trouble, wouldn't it?”

Hyungwon was both right and wrong. The Princes and the Princess were all anxious about whatever was ‘wrong’ now, trying to either pinpoint an origin or search for it. One could argue that providing them with more information would worry them more, especially if it was a threat that could be easily exterminated. However, no one knew what exactly that threat was- not even Wooyoung who was present with that said threat.

—-----------------

“Well,” Wooyoung sighed, a grimace on his face as he poked one of his healers in the arm, lying unconscious on the floor. “This didn’t go as planned.”

Gaeul had her head in her hands. “I didn’t mean to- I was asleep and he came to change my bandages or something. I got scared.”

Gaeul and Wooyoung had arrived at his castle a while ago and Wooyoung had let her admire the glass structure that was the castle before escorting her to the basement where she would be staying, saying something about how he needed to get her in there before her magic replenished. It seemed like she wasn’t faring well though.

“Progress though,” Wooyoung passed a smile though Gaeul could swear he was mocking her. “At least he’s not dead.”

“He would have been if not for Jiu there,” Gaeul pointed at the woman sitting bored at the other end of the room.

“That’s right,” Jiu looked serious. “I was waiting for her to admit that before I interrupted.”

Wooyoung rolled his eyes, “I guess it was a good idea to have you here after all.”

“Definitely,” Jiu looked at Gaeul and Gaeul hated that there was pity in her eyes, though she could not blame her. She herself was to blame after all. “Can we change shifts now? I need to catch up on my sleep.”

“Go on then,” Wooyoung dismissed her and she gladly left. Wooyoung turned his attention to Gaeul. “How are we feeling today?”

“The same?” It came out more as a question. “I don’t feel anything much here- the basement is… not as suffocating as it first sounded. In fact, I’m more relaxed now.”

“And that was the purpose of keeping you here,” Wooyoung took a seat, running a hand through his dark hair, the faint light in the room making the golden streaks in his hair shine. “Anyways, Jongho is arriving soon. I thought I’d let you know.”

“Prince Jongho?”

“The one and only,” Wooyoung grinned. Gaeul visibly gulped- being in the presence of one of them was intimidating enough. “He’s the Prince of Nature. If anyone can help you figure your magic out, it’s him, since you presumably had similar magic as him.”

“Presumably… So Yoohyeon still didn’t get past my memories?” Gaeul asked, referring to the healer who had first attended to her.

“Surprisingly, no,” Wooyoung sighed as he nodded. “Yoohyeon is an expert at healing amnesia and similar disorders. There must be something preventing her from accessing your memories-” he paused when he recalled how San had been the one able to access Yena’s memories when no one else could. He wondered if he should call him.

“Something wrong?” Gaeul asked cautiously, tucking her hair behind her ears.

“Nothing, I just had… an idea. Anyways, I came here to let you know about Jongho, and… warn you about something. If your magic is as threatening as we think, we might have to put you in the cell here in the basement- it is laced with nullifying magic. It’s not as scary as it sounds- you just won’t feel your magic. Are you okay with that?”

Gaeul thought for a few moments- the last thing she wanted was to be a danger to the Princes. Of course she was okay. “Nothing will go wrong though, I hope?”

“I’m hoping that is so,” Wooyoung got up when he heard a knock on the door and let the guards who were carrying three trays filled with a variety of dishes inside the room. “Let’s eat while we talk.”

Gaeul could get used to this, she thought. Prince Wooyoung- or Wooyoung, as he insisted he be called- wasn’t as scary as she thought. He was easy to talk to. He didn’t make her feel like she was an alien, which truthfully, everyone else made her feel like. And he was humble. He ate with her at least once a day for the three days she had been here. She wondered if all the Princes were like this, and sometimes she would ask Wooyoung about his life. He would answer without hesitation most of the time.

“If it is a memory, I remember the time you came to the beach- near Ascella, when I was 10,” Gaeul scooped some chicken and mashed potatoes in her plate and Wooyoung raised a brow- Gaeul hadn’t talked much about herself so far. “I think I lived somewhere near there. It’s where I found myself in this state.”

“I’ve only been to Ascella beach a handful of times, and yes, I did visit when I was 10- we’re the same age, it seems.”

“I remember something about how you caused some sort of a storm and scared everyone present. I, unfortunately, was one of them.”

“Ah, so it was that time,” Wooyoung laughed. “I blame San- he was there with me too.”

“Prince San was with you at that time?” Gaeul wowed. “So I saw him too?”

“You must have if you saw me,” Wooyoung took a bite of the bun, thinking. “San pissed me off so I threatened him with a storm. He threatened to let the sand swallow me. We cooled down then.”

Gaeul almost giggled, holding herself back, and Wooyoung looked at her, amused. “You know, you’re allowed to laugh in my company.”

“Actually… I haven’t laughed in a while,” Gaeul admitted. “So… I think this was a memory, right?”

“Definitely, which means what you remember is mostly memories. Do you remember your parents?”

“I think I do. My father was a healer, but he died when I was 15. My mother… She followed soon after. My aunts and uncles took care of me after that.”

“What’s the last memory that you remember?” Wooyoung asked.

Gaeul thought for a moment- it was the memory that confused her the most, that made her question if she remembered a past life or something. “I think I was travelling in this kingdom… somewhere east. I think I saw this red haired guy do something- I can’t recall. All I know is that I saw his eyes glow before he killed me-”

“You saw his eyes glow?” Wooyoung frowned. This sounded an awful lot like someone he wished he didn’t know.

“If I’m not tripping, yes,” Gaeul’s eyes were steel- she knew it sounded unbelievable but she remembered this moment the most clearly. “They glowed like gold. Like-”

“Amber eyes, huh?” Wooyoung’s suspicions were confirmed. “Red hair and eyes that change to amber. Who are you, Gaeul?”

Gaeul frowned and then the door opened, revealing dark hair and a very handsome man walked in, eyes wide as he looked from her to Wooyoung and then back.

“Nice timing, Jongho,” Wooyoung didn’t finish his plate- he had no appetite anymore. “Kieran’s playing with us even from another world.”

—-------------------

Hongjoong was startled, to put it simply, when Yena and Seonghwa portalled right in front of him, in his room. He could never get used to the jumpscare he got, and he was positive that one day he was going to pass away because of a heart attack due to Yena startling him.

“A little warning is always nice!” Hongjoong yelled at the two, clutching his heart and exhaling, and Seonghwa chuckled.

“We did send a little warning,” Yena pointed out. “Why didn’t you reply? It has been three days. This is so unlike you- I thought something happened.”

“I’m sorry, I’ve just been… busy,” Hongjoong shrugged as he ran his eyes around the room, Yena and Seonghwa following. There were books, scrolls, maps, everything scattered around him. Yena skimmed through a few notes that made no sense to her. Hongjoong got up, feeling guilty because Yena looked like she was actually worried that something happened to him. “I’m sorry, come here.”

Yena pouted before walking to Hongjoong and hugging him, Seonghwa joining the two as well. “You should have let us know, Hongjoong.”

“Well, now that you’re both here, I’ll just tell you in person,” Hongjoong pushed a few books aside to make room on the floor. “So here’s how it is.”

Hongjoong started explaining how there were no records of such magic existing, but he didn’t think it was something natural- as in, no one of fae blood could be born with such a power. “A darkling would have been a different matter, but I believe it’s a faerie. Darklings feel different, but they don’t feel wrong, as you know.”

Yena knew that all too well. She nodded, tensing. Seonghwa put a hand on her back- some scars never faded. “So how would a faerie possess such magic in the first place? And what sort of magic are we even talking about?”

“All I know for now is that the magic has evolved to take this shape. It wasn’t always like this- or if it was, it had been subdued like your magic, Yena. But… I think we would have still felt something if that was the case. Because when you were missing, we always knew deep down that you were alive.”

“That’s right,” Seonghwa nodded. “So who’s this faerie?”

“Surprisingly enough, Wooyoung is on it,” Hongjoong said and Seonghwa and Yena looked at each other. Hongjoong laughed. “I guess Wooyoung didn’t tell you?”

“That brat,” Yena muttered. “How come?”

Hongjoong explained how Wooyoung had been the nearest to the faerie and had taken her to the High Healers to get answers. “They’re keeping her in his basement- she won’t be a danger there.”

“Good idea,” Seonghwa nodded. Yena looked back and forth between the two.

“Wait, hold up. Some poor thing is in Wooyoung’s basement? You know how wrong that sounds?”

The two burst out laughing, and Hongjoong shook his head. “Wooyoung had… problems with his powers, as you have heard. The basement his parents built was specialised to contain all magic inside those four walls. No magic can get across that.”

“I wonder who this faerie is though…” Yena shuddered- she recalled the time she was having trouble with her own magic and felt so hopeless. “Do we know who she is?”

“I have a feeling we will soon,” Hongjoong said knowingly.

What Hongjoong didn’t tell them was that San was probably on his way to Rukbat. Hongjoong had received a message from San’s court letting him know about how he had ‘ran away’ from his kingdom. Hongjoong was very curious about why San felt the sudden need to leave without letting anyone know. Was he feeling something about this situation differently than the others?

But then again, San was always sensitive. He felt Yena’s magic even when it was blocked and believed she was the Lost Princess before anyone else. If he had ignored Yena at that time… Hongjoong shuddered- they wouldn’t be here right now, none of them. So Hongjoong decided that there must have been a reason for San to act this way, and that he would give him time to come to terms with whatever his reasoning was.

Yena and Seonghwa looked at each other- Hongjoong knew something more than he told them. Seonghwa shrugged, figuring if it was something important, he’d know soon anyway. “Should we do something about this? Or let Wooyoung handle this?”

“I say let Wooyoung handle this… for now. I have a feeling we’re all involved in this somehow,” Hongjoong looked grim as he met eyes with Yena. “I think… let’s wait for Wooyoung’s verdict on this before I make any guesses.”

Yena’s heart sank- she instantly knew what Hongjoong meant. Over and over throughout the two and a half years, Yena had worried if going back in time had been the right decision after all. Of course, it had- she had saved Seonghwa from his untimely death. She would do it again. But… maybe she could have done it in a different way? Taken a different approach? Hongjoong told her it was alright to feel paranoid about this, considering what she had been through, but he had never imagined one day he would actually have to worry about this seriously.

That was, in fact, what he was trying to find in his archives now. There wasn’t much about time travel in the first place, kept strictly confidential, and he was worried they would have to figure this one out on their own. He decided at that moment to let Yeosang in on this possibility but keep Yena as uninvolved as possible until they were sure- he didn’t want her to worry more.

“What did you feel, Yena? And Seonghwa?” Hongjoong asked, changing the topic before Yena could probe any further.

“Something unnatural- it is not supposed to exist,” Yena admitted, rubbing her arms.

“Something dark in nature- which made me wonder if it was a darkling, but… it’s different, isn’t it?” Seonghwa raised a brow and Hongjoong agreed. Seonghwa and Hongjoong, with their magic, were like two peas in a pod. Light and Dark. They felt exactly the same way about magic ever since they were little.

“You should go back and stay until you’re needed,” Hongjoong got up, stretching. “There’s no need to worry and gather right now- there’s no point. Let’s believe in Wooyoung- I heard Jongho’s joining him soon so we can feel comfortable that there’s one brain that would actually be working.”

The two laughed, nodding- Jongho would keep Wooyoung in place, definitely. “Well, it was nice to meet you,” Seonghwa shook his head, smiling. “We just wanted to check on you.”

“Next time you decide to ‘check’ on me, give me a heads-up first,” Hongjoong put a hand on his heart, eyes wide. “You nearly stopped my heart.”

“This was Yena’s idea, to scare you-” Seonghwa was ambushed by Yena putting a hand over his mouth, shaking her head in denial while laughing, portalling back in an instant. Hongjoong’s smile fell, and he went back to the journal he had hid behind him when they had arrived.

This was definitely connected to all of them. And it wasn’t good. Whoever that faerie was didn’t matter anymore- she was merely a glitch in the matrix now. And glitches… shouldn’t exist.

—-----------------

San was having the most intense deja vu of his life.

He was travelling the same route as the one he took about two years ago- except that now he was using that route to travel away from home. He stopped at the same spots as he did, except that this time he was alone.

About two years ago, he had visited the border for some business, and on his way back he had encountered a lost traveller- Yena, whom he later discovered was the Princess Yena. He had felt the connection to her instantly, though he couldn’t put a finger on what exactly it meant. After all, it was a huge coincidence that he met Yena like that- but to this date, he wasn’t sure if they had met each other because of an unlikely coincidence or because Kieran played them all like chess pieces on his board.

Kieran. The darkling who claimed the identity of the late 9th Prince of Illusions- Junyoung- to the point that he forgot his real name. And then he assumed multiple identities to get close to Yena and Seonghwa.

San sighed as he poked the burning fire he had built with a piece of wood while he took a break from travelling. He kept thinking of two years ago- how oblivious they had all been until the worst happened- Kieran killed Seonghwa. Yena had to go back in time and risk a paradox that could mean the end of everyone’s existence just to get Seonghwa back. Everyone agreed to do that, and it went smoothly, except that there were two versions of Yena existing-

Everything, including Seonghwa’s death and Yena going back in time was meant to happen. Kieran had played them over and over again. He had killed Seonghwa on purpose, knowing Yena would go back in time. And then when they reached the climax again- when Kieran was supposed to kill Seonghwa- he took Yena instead.

San had to admit, he was a criminal genius, Kieran was. He made Yena mess with time- the most dangerous magic one could possibly possess. He couldn’t help but think this unnatural feeling was a result of the time travelling- how he knew, San had no idea. It’s like he could feel it all over again- everything, just like he had felt Yena was one of them. His magic was sensitive that way.

But this time… something was different, and it drove him crazy. It wasn’t just the magic he could sense. He could sense the anxiety that came with it, whoever this was. He could feel the panic, the hurt. He had never felt closer to someone, and he had never imagined he could when miles separated them. Just how was he connected to this? He could understand that Yena could feel whoever this was- probably connected to her magic in one way or another. He could understand that Seonghwa could feel its dark nature too, which meant Hongjoong must have felt it too.

It made him scratch his hair out- he wanted nothing more than to see just who this was that drove him crazy. They probably didn’t even know how San felt. He was so curious and scared about what the future held for him.

—--------------

Hongjoong wondered if such a dimension existed where he could watch the past rewind like a deity.

Hongjoong had been scribbling notes from what he got- any clue, any indication or sign, just about anything relevant or irrelevant. He had been sitting in a pile of pages and books for days now, and he finally got a message from Wooyoung that confirmed all of his suspicions.

Kieran might have killed Gaeul- I don’t know how the timelines work, but he killed Gaeul, or tried to. The point is, she is alive. Her magic became the opposite of what it used to be. She lost her memories. She looks like she came back from the dead, literally. Jongho is here- let me know how to handle this.

Hongjoong felt like throwing up- either from the restlessness or the fact that Kieran really had messed up. He needed to see Gaeul, needed to hear everything from her in person. And he needed to keep Yena out of this. He couldn’t involve her again- not so soon, not unless she was the key to putting things back again.

She had already been through so much. He couldn’t do this to her again.

Hongjoong wrote a message to Yunho first. Let Seonghwa know, without Yena’s knowledge, to keep Yena out of this until and if she’s required. That was enough to let Yunho and Seonghwa know that they were involved in this whether they wanted to or not.

Then Hongjoong wrote a message to Wooyoung, letting him know that he would be coming to Rukbat. It would take him about three days. Until then, Jongho and Wooyoung would have to get the most out of her.

Hongjoong packed a bag with his necessities before taking a quick shower. He was going to leave immediately. When he came out, his Right Hand Jaebeom was waiting for him.

“You look like you’ll pass out if you stay awake any longer,” Jaebeom shook his head. “A little rest before travelling isn’t a bad idea if you’re insisting on travelling alone.”

Hongjoong sighed. “Maybe I should take someone. I don’t have time to spare, Jaebeom.”

“Let Yugyeom accompany you then,” Jaebeom got up, patting Hongjoong’s back to encourage him. “He can return once he drops you off at Rukbat.”

“Should I?” Hongjoong wondered out loud but his thoughts were miles away. Jaebeom shook his head, amused, as he sent someone to call for Yugyeom while they ate lunch.

“I might need to summon some High Healers if the situation calls for it,” Hongjoong munched on pasta as he recalled how some of his healers had really helped Yena calm down when her magic was going out of control. “Have them on standby.”

“I will,” Jaebeom assured him. “And if someone sends a message for you?”

Hongjoong knew he meant Yena- he was going to pretend that he was here. “You’re good at pretending you’re me, aren’t you? I mean, you have been writing the official documents for me since forever-”

“We’re practically the same,” Jaebeom rolled his eyes. “Hongjoong. She’ll know in a second.”

“Ah, I don’t know. Just get someone to fire-message me or something so we can deal with it.”

“And if I can’t reach you?” Jaebeom scoffed.

“Then pretend you are me, and tell dear old Princess Yena that everything is alright and under control. Try to sound like me,” Hongjoong gave Jaebeom a fake wide smile that had him laughing out loud.

“Alright, alright. I got this. We got this.”

“We got nothing, Jaebeom. Everything is a mess now,” Hongjoong sighed.

—-----------------

“So you’re telling me,” Jongho rolled dramatically along the wall, leaving Gaeul baffled- she had never imagined the Princes were so… casual. “You’re telling me that somehow, Kieran has unintentionally or intentionally messed up the timeline and she’s here when she’s supposed to be dead?”

“We don’t know that yet,” Wooyoung was half lying on the floor, drawing circles with his finger. “That’s what she remembers. Her memory is as good as Seonghwa’s ability to sit cross-legged.”

“But Seonghwa can’t sit cross-legged-”

“Exactly,” Wooyoung looked at Jongho and he snorted. Gaeul, who was sitting on her bed with her knees drawn to her chest, watched the two panic- that’s what it had to be- the calm before the storm.

"But then…" Jongho sank down on the ground. "Suppose she was killed in the previous timeline. In this timeline, somehow, she's alive. How is that any different from Seonghwa's situation?"

"Exactly," Wooyoung clapped. "He didn't become anti-dark just because he didn't die in this timeline."

"Anti-dark would be called light, Wooyoung," Gaeul mumbled and Jongho snorted.

"Whatever," Wooyoung waved his hand in dismissal. "Seonghwa remains the Prince of Dark."

"So Princess Yena went back in time to save Prince Seonghwa?" Gaeul looked at the two. "Just what happened two years ago? All I remember is hearing rumours of Prince Yeosang's twin being alive."

"Uh, nothing happened," Jongho smiled and gave Wooyoung a side-eye. Wooyoung shrugged.

"She might as well know, Jongho. For some reason, she is involved directly or indirectly with what happened two years ago."

Gaeul watched the two bicker back and forth, her stomach twisting nervously. "Can I get some fresh air?"

"Yeah, we can open the windows-"

"No, I mean… can I go out? I feel like I'm suffocating right now," Gaeul gulped.

Wooyoung narrowed his eyes suspiciously but Jongho stood up. "Of course you can. You don't have to worry about your magic getting out of control too. I think the two of us can handle it if something happens."

Wooyoung gaped as he watched Jongho extend a friendly hand to Gaeul and she took it hesitantly, following him outside, urging Wooyoung to come along as well. Jongho led her to one of the gardens in the back without many guards. He watched as Gaeul simply strolled along the path etched beside the walls, brushing her fingers along the plants along the way. Wooyoung and Jongho stood watching, and Wooyoung elbowed him.

"What were you thinking?"

"Don't make her feel like a prisoner here, Wooyoung," Jongho warned as he looked at the elder Prince. "Her magic… I felt it when I took her hand. If she gets nervous or anxious - which you do a great job at making her feel- her magic can explode with a wave. Let her feel that she's free and she has nothing much to worry about while we figure this out. And don't tell her too much about what happened, will you?"

"Ugh, I can't wait for Hongjoong to come," Wooyoung groaned. "We literally have no idea what we're doing right now."

"Exactly," Jongho sighed. "Anti-nature. I never thought I'd see that one day- not from a faerie, at least."

"Do you feel anything else apart from the magic?" Wooyoung asked. Jongho shook his head.

"I don't even know what I really feel. She just makes me… nervous. She makes my magic nervous. I figured because our magics are opposite now, so…"

"No luck with the healers as well," Wooyoung watched Gaeul lay down flat on the grass as she stared at the sky. "Do you think it's a… trap? All of this? She could be Kieran 2.0. Or she could be a bait."

"Whatever it is, needs to be dealt with quickly," Jongho looked at Wooyoung. "Before things get worse. Because I sense it. You do too, right?"

"Impending doom," Wooyoung sighed. "The worst feeling I've ever had."

—-----------------

San reached in the middle of the night, sighing in relief only when he saw the dim lights glowing from the glass structure of what was Wooyoung’s palace. He felt relaxed for the first time in a while since he could sense Wooyoung and Jongho- he wasn’t surprised Jongho came. But….

He could also feel another presence strong enough to be reckoned with. Not as strong as the Princes, but close enough. San bit the inside of his cheeks, realising the gravity of the situation- he had no idea who he was looking for, but someone called out to him desperately. Desperately enough to make him travel all alone for days. And now that he was closer… the feeling only grew.

Meanwhile, Gaeul woke up with her body covered in sweat, gasping for breath. She was alone in her room but she was pretty sure there was a healer or a guard stationed outside, and some stationed on the stairs. She could suddenly sense everyone-

She shut her eyes as her body shook with a jolt- someone was here. Someone she wasn’t sure she wanted to meet, but her magic was almost suffocating her- the pit in her heart… she felt like she was drowning.

Gaeul stood up with shaky legs, going first to the sink to wash her face. Her eyes looked sunken but the silver in her eyes still glowed. She frowned- she wasn’t sure she ever had silver in her dark eyes before. Running a hand through her short hair, she cautiously opened the door, finding one of the healers, Yoohyeon, dozing off in the hall.

Gaeul wondered if she should wake Yoohyeon up and ask her if she could go outside, or let her sleep. But with her magic getting out of control, making her feel like it would burst any moment, she was worried she’d be a danger. So she slowly walked to Yoohyeon and called her name twice, making Yoohyeon stretch dramatically before she opened her eyes. She checked her wristwatch- it was nearly 3 in the morning.

“Something wrong?”

“I feel like my magic is going to burst in a wave like it did earlier,” Gaeul was almost jumping on her feet now, “I need to go out.”

“Uh, I think I need to take you to the cell in that case. Your magic won’t be able to escape those walls.”

“You don’t understand,” Gaeul panicked, feeling something slowly crawl inside her body, making its way up. “I need air. If I go in there, I don’t know what damage I would do-”

Yoohyeon got up, nodding her head, about to hold Gaeul and rub her arms but she flinched away. She sighed. “I know you don’t mean harm. But the cell- it’s built specifically to contain magic inside. Come on- you’ll be fine. It’s like a big room- you won’t feel like it’s suffocating you.”

Gaeul reluctantly followed Yoohyeon to the other end of the hall, feeling her magic rise to her chest now. She scanned the cell- it was very plain, just 4 walls and a single lamp illuminating its inside. Gaeul looked at Yoohyeon helplessly.

“I’m going to call for someone while you stay there, okay?” Yoohyeon smiled warmly, but it did nothing to calm Gaeul down. Yoohyeon shut the door, and Gaeul found herself surrounded by four walls. She slid down by one of them, facing the door.

It’s okay, she told herself. If you go outside, you’ll hurt and kill things. It’s better to stay inside until the magic wears out.

Only, the magic wasn’t wearing out. It grew more in intensity, and San felt it- felt the change in the nature of the magic like it was his own. Something was fueling the magic further. San leaned forward on his horse, urging it to go faster. By the time he reached the gates, he could feel it.

Impending doom.

He jumped off the horse, the guards letting him in instantly. He entered the building, looking around- everything seemed normal. He started towards Wooyoung’s room upstairs but then he felt it-

The basement.

San scoffed- of course whoever it was was in the basement. San took the shortcut, going outside until he was at the backside of the palace, asking the guards stationed out to let him in.

“Prince Wooyoung doesn’t allow anyone to go inside at night-”

“For fuck’s sake, let me in and get as far away as you can unless you want to die tonight,” San’s eyes glowed and that was enough for the guards to open the lock and get the hell away from there. He spotted Yoohyeon who came his way,

“Prince San? What are you doing here?”

“Get Wooyoung immediately, there’s no time,” San warned, “Whoever’s inside? Their magic is going to explode.”

“But she is in the cell-”

“The cell that nullifies magic?” San shook his head. “It’s fueling it instead. Get Wooyoung and Jongho immediately.”

Yoohyeon gasped, running off and San rushed downstairs, opening every door- he had never been in the basement personally. By the time he reached the end of the hall, he could hear someone’s sobs and chokes.

San stopped for a moment outside the door that had to be the one. He frowned- even with the dangerous magic bound to kill everything, he could feel something else- a connection. Was it because this faerie was somehow connected to what took place two years ago? He wasn’t sure. With a deep breath, he opened the door and he sucked in his breath when he saw a girl with her knees brought to her chest, sobbing.

This was the last thing he was expecting to see. It was like Yena’s situation all over again. San slowly stepped inside, muttering a soft ‘hey’, causing the girl to look up-

Gaeul and San both felt it then- something inside them tugging and calling out to each other, and it was not magic.

Gaeul frowned, ignoring whatever it was in case it made her magic any angrier. “You should get away. It’s not safe here.”

“I came to get you out of here,” San’s warm voice left Gaeul surprised, especially when he smiled and his whole face softened. He sat down on one knee in front of her, scanning her. “It’s not safe to be here. You need to get out.”

“Who are you?” Gaeul almost whispered. San extended his hand.

“I’m San. I’m sure you’ve already heard about me now.”

Gaeul pursed her lips, stifling her smile. She had, alright. She glanced at his extended hand. “If I hold your hand, I might possibly kill you.”

“You won’t,” San assured. “Trust me.”

If it was Wooyoung or anyone else, Gaeul would have never taken their hand at a time like this. She would have screamed at them to run away from her, to get as far away as possible. But something about San was so different than anyone else she had met so far. And without hesitation, she took his hand, his calloused fingers providing her instant consolation that everything would be alright.

Without saying anything else, San started leading her away from the room, sending a little spark of his own magic through their connected hands, trying to figure out the nature of her magic and just how unsafe everyone was. By the time he got out, Wooyoung and Jongho audibly gasped.

“Are you stupid?!” Wooyoung yelled. “Her magic will hurt you!”

“No, it won’t,” San shook his head. “I’ve got this, trust me. Just… follow me. And create a shield around us while you’re at it. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Wooyooung and Jongho watched San lead Gaeul to the garden that she’d gone to earlier, both of them standing in disbelief for a few moments before they looked at each other.

“Did you hear that?” Wooyoung scoffed. “Trust me, he said. Trust this little-”

“Shut up and create a shield,” Jongho laughed. “He must have a reason. He’s not as stupid as you.”

“Sure,” Wooyoung mocked. “A reason. Let’s hear that.”

San stopped in the middle of the garden, instructing Jongho and Wooyoung to shield themselves while they were at it. Wooyoung protested but San assured them he would not get hurt.

“It’s like when Yena had a block,” he explained finally, glancing at Gaeul. “I know what to do. I’m basically an expert at this now.”

“Right. Let’s see how far you get blown off. Gaeul! Make sure your magic throws him a good few miles away- maybe out of Rukbat.”

Gaeul was practically squirming. “I can’t hold it in anymore.”

“You don’t have to,” San took her other hand. “Close your eyes and try to reach the root of your magic. I’ll be there.”

The two of them shut their eyes, and Gaeul almost screamed- her magic was seconds away from exploding, but she saw it. It had to be San’s magic- the reddish brown, almost golden thread making its way beside her magic, circling it. Gaeul shook her head- he would get hurt.

“This is not my magic. I cannot control it,” Gaeul whispered and San squeezed her hands to let her know that he could hear her. “Just looking at it is making me suffocate.”

“I understand now,” San replied. “Just… stay strong. It’s going to hurt.”

Gaeul had no idea how much it was going to hurt, but when San’s magic coiled around the black and silver raging storm of magic and covered it entirely, she felt a moment of calm. And then his magic started squeezing her magic into nothingness- or at least it tried, because Gaeul’s ear piercing screams made San flinch and realise this was not going to work. He instantly created a shield around himself and dropped Gaeul’s hands, making her sink to the ground and clutch her head.

And then a wave came, nothing like San had imagined. If he hadn’t shielded himself, he would have been obliterated. Jongho and Wooyoung sent their magic back, fighting the wave and containing it within the small sphere so no one else would get hurt. For a good minute, it was a battle for their life before Gaeul stopped screaming and slumped down, unconscious. San breathed, slumping down with her, looking at Jongho and Wooyoung in disbelief. Wooyoung scanned the perimeter- thankfully, only the area within the sphere had ‘died’. The grass was grey, the flowers were ashes. Jongho sank down to his knees.

“I don’t feel so good,” Jongho’s face was pale. Wooyoung bent down next to him, touching his forehead. It was because of the magic being opposite in nature to Jongho. Wooyoung lent some of his strength to him just in time to stop him from fainting as well. He let Jongho lie down on the grass, out of energy.

“Well,” Wooyoung looked at San, grinning. “This is interesting.”

San glared at him before struggling up on his feet and joining the two, laughing helplessly as he sank down with the two. “I had to withdraw. This magic… It's not fae magic. It’s not even darkling magic.” He drew out his hand and frowned- the ashes were cold- like snow.

“Tell me about it,” Wooyoung sighed. “Jongho calls it ‘anti-nature’.”

“That’s because she used to have the magic of nature,” Jongho practically wailed. “Look around you and tell me this sight doesn’t scream ‘anti-nature’.”

San nodded- he had never seen anything like this. The grass and flowers hadn’t wilted- they had turned ash. “The cell, Wooyoung. It was fueling her magic. I could feel it from a mile away.”

“Well, shit,” Wooyoung looked at Gaeul, worried for a second that she had died but her chest rising up and down slowly relieved him. “Does that mean her magic can’t even be called magic?”

“Unnatural,” San scoffed. “Death- but not simply death. This is something beyond dead- look at this,” he plucked the grey grass that softened into powder with his touch. “Anti-magic. What is the opposite of magic, Wooyoung?”

“Mundane? But this is anything but that. This is… bewitchery, but it’s not that either. Bewitchery was what Junyoung’s uncle tried to do. This is… I don’t know. Let’s hope Hongjoong has a name for this, because if he does not… we’re in deep, deep trouble.”

—-------------------

The next afternoon, Wooyoung got a message from Hongjoong informing him that he’d be taking a little ‘detour’ in hopes of confirming his theory. The message was as ambiguous as it could get, so the three decided to chat with Gaeul.

Gaeul, however, was not having it. The boys were either bickering with each other about things she did not understand, or staring at her like an alien which made her fidget a lot. And right now, the boys were doing the latter. Gaeul stared back at the three of them for a good few moments before she turned around, making them face her back, which was when they broke out of their trance.

“I’m sorry,” San chuckled, “I’m just… confused. Please turn around, Gaeul.”

Gaeul sighed- she did not understand why San saying her name sounded so different. She turned around and her heart immediately warmed at the way he looked at her- sharp eyes that were so soft at times. “What happened last night?”

“I tried calming your magic down, but we have a theory…” San looked at Wooyoung and Jongho, wondering if it was wise to let her know.

“I have an idea so please let me know,” Gaeul gave Jongho and Wooyoung a side-eye when they tried warning San with wide eyes and bobbing heads. “Please tell me what’s going on with me. I’m as confused as you all are.”

“That, I believe,” San nodded. “Your magic… it’s not ‘magic’ anymore. Not like every faerie on this planet. Not even like the darklings-”

“You keep talking about darklings,” Gaeul looked at Wooyoung. “Kieran, was it? Who was he? Have you met a lot of darklings? Are they on this planet?”

“Slow down,” Wooyoung laughed. “Kieran was a darkling, yes, on this planet but not of his own accord. He’s the only one we’ve met.”

“We’ve met Neve too,” Jongho added.

“For like ten seconds, Jongho,” Wooyoung rolled his eyes.

“Ten seconds?” Gaeul was starting to believe that Wooyoung and Jongho weren’t quite sane in the head.

“Yes, he popped in from another dimension to say hi and take Kieran back,” Wooyoung looked at Gaeul as if daring her to call it bullshit.

“So what does this Kieran possibly have to do with me?”

“You mentioned red hair and glowing eyes… amber eyes?” San asked cautiously and Gaeul nodded hesitantly.

“I believe, yes. He supposedly killed me. Could be a dream.”

“I don’t think it’s a dream,” San looked at Wooyoung. “There’s a reason her magic reversed itself. Why would Kieran kill her though?”

“That’s the one thing I don’t understand,” Jongho tilted his head as he watched Gaeul. “She was a normal faerie with an affinity for nature. Nothing unusual there. Did she see something or hear something she wasn’t supposed to? Or was it mere bad luck?”

“Kieran wasn’t one to kill someone without a reason, was he? Every move he made, every life he took was calculated. As far as I know, he hasn’t even killed that many people.”

“San’s right,” Wooyoung started. “Two years ago… that’s the point of Kieran’s life where he couldn’t risk making a mistake. Killing Gaeul, who lived a very normal life at the beach with her family… there must have been a reason. And that reason is to fuck us up, obviously, but there’s another reason that I feel is more valid.”

“So are we going to watch me everyday like we’ve been doing for days now? Or are we doing something?” Gaeul was starting to hate the basement now.

“Dear old Hongjoong went on a little trip before coming here,” Wooyoung sighed. “Until then, I suggest we stay put and not try anything.”

“Don’t look at me,” San raised his hands in surrender. “I only prevented an explosion that would have obliterated your ass.”

“We would have been fine,” Wooyoung rolled his eyes. “Tell him, Jongho.”

“I’m not telling him anything,” it was Jongho’s turn to surrender. “After experiencing it firsthand, I’m done assuming things about Gaeul.”

“Something tells me there’s more to your story,” Gaeul raised her eyebrow. Jongho sighed, giving in.

“I could feel you all the way in my castle. The day Wooyoung found you… your magic touched a flower, didn’t it?” Gaeul nodded, surprised, and he continued. “When your magic exploded, I felt it. It was unnatural, and I’m the Prince of Nature. Of course I would feel it- just like last night. It makes me feel sick- no offence to you.”

“None taken. It makes me sick too,” Gaeul sighed, looking away. “But… how come you can feel it from so far away? Do all Princes have like… a sensor?”

“Something like that,” San laughed. “Jongho felt it because of the magic. Wooyoung felt it because you were close, right?”

“Yeah, probably,” Wooyoung nodded. “And you felt it because?”

“I don’t know,” San shrugged, recalling the other feeling he had. His eyes met Gaeul at that moment and his heart sank- and so did Gaeul’s. “I… I’ve been feeling her for months now. I think… when I came to visit you last time, Wooyoung. Four months ago? The proximity might have triggered it.”

“But you’ve been feeling her all along?” Jongho frowned. “Is it because your magic is sensitive?”

“Probably,” San nodded slowly. “I could feel the magic growing slowly. I could feel that it was wrong. But there was something else- it made me nervous to the point that I couldn’t focus.”

“Weird,” Wooyoung made a face. “Yena and Seonghwa felt it too, probably because it’s connected to the two somehow. We’re keeping Yena out of this, in case you decide to send her a cute message about how you saved my ass from obliterating-”

“I won’t,” San kicked Wooyoung’s leg, making Jongho and Gaeul giggle. “She’s had enough already.”

“What’s the Princess like?” Gaeul asked and the three looked at her. “I don’t think I ever heard about her while I was… alive? Before Kieran supposedly killed me.”

“She’s like us,” Wooyoung smiled.

“She’s like Wooyoung,” Jongho sighed and Wooyoung smacked his arm.

“What’s wrong with that!?”

“So when did you hear about the Princess?” Jongho asked, ignoring Wooyoung altogether.

“A few months ago… I found myself at the beach, but I was in no state to move and I had no memory. I somehow made it to the forest and some people found me. Everything’s fuzzy- I don’t even know when this amnesia episode started. It could be a few months or a year-”

“What’s the first ‘news’ you heard, if you can recall?” Jongho asked and looked at the two Princes. “I think we can figure out when she woke up. Or came back to life. Whatever it is.”

“Prince Seonghwa and Princess Yena’s wedding was going to take place in a few days,” Gaeul recalled- it was the most memorable news she had heard that had stuck with her. “I remember because I had no idea who this Yena girl was. And then later I found out that she was the Lost Princess.”

“But it’s been 6 months,” Wooyoung frowned. “When we say two years ago, we actually mean two and a half. So… she woke up before Yena’s wedding. We didn’t feel her for four months at most, right? Unless someone felt it earlier. Does that mean her magic wasn’t in this state at that point?”

“That’s right,” Gaeul confirmed. “That time is hazy but I remember the faeries wondering if I had magic in the first place.”

“If Hongjoong was here, we would have figured all of this out in one sitting,” Jongho groaned, slumping down on the couch.

“Did Prince Hongjoong feel this too?” Gaeul asked.

“Oh, he feels everything,” San waved a hand in dismissal. “Everything that the light touches, I think.”

“So if you’re the Prince of Earth, do you feel everything that happens on this land?”

“Something like that. Yunho is the Prince of Water, so he feels everything wrong in the ocean-” San paused, his mouth parting as he looked at Gaeul. “Didn’t you say you were found by the beach?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“So Yunho must have felt when exactly!” San got up, clapping. “See? We have a brain too. We don’t always need Hongjoong.”

Gaeul tried stifling her smile but the look on Jongho’s face and the grimace on Wooyoung’s made her laugh and she put a hand on her mouth as San turned, muttering sorry. He only shook his head in amusement.

“Jongho, quick. Write a message to Yunho and ask when exactly he felt something was wrong.”

“Does it matter?” Gaeul asked. “Where was I for the two years that I have no memory of?”

“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we always need Hongjoong,” Jongho bowed dramatically, making San pout as he slumped back to the couch.

—------------------

The last thing Mingi expected one fine Sunday morning was Yeosang strolling into his chamber, materialising out of thin air, and immediately fainting right on the couch.

For a second, Mingi panicked, but he could see his chest rise and fall. Mingi poked his arms- he even twitched, his blonde hair falling messily on his forehead. Mingi shook his head, scoffing. “A little warning would have been nice!”

Yeosang, of course, didn’t respond. It appeared that he had portalled himself. His portalling method was very different from Yena, and he had started practising it not too long ago, though he always had a theory it would work. But turning into a spirit and then materialising into a body elsewhere was risky business- more risky than Yena opening a portal in space and risk portalling somewhere else- or some ‘time’ else.

Or perhaps, Mingi thought as he sat down beside Yeosang, going back to his documents, perhaps portalling into an unknown dimension with a different flow of time was more dangerous.

Mingi recalled the time when the darkling Kieran had almost driven Yena mad, forcing her to practise her time magic so he could go back in time for some twisted revenge. Mingi had found Yena just in time, and Yena in a state of panic had accidentally portalled herself and Mingi into another dimension where time flow was different. After spending months in that dimension, they came back when Yena finally figured out exactly where she was, finding that only a few hours had passed in reality.

If Yena had been alone, he wasn’t sure she would have made it back. She was in no state to be alone, after being a hostage to Kieran. Mingi wondered sometimes if he was fated to be the one to find Yena. It had somehow made his magic different, spending that time with her in a dimension where no one else but the two existed.

This was definitely why he could feel some poor soul with its own magic burning it. He was sure Yeosang could feel it too and was here to talk about it.

He was right. When Yeosang finally woke up, it took him a good few moments to gain his senses. Mingi pointed to the bottle of water in front of him and he hungrily gulped all of it down- portalling, for some reason, left him parched. Once he had finished the last drop, he finally breathed.

“You look well,” Yeosang commented.

“Because I have been sitting in my own body unlike someone in this room,” Mingi scoffed, amused. “What are you up to?”

“I heard some rumours that I thought I’d share with you first,” Yeosang leaned forward, “Some very… interesting rumours.”

Mingi ran a hand through his red hair. “Well?”

“Apparently,” Yeosang’s eyes glittered, “someone actually came back from the dead.”

Mingi gave Yeosang the side-eye. “As in?”

Yeosang huffed. “My spirits tell me that something was amiss. As you know, time flow doesn’t affect them. So when Yena changed the timeline, nothing in that dimension changed. Anyways, from the reports I gathered, there was some sort of black hole- if you can call it that- forming in that dimension. I don’t know how I missed it, but some tell me it didn’t stay in the same place.”

“And what does that mean?” Mingi frowned.

“Apparently the hole grew until it disappeared one day about six months ago. Again, I’m not sure about the time, but that’s what I got.”

“I think Yunho told me when he felt something strange. He was out in the ocean for days trying to figure out whatever it was.”

Yeosang paled after hearing that. “That sounds too similar to necromancy. Water and black holes. The dimension of the dead. Never a good combination. But… necromancy doesn’t work like that. It’s done by someone, and the black hole doesn’t ‘travel’ around the dimension, it sticks to the reality here. And… there’s something else.”

Mingi raised his brows in anticipation and Yeosang sighed. “I casually confirmed with San, Wooyoung, and Jongho’s court, but there have been people going ‘missing’ in the past few months. No traces, no pattern. My spirits tell me that they’re alive, but they… They are in another dimension. Maybe sucked by the black hole.”

“That’s crazy, why would someone willingly go into something that looked like a black hole?”

“Unless they were dragged in it,” Yeosang bit his lips. “If my sources aren’t lying- and they have no reason to- they believe some ‘otherworldly’ creatures now prowl in this land.”

Mingi sat back, taking a deep breath. He wasn’t sure he was ready to face ‘otherworldly’ creatures- the creatures that already existed on this planet were enough. “So what’s your verdict?”

“Hongjoong. He needs to hear this. I think… it’s time we all gathered. Whatever this is, it’s not supposed to exist.”

“Actually,” Mingi pursed his lips, “I can feel it too. A soul burning from too much magic, except it’s not magic. It’s… something different.”

“Yeah. It has the ability to disintegrate living beings. What do we do?”

“Send a message to Hongjoong first,” Mingi immediately started writing a message. “We need to gather.”

—------------------

Hongjoong was in the middle of the Peridot Sea, somewhere between Mingi’s Kingdom of Leo and Wooyoung’s Kingdom of Sagittarius, when he got Mingi’s message informing him that apparently someone was back from the dead and they needed to meet in person so they could discuss it properly.

Hongjoong looked up at the cloudy sky, as gloomy as his mood. Yugyeom, who was quite pleased with the detour because he needed a break from the castle duties, raised a brow. “Everything alright?”

“Not at all,” Hongjoong smiled helplessly, asking for a pen. He scribbled his location and dared Yeosang to portal himself here since there was a chance he would very well land in the sea.

Yeosang’s reply through Mingi’s fire message came a minute later, a very provocative drawing along with a request to land on their continent- Algieba was the closest. Hongjoong sent an okay, instructing Yugyeom to turn their course west. Yugyeom, who had an affinity for air, helped the ship change its course without much effort. They could already see land so it would only take about an hour.

As soon as he landed at the beach, he sent Yeosang and Mingi the message. Yugyeom brought food from the ship. “Good thing we landed. With this amount of food you wouldn’t last two days.”

Hongjoong passed him a side-eye. “You should have stored more.”

“Who decided to take a detour in the middle of our very planned-out tour to Rukbat?” Yugyeom scoffed, slumping down on the sand and opening the bag which included snacks and everything unhealthy that Hongjoong loved to eat. Hongjoong picked a box of cookies, offering some as an apology and Yugyeom rolled his eyes, laughing.

“I’m probably going to Mingi’s castle. Wanna join me?”

“I should,” Yugyeom nodded. “It’s been a while since I met Wonpil.”

“Ah, yes,” Hongjoong nodded. “You have friends everywhere. Let’s hope we get a ride before we get a heatstroke in the desert.”

Luckily for the two, Mingi had already sent some of his friends that resided in the desert to pick Hongjoong and Yugyeom. The two dozed off the entire ride back, waking up only when they stopped to get a good night’s rest and then the next day, they reached Mingi’s castle, greeted by an unusually grim looking duo.

“At least wear a smile when you greet me!” Hongjoong wailed and the two burst out laughing which was when Hongjoong realised this was an act and he ran forward to smack them. “I swear I will never get a break!”

“You’ll be wearing this grim face soon enough, don’t worry,” Yeosang laughed, dodging a hit to the arm. “Come on. Let’s eat before we lose our appetite.”

Yugyeom took that as a clue to run away. “I don’t wish to lose my appetite. Hongjoong, I’ll be staying here for a day or two before I go back. That okay?”

Everyone gave him a thumbs-up and watched him spot Wonpil and happily run to his old friend. “See?” Hongjoong watched them hug like long lost brothers. “That’s how you greet a friend.”

“Whatever,” Mingi grinned cheekily, ruffling Hongjoong’s ginger hair. “Come along before I drag you there.”

The three avoided discussing anything over dinner, enjoying the carefree bantering and making fun of each other just like everything was normal, to the point where for a moment they forgot all about the trouble they were in.

“I have something to say about this,” Hongjoong began. Yeosang started clapping and Mingi wheezed with laughter. “I haven’t even begun!”

“You’ve said enough,” Yeosang laughed. “You don’t get the right to tell me to stop portalling like this when you literally disappear into the light. At this rate, you’ll find yourself some thousand light years away from us. At least I’ll only be lost in another dimension.”

“It doesn’t work like that-”

“Should I try materialising into fire?” Mingi cackled and Hongjoong rolled his eyes at how Yeosang and Mingi kept trolling him.

“You’ll burn yourself if you ever try that,” Hongjoong commented. “Just because you’re the Prince of Fire doesn’t mean-”

“Yes, Hongjoong, just because you’re the Prince of Light doesn’t mean you get to shine your light of wisdom on us,” Mingi said and the room fell silent before the three started hollering again, Yeosang applauding.

“If you’re done fooling around,” Jae, Mingi’s Right Hand entered, shaking his head in amusement at the young princes. “The chambers are ready, and tea awaits.”

“Ah, yes, time to sleep,” Hongjoong nodded, getting up, hearing one of the two mutter ‘boomer’. “Thank you- and please make sure Yugyeom leaves after two days. Yugyeom and Wonpil shouldn’t be together for too long.”

“Oh, I’ll make sure,” Jae smiled devilishly. “Let’s hope they don’t bring the castle down with their chaos.”

As the three settled in Mingi’s living room, they realised how the gravity of the situation kept nagging at their subconsciousness. Yeosang glanced at the two. “Is it time we finally address the problem?”

“You first,” Hongjoong nodded.

“I am not sure about what time this took place, but something like necromancy brought someone back from the dead. Apparently a black hole kept moving around in my dimension of spirits, until a while ago it disappeared. I think that’s when someone came back from the dead- but it doesn’t look like they were ‘brought’ back to life. It just… happened. And it burned the soul of a faerie with its magic in a way I’ve never seen or heard of, Hongjoong. Other than that, there are reports of missing faeries throughout Kingdoms of Cancer, Sagittarius and Libra. Throughout that continent only. Apparently some ‘otherworldly’ creatures have been spotted and are said to have come from the blackholes- my spirits tell me that the missing faeries are alive but not in this plane- not in this dimension.”

“I understand,” Hongjoong nodded, his face not giving any indication of what was going on inside his head. “Mingi?”

“I felt it too, I feel it now as well,” Mingi shifted in his chair. “Whatever this magic is, it’s not normal. It’s burning the soul of the possessor, but then… at the same time it’s keeping it alive too.”

“Interesting,” Hongjoong slumped back. “The ‘it’ we are referring to is a faerie of about our age, named Gaeul. She’s in Wooyoung’s Palace right now where San and Jongho are present too.”

“Wow,” Yeosang scoffed. “Why didn’t they inform us?”

“I specifically asked them to report only to me, as I asked you two and everyone else,” Hongjoong said. “I have a theory, and it’s not good. Whatever you both told me, it’s only making my theory more plausible. According to Yunho, he detected something fishy in the ocean about six months ago. He spent days trying to figure out the source but it was like the source kept changing locations.”

“That must be when the black hole shifted to this dimension of reality?” Yeosang asked.

“Seems like it,” Hongjoong nodded. “I don’t know who Gaeul is and what makes her so special, but I believe… according to the memory she thinks she has… Kieran killed her somehow. For such a phenomenon to happen, either he calculated it to the extent that he already knew when Yena would go back in time, or it occurred unintentionally- a big, unfortunate coincidence.”

“But with Kieran, nothing is a coincidence,” Mingi pursed his lips.

“Exactly, but we cannot be too sure right now. Either way, he killed Gaeul and she came back because Yena changed the timeline and somehow, Gaeul’s life was connected to it. If Yena hadn’t changed the timeline, she would have remained dead.”

“But theoretically, like Seonghwa, Gaeul should have just been ‘alive’. How is her situation different from Seonghwa?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out, and we also need to check if the missing faeries are indeed connected to all of this,” Hongjoong sighed. “We need to trace that black hole, Yeosang. And we need… Yunho. Get a good night’s sleep because from tomorrow, we will travel.”

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hwaberry-dreams · 2 months

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EIGHTEEN: first impressions and revelations

Warnings: mentions of mental health disorder, mention of self harm scars

Word count: 9k

Summary: Seonghwa meets Lunas parents, the meeting goes well until her mom accidentally causes a fuss. It forces Luna to open up to Seonghwa and leaves her feeling drained but someone unexpected offers their support during this difficult moment.

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

(A/N: this chapter will have a 3rd person POV towards the end. I want to start incorporating Ateez thoughts and actions instead of solely Lunas. I will switch between Luna and 3rd person from this point onwards. I would appreciate any feedback on this, good or bad so feel free to message me)

Seonghwa and I arrive at my parents' apartment, laughter already echoing through the door from within, it dawns on me that a relationship isn't just about finding someone who fits perfectly into your life. It's about creating a space for each other, intertwining routines and quirks, and embracing the journey with open hearts. I felt like I could have that with the guys but I also knew I could never ever allow my feelings for them to develop into love or anything near that.

My parents' relationship began in a unique way, their bond forged through circumstances yet blossoming into true love. I grew up witnessing their resilience as they overcame every obstacle thrown their way - from my father's long and difficult tours of duty, to my mother's constant packing and moving with little notice. My mom making sure I had the best childhood she could possible give me. Despite their opposing views and frequent disagreements on most topics, their love is unbreakable and together they are an unstoppable force. I always dreamt of finding that same kind of love with someone someday.

The feeling of Seonghwas fingers tighten subtly in mine pulls me from my thoughts and I look up at him.

"Are you definitely sure we shouldn't have brought flowers for your mom?" he asks me and I can see a flicker of nerves in his eyes

"Absolutely. She isn't a big fan of flowers. She only likes them for decoration and not as a gift. Wine is always a winner with her and the chocolates are for my dad." I answer. "If you think I have a massive sweet tooth, you are about to see exactly where I get it from!"

"Should I refer to your dad as Major Lee?" he asks

"It isn't necessary at all. My dad is not old school military where he expects everyone to call him by his rank or even as sir outside of his work." I say "He is incredibly laid back so don't worry!"

With a steady hand, I reach up to the doorbell and give it a firm push. The door swings open a split second later with a gentle creak and my mom greets us with a warm smile.

"Oh hello!!" she says as if we have arrived unexpected and she hasn't been camped out at the door waiting for our arrival. "Come in, come in!" she opens the door fully and ushers us in. We slip off our shoes and enter the inviting space of the lounge, where my dad stands up from the sofa, his expression stoic. My mom joins him, her smile never faltering, while my dad's eyes scan over Seonghwa with an unreadable look. The air is filled with a mix of anticipation and tension.

I briefly look at Seonghwa who is holding eye contact but I can see he looks nervous. I introduce, "This is Seonghwa."

He greets them politely with a bow, "Hello, Major Lee and Mrs. Lee."

"You can just call us Sam and Eunbi," my mom responds with a warm smile. "Gosh you are more handsome in real life!!" she adds before hugging him suddenly. I can see he is caught off guard, I should have warned him she is a hugger. However I've never seen her hug a boyfriend ever! "You two look so cute together, with your couple outfits!" my mom says pulling back from Seonghwa.

"Not couple outfit, we just happened to be wearing the same colours." I say

"Well that just shows how in tune you are with one another!" she smiles widely

"Is that a box of chocolates I see?" my dad says with a small smile on his face, spotting the gift bag in Seonghwa's hand. He has a knack for detecting chocolate from miles away. I can see he is trying to remain in scary dad mode but with the prospect of his beloved chocolate he cannot keep up the facade and I have to suppress a giggle.

"Yes sir." Seonghwa replies, handing them over to him

"Seonghwa also picked out a bottle of wine for you, Mom." I say

"Oh you didn't need to do that! Thank you Seonghwa." she smiles at him "Dinner will be served soon so make yourself comfortable!" she adds

"Please, have a seat Seonghwa," my dad invites him to the decorated dining table, adorned with fresh flowers and flickering candles. My mom has gone all out for this dinner tonight!

With a gentle hand on my back, Seonghwa guides me to the table and pulls out a chair for me. I catch a faint smile of approval from my dad. It was one of his classic tests, something he's done with all of my previous boyfriends. He wants to see if Seonghwa is traditional and a gentleman, helping me sit before taking a seat himself. I didn't bother mentioning the test to Seonghwa. He always pulls out my chair for me, unless one of the other guys beats him to it. I had no doubt he would pass this test with flying colours.

“I've made a cottage pie, I hope that's alright with you, Seonghwa,” my mom says, looking at him.

“Of course,” he replies, nodding and remaining standing by the table.

“Oh, that's a relief!” my mom sighs. “I'll go check on it.”

"Take a seat." my dad nods towards him.

I know Seonghwa was waiting for my parents to sit first before he did. He takes a seat next to me and pulls his chair closer to the table.

“What exactly is a... cottage pie?” he leans in and whispers to me as my dad heads into the kitchen to assist my mom. His eyes hold a look of confusion, causing me to giggle. Unable to resist, I kiss his lips.

“It's minced beef mixed with gravy and topped with mashed potatoes. My mom adds carrots, peas and onions to hers. It's really delicious,” I explain with a smile. "You will like it!"

“Well that does sound delicious,” he responds with a smile of his own.

"My moms cooking is so good!" I murmur with a smile, nodding in agreement.

Seonghwa leans towards me. "If your moms cooking is anything like yours, I have no doubt that I'll love it." His lips meet mine in a sweet kiss, and I can't help but smile at the gesture. I respond with just as much affection, savouring the moment as his hand delicately cups my face.

"My wife and daughter have impeccable culinary skills," my dad's voice interrupts us, causing Seonghwa to jump back and letting go of me. My dad stands there, holding two glasses of wine in hand and a playful smirk on his face as he catches Seonghwa kissing me. Knowing how traditional Seonghwa is, I can see the blush creeping onto his cheeks.

I can't help but laugh as my dad's mischievous side starts to show. It's a good sign, but I'm not sure how Seonghwa will react to it during our first meeting. After all, my dad has a unique sense of humour.

His eyes twinkle playfully as he walks over to the dining table and sets down the glasses in front of us.

"Honey, don't tease the poor boy," my mom scolds with a grin while placing two more glasses on the table. "Seonghwa, please ignore my husband. He thinks he's funnier than he actually is."

"How dare you!" My dad gasps dramatically, clutching his chest. "I'll have you know that everyone at work thinks I'm the funniest Major on base!"

"Oh honey, that's only because they're afraid of you!" My mom lightly taps his shoulder. "If they don't laugh, you'll make them do 100 laps around the base."

"Well, I never!" My dad sighs theatrically.

I can see Seonghwa begin to relax a bit as he watches my parents' playful banter. But his shoulders are still tense. Under the table, I reach for his hand to give him some reassurance.

"Why don't you be useful and help me with the plates?" My mom suggests with a laugh.

"I can help." Seonghwa offers, standing up from his seat.

"You will do no such thing! You are a guest here and your only job is to eat and drink!" my mom insists, playfully pulling my dad's arm back into the kitchen.

"Sorry about that, my dad loves to joke around," I say with a smile as Seonghwa settles back into his seat.

"It's fine. I just felt a little uncomfortable that your dad caught us," he responds, sheepishly smiling.

"I know but don't worry about it. The fact that my dad is joking around with you means he likes you," I reassure him. "So don't feel awkward." I squeeze his hand before bringing it to my lips to kiss the back of it.

Seonghwas cheeks flush a little as he takes a deep breath and smiles back at me looking more relaxed. My parents start to bring in plates of food. We each have a large portion of cottage pie on our plates with bowls of vegetables, salad, rice and ramen in the middle to help ourselves to. I notice Seonghwas eyes grow a bit bigger at the sheer amount of food available.

"This looks delicious!" he says as my parents take their places at the table.

The aroma of my moms delicious cooking fills the dining room, making my mouth water in anticipation. It has been so long since I had her cooking. I glance at Seonghwa, and see his eyes shining with excitement.

"Well help yourselves!" my mom smiles gesturing to the food.

I notice her keen gaze fixed on Seonghwa as he takes his first bite of the cottage pie. He must be aware of her scrutiny, but he adeptly conceals it with a nonchalant expression.

"Wow, this is absolutely delicious!" Seonghwa's eyes widen in delight and I can tell he truly means it. He has always been a lover of food, savouring each and every flavour with an almost childlike enthusiasm.

"Oh I am glad!" My moms shoulders visibly relax as she takes a bite of her own food. I know she was anxious for Seonghwa to enjoy the meal she prepared for him.

As we all continue to enjoy our meal, the conversation flows effortlessly. My dad, always the entertainer, begins to regale us with a funny story from his younger days.

"So there I was, trying to impress your mom on our first date," he chuckles, his eyes glinting mischievously. I knew he was going to tell this story because he takes every opportunity he can get to tell it and honestly I love hearing it each time. "I took her to this fancy restaurant and thought I was being all smooth, ordering the most expensive bottle of wine on the menu. Little did I know that Eunbi couldn't stand the taste of it!"

We all burst into laughter, including Seonghwa, who seems to have loosened up even more.

"It wasn't that I couldn't stand the taste of it, I had just never had such fancy wine before and it was a little strong for me back then!" my mom laughs

"You have the taste for expensive wines now though!" my dad comments

"I certainly do!" she says winking and holding up the glass of wine we brought before taking a drink.

"And then after all that you friend zoned me!" he laughs looking at her

"I was the best damn friend you ever had!" she replies looking back at him

"3 years later she finally agreed to be my girlfriend." he says, "and we were blessed with our little Luna soon afterwards!"

As our conversation continues, I can't help but pay attention to every small detail - the way Seonghwa chuckles at my father's cheesy jokes, his genuine interest in my mother's work stories. It all seems to be going smoothly, and I finally let myself relax.

"Luna has told us a little about you," my mom says to Seonghwa. "I understand that you need a degree of anonymity with your job and she's been very respectful about that."

Seonghwa blushes at her words, responding with a grateful smile. "I consider myself incredibly lucky to be a part of Luna's life," he says humbly. I reach for his hand under the table. The familiar warmth of his touch brings a smile to my face as I gently squeeze back, grateful to have him and the other guys in my life.

"Seonghwa, how did you get into the industry?" my dad asks, his voice gentle and curious.

"Ah, well, it started when I was young," Seonghwa replies "I always loved music, and when I saw kpop idols on TV, I knew that was what I wanted to do. So I auditioned for different agencies until KQ accepted me."

"Your hard work has certainly paid off," my dad says, nodding approvingly. "Forgive me, I don't keep up with kpop these days. My three daughters are the experts on that." he laughs "Luna says you're group is successful internationally. That's quite an accomplishment."

"Thank you, sir," Seonghwa responds, his gratitude genuine. "I've been fortunate to find a great team who supports and challenges me. We're like family."

As I listened to their exchange, I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride for Seonghwa. His dedication to his craft and love for his bandmates was truly inspiring. I am proud of all of them and their hard work. I catch my moms eye, and she gives me a knowing smile. She understands how much this moment means to me.

The dinner has progressed smoothly so far, everyone enjoying the delicious meal my mom had prepared, the conversation had flowed so naturally and it was heartwarming to see that Seonghwa was fitting in so seamlessly with my family.

Out of nowhere, my dad breaks the silence with a serious tone. "Seonghwa," he begins, his voice holding a weight I can feel in my chest. "I have an important question to ask you." My heart starts to race as anxiety sets in at the sudden shift in his demeanour.

"Of course, sir," Seonghwa replies, his expression attentive.

“How serious are you about my daughter?” he asks

"Dad!" I interject, feeling mortified that he would ask such a personal question.

"I am very serious, sir," Seonghwa answers confidently without skipping a beat.

"We cherish Luna and only want the best for her. She has faced challenges with all our moving due to my job, health issues, and even moving to Seoul alone at 18 years old. I will always worry about her, regardless of how grown and independent she may be. I will do everything in my power to seek justice for her if anyone ever harms her or causes her the slightest bit of sorrow." My dad continues speaking. "But I trust you to take care of her, to protect her and ensure her happiness."

Seonghwa's expression softens, and he nods earnestly. His voice, laced with determination and sincerity, cuts through the air as he speaks. "I promise you, sir," he declares. "I will pour every ounce of my being into ensuring Luna's happiness and well-being. You have my unwavering word on that."

"Thank you, Seonghwa," my dad says with a smile, glancing at my mom who gives him a nod. "We approve of your relationship."

"I know that in this modern era, our approval may not hold much weight, and we're not exactly traditional people either," my mom chimes in, "but when it comes to the happiness and safety of our firstborn daughter, we take things seriously."

"I completely understand, and I also take it very seriously," Seonghwa responds, looking at me. "Your daughter means everything to me."

I can't help but smile at his words, feeling my heart swell with emotions for him.

“Wait until the twins meet you,” my dad beams, “They're going to adore you! We haven't revealed Luna's employer yet; mostly because Hyejin can be quite loud at times!" he chuckles along with Seonghwa. "But also because they are familiar with your band."

"Oh right!" Seonghwa smiles

"As a matter of fact, we took them to see you perform in London earlier this year. It wasn't until Eunbi mentioned it that I even realised Luna worked for you."

"Wow," Seonghwa says, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "I hope we met their expectations."

"Oh, you definitely did!" my mom joins in with a laugh. "They couldn't stop talking about it for weeks."

As the meal nears its end, I realise that tonight was a significant moment in our relationship. My parents' acceptance of Seonghwa was more than I could have hoped for. I know my mom will eventually figure out there is something more between us, but for now, I can relax.

After my mom practically pushes us into the lounge, refusing Seonghwa's offer to help with the dishes, I tell him it's best not to argue with them. We settle onto the sofa as my parents put away the dishes.

"Are you okay?" he asks me, his hand resting on my knee.

"I am," I reply, smiling at him and leaning in for a kiss. I feel his emotions through the touch of his lips on mine. "And you? My dad hasn't scared you off?"

"It would take more than that to scare me away," he reassures me with a grin.

As we sit on the sofa, our hands intertwined, I start to feel a mix of excitement and tranquillity.

"So, what do you think of my parents?" I ask, breaking the silence.

Seonghwa looks at me with a warm smile. "I can see where you get your kindness from," he replies. "They're genuinely caring people, and it's clear that they love you."

I blush at his words, feeling a rush of gratitude toward my parents. "I'm lucky to have them," I say softly. "And I'm lucky to have you too."

His eyes sparkle as he leans closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "No, Luna. I'm the lucky one." He brushes a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch sending shivers down my spine. "We all are." he whispers

I lean into his touch, feeling contentment wash over me.

My parents return to the living room carrying a tray of tea and biscuits, taking a seat across from us on the sofa.

"Would you prefer to have coffee Seonghwa?" my mom asks

"No, tea is perfect with me." he replies

"I assume my daughter has been trying to convert you all onto British tea!" my dad says. My dad knows me too well.

"She has been pretty successful in that sense!" Seonghwa smiles with a light laugh

The air was thick with a sense of warmth and comfort, like a warm embrace. But as my mom settled into her seat, I couldn't help but feel a subtle change in her disposition. The light in her eyes dimmed slightly, and the corners of her mouth turned downwards ever so slightly. A hint of worry or concern seemed to weigh on her mind, making me suddenly feel tense and uneasy.

"Luna, how have you been coping?" she asks me

My heart leaps in my chest as I know what she is referring to.

"I've been absolutely fine mom, you don't need to worry."

"Have you been taking your medication regularly?" she asks, concern evident in her voice.

Seonghwa looks startled by the sudden change in topic, his eyes darting between me and my mother. My heart begins to beat faster in my chest as I look at my mom and nod, replying in a careful tone, "Yes, Mom."

"Are you absolutely certain?" my mom persists. "Taking it every day, without fail? You know how crucial it is for your health to stay on top of that. With all the recent changes in your life - your new job, moving apartments, and a new relationship on top of all that - it would be easy for you to forget such things."

"Mom," I say with a strained tone, attempting to keep my composure. I plead silently with my eyes for her to stop her questioning. Seonghwa's concerned expression only adds to the pressure building inside me, and I know I need to reassure him too. As I struggle to maintain a facade of calmness, beads of sweat form on my forehead, betraying my true emotions. The air in the room feels thick and suffocating, like a pressure cooker about to explode. "I promise you, everything is completely under control," I finally manage to say, trying to sound confident.

"Honey, you don't want to end up in hospital again."

Seonghwa speaks hesitantly, his eyes shifting between my mom and me. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course," I respond, placing my hand on his arm in reassurance. "It's nothing to worry about."

My mom lets out a sigh, "Luna..."

Luckily, my dad senses the mood and jumps in. "It's okay, honey," he says.

But my mom won't let it go. "Sambeom, it's not okay!" she says, using his formal birth name. It's never a good sign when she does that. And when she calls me mine too it means things are really serious. "Younhas bipolar disorder is not nothing!"

I feel my chest tighten, my hands begin to shake as I anticipate Seonghwa's response to my mother's words and I find myself wanting to escape from the lounge and the awkward conversation. My eyes frantically scan the room, desperate for a way out, but I know deep down that I can't just run away from this.

"Mom, I really wish you hadn't said that." I say in English, my voice trembles.

"Why not?" she replies, turning back to look at me with furrowed brows.

"Because I hadn't told Seonghwa yet!" I reply, feeling more anxious than ever now that he is looking at me with concern in his eyes and confusion etched on his face.

But my mom, ever the worrier, couldn't let it go. "How could you not have told him?! Seonghwa has a right to know. How can he look after you if he doesn’t know?"

"Actually," I counter, trying to keep my emotions in check, "It's my decision when and how to share something so personal. And also, I can look after myself!! I don’t need someone else to do it for me!"

She questions, "Shouldn't your boyfriend know everything about you?"

"Mom..." I pause, unsure of how to respond so she continues

"How can you expect to have an open and trusting relationship if you hide important details like that from him? On what planet do you expect a relationship to grow when you can't even be honest with him?!"

I try to reply but nothing comes out of my mouth. I know my mom has the best intentions and is only concerned for me but I feel so angry at this moment. Telling Seonghwa I am bipolar was one thing but to question my relationship was another. As the tension mounts, my dad clears his throat and attempts to change the subject. "So, Seonghwa, tell us more about your life as a singer. It must be very exciting."

I struggle to pay attention to the new conversation, my mind consumed by the revelation of my secret and the vulnerability it has exposed. Seonghwa notices my distress and tries to comfort me silently by holding my hand, but I need some space. I pull my hand away from his grasp and excuse myself to the bathroom, quickly leaving the room before anyone can respond.

"Luna!" I hear my mom call out as I enter the hallway.

"Give her a moment, honey," my dad interjects.

As I close the bathroom door behind me I fall back into it. I look up and see my reflection in the mirror of the door. I look awful! The tears that had filled my eyes has smudged eyeliner and mascara. My face is flushed red. My appearance mirrored the turmoil within me, a dishevelled mess that I couldn't hide or fix.

“Fuck!” I moan quietly, sinking to the floor, my body heavy with frustration. I slide over to the bath and rest against it. I pull my legs up and place my head on my knees. My hands pressed flat against the cool marble flooring, providing some sense of stability amidst the chaos in my mind. I close my eyes and take slow, purposeful breaths, trying to focus on the sensation of the cold surface beneath me in an attempt to ground myself before I spiral further and let it consume me completely.

After 5, maybe even 10 minutes I hear a light tap on the door and I raise my head, startled out of my thoughts. "It's me, darling," Seonghwa's gentle voice calls from outside. "You don't need to open the door, but please just let me know that you're alright."

I lean forward to unlock it before moving back against the bath, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. The room is dimly lit, with only a small window allowing a sliver of light to enter. Seonghwa enters slowly, his soft footsteps barely audible on the tiled floor. He sees me sitting on the floor and quietly closes and locks the door behind him before taking a seat beside me. His long legs stretched out in front of him.

"You don't have to face this alone." He says softly. "You have the 8 of us right here with you."

As I listen to his words, my frazzled nerves start to calm down. His reassurance is like a soothing balm, but even with his comforting words, I can't shake the fear that my condition will impact our relationship, despite his promises.

I start to speak, my words hesitant and uncertain. "Seonghwa...I never intended to deceive you. To lie to you all."

He interrupts me, his voice full of reassurance. "You didn't lie at all."

The weight of my guilt hangs heavy in the air, suffocating me with every breath. My hands shake as I grasp onto my legs tightly, fighting back the tears that threaten to spill over. "I did lie, by omission," I finally choke out, my voice trembling with emotion. "You all made it clear from the beginning that honesty was necessary for this relationship to thrive, and I wasn't. My mom is right, if I can’t be honest with you all then this relationship won’t work!” I say holding back the tears.

Seonghwas head quickly snaps to look at me. “Darling, my feelings for you haven’t changed. I am not letting you go.” he replies, putting an arm around me.

“But…” I begin but he stops me

"I'm not upset that you didn't tell us; I understand why. You are an incredibly independent person, you made it clear to all of us from the start that you do not like being fussed over and you probably knew that we would do exactly that if we knew. All I care about is your safety and how you're coping with it on your own. Are you okay?" he says

“I am!” I confirm, letting myself lean against his body while still keeping my arms tightly wrapped around my knees. “I truly mean it. I’ve been diligently taking my prescribed medication and regularly visiting my therapist."

"That is good!" I can hear the smile on his face. "Does your therapy help?"

"It helps a lot! Remember when I said I was going to the karaoke room with my cousin last week?" I feel him nod in reply "I was actually at one of my therapy sessions. I hated having to lie to you all, but Hongjoong knew where I was. He has known for a while." I take the opportunity to look at him, hoping to gauge his reaction to what we are talking about.

"That makes me feel better knowing you weren't dealing with it all alone." he smiles softly at me

"I was planning to tell you and the others when I was ready. I swear to you!” I say as I slowly unwrap my arms from my legs and let them move towards him

He pulls me closer, and I allow myself to fully sink into his embrace now. "I know you would have," he says as his hand strokes my face. "You just needed the perfect moment, huh?" I nod silently, feeling grateful for his understanding. He kisses the top of my head, and for a moment everything feels okay. His hands move me so I am sitting on his lap facing him.

"My bipolar doesn't define me. Just like my allergies don't but it is a part of who I am." I say looking into his eyes "As much as I want to, I can't change that. It makes people treat me as if I am about to break or a child who can't do anything for myself, like manage my medication or keep on top of my condition." I look down as my hands rest on his chest, "I was scared that you would all treat me the same way or decide I am not worth it."

"I know, Luna," he says softly, his voice unwavering. I feel his fingers touch the tip of my chin, gently tilting my head to look at him "We would never think you aren't worth it. And I don't normally speak for the others but I will now because I am 100% certain of these words - none of us are going anywhere. I don't think any of us can imagine life without you in it now." The sincerity in his gaze brings tears to my eyes and I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I don't deserve such understanding and compassion. Leaning in, I press my lips against his, relieved when he kisses me back. We stay that way for a moment, our foreheads touching.

"I am sorry for leaving you alone with my parents like I did." I say with a small sigh.

He responds, "It's fine. You needed space. Your mom explained that when you get overwhelmed you need time alone to do a little reset." He takes my face in his hands. "Please don't be mad at me for what I am about to say next, but she does have a point. About the new changes you've gone through lately, I mean."

I pull back slightly to look at him, noticing the worry in his eyes. I lean in for a kiss to reassure him. "I'm not mad and of course she's right! She usually is but it just doesn't make her overbearing nature any easier to deal with." I say

"I can see that." he says softly "Do you want to go home now?"

"Yes, please. Anywhere but this bathroom floor. I'll speak with my mom tomorrow, when we're both in a better state of mind." I let out a sigh of relief that he understands what I need.

"I'll talk to your parents and grab your things. Don't worry," he smiles at me reassuringly. "I'll wait by the door for when you're ready. Take your time."

"Thank you," I smile back as he helps me up and stands up too. He kisses my cheek before unlocking the bathroom door and leaving. I look at myself in the mirror and groan. My makeup is smudged all over my face, making me look like a panda. I try to clean it up, but it's no use. I grab a makeup wipe from the counter top and remove most of it. Even though my face is still red and puffy from crying, Seonghwa has seen me look worse first thing in the morning and at this point of the evening I don't even care. I take out my contact lenses, which have become incredibly uncomfortable from all the tears.

As I go into the hallway I see Seonghwa and my dad at the front door. My bag and coat are in Seonghwas hands as he talks with my dad quietly. I can't hear what they are saying in their hushed voiced but they both have serious looks on their faces so I can only assume it is about me.

"There is my beautiful girl!" my dad smiles as he sees me and opens his arms. "It was lovely to see you both tonight." he adds as I sink into him

"Is mom okay?" I ask quietly. It didn't feel right leaving without saying goodbye to her but at the same time I didn't trust myself not to say something and inside there was still a bubble of anger in the pit of my stomach.

"Don't worry, she is fine! You two will patch things up when you are both in a calmer mood, just like you always do." he whispers into my ear. "Now make sure to text me when you are both safely home!" he add louder for Seonghwa to hear.

Seonghwa helps me put my coat on and my bag then we leave after my dad hands over a bag full of leftover food. As we walk out of the apartment building and into the cool night air, I feel a sense of relief washing over me. The tension that had built up between my mom and me is still there and will be until we speak properly, but for now, I feel a little calmer. Seonghwas hand clasps onto mine as we walk back to our apartment. In the dark surroundings of the night and without my contact lenses in, my vision is bad and I am relying purely on Seonghwa to guide me.

"Are you alright?" he asks with concern. "Your face looks like you're in pain."

"Oh no, this is just my 'I can't see shit without my glasses on' face." I reply

"What about your contacts?" he inquires

"I had to take them out in the bathroom. They were making my eyes irritated from all the tears." I explain.

"Darling, why didn't you tell me you couldn't see? Hop on my back and I'll carry you the rest of the way." he offers, moving in front of me.

"Aww, I appreciate it, but I'm fine!" I laugh lightly. "Just hold my hand tight and make sure I don't walk into anything like a streetlight or a plant!"

"Okay." he sighs, I can't see his expression clearly enough but the tone said it all.

He takes my hand in his again, guiding me gently as we make our way into the park. There is a peaceful quietness between us. Seonghwa leads me to a tree adorned with twinkling fairy lights, and in the soft glow, I can see his face a little clearly now. He pulls me into an embrace, wrapping his arms around me in a comforting gesture. I nuzzle into his chest, inhaling his familiar scent mixed with the crisp autumn air.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of this," he whispers into my ear. "But just remember, no matter what happens with your mom or anything else in life, I'll always be here for you."

A single tear escapes down my cheek, and I cling to him with even more strength. "There's something else I need to tell you," I manage to say. He remains silent, giving me the space and comfort to continue. "I only found out about my bipolar disorder because... I did something really really stupid."

He speaks softly as I pull away from him, trying to gather the courage to tell him face-to-face. "You can tell me," he reassures me.

"I-I tried...I wanted to..." I stumble over my words, struggling to voice what's on my mind. "I'm sorry, I'm just... scared."

"If it's too difficult for you to say, then you don't have to. Our relationship won't change either way," he assures me again.

"No, I need to tell you, it is the least you deserve." I reply taking a deep breath. "I was in a dark place early last year - overworked, overwhelmed, exhausted, and incredibly lonely. I was missing my family, missing my friends. Due to the pandemic I was working very long hours then going home alone. Everything just felt like too much to handle and I didn't know what to do. I wished for peace more than anything though. Just wanted things to stop. I wanted the thoughts to stop." I sigh looking down, scared to look at his face. My eyes focus on a button on his coat as I continue. "My friends brother found me. He was dropping off some food their mom had made for their neighbourhood, she always made extra for everyones friends too so Minjun dropped mine off. He thought I was working that night so had only planned to leave the food in my fridge and go but I wasn't and he found me unconscious. He drove me to the hospital and stayed with me while they.... fixed me" I struggle to say the exact words. "I was soon transferred to the psychiatric unit for assessment, even then he stayed in the hospital building until my Uncle Jihoon and Aunt Soomin arrived 2 days later. They had been in Jeju Island with her family. I stayed in the unit for 5 weeks, during which time I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and started medication and therapy treatment." I can feel his arms tighten around me. "It is why I always wear a lot of bracelets or long sleeves, I don't want people to see the scars."

"Thank you for trusting me enough to share this with me," he says, his voice filled with empathy. "I can't begin to imagine the pain you've been through, but I want you to know that I'm here for you now."

A wave of pure relief washes over me. I hadn't expected him to be so understanding.

"Lets get you home!" he smiles.

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

The apartment is bustling with noise as we enter, now that more people are home. Mingi and Yeosang are engrossed in a game of Mario Kart on the sofa, while Yunho and Jongho watch them play.

“Ah, wasn’t expecting you two back so early!” Yunho smiles looking over at us

"We're all playing Mario Kart, you should join us," Yeosang suggests, eyes fixated on the television screen

I exchange a glance with Seonghwa and give a slight nod. To be honest, I just want to crawl into bed and sleep it off, but I know Yunho will start worrying if I do that. And Seonghwa would definitely be concerned as well, considering recent events.

“Sure.” Seonghwa says, his hand strokes my back gently.

Sitting in the middle of Yunho and Jongho, I catch a subtle exchange of looks between Yunho and Seonghwa. Suddenly, Yunho declares that he's going to make ramen for everyone. He leans in to kiss my cheek before heading to the kitchen, Seonghwa follows closely behind. My heart races with fear that Seonghwa might spill my secret to Yunho. He sees me looking at him, probably with a look of fear in my eyes and comes over to me instead, he surprises me by leaning down and planting a gentle kiss on my other cheek. In a hushed tone, he reassures me, "It's alright. I am just going to put the food in the fridge. Would you like some toast and jam?"

I shake my head, "Not hungry." I respond.

"Maybe a cup of tea and some chocolate biscuits?" He inquires.

"I'm fine," I say.

"Have some noodles at least, even just a little bit?" He suggests. I look up at his eyes and they look almost pleading-like.

"Okay," I reply quietly. There's no use arguing with him; I can tell he's determined to make sure I eat something.

Seonghwa runs his fingers through my hair gently before heading back into the kitchen. Jonghos body settles next to me on the couch, and I follow suit by bringing my feet up and crossing my legs. Mingi and Yeosang are still engrossed in their game as Jongho and I sit in silence, my gaze fixed on the coffee table in front of us. Tears begin to well up in my eyes again, and I let out a small sniffle that goes unnoticed thanks to the noise from the game as well as Mingi and Yeosangs playful banter with one another over who was in the lead. Or so I thought until I feel Jongho's hand slip into mine. I look at him, surprised by his sudden contact but also comforted by it at the same time. His eyes remain focused on the TV. My gaze shifts down to our linked hands as he gives it a gentle squeeze, our intertwined fingers hidden from view between us on the couch.

As we sit in silence, a sense of understanding permeates the air between us, offering an unspoken solace. I let my head fall against the plush back of the sofa and gaze up at the ceiling, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill from my eyes. I decide to focus on my breathing. With each inhale and exhale, I can feel my body slowly succumbing to the tiredness. I feel the heavy weight of my head listlessly roll to the side and come to rest on something sturdy and warm. The faint aroma of Jongho's signature cologne lingers in my nose as my mind slips into a state of emotional exhaustion.

─ ｡☆: 3rd person POV :☆｡ ─

Jongho's gaze shifts down to his shoulder as he notices that Luna has succumbed to slumber, her form nestled against him in peaceful repose. He can see the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathes, her body completely relaxed against the side of his body. Unsure of how to proceed, Jongho takes in his surroundings - Mingi and Yeosang engrossed in their race, Seonghwa and Yunho bustling in the kitchen - before returning his attention to Luna, studying her delicate features.

Over the past few weeks, he has made a conscious effort not to stare at her. Which has been easier said than done when he wants nothing more than to look at her, wondering what she sees in him to want to be with him. His thoughts carrying away and convinces himself that maybe it's because of the others around him and he's just a small part of the package deal.

Whenever they are alone together, he becomes too flustered to even speak, let alone truly look at her. But now, for the first time, he can admire Luna's features without feeling self-conscious. He notices that her natural lip shape resembles a heart and she has light coloured freckles sprinkled across her cheeks, a little mole underneath her left eye and a tiny indent of a very old scar on her cheek. He takes this opportunity to fully take in all of her unique features. Jongho allows himself to sink into this moment, feeling grateful for the calm bliss it brings. That Luna feels safe and comfortable enough with him to fall asleep beside him.

As soon as Luna had sat down beside him, he could sense the tension in her body. The murmuring tone of her conversation with Seonghwa when her voice is usually animated even when being quieter, the way Seonghwa looked at her like he was concerned and then the soft sniffle he heard confirmed that something was bothering her. He couldn't just ignore it; he wanted to offer some kind of comfort to her. Without drawing attention or making her uneasy by asking if she was ok, he gently took her hand in his. For a moment, he was worried she might pull away, but when he felt her hand relax in his grasp and he knew she welcomed the support. Now she had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

As Seonghwa comes in from the kitchen holding some bowls of ramen he quickly noticed Luna on Jonghos shoulder.

"Is she sleeping?" he whispers, setting the bowls down on the coffee table.

"Yeah, she just dozed off suddenly," Jongho replies.

Seonghwa disappears into Luna's bedroom and returns with her favourite kuromi blanket in his hands. Mingi and Yeosang turn their attention to Luna as well.

"Is everything alright? With Luna, I mean." Jongho asks as Seonghwa gently lays the blanket over her as Yunho comes in with drinks.

"Yeah, she is fine." Seonghwa replies

"You sure?" Yunho asks, his eyebrow raising slightly

Like Jongho, Yunho had also picked up on her body language when she got home and the look in Seonghwas eyes.

"Yeah, she was just tired on the walk home. I think seeing her family after so long probably took a lot out of her." he explains, gently stroking Luna's cheek. "You know how we can get when we're away from our families for too long."

"Yeah, we definitely do." Mingi nods his eyes looking at her, "It must be harder for Luna though. Her family doesn't even live in the same country as she does."

"How will we get her into her bed?" Yeosang asks

"We can let her rest here for a little while. I don't mind sitting out of the next game, Seonghwa can take my spot. If she doesn't wake up within an hour, I can carry her to her room and one of you can help get her ready for bed," Jongho suggests.

They all agree with that plan. Seonghwa and Yunho sit down and they begin to eat and play. As time passes by, Luna remains sound asleep on Jonghos shoulder, not moving an inch and their hands still entwined. The room is filled with a hushed silence, broken only by soft laughter at the game antics and the occasional clink of utensils as they ate.

Finally Luna begins to stir, feeling a slight stiffness in her neck from the angle her head had been at. Her eyes flutter open, trying to take in her surroundings with her blurred vision.

"Hey sleepyhead!" Jongho greets her quietly with a gentle smile

Luna suddenly sits upright and looks at him, realising she had fallen asleep on him. "Sorry." she mumbles, her hand leaving his. "You should have nudged me to wake up!"

"It is okay, you must have needed the sleep." he says

"You want some noodles? We have some left over." Yunho says

"No thanks, I just want to go to bed. I have work in the morning." she replies yawning loudly "Oh sorry!" she covers her mouth, blushing lightly at how loud it was.

Yunho's hand caresses Luna's back, eliciting a small smile from her to him. He senses something is off, but he doesn't want to pry. At first he thought she was feeling uneasy about their night together but then remembered how she cuddled into him earlier as she waited for Seonghwa, kissed him infront of both Mingi and Seonghwa. While in the kitchen he had asked Seonghwa if everything was okay with Luna, he received the same answer as everyone else - she was just exhausted. And when Yunho discovered her sleeping soundly in the lounge a few minutes later, it seemed to confirm that. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it, and he wondered if it had anything to do with the insecurity she had confided in him about the night before.

Yunho is pleasantly surprised when Luna turns to hug him properly. Seonghwas eyes carefully watch her, looking for any signs of feeling upset, as does the others. She stands up from the sofa with the help of Yunho and Jongho, exchanging hugs and goodnight kisses to each of the guys except Jongho. She wasn't sure if he was ready for that level of physical contact yet since he has only held her hand twice and then there was the near kiss in the kitchen the week before.

As she bids Jongho a good night, he reaches out and gently strokes the side of her head before she can turn away. His smile is soft and kind as he looks at her. The others begin to tidy up the lounge, taking the dishes into the kitchen, leaving them alone in the lounge.

"Sorry again for falling asleep on you." she says

"My shoulder is always available if you need it again." he laughs lightly "I hope you have a good sleep sweetheart." he adds moving his hand to cup her cheek delicately.

Luna feels her heart skip a beat at the pet name he has suddenly started calling her recently. Resisting the urge to hug him, she simple smiles and says "You too." before going to her bedroom. Unbeknown to her, Jongho was also holding back from pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly.

Luna smiles as she sees the large kuromi plushie Yunho got her on the bed indicating to her that he had put it in her bedroom while she was out this evening. Immediately she goes over to it and pulls it into her arms, lying on the bed. The soft fabric and faint scent of Yunho giving her comfort.

Once a few moments have passed, she stands up and prepares for bed. She follows her nightly routine of washing her face and brushing her teeth before selecting her pyjamas for the night. After glancing at her usual long-sleeved nightshirt she throws it onto the chair at her desk and instead pulls a vest top from her dresser. It is too hot at night for such a heavy material of the long sleeved shirt and tonight she just wants to be comfortable, not covered up.

She puts on the top and a pair of shorts before picking up the clothes scattered on the floor and tossing them onto the chair with the discarded night shirt.

A soft voice interrupts her thoughts, causing her to turn around and see Seonghwa entering her bedroom. He closes the door behind him before walking over to her.

"I just wanted to check on you before I go to bed," he says gently. "Tonight was a lot for you."

"It was, but I'll be okay Hwa," she replies. "I feel safe here... in my home with all of you."

"I'm glad this feels like home to you, because it is. And I think it's safe to say that we all feel more at home with you here too," he responds.

Luna moves closer to him and wraps her arms around his shoulders, feeling his warmth against her own body.

"Are you okay?" she asks. "Tonight must have been overwhelming for you too – not just my parents, but everything else that occurred. You had a lot of heavy information thrown at you."

With a serious expression, Seonghwa says, "I won't hide the truth from you." Luna takes in a sharp breath, bracing herself for whatever he is about to say. "I know it's a lot to handle, but all I want is for you to be happy and healthy. If you tell me that you have your bipolar disorder under control, then I will trust you. But please promise me that if you start feeling like things are slipping or not quite right, you will tell me or Hongjoong immediately." He leans in closer, looking into her eyes as she nods in agreement, her hand moving to the side of his head. "Promise me!"

"I promise you, Hwa. I will tell you." she replies firmly.

A look of slight relief washes over his face, causing his features to soften into a gentle smile. He reaches for her hand, carefully threading his fingers through hers and pressing a tender kiss against the delicate skin of her wrist. Normally, she despises any attention being drawn to her scars, but with him, she feels nothing but safety and acceptance. She knows that he sees and understands her past struggles.

"If you need anything tonight, just come to my room. Even if I am asleep, wake me up." he says looking back at her eyes

"I am sure I will be fine but thank you." she replies

Seonghwa smiles softly at her, nodding his head in understanding before pulling her close and pressing a gentle kiss against her lips. Their breaths mingle in the air between them, warm and sweet.

"All right, then," he whispers back. "Let's get you tucked into bed."

Luna nods as Seonghwa helps her lie down on the soft, cosy pillows of her bed. The sheets are cool against her heated skin but comfortable. He hands over the kuromi plushie, smiling fondly at it as she wraps her arms around it while he pulls up the blankets over her, taking care to make sure she's snug and warm. He tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear and leans in close again to kiss her forehead.

"Goodnight, Luna," he whispers, stroking her cheek with his thumb as he pulls away from her slightly but not letting go of their entwined hands.

"Goodnight, Hwa," she replies softly, her voice barely above a whisper too.

She watches as he switches on her fairy lights, turns off her bedside lamp and makes his way across her room to her door. He gives her one last smile before leaving. She yawns and closes her eyes, as she hears the others quietly making their way upstairs to their respective bedrooms. Tonight didn't go as planned, however Luna knew one thing for certain - she felt lighter knowing she wasn't lying or hiding something from one more person in her life but hoped the time would come soon she would feel ready to tell the others, and that they will be as understanding as Hongjoong and Seonghwa have been.

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Taglist: @kiwibaekie @fudgeflyssworld @kodzukein @elk-1998 @khjcoo @pepperony-7 @ateez-babygirl @starillusion13 @stephy-nicole13 @truthbehindthereflection @livingdeadlisa @stayteezdreams @atinyapple1117

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yuyubeans · 30 days

Text

pda >-<

pairing: wooyoung x kisses

genre: fluff

wc: 67

let's be honest, he love talking but esp to you, telling you stupid things he did as a kid, asking if he can put the fan/AC on when it's like 50c out, acts like he just saved your life after making you a sandwich, "you'd be dead without me fr" (as if hed know what he'd do without you) , always being pain meds just incase, and fucking LOVES PDA, like he's like a fucking virus in a computer, esp when he has lipstick or gloss on, you're basically that red ass angry bird when you can finally get him off you, youre always on his mind, you and your cute little cheeks, he loves you paint in kisses

A/N:

wooyoungie cutie

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sundaybossanova · 2 months

Text

Witch's Love Chapter 1

Paring: San x OC

AU: Fantasy

Word count: 4,1k

Summery:

It was a normal day for Sera, brewing potions, visiting the market and trying not to blow her cover but a sudden uninvited guest changes everything. Lying on her doorstep is a young man on the brink of death and she has no idea what she's gotten into after saving his life.

With a heavy sight Sera finally stepped back from her cauldron having finished putting the last bits of dried lavender into the now finally finished potion. With the sleeves of her ebony blouse, she carefully dabbed away the sweat drops on her forehead. It has taken her longer than expected to craft the potion seeing as she ran out of marjoram halfway through the making process. “Maybe if I had checked my stock before starting this whole thing would have been done quicker” the white-haired witch said to nobody in particular. Walking slowly to the tiny window in the house she admired the glowing moon that was shining brightly in the dark night sky. Beside the last crackles of the dying fire the house was silent with the feeling of peace hovering in the air. Two soft knocks could be heard breaking the tranquil silence and making Sera give one last glance to the moon before moving on to open the wooden door of her humble abode. “Why do you come home at this hour Bram?” the girl asked opening the door wider to let the large black dog enter her home. Without much of a response the familiar trotted to the kitchen, went past the cauldron containing the finished potion and finally settled down close to the extinguished fireplace laying down trying to preserve the last bits of warmth offered by it. “Oh come on tell me what you have been up to, I missed you while you were gone.” Pouting slightly the girl continued “Did you meet someone interesting? Or have you found new customers in the village?” Still the dog seemed not one bit interested and simply answered “It was a long day and even though I haven’t interacted with a lot of people, actually none, I am still exhausted.” He repositioned his head so he could watch the witch make her way to a cabinet taking out ingredients for their shared dinner which turned into a late-night snack. “Did you finish your potion we have to bring it to the customer tomorrow.” Bram reminded the girl still remembering times where the young witch would forget the deadlines for her potions causing a lot of her clients to become angry and dissatisfied with her work. The young witch just hummed as a form of saying yes, too concentrated on cutting the ingredients for their shared meal. “Everything is finished I just have to fill it into a flask, don`t worry so much.” And with that she continued her task with a small smile on her lips.

As the first rays of sunshine slowly appeared Sera was already finishing getting dressed in dark green woollen dress with a white ruffle-sleeved blouse underneath it. Her delicate hands grabbed onto the necklace laying on the small dressing table in front of the mirror. After looking at the three green stones embedded in the pendant, she quickly put it on and started braiding her hair. “We have to leave soon I feel like there will be a storm coming and I would rather get home with my fur still dry” came Bram’s voice from his place on her bed. His comment made her hurry up grabbing her black cloak, basket and coin pouch ready to leave if it wasn’t for her familiar calling out to her: “Haven’t you forgot something? Maybe a little thing you worked for all night long?”. With that said Sera turned around and swiftly grabbed the flask from her worktable muttering a quiet “Thank you. Now let’s go”. The black dog was following the witch through the still quiet woods where the animals and plants had yet to awake. The fog was slowly lifting as the two neared the village and could hear faint voices from the marketplace in the centre of the town. Making their way into the bustling streets the screams of many sellers became louder and they had to push themselves through the crowds of busy villagers on their way to get groceries and what not. “Remind me why I had agreed to join you today?” Bram’s voice was laced with regret not enjoying being nearly being stepped on and pushed around by people. “It was your decision don’t try to put the blame on me now.” She answered with a light chuckle finally seeing their destination coming closer. The little shack seemed to be quite old and rundown she guessed nobody has used it in some time. “Doesn’t it feel weird that the customer has requested to meet here out of all the places? This place seems abandoned and there aren’t any people around” her familiar spoke up with questions that have also been going through her mind. “Honestly I don’t know who ordered it, in the letter it only said she needed the potion as soon as possible and I feel like when somebody asks for this particular one, they are very desperate, so I wanted to help without asking any questions.” The girl finally admitted realizing her own mistake of being too naïve and taking on requests she couldn’t be sure were worth her time or would endanger her life. “I do think you know to not do such stupid things ever again, if they find out a witch has helped getting rid of a child you will be solely accused of killing an innocent child they won’t care or believe that you only acted out the mothers wishes.” Bram’s voice was stern trying to control his anger that comes from his underlying fear of the girl getting hurt by the strangers living in the village.

Before she could continue apologizing for her wrongdoings, they could hear light footsteps coming near. “Excuse me Miss but are you the- “the hooded figure was slowly coming to a halt in front of the two nervously looking around “are you the witch?” she finally finished her question after stumbling over her own words. Sera raised her head to look the person in the eyes finding a pair of storm grey eyes filled with worry. “Yes, I am the one you’ve been searching for I presume you are the one who wrote me the letter” Shily the girl nodded and tried to crack a small smile, yet the only thing visible on her face was her nerves. “Here take the potion” she pulled out the flask and handed it to the shaking woman. “To make it more enjoyable, mix it into some tea and drink it before going to sleep. This potion will cause you to miscarry, you might feel a sharp pain in your stomach and become a bit dizzy the next morning but as soon as the miscarriage has ended those symptoms will pass eventually.” Sera has spoken those words without breaking eye contact with the person in front of her. “I hope after this you will be happier and if you need anything else you know where to find me my dear.” She ended her little speech with a comforting smile patting the girl’s shoulder before making her way in the direction of the forest. Too stunned to speak the young woman nearly forgot to thank and pay the witch for her service. “Wait up! Here`s your money I am ever so grateful for your help. Honestly, I don’t know what I would do without this potion, so I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.” With those final words the younger one put the gold coins into Sera’s hand and ran off without looking back quickly disappearing behind corners and buildings of the village. “She seems too young and innocent to get pregnant, this whole thing gives me a bad feeling.” Her familiar finally spoke up after the girl was out of sight. “Maybe it was an accident, maybe she was forced we will never know, and we especially shouldn’t intervene with the business of others. We’re doing our job by providing the people with potions and remedies for their problems, nothing more nothing less.” Continuing their way home they stopped at a few booths with Sera picking up items she ran out of and Bram staying close by her side looking out for any potential dangers. Unfortunately, it had begun pouring down some time after they entered the forest again. “I told you we should have left earlier to avoid the rain.” The witch chose to ignore the familiars’ words and just kept on following the small path home. The rain has started to sicker through her cloak and slowly she began to feel the cold creeping up on her. When the small hut came into the girl’s view, she sighed out of relief . “It wasn’t that bad, was it? If you want, I can make us some hot supe and meanwhile you dry yourself in front of the fireplace? Deal?” she suggested looking behind her to face the dog. “This actually sounds like a good plan, I am in.” the wolflike creature answered but before he could add anything Sera let out a short scream while falling on the ground. Confused and utterly shocked the girl looked down at her feet seeing something she hadn’t expected to find. “How, why…. When” She couldn’t find any words while staring at the severely wounded man lying on the ground. The guy tried to get up by pushing his right hand into the mud pulling his upper body a few centimetres off the ground, head only raised long enough for them to make eye contact before he collapsed again letting out muffled groans. Finally, the silent whimpers and expressions of pain pulled Sera out of her thoughts, and she suddenly rushed to the stranger’s side holding his bloody face in her hands. “He’s burning up, we have to get him inside as quickly as possible.” She said in a rushed voice, already preparing to carry the man’s body into her hut with the help of Bram.

Her kitchen table was turned into a makeshift hospital bed after they had laid the young lad onto it. Running around collecting the needed items Sera didn’t realise that the boy had awoken and tried to stand up. “What do you think you are doing?” said Bram in a stern voice. The witch turned on her heels and pushed the upper body of her patient back down. “Lay down, you are severely injured and you’re only making it worse.” She was quite angry, yet her touch was gentle while putting him back into place. With efficient moves she prepared all of the tools she needed and started to work on healing his wounds. The only sound coming from the man were muffled groans and yelps of pain while Sera was putting different ointments and herbs on his many wounds. “This one will hurt a lot.” She said in a quiet whisper lazed with concern as she slowly poured alcohol on the deepest wound on his chest that was oozing blood. “You’re quite lucky the arrow didn’t hit your heart”. Bram was watching everything from a distance not wanting to disturb her while she was in her trance of healing. The sweat on her forehead was glistening in the dim light of the room as she placed the final dressing over her patient’s upper body. Huffing out a sigh of relief she turned her body to the familiar, a small smile escaping her lips. “He is doing fine now; you can go to sleep. I will stay and look after him” Not fond of this idea the wolfish creature stated it would be best for her to rest and he will wake her the moment the stranger shows signs of waking up. Finally feeling the exhaustion taking over her body Sera gave in and made her way up the stairs into her bedchamber and after lying down on her comfortable little bed it didn’t take long for her to fall asleep.

“Get away from me you damn beast” was the first thing the young witch heard upon waking up the next day. Without a thought she ran down the stairs to find her dear familiar being threatened with a knife by the person who just yesterday was lying in front of her abode on the brink of death. “What do you think you are doing?” she was enraged, and the man suddenly turned upon hearing her voice. “What do you mean, I am defending myself from this creature.” After that comment Bram couldn’t take it anymore and with a venomous voice he finally spoke up “I did nothing to you! Ungrateful brat. You are the one pointing weapons and wanting to fight.” With that said Sera had enough and in one big stride went to the strangers’ side gripping onto his arm completely taking him by surprise. “I will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in my house! And you should lie back down, or your wounds will reopen, and all my work will have gone to waste.” Flabbergasted, the man let her lead him back to the kitchen table he had previously laid on and sat back down. The witch was mumbling incoherent words while scurrying around the room doing who knows what. Before he could speak up, he was interrupted by the woman. “How about we start over. After all this seems like one big misunderstanding.” Now that he has somewhat calmed down, he took in the appearance of his apparent saviour. A petite girl of similar age to him, with long white hair, fair skin and eyes a shade of green he only knows from the depths of the forest. It took him some time to speak up himself: “I agree also I am sorry for threatening your ehhh… pet wolf?” While in the end his sentence sounded more like a question Sera had to hold in her laugh. “He is not a wolf but a black shepherd and my familiar. His name is Bram.” She said, smiling faintly while putting a kettle over the little fire she had started. “Oh, how rude of me, my name is Sera.” she added, turning around to face him. “San” Was the short answer from the stranger who still looked wary of his surroundings. “It’s nice to meet you San, I am curious how you got into the state you were in yesterday”. Patience was not one of her strong suits therefore she just had to ask him. Her green eyes full of curiosity were now fixated on him waiting for an answer. “Well, you see, I have been running away from the royal guards with my brother and to distract them we split up upon arriving in the forest but they defied my expectations and kept up with my pace even getting close enough to hit me with an arrow” his hand was subconsciously hovering over the bandages around his chest. “After falling to the ground I thought it was over but because of whatever reason they ran back to the castle after hearing the sound of a horn, without that I would probably be dead by now” pausing for a moment he lifted his head locking his brown eyes with hers. “And if you wouldn’t have found me I also would be dead, so thank you again I own you my life”. The sincerity in his voice was so eminent that a smile crept itself on her face. “I would do it again in a heartbeat.” she said confidently, finally breaking their eye contact to hand him one of the mugs full of deliciously smelling tea. The following silence was not an awkward one but rather one of mutual understanding and want for some peace.

“Do you live here alone?'' It was his time to ask a question again and she nodded her head taking off the bandages carefully. “Ever since I was 16 but I have Bram, so I am never really alone” The wolfish creature's ears peaked after his name was mentioned and his curious eyes followed his master's movements meticulously. “I see, still I can’t really imagine how it must feel to live like this coming from living with seven other guys. Your situation seems like the complete opposite” he said, cracking a smile at the end a little lost in his thoughts about his brothers. Would they be searching for him, maybe they thought he was dead in the end? He just hoped they wouldn’t do anything stupid because of his absence. “My turn. Why were you running from the guards?'' The wound was now fully unwrapped, and she began applying a self-made ointment on it. “Should have known you would ask” he mumbled quietly trying to avoid her forest green eyes. “I may or may not have stolen something from the palace” Her hands stopped working, eyes looking up searching for his. “You really stole from the king?” her voice was low still in disbelief waiting for him to start laughing or telling her it was a joke. But to her further surprise he kept his sheepish posture confirming her it was the truth that he spoke. “Wow… this is unbelievable but what was so important to sacrifice your own life? There is nothing more valuable than life itself?” her answer surprised him, instead of flipping out after finding out he committed treason she was wondering about his reasoning. “We simply stole money and riches, we didn’t even take a lot to stay unnoticed but on our way out we were spotted by a guard, it rarely happens so we weren’t really ready.” “Wait so you did this more than once?'' Now the shock was evident in her eyes as she dropped the new bandages she prepared. San finally raised his head showing the serious expression that was previously hidden behind his hair. “I know this sounds horrible and I understand if you do not want me here anymore but please don’t tell anyone and let me leave. I promise to never come back” he sounded so earnest taking her hands in his pleading her to understand. It took her a moment to realise she had been staring blankly at him. He took her lack of response as a sign to leave dropping her hands and trying to get up from the kitchen table. This was finally enough to rip her from her daze. “No stay you’re still hurt” her hands were pulling him back gently while her facial expressions made him feel at ease taking away the fear and panic that began bubbling inside him. “It is true that stealing, especially from the king, is a severe crime but I’d like to believe that you have your reasons to do so. Furthermore, I cannot let you walk around the forest in this state knowing I could have helped you more.” The sincerity in her eyes took him by surprise making him smile showing off his dimples. Letting out a breathy thank you he still couldn’t believe she wasn’t about to kick him out or worse tell on him to the guards. “Are you sure you want to help a traitor of the crown?” he asked willing to give her one last chance to avoid the mess she was about to get into. “Don’t worry about me, if the king were to find me helping you would be the least of my crimes. After all being born a witch will forever be my biggest crime.” The smile on her face seemed forced her eyes not meeting his while she busied her hands to finish bandaging his chest. He was too stunned to speak her bravery admirable to him, yet he caught on to the change of mood and he couldn’t imagine how it must feel to be in constant fear of being caught. “Well in my eyes your powers seem more like a blessing then a curse it just scares the ones who are afraid of change and the possibility of losing their power.” This made her heart speed up, he wasn’t afraid of her instead he seemed rather fascinated and intrigued about her abilities. For the remaining time they stayed silent, the only noise coming from her working on changing his bandages.

“You should stay the night to rest and gain more energy to go back home” was the first thing Sera said while they were having dinner. Mid-bite San raised his head looking at her, “sounds like a plan thank you for your hospitality” the smile on his face shone so brightly making her join him. Waving one of her hands dismissively she tried to explain how she liked to help people and would do it again any day. The rest of their meal was filled with random topics, some stories of their past and a lot of laughter. He told her more about his brothers, how one of them tried to cook but instead nearly burned down their house or how the oldest reminded him of her because he was the one who would take care of their wounds. Through the evening they got a lot closer realising how similar they were yet so different at the same time. “They would love to meet you” he commented with a big grin. “I’m not so sure about that one, they don’t even know I exist, and they would probably think I am awkward.” The last part was more a whisper to herself, she knew that her social skills were lacking and just thinking about meeting all of his 7 brothers made her shrink in her seat. “What do you mean? I can already see Seonghwa thanking you for taking care of me and asking about all the salves and ointments you used.” His eyes seemed so sincere that Sera felt more at ease, yet in the back of her mind the fear of judgement was still present and would probably not leave any time soon. “You should try to get some sleep now, it’s getting late and we want your wounds to heal as quickly as possible right?” the young witch said with a small smile, starting to clean the table. “You`re right, let me help you” and after a quick argument about how he should rest and not clean dishes right now, which she lost, they finished tidying up and she showed him to her room. “You can take my bed, I'll give you some clothes for you to sleep in.” Before he could disagree with her statement the girl was already going through her drawers picking out a pair of loose fitting trousers and a linen shirt. “Take these I will be downstairs, just call me if you need anything. Sleep tight:” and with those words she quickly left to get some sleep herself after all the day had been quite long. With her leaving the room San looked at the clothes in his hand and felt a weird sense of comfort, one he had only experienced when being in the presence of his brothers.

The first rays of sunlight hit the white sheets and reached the golden skin of the person underneath it. Scrunching his nose San tried to avoid the light by covering his face with the fluffy piece of cloth yet his efforts of going back to sleep were in vain as he heard soft footsteps and a knock on the door. “Good morning, I prepared breakfast if you want some '' he heard the soft spoken words come from the other side of the door. Suddenly realising that he isn't in his own bed in the comfort of his own room, San takes a moment to grasp the whole situation. “Ah yes of course I will come down in a minute” he stumbles over his words while trying to get up as quickly as possible. A sudden pain in his abound makes him groan in pain altering the young witch outside. Without a knock she rushes into the room to assist San, chestering him for being so careless. He felt her soft hands supporting his back, subconsciously rubbing soothing circles while he waited for the pain to lessen. “You should be more careful, you were on the brink of death yesterday. You can't just get up like nothing happened or you will make it even worse.” Her hands are now all over his body checking the bandages and the wounds on his face, concern clearly evident in her actions. “I'm sorry, I acted before I could think.” his lips were formed into a small pout which she couldn't help but think of as cute and endearing. “Come on now you need to eat something and then take the medicine i prepared for you” Sera patted his shoulder one last time, giving him a reassuring smile and leaving the room. San sat on the bed for a little longer, trying to root himself and get rid of the light red tint on his ears.

This is my first fanfic ever so I am really nervous, I still hope you enjoy it!

devider by @cafekitsune

#ateez #ateez au #ateez fanfic #ateez imagines #san choi #san x oc #fantasy au #ateez fic #ateez fluff

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iamthenerdqueen · 8 months

Text

The Red String of Faith - Chapter IX

Idol!AteezXOCs Soulmates!ot8AteezXOCs OCXOC Slight Social Media AU!

MDNI 18+ ONLY

slight twigger warnings: LOTS OF SMUT - MID CHAPTER WARNING Polyamory, group of 10, two OC's -feel free to replace one OC with yourself if you'd like- , listen this is an idea me and my best friend had and is something for fun read at own risk, not edited as always, also we are starting to explore themes such as bxb and gxg if thats not for you, this story may not be for you.

Chapter V, Chapter VI, Chapter VII, Chapter VIII, Next

“If I never see another airplane, I think it will still be too soon,” Lia was over being on an airplane, travel was fun but the fatigue that came with being on and off a plane every two or three days was ridiculous.

“I don’t know how the boys do this, I’m barely making it and all I do is translate the questions for their interviews,” Lyra was in the same boat as Lia, if she could just sleep for the next year and take that time to recharge her social battery it would be all good.

The boys were feeling it as well, but this was their life going from city to city, getting up at the crack of dawn for interviews, spending all day practicing or working on various things in progress, giving their all while performing for Atiny that night before hopping on a plane and doing it all again.

“My childhood dream of becoming a rockstar just got crushed because I hate this touring life, I’m not built for this.” Lia was right this lifestyle was very glamorous in theory but not in practice, They were generally homebodies, Lia being an INTP and Lyra an INFP.

After Madrid came to Paris, something the girls were especially looking forward to and getting to experience the city of love.

Okay, that’s total bullshit. The girls just really wanted to eat their way through the city and spend their time in a bread-induced food coma. Wooyoung was doing better, still taking it easy but better. Good enough to participate again in the concerts, but was still advised to take as much rest as he could. The end result? Wooyoung is endlessly being a brat, more than usual.

However, no one really minded as he was injured, and several of them liked taking care of him while he sure enjoyed being taken care of. One thing most of them had in common was some sort of need for attention, a couple of them were rather open when they wanted attention.

Wooyoung and Lia were probably the most vocal about wanting attention, both of them would find a way to get it and fate help you if the two of them decided to seek attention from the same person at the same time. That was the current situation of Lyra as she sat between Lia and Wooyoung who had both decided she was the emotional support soulmate of the hour.

She had brought one of them chocolate and the other one an iced americano, which obviously meant she was the woman of the hour. Lyra didn’t mind much as they were currently deciding who would sleep where while in ‘The City of Love.’

The boys had decided that they were going to play the ladder game in order to figure out who would sleep where, and most importantly who would be sleeping in the rooms with a single bed.

As always their room breakdown was a bit odd, the boys had booked these rooms months in advance then the girls came along and had to try to get something in the same place much later.

So they ended up separated into four rooms, the three original rooms the boys had booked - two with two queen-sized beds, and one with a single king-sized bed - and the one room the girls had booked with a single king-sized bed. The only person who had preferential treatment was Wooyoung, due to his injury they had all decided to let him have a bed to himself.

“Ah sh-” a swift hand came to pop San on the back of his neck as his sleeping place for the night was decided.

“What your mouth,” Seonghwa scolded him despite the fact that everyone cursed like a sailor.

“I wanted a bed to myself,” San was pouting at the fact that he and Yeosang were now going to share a bed for the next several nights.

“I don’t want to hear it, I’m sharing also and i’m not complaining so suck it up,” Mother was mothering again but he wouldn’t be one to complain as he was quite pleased with his sleeping arrangement thus far.

“Yah! YOU GET TO SHARE WITH LIA IN A KING-SIZED BED IN A ROOM WITH NO ONE ELSE THERE, OF COURSE, YOU WOULDN’T COMPLAIN,” San had been the one to hype the game and now obviously was regretting his life choices as he hadn’t gotten a bed to himself.

“Such a pouty baby,” It hadn’t taken Lia long to be on the San is a cat train and now she couldn’t unsee it, especially when he was pouting like this.

San looked like he was about to say something back in response when the game finished up and the rooms were all distributed for the next several days. Yunho and Jongho were all too proud to have beds to themselves in one of the rooms with two beds, Yeosang and San would share a bed in a room with Wooyoung who occupied the other bed.

San was starting to accept his shared room especially now that Yeosang had come over and started giving him some attention to lighten his grumpy mood. Beyond that everyone knew some variation of those three would have ended up in each other's beds regardless, they were like glue most days and tended to find each other.

They were all soulmates and had that special connection to each other, still, they formed other relationships within the group and had people they gravitated toward more often. It actually happened the most naturally by age as the two oldest seemed to pair up, while if the ones born in ‘99 aren’t in one big group they’re in some variation of it, and as it had turned out the three born in 2000 had become a trio rather fast bonding through some shared humor and other traits.

Honestly, it came from them teasing everyone else that they were old, in some way it all worked out. None of them really felt awkward or left out at any point as they just felt comfortable with each other.

Hongjoong, Seonghwa, and Lia had all ended up in one of the rooms with a king-sized bed, which was a tight squeeze but none of them really minded. Then there was Mingi and Lyra in the other king-sized bed across the hall.

They had moved out to settle into their new sleeping arrangements before having the night to do what they pleased in Paris, with Hajoons warning to stay out of trouble and to not do anything that would get them hurt.

“Lyra,” Mingi grabbed her gently by the arm, stopping her as they made their way to their room

“Yeah? Whats up” Lyra had to tilt her head up at him to fully see his face and more importantly see his eyes. All of the boys had beautiful dark eyes, he was no exception. When the boys didn’t have any schedules, he would often wear glasses rather than his contacts and that was one of Lyra’s favorite things in the whole world.

“Since we have the night to ourselves would you like to go on a date with me?” Mingi had obviously rehearsed what he was going to say and even seemed nervous to ask.

“A date? You want to go on a date with … me?” She was more surprised than anything and this seemed to make Mingi even more nervous at her lack of an answer.

“Uhh… Yes. I want to go on a date with you tonight,”

“Okay, Bub. I will absolutely go on a date with you tonight,” the smile crept onto Lyra’s face before the two of them made their way to their room further down the hall.

Lia, Seonghwa, and Hongjoong were a few steps behind them making their way to their own room across from theirs. The three of them were slightly listening in and watching the interaction happening in front of them.

As they entered their room, Seonghwa set his and Lia’s bag down and turned to his two soulmates who were near the entrance of the room, “ In the spirit of the city, should we go on a date? The three of us?”

“Hmmmm, I wouldn’t mind going on a date as long as we avoid eating snails for dinner,” Lia answered Seonghwa making her way over to him before wrapping him in a hug from behind and resting her head between his shoulder blades.

“I think I would eat leafy greens before I eat snails, but I’d love to go on a date with the two of you. Go see the town, get a sense for true Paris fashion,” Hongjoong said in a joking manner as he came over to the duo and set his luggage next to theirs before also joining in the hug.

“Don’t like physical affection my ass,” Lia said toward Hongjoong before giving him a quick peck on the cheek and grabbing her carry-on from its spot on the floor.

“I like it when I start it,” the leader stuck his tongue out at her as he removed himself from Seonghwa and started on unpacking his things. Seonghwa only smiled at their antics before grabbing his bag and deciding to follow suit.

“I will leave the fine detail planning to you two cause i’m going to take a long hot shower. I feel gross from the plane and honestly, I haven’t washed my hair in like four days and that’s not hot date core,” LIa gathered a few of her things before heading toward the bathroom to shower.

Seonghwa, still in full unpacking mode, had made his way through everything in his carry-on that needed to be unpacked and decided that he would be sweet and help Lia unpack hers as well.

Her suitcase was extremely organized considering the amount of clothes she had in the bag. Everything was in neat little packing cubes and was separated by articles of clothing. Seonghwa found it very easy to take all her clean clothes out and put them into the proper place in the drawers provided in the hotel room.

As Seonghwa took the last packing cube out of her bag, he noticed her toiletry bag was still open from where Lia had taken out her things to shower. Now listen, Seonghwa knows and respects all his soulmates' boundaries but he is a curious creature. He picked the bag up and had full intentions of just zipping it up before placing it on the counter.

Then an orange medicine bottle fell out. At first, he wasn’t concerned with the bottle and neither was Hongjoong who just glanced over at the sound before returning to whatever he was working on at the small table in the corner of the room. He thought maybe it was her birth control or something like that.

Grabbing the bottle from the floor he opened the smaller bag to put the bottle back when he saw the label of the bottle. Seonghwa wasn’t awful at English by any standards, but he couldn’t fully understand the label. The one thing he did recognize, however, was the name of the medication inside the bottle.

It was medication to help stop the symptoms of soul sickness. Lia had been soul-sick in the few weeks they had been apart from the date on the bottle.

“Hongjoong-ah, will you come look at this?” Seonghwa called over in Korean, wanting a second pair of eyes on the medicine bottle. He half hoped Hongjoong would come over and laugh, tell him he was freaking out for nothing and that this wasn’t what he thought it was.

“What is it? Why are you glaring at a medicine bottle?” Hongjoong walked and turned his head to get a better look at the bottle in his hand. It took him a few seconds before taking the bottle from Seonghwa to inspect it and get a closer look, Hongjoong’s expression turning darker by the second.

“She’s soul sick? Why didn’t they tell us something was wrong, I don’t understand?” As Hongjoong voiced his concerns they heard the shower cut off and Lia started finishing up in the bathroom.

“I don’t know, really, I don’t know why Lia wouldn’t say anything about being sick. Especially sick enough to need medication like this,” Seonghwa had valid concerns, it was hard to get medication like this unless it was a serious case of soul sickness.

“Y’all the shower is insane, like I expected the water pressure to be awful. I was clearly wrong, I think my skin is going to be pink for the next hour at least,” Lia walked out of the bathroom, pink-faced, with wet hair, in a t-shirt and spandex. The hair dryer in her hand gave away that she was about to start getting ready for the small date they had planned.

“Uh? What’s with the meeting of the minds here?” Lia was a little taken aback by the serious expressions she was receiving from the two older men. She looked a little closer at them, noticing her med bag in one of Seonghwa’s hands and her soul-sickness meds in one of Hongjoong's hands.

“What is this?” Hongjoong tried to not be aggressive with his approach, but his clipped tone betrayed him.

“Excuse me?” Lia cocked her head at the two of them, “Are the two of you going through my things? I don’t know how big you think your balls are to snoop through my shit, but I promise mine are bigger.” Lia wasn’t one to back down in these types of situations, she really didn’t care if they went through her bags but they should have asked her first. She had had enough boyfriends who didn’t respect her privacy and she would be damned if her soulmates thought they could act the same.

“Yah!” Seonghwa raised his voice slightly at the acquisition, “I picked up the bag to put it on the counter and it fell out. Why do you have soul sickness medication?”

“How we found it is not important, are you sick? Why wouldn’t you tell us if you’re sick?” Hongjoong was just as aggravated at the situation. They weren’t mad, no they were scared. Scared that she was hurting and they didn’t know that she was in pain and they couldn’t do anything to fix it. But it all came out as anger and frustration.

“Why I have that medication is none of your business. That is a personal matter and I have handled it, thank you very much,” Lia was pissed as she snatched the bottle from Hongjoong’s palm, and turned her back to them as she went to find her phone.

“Not our business?” Seonghwa had enough at that moment and walked over to Lia to make sure he had her full attention.

“Everything about you is my business,” Seonghwa’s hands went to the wall beside Lia’s head, caging her in, she could look nowhere but at him.

“You’re my soulmate, just like Lyra, Hongjoong, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho are my soulmate. Everything you do and anything about you is my business, from the last time you sneezed to when you need a tire changed. My business just like everything about me is your business now. So pretty girl, you’re going to tell us why you needed these pills and if you’re okay. Right. Now.”

Part of Lia wanted to be pissed that he was talking to her this way, that he was being so possessive over her, over all of them really. The other larger part of Lia found his possessiveness so attractive. She craved having someone so invested in her that they would get so worked up over the small things like this, maybe that was the daddy issues rearing their ugly head again.

“I got sick while we were apart, I collapsed and had to go to the hospital. I started doing better after I started taking the medicine and I haven’t even had a headache since landing in Madrid. I made the choice that we shouldn’t tell you all because I didn’t want to worry all of you besides we were on two opposite sides of the world. I knew we would be back together soon, so I just waited.” Lia didn’t shy away from him, she kept eye contact as she explained her reasoning. Fully planning how she was going to bitch him out for this before sucking his dick for how hot this was.

“You should have told us the moment you started feeling sick at all. I don’t care if we were in Korea at the time, we would have dropped everything to make sure you were okay.” Hongjoong spoke as he came to stand right behind one of Seonghwa’s shoulders, obviously just as in control of the situation. That serious expression etched on his features still.

“That’s exactly why we couldn’t tell you. Yes, we are soulmates, all of us, but it would be irresponsible for us to put you all in a situation where you have to drop everything. We were able to handle it and manage until we were all together again. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill, it’s not that important.” Lia was being blunt in her words now, trying to make clear the respect behind the choice. They hadn’t done it just for shits and giggles, they respected their lives and how hard the boys work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LIKE PURE SMUT UNDER THIS LOOK FOR ~ TO KNOW WHEN SAFE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Did you just forget what I told you? Everything about you is our business, everything. I don’t care if you stub your toe and we are not there. Fucking call us and tell us or something.” Seonghwa’s facade was cracking a little as pure anxiety seeped from his body language. It clicked for Lia just how bad this had made them feel, to find out after the fact that someone so dear to you had been so sick they needed soul sickness medication.

“I’m not sorry. You mean the world to me and I know how much you all already have on your plate. I refuse to add onto that with something as dramatic as this, it was handled in less than a day.” Lia let them know as everyone could feel the tension still rising in the room.

“If something happened to you, to any of you, I don’t know what I would do. Do you understand?” Was Seonghwa’s statement a little unhinged and borderline toxic, yes. Did Lia love it, also yes.

“I understand, but you have to understand that I will put you all first as well. I’m an adult and I can call my own shots, got it?” She wasn’t angry anymore but needed to be sure they got the memo

“Got it,” Hongjoong said as he pulled Lia gently from the barriers that were Seonghwas’s forearms before pulling her into a heated kiss. His hand grabbed a fist full of her hair at the base of her head to help guide her.

She could feel Seonghwa turn and stand behind her, his hands going to her waist and his lips finding her exposed neck.

“I think we're going to have to show you just how much of our business you really are. So you have a few options, we call a soulgroup meeting and go public by the end of the night, making sure no one can question that we belong to each other or the three of us can forgo our little date scheduled for the night. Spend all evening here and leave our mark on any piece of exposed skin we can find.”

Hongjoong's words were laced with his desire and lust, but Lia knew he would keep to his word on whichever she said. She also knew that while they weren’t technically hiding anything, their entire lives would be in even more upheaval if they just came out with it. Everyone would be put in a bind and she didn’t want to be the reason why, plus she really really really wanted the two of them to dick her down like tomorrow wasn’t coming.

“You two better fuck me into this matress or I’ll be worse than Wooyoung has been since Midrid.”

The next thing Lia knew her back was against the mattress and Hongjoong was hovering above her, one hand holding himself up the other under her chin making her extend her neck. His mouth was attached to the base of her neck, she could feel him sucking and his teeth scraping against her skin.

This wasn’t sweet or gentle, no this was raw and was sending a message. She belonged to them and they belonged to her.

“Strip. I don’t want anything between us,” Hongjoong leaned up to remove his own clothing as he told Lia to do the same. She made quick work of her t-shirt but apparently wasn’t fast enough to get her shorts off as Hongjoong smacked her hands away and dragged the spandex off her legs himself.

Lia jumped slightly as she felt his finger graze her folds before finding her clit. She brought one hand to her mouth, trying to cover her moans as Hongjoong’s finger worked their magic and his mouth went to her pierced nipples.

“When are you girls going to learn,” Seonghwa said, now sitting at the table in the corner of the room, watching the interaction. The bulge in his pants was an obvious clue to just how much he was enjoying the show. “We want to hear every sweet little sound you have to offer, so take your hand away from your mouth or I’ll find something to strap them down with, are we clear Pretty?”

Lia removed her hand and turned to look at Seonghwa before nodding to him. “Now you know that isn’t how you answer someone's question Pretty, what do you say?” Hongjoong said as he began to change their position, hiking one of her legs onto his hip, his face hovering over hers and his lips brushing against her ear.

“I’ll keep my hand out of my mouth, Sir,” Lia was still making eye contact with Seonghwa, and Hongjoong's new position didn’t allow her to turn her head in any other direction.

“Good girl,” the two men spoke in almost perfect unison. Hongjoong dipped his head down once more, this time biting harder into her neck than he had previously. Everyone would know just what had happened and the thought of that alone made Lia feel like she could cum.

Desperate for more stimulation than Hongjoong’s fingers on her clit, Lia began grinding her hips back and forth catching his hips due to their position. Both of his hands went to her hips, stopping her with his tight grasp.

“You want me to fuck you into this mattress, huh?” Hongjoong almost looked feral, his eyes blown with lust and his lips damn near bruised from his aggressive biting.

“Yes, please fuck me,” Lia cried out into the room

“Please fuck me who?” Hongjoong couldn’t help but tease his soulmate as she was so desperate under his, her whole body crying out for his touch. Unable to resist he bent his neck and pulled one of her nipples, piercing and all quickly through his teeth.

“Please fuck me Captain,” Lia let out her response, damn near screaming as she did so. Hongjoong gave no warning as he thrust into her wet pussy. He was pounding into her, fast and hard as if he could leave a lasting imprint of his cock in her cervix.

Lia couldn’t really think straight, her brain was overtaken by the rhythm that Hongjoong was pounding into her. She couldn’t stop the sounds that escaped her, the moans matching the thrusts of Hongjoong's hips.

In hindsight, she did feel bad for whoever their neighbors were in this hotel, but at that moment she was having the time of her life. Her hands had found her there way into Hongjoong's hair and she was sloppily thrusting up to meet his hips. She could feel an orgasm building as Hongjoongs cock hit her G-spot over and over. She nearly lost it all when his mouth went back down to restart their nipping and biting on her chest.

“Those nice little purple bars really do make your nipples sensitive huh, Pretty?” Seonghwa’s voice from the other side of the room, the teasing nature of his tone, and the sheer dominance coming from the two men sent her over the edge for her first orgasm of the night.

“Yes, sir! My piercings make everything so much more sensitive, oh god,” Lia did her best to answer Seonghwa as she let her orgasm wash over her. Seonghwa stood from his seat and paced toward the bed, he was like a predator stalking his prey.

He came to stand just behind Hongjoong, who was lost in the chase for his own pleasure. Lia could only hear little bits of what he was saying as he whispered into Hongjoong's ear.

“I bet she feels like heaven, hmmm?” Seonghwa whispered in Korean into Hongjoong’s ear “So wet and warm, tight,” His voice trailed off for a second as his hands made their way around Hongjoong's body, finding their way his his hardened nipples.

“Ah fuck,” Hongjoong let out his words like a prayer as his movements became more erratic as Seonghwa pinched and pulled at his chest. He was so close to cuming he could feel the precum leaking from his tip into Lia’s tight wet cunt.

“Ah ah ah,” Seonghwa grabbed onto Hongjoong's hips, making him go still. “We don’t want anything to happen too fast now do we?” It was like a game of cat and mouse where Hongjoong was the mouse and Seonghwa the cat.

Lia was watching the interaction from below Hongjoong, and she didn’t think it was possible for her to become even more turned on but there was something so erotic about seeing Seonghwa control the entire situation.

Slowly, she could see and feel Seonhwa guiding Hongjoong's hips. At an almost agonizingly slow pace, Seonghwa used his grip on the leader's waist to fuck him into Lia. Desperately Lia began thrusting a little harder to meet his cock. Hongjoong couldn’t help it any longer, his moans were desperate and needy as he came into Lia. He pulled his hip back just enough that his last bit of cum leaked out all over her pussy making a right mess of things.

“Now look what you’ve done to our Pretty, such a mess,” Seonghwa’s hand reached down and stroked Hongjoong’s cock a few times to make sure he was completely finished and to overstimulate the man just slightly.

“Ahh,” Hongjoong let out as Seonghwa’s fingers grazed his sensitive tip, “You’ll clean up behind me, Hwa. You always do.”

The two of them moved, Lia still lying on the bed, her eyes glazed over from the experience she had just had with Hongjoong. She turned her head just slightly to see the Matz locked in a heated kiss as Hongjoong helped Seonghwa strip out of his clothes.

She leaned her head back against her pillow for just a second, trying to get her bearings just a little when she felt strong hands grasp her waist. Before she could look up and see who was standing at the edge of the bed she was flipped, the hands at her waist bringing her into the classic face first into the pillows, ass up pose.

“See what a mess you made? All over our pussy? You know I can’t stand a mess,” Lia could feel Seonghwa’s warm breath against her folds as he spoke and she let out a squeal when his lips met her pussy.

This obviously wasn’t his first time doing this, Lia wasn’t complaining in the slightest. His tongue was long and lapped at her with long strokes. It took her a second to realize what he was doing, but the second his mouth came to suck the little bit of cum off of her inner thigh.

He had been true to his word and had cleaned up Hongjoong’s mess. In an instant, Seonghwa stood and gave a stinging smack to Lia’s now sensitive and swollen pussy. Then he grabbed Hongjoong's face in his hand, bringing the other man in once again for a heated kiss. It wouldn’t take a genius to realize that during that kiss Seonghwa had transferred the cum he had just sucked out of Lia into Hongjoongs ready and waiting mouth.

Lia was in bliss when Seonghwa once again came to stand behind her, this time pulling her up so that her back rested against his front. One of his hands went to her throat tilting her head up just enough for Hongjoong to step over to them and capture her lips in a kiss much like Seonghwa had done to him.

She could feel him passing what was left of his own cum into her mouth, still warm from both her body and his. It was bitter and salty as any cum would be, but to Lia, it was like ambrosia.

“Swallow it, Pretty,” Seonghwa spoke from behind her, his hard cock pressing into the small of her back.

With an audible gulp, she swallowed everything in her mouth and Seonghwa bent her forward once again before ramming into her swollen cunt.

Lia, still sensitive from Hongjoong and from Seonghwa’s mouth, felt her eye roll to the back of her head as an orgasm washed over her after only a few thrusts from Seonghwa. She rode out her high, but even then it felt as though she was having an out-of-body experience.

She felt like she was floating in pleasure, Seonghwa’s thrust sending her into a state of overstimulation. Her moans turned into cries as he thrust harder into her. Lia buried her face into the pillows in front of her and grabbed a fist full of the bed sheets as she thrust back against his hips.

Seonghwa saw just how fucked out Lia was becoming and couldn’t help but chuckle. Both of his girls were so responsive to him – all of them really. Even as she still tried to muffle her cries, he could still hear her pleasure leaving her mouth. The only sound that was near as loud was the sound of skin smacking on the skin as he thrust into her, watching her plump ass jiggle with each movement. If he were a better man he would have resisted the urge to leave a large red handprint on her pretty ass, but he wasn’t. No, he was a sinner and wanted to see his mark on her skin as much as Hongjoong had.

The sting of his palm against her ass was all it took for Lia to spiral into another orgasm, she swore she had died and ended up in some sort of blissful afterlife. Her back arched and her walls clenched around Seonghwa hard, triggering his own orgasm.

She could feel his hot cum filling her, and one hand stroking her back while another was petting her hair. After a second she realized that someone was speaking to her, asking if she was alright.

“Pretty? Are you okay?” It was Hongjoong to the left of her, it was his hand in her hair while Seonghwa was stroking her back. “Lia, are you okay? Was this all too much?” He asked her again his face coming into view as he crochet down beside her.

“I’m perfect Hongjoongie, absolutely filled and I love it,” even Lia’s voice sounded raw and fucked out as she spoke. Her response and blissful expression caused the two men in the room to chuckle.

She felt cold as Seonghwa moved from his spot behind her and then she heard water running in the bathroom. Hongjoong helped her sit on the edge of the bed, using a damp washcloth to wipe the sweat from her face.

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

“You’re so beautiful, like an angel sent to us from some other world,” Hongjoong said before planting a sweet kiss on her lips.

“No, I think it’s quite the opposite actually. All of you came into our lives, seeing us, and treating us with a kindness we have never known outside of each other. You find all of the weird little things cute and funny, you don’t hate us just because you can.” Lia stopped her sentence and placed a few small kisses on Hongjoong's still-naked shoulder before continuing, “I should have told you, but I know how thin you’re all already stretched. If it had been anything worse, I promise we would’ve let you know.”

Lia tucked her head into his shoulder relishing in his soothing touch as he rubbed her back, his hand stroking her spine.

“Come on you two, I think this big ass bathtub can hold the three of us,” Seonghwa said from the door of the bathroom, and with a little strategic maneuvering they indeed did all fit into the bathtub.

A few hours later they all lay cuddled together in bed watching videos on Lia’s phone, Honestly, Markiplier was a top-tier post-sex watch.

“Lia, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell or get upset with you.” Seonghwa started from his position on the left. “I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you, I want every piece of you to be safe and with me as much as you can be. ..” His words trailed off for a second and he took a deep breath looking at both of his soulmates, safe and sound in a bed with him. It was near perfect, the only change he would make was for all ten of them to be here and together. But there would never be a bed big enough for that.

“I love you, Lia.” His words hung in the air for a second. Lia was a bit stunned at his confession, she hadn’t expected him to feel this way just yet.

“I love you, too Lia.” Hongjoong said from the other side of her, his expression just as intense and it made sense for her in that moment. They weren’t perfect people, no they were far from it. They were awkward at times and came from a country that was very different than her own. Their culture and habits were nearly the opposite of one another.

None of that mattered, not when they were all together. When they could lean on one another for strength, learn from each other, and grow as people. To grow as soulmates, sure it may be a bit small-minded but they just needed each other to be happy. As long as she had all nine of her soulmates, that's what was important.

The world could burn, and everything could crumble under her fingertips. They could be stuck living in a dumpster with no lid for the rest of their lives, like the feral raccoons they were deep down and it would be alright. They could be feral raccoons together.

“I love you, both of you.” She smiled at the two beside her and gave both of them a kiss before bursting out laughing at the screams coming from her phone as Mark died while playing his game.

She couldn’t stop the warm and happy feeling from seeping deep into her heart as she was surrounded by ones who loved her. But she couldn’t let them have true peace, that was just not something she would allow.

“Now that I know you’re both in this shit for life, would you still love me if I were a raccoon and lived in a dumpster without a lid?” Lia asked nobody in particular

“Actually, would you choose to be raccoons with me in a dumpster with no lid?” They really would have no peace with Lia and that’s exactly how they liked it. Everything was a little chaotic and all over the place, but that was perfect.

A/N: Hi, its been like two/three weeks since I last updated. To make it up to you all here is some like absolute filth, hope you enjoyed. Also, lets be clear none of what happened in that fight was really healthy, but the point is to see the flaws in the realtionship and that they're working toward better. Plus its a fanfic so ya know the classic shitty behavior is there. As I am super curious, do you guys have a preference between Lia and Lyra? Do you want to see either of them do something specific (or someone ;))

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lunardragon00 · 1 month

Text

The Heir (Choi San x OC)

Masterlist

Genre: Fantasy , Lord!San x Princess!OC

Words: 4655

Warning: n/a

Chapter Eight--> Chapter Nine --> Chapter Eleven

ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔗𝔢𝔫: 𝔖𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔦𝔫𝔢𝔡 𝔄𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢𝔰

In the soft embrace of dawn's light, Dragonspire stirred with the gentle rhythm of awakening. Princess Hana, nestled in the sanctuary of her chambers, found herself shifting restlessly in her bed, her brow furrowed with discomfort.

The sudden onset of morning sickness caught Hana off guard, its relentless grip leaving her feeling weak and unsteady. As she lay nestled in the comfort of their chambers, the weight of nausea pressing down upon her like a suffocating veil, she found herself caught in the relentless tide of discomfort that seemed to wash over her with each passing moment.

San, ever attentive to her needs, hovered at her side like a steadfast guardian, his concern etched into the lines of his brow as he watched over her with unwavering devotion. With each bout of nausea that wracked her body, he was there, offering soothing words of reassurance and gentle caresses that served as a balm to her troubled spirit.

"Stay here, my love," he implored, his voice soft with worry as he tucked the blankets snugly around her trembling form. "You need rest, and I will not have you exerting yourself unnecessarily."

Hana shook her head, dismissing him. "No, I have responsibilities that need to be taken care of." San's brow furrowed with concern as he gently brushed a lock of hair from Hana's forehead, his touch tender against her fevered skin. "Your health is paramount, my dear," he insisted, his voice laced with quiet determination. "Whatever responsibilities you may have can wait. Right now, you need to focus on resting and recuperating."

Hana met his gaze, her eyes reflecting a stubborn resolve that mirrored his own. "But the kingdom..." she began, her voice trailing off as another wave of nausea washed over her, leaving her breathless and weak.

San's expression softened with understanding as he gently cupped her cheek, his touch a comforting anchor amidst the storm of her discomfort. "The kingdom will manage without you for a day or two," he reassured her, his voice a soothing melody in the midst of her turmoil. "Your health comes first, Hana. Please, allow yourself the time to recover."

Reluctantly, Hana nodded, conceding to his unwavering insistence with a weary sigh. As she settled back against the pillows, her body still trembling with the aftershocks of her illness, she found solace in the warmth of San's presence beside her. "Please, call the Maestor is you feel any worse." San stands from the side of the bed and moves quickly to dress.

"You're leaving?" She asks, voice hearse from the strain over the past hour. San paused mid-motion, his expression softened with concern as he turned back to face Hana, her weary voice pulling at the strings of his heart. "A raven was sent from Coralrift late in the night. I have been summoned by my father." he reassured her, his voice a gentle whisper in the quiet of their chambers.

Hana's brows furrowed with concern at the mention of San's summons, her thoughts momentarily eclipsed by the gravity of his words. "Is everything alright?" she inquired, her voice tinged with worry as she watched him move with purposeful determination.

San's features softened with a reassuring smile, his eyes alight with a flicker of warmth as he approached her bedside once more. "Everything will be fine, my love," he assured her, his voice a steady anchor amidst the uncertainty that lingered in the air. "It's likely just a matter that requires my presence back home."

Though his words were meant to assuage her fears, Hana couldn't shake the sense of unease that gnawed at the edges of her conscience. With a silent nod, she offered him a small smile, masking the turbulent storm of emotions that churned within her heart.

"Take care of yourself, San," she murmured softly, her voice a tender caress against the backdrop of their shared intimacy. "And please, return to me safely." San's smile widened at her words, his heart swelling with a profound sense of love and devotion for the woman who had captured his soul. "Always," he vowed.

With a final brush of his fingers against her cheek, San bid her farewell and disappeared beyond the threshold, leaving Hana to grapple with the tumult of her thoughts and the quiet echo of his departure.

As San dismounts from Aeshara, his faithful dragon, the grandeur of Coralrift unfolds before him in a breathtaking panorama. The ancestral seat of his family rises majestically from the rugged cliffs that overlook the crashing waves of the tempestuous sea below. The fortress is hewn from the very stone of the cliffs, its towering spires reaching skyward like the outstretched arms of ancient sentinels, their weathered facades bearing witness to the passage of countless generations.

The walls are fortified with weathered stone, their imposing heights standing as a testament to the strength and resilience of the house that has called this bastion home for centuries. Turrets and battlements adorn the ramparts, their jagged silhouettes etched against the azure expanse of the sky, while the banners of House Choi flutter proudly in the salty breeze that sweeps in from the sea.

As San's footsteps echoed against the worn cobblestones of the courtyard, a familiar voice rang out, cutting through the salty breeze that swept in from the sea. Turning, San beheld the figure of Jongho, his cousin and trusted confidant, striding towards him with a warm smile etched upon his face.

"San!" Jongho called out, his voice filled with genuine affection as he closed the distance between them. "It's good to see you, cousin. Welcome back to Coralrift."

San's own smile widened at the sight of Jongho, his heart warming at the genuine warmth and camaraderie that defined their relationship. "Jongho," he replied, his voice tinged with the unmistakable lilt of affection. "It's good to be home." As they embraced in a brief but heartfelt hug, San felt a surge of reassurance flood through him, buoyed by the unwavering support of family amidst the turbulent currents of their world.

"Do you know what my father has summoned me for?" San inquired, his tone tinged with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension as he turned to Jongho, seeking insight into the purpose behind his summons to Coralrift. Jongho's expression softened, his features reflecting a blend of understanding and concern as he met San's gaze with unwavering sincerity.

"I'm not entirely sure," he admitted, his voice thoughtful as he considered the implications of Lord Jungchul's summons. "But knowing him, it's likely something of importance."San nodded, his thoughts swirling with a whirlwind of anticipation and uncertainty.

"Well, let's not keep him waiting then. Shall we?" Both men made way to the heart of Coralrift. As San and Jongho made their way through the hallowed halls, the banners of House Choi adorned the walls, their vibrant colors a stark contrast against the ancient stone that surrounded them. The light blue hue, reminiscent of the boundless expanse of the ocean, dominated the banners, while painted white seahorses danced gracefully across their surface—a symbol of the house's maritime heritage and the strength of its naval prowess.

"Why seahorses?" San finally voiced the question that had plagued him for years, his tone laced with a mixture of genuine curiosity and gentle bemusement. Jongho glanced at him, a knowing smile playing at the corners of his lips as he recognized the inquiry for what it was.

"It is said that the seahorse symbolizes patience, protection, and contentment," Jongho replied, his voice carrying the weight of centuries-old lore and tradition. "For generations, our ancestors have looked to the sea for sustenance and strength, and the seahorse has come to represent the resilience and fortitude of our people in the face of adversity." He continued. "But you already know that cousin." San shrugged in reply.

"Just thought it would be small conversation." San grinned in agreement, a sense of camaraderie settling between them like an old friend. San and Jongho reached the towering doors of the throne room, carved from the same sturdy oak that had weathered countless storms. With a shared glance, their gazes met, a silent understanding passing between them as they braced themselves for the revelations that awaited within. Jongho reached out, his hand resting upon the cold, weathered surface of the door, fingers curling around the wrought iron handle with a steady resolve. The two men stepped across the threshold, their footsteps echoing against the polished stone floors as they entered the heart of Coralrift's power and authority.

At the far end of the chamber, bathed in the soft glow of torchlight, Lord Jungchul sat upon his ancestral seat, his figure cloaked in regal authority as he awaited their approach.

"My son, Jongho," Lord Jungchul greeted them, his voice a low rumble that echoed with the resonance of centuries-old tradition. "Thank you for coming."

San and Jongho exchanged a brief glance,with each step, the distance between them and their father narrowed, the weight of expectation bearing down upon their shoulders like a mantle of duty.

"You summoned us, Father," San spoke, his voice measured yet tinged with the unmistakable edge of curiosity. Lord Jungchul inclined his head, his gaze steady as it swept over his sons with a discerning scrutiny.

"There are matters of great import that require our attention," Lord Jungchul began, his voice commanding the attention of all who stood within the hallowed confines of the throne room. "But first, let us speak of our house and its future."

"Yes, let us discuss your son's betrayal to the Choi name." Jaehyun's words cut through the air like a sharp blade, his voice laced with accusation and simmering anger. San's heart clenched at the mention of betrayal, the weight of his uncle's accusation bearing down upon him with suffocating force. Lord Jungchul's expression remained impassive, his features betraying little of the tumultuous emotions that roiled beneath the surface.

"What betrayal do you speak of, Uncle?" he inquired, his voice calm yet tinged with a hint of foreboding. Jaehyun's gaze hardened, his eyes flashing with undisguised disdain as they settled upon San.

"He speak of your union with the Princess of Dragonspire," His father declared, his voice ringing with righteous indignation. "A marriage conducted in secret, without the consent or knowledge of our house. Such treachery cannot be tolerated."

Jungchul's voice sliced through the air with disdain. "It was foolish, an abomination," his uncle declared, his words dripping with contempt. San's jaw tightened at the disrespect shown by his uncle. Despite the familial bond, he couldn't tolerate such insolence. Straightening his posture, he met Jaehyun's gaze with unwavering resolve.

"With all due respect, Uncle," San began, his tone firm yet controlled, "my father may address me as he sees fit, but you will watch your tongue in my presence." The tension in the room thickened, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavy between them. Jaehyun's expression hardened, his eyes flashing with indignation at San's defiance.

"I will not stand idly by and listen to such insults," San continued, his voice carrying the weight of his conviction. "If you have grievances, speak them with respect, or not at all." Jaehyun bristled at the rebuke, his pride wounded by San's unwavering resolve. For a moment, silence enveloped the room, each word hanging in the air like a silent challenge.

The air in the throne room grew heavy with tension, the weight of unspoken words lingering between them like a dense fog. Lord Jungchul observed the exchange with a measured gaze, his expression betraying little of his inner thoughts.

"Enough," he declared, his voice cutting through the silence like a sharp blade. "We are not here to exchange insults or accusations. We are here to address the challenges that face our house." San's jaw clenched, his frustration simmering beneath the surface as he struggled to contain his emotions in the face of his uncle's hostility. Beside him, Jongho remained silent, his expression a mask of stoic resolve as he observed the unfolding confrontation.

"San," Lord Jungchul addressed his son, his voice commanding attention, "your actions have consequences that extend far beyond your own desires. But that is not the true reason I have summoned you here today." Lord Jungchul's tone carried a weight of solemnity that left no room for doubt—the matter at hand was of grave importance, one that demanded their full attention and consideration.

"The Stepstones," Lord Jungchul continued, his voice heavy with gravitas, "have become a focal point of conflict and instability in recent months. Pirates, emboldened by chaos and lawlessness, have begun to terrorize our shores, plundering our trade routes and threatening the safety and security of our people." San's brow furrowed with concern, his mind racing as he considered the implications of his father's words. The Stepstones had long been a volatile region, plagued by piracy and unrest, but the severity of the situation had escalated to unprecedented levels in recent times. What they once thought was settled years ago, had now become, once again, a rising issue.

"We cannot allow this state of affairs to persist," Lord Jungchul asserted, his voice firm with resolve. "Our sovereignty is at stake, as is the prosperity and well-being of our citizens. It falls upon us, as stewards of our realm, to confront this threat head-on and restore order to the Stepstones." San nodded in agreement, his determination steeled by the gravity of the task before them. The safety and security of their lands, the livelihoods of their people—these were the principles upon which their house stood, and he would not allow them to be compromised by the whims of lawless marauders.

"We must mobilize our forces, bolster our defenses, and send a clear message to those who would dare to challenge our authority," Lord Jungchul declared, his voice resonating with conviction. "The time for action is upon us, my son. Together, we shall reclaim the Stepstones once more and ensure that peace and prosperity reign upon our shores."

As Lord Jungchul outlined the urgency of the situation regarding the Stepstones, San's inner turmoil intensified, a tempest of conflicting emotions swirling within him like a raging storm. On one hand, his duty to his house and his people beckoned him to action—to stand alongside his father, to defend their lands, and to reclaim the peace that had been stolen by the marauding pirates.

Yet, beneath the facade of resolve, a torrent of doubt and apprehension gnawed at San's conscience. The memories of his previous campaign in the Stepstones lingered like specters in the depths of his mind, haunting him with the echoes of past battles and the toll they had exacted upon his spirit. Moreover, his thoughts strayed to Hana—his beloved wife, whose well-being had become the beacon by which he navigated the tumultuous seas of his own conflicted heart. Her recent bouts of sickness weighed heavily upon him, casting shadows of uncertainty over their newfound happiness and casting doubt upon the wisdom of his departure.

The prospect of leaving her side, of once again being torn away from the warmth of her embrace, filled San with a profound sense of anguish and guilt. How could he reconcile his duty to his house with the yearning of his heart—to protect and cherish the woman he loved above all else?

As the deliberations in the throne room continued, San's gaze wandered to the ornate windows that framed the sweeping vistas of Coralrift, the crashing waves of the sea below mirroring the turmoil that churned within his soul. In that moment of quiet reflection, he knew that a decision loomed on the horizon—one that would test the very foundations of his resolve and define the course of his destiny.

"Cousin," he heard Jongho say. His attention was brought back to the three men before him. "What do you think? It is your dragon afterall?" San blinked, his thoughts momentarily scattered as he returned his focus to the present, drawn back from the depths of his inner turmoil by Jongho's inquiry. His cousin's words echoed in the chamber, cutting through the haze of uncertainty that clouded his mind.

With a furrowed brow, San turned his attention to Jongho, his expression a reflection of his confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice tinged with a note of perplexity as he sought clarification.

Jongho regarded him with a steady gaze, his features unreadable yet tinged with a hint of anticipation. "Your dragon, Aeshara," he elaborated, his tone measured yet tinged with curiosity. "What is your decision? Will you heed the call to arms and ride with our forces to the Stepstones, or do you hesitate?"

San's mind raced as he considered Jongho's question, the weight of his decision bearing down upon him with unrelenting force. In that moment, he knew that the fate of their house hung in the balance. Before San could form a response, Jaehyun's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, his words dripping with disdain and accusation. The contempt in his uncle's tone ignited a spark of defiance within San's chest, his jaw setting in a firm line as he braced himself for the impending confrontation.

"You speak of duty and honor, yet you hesitate," Jaehyun sneered, his voice dripping with scorn. "Have you forgotten your responsibilities so soon? Or do you simply lack the courage to face them?"

San's nostrils flared with barely contained frustration, his resolve hardening against the onslaught of his uncle's derision. "I have not forgotten my responsibilities, Uncle," he retorted, his voice steely with determination. "But I will not be coerced into action by hollow words and empty threats."

Jaehyun's eyes narrowed, his expression twisted with contempt as he regarded San with undisguised disdain. "You forget from whence you came, nephew. You wear the colors of another house, you take claim to a dragon that was never yours to begin with. It has not been long since your union and yet you have already become one of them." he spat, his words a bitter reminder of the divisions that had long plagued their family.

San's jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides as he fought to contain the surge of anger and frustration coursing through him. Jaehyun's accusations cut deep, striking at the core of San's identity and sense of belonging within their family.

"I have not forgotten where I come from, Uncle," San countered, his voice tinged with a mixture of defiance and sorrow. "But I refuse to be shackled by the narrow confines of tradition and expectation. I wear the colors of House Kim as a symbol of unity, not division. And Aeshara is more than just a dragon; she is a companion. Our family too descends from Valyria, just as the Kim's do. We share the blood of the dragon as much as them."

San's resolve hardened, his gaze meeting Jaehyun's with unwavering determination. "Our family's legacy is not defined by the symbols we bear, but by the strength of our bonds and the honor of our actions," he declared, his voice ringing with conviction. "I may wear the colors of House Kim, but my loyalty lies with House Choi, now and always."

The tension in the room crackled with palpable intensity, the air heavy with unspoken animosity and unresolved conflict. With a heavy heart and tension hanging in the air, San turned away from his uncle, his decision weighing heavily upon him.

"I will not make my decision until I have spoken with my wife," he declared, his voice firm yet tinged with a note of sadness. "And I will no longer allow myself to be drawn into conflict with those who seek to undermine our family's unity."

With a final nod to his cousin and father, San bid them farewell, and with a determined stride, he made his way to Aeshara. Together they took to the skies, leaving behind the echoes of discord that lingered in the halls of Coralrift. As the wind whipped through his hair and the vast expanse of the sea stretched out before him, San felt a sense of clarity wash over him.

------------

As Prince Seong-Min paces the ornate chambers of Sunseth, his anger burns like a relentless flame, consuming him from within. His youngest son, Prince Wooyoung, lies dead, his life extinguished under circumstances that still haunt the halls of their ancestral home. Seong-Min's eyes smolder with fury as he turns to his eldest son, Yeosang, the only solace in his tumultuous world.

"I cannot bear this injustice any longer. The Kim family, they have taken everything from us." His words are punctuated by the seething resentment that simmers just beneath the surface, a testament to the depth of his anguish and his thirst for vengeance.

Yeosang's gaze meets his father's, his expression a mask of serene composure amidst the tempest of their emotions. "Father," he interjects, his voice calm yet tinged with a note of caution. "We must tread carefully. Accusations without evidence serve only to stoke the flames of conflict."

But Seong-Min's fury brooks no dissent, his resolve unyielding in the face of his son's measured counsel. "They will pay for what they have done," he declares, his voice a thunderous proclamation that reverberates through the chamber. "I will see to it that justice is served, even if it means tearing down their house stone by stone."

Yeosang's heart aches at the sight of his father's anguish, his own grief mirroring the depths of their shared loss. Yet, in the depths of his soul, he knows that the path to true justice lies not in blind retribution, but in the pursuit of truth and reconciliation. As he stands before his father, a beacon of reason amidst the storm of their grief, Yeosang can only hope that his words will find purchase in the hardened heart of the prince.

Seong-Min's frustration boiled over, his voice laced with bitterness as he voiced his darkest thoughts to his son, the only confidant he trusted in his anguish.

"Choi San," he began, his tone heavy with accusation and simmering rage, "he is the serpent that slithers in the shadows, responsible for the death of your brother. Hana, that treacherous princess, she ordered his demise, mark my words!"

Yeosang listened in silence, his expression a mask of calm amidst his father's storm. "Father," he interjected, his voice a soothing counterpoint to Seong-Min's fury, "we cannot act in haste. There is no proof of Princess Hana's involvement, and Choi San may be innocent of the crimes you accuse him of."

But Seong-Min would hear none of it, his resolve hardening with each passing moment. "Innocence matters not in the face of my son's blood spilled upon the sands," he declared, his voice ringing with conviction. "Hongjoong, that fool of a king, he will pay for his sister's negligence. And his son... he shall bear the weight of his father's sins."

With each word, Seong-Min's thirst for vengeance burned brighter, a relentless flame that consumed all reason and mercy in its wake. In his eyes, the debt owed could only be repaid in blood, a reckoning that would echo through the annals of history, staining the sands of Mythria with the crimson hue of retribution.

While he understood the depth of his father's pain and the need for justice, Yeosang couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at the path of vengeance laid out before them. In his heart, Yeosang harbored doubts and reservations about the righteousness of their cause. He couldn't shake the lingering specter of doubt regarding Princess Hana's involvement in his brother's death, nor could he reconcile the idea of condemning innocent lives in the pursuit of their vendetta.

Despite his inner turmoil, Yeosang knew better than to openly challenge his father's resolve. Seong-Min was consumed by grief and driven by a thirst for justice that brooked no dissent. Instead, Yeosang sought to temper his father's fury with reason, to guide him away from the precipice of blind vengeance toward a path of measured justice and peace. Yeosang carefully chose his words, mindful of the delicate balance between his father's grief and his own crumbling resolve. With a voice tempered by compassion and understanding, he sought to redirect his father's thoughts away from the consuming flames of vengeance that threatened to engulf them both.

"Father," Yeosang began, his tone soft yet resolute, "I understand your pain, your desire for justice. But we must tread carefully, lest we lose sight of what truly matters." He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle between them like a shroud of solemn reflection.

"We cannot let our grief blind us to the consequences of our actions," he continued, his voice steady despite the tempest raging within his heart. "Revenge will not bring Wooyoung back to us. It will only breed more suffering and bloodshed." Yeosang reached out, his hand resting gently upon his father's trembling shoulder, a gesture of solace amidst the storm of their emotions. "Let us seek justice, Father, but let us not lose ourselves in the darkness of our own despair. Wooyoung would not want this for us."

Seong-Min's fury erupted like a storm unleashed, his emotions surging forth with an intensity that threatened to consume everything in its path. His hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white with the strain of his tumultuous rage, as he turned to face Yeosang with eyes ablaze with unbridled fury.

"How dare you speak to me of what Wooyoung would want?" Seong-Min's voice thundered through the chamber, its reverberations echoing off the walls like the tolling of a funeral bell. "You know nothing of his desires, his dreams, his aspirations."

Yeosang recoiled at the force of his father's wrath, the heat of his anger scorching the very air around them with its searing intensity. Yet, even in the face of his father's fury, he refused to waver, his resolve unyielding in the face of the storm.

"I speak only of what I believe to be true, Father," Yeosang replied, his voice unwavering despite the rising tide of his father's fury. "We must not allow our grief to consume us, to drive us to actions that we will come to regret."

But Seong-Min's fury brooked no dissent, his rage a tempest that swept aside all reason and restraint in its relentless onslaught. With a wordless cry of anguish and frustration, he turned away from his son. "You speak as though you are kin to the Kims, as though their blood runs through your veins," Seong-Min spat, his voice laced with bitterness and resentment. "Your close relationship with those siblings blinds your sight, clouds your judgment, and compromises the honor of our house."

Yeosang's heart clenched at his father's accusations, the sting of his words striking deep into the very core of his being. He had always sought to maintain neutrality, to navigate the treacherous currents of court politics with impartiality and grace. And yet, in his father's eyes, his efforts were perceived as betrayal, his loyalty questioned and his integrity tarnished.

"I have no allegiance to the Kims, Father," Yeosang replied, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging within him. "But neither do I harbor enmity towards them. We must not allow our grief and anger to drive a wedge between us and those who may yet prove to be allies in the days to come."

As the echoes of their heated exchange faded into the silence of the chamber, a heavy pall settled over the room, thick with unresolved tension and simmering resentment. Seong-Min's gaze bore into Yeosang with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine, a silent reminder of the rift that had formed between them in the wake of their shared loss. Yeosang's heart ached with the weight of his father's fury, the distance between them widening with each passing moment.

With a heavy sigh, Seong-Min turned away, "We will speak of this later," he declared, his voice a low rumble that echoed with the weight of his unresolved grievances. And with that, the prince of Sunsphinx withdrew into the shadows, leaving Yeosang to ponder the shattered remnants of their fractured relationship and the uncertain path that lay ahead.

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