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bae-del-moon · 1 year ago

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Whispers in the Dark || K.SW

† genre: horror

† word count: 6.2k

† warnings: possession, graphic exorcism scene, violence, idk

† synopsis: it started out small with whispers and body aches and things moving around. now he's a different person entirely—or perhaps not even a person.

† (a/n): it's a little very corny lol it's like every possession movie I've watched compiled into one fic of cliches. but yeah fun times 👍

† taglist: @scuzmunkie @hipsdofangirl @hydroyaksha

anthology | main masterlist

It started out small with barely anything seemingly off or askew. Though then again, the two lovers were up in the clouds and blinded with joy over their new house, so maybe it was just them ignoring the blatantly obvious. But after a few days of settling in, things started to become weird.

There was always this feeling of being watched. Even as Sunwoo would leave for work in the mornings, (y/n) would still feel the eerie presence of someone lingering nearby, eyes trained on her at all times. Particular spots of the house felt most uncomfortable, and so she'd make it a point to avoid them at all costs. Sunwoo never commented on it either way, and so she chose to keep the anomaly to herself. Preserve the ever so fragile peace which remained in this place.

But then it began to manifest itself. She'd catch glimpses of someone—or something—in the corner of her eye, but when she'd turn, it'd be gone. It was always the same image as well. Of a dark, shadowed silhouette of a person. Brooding in the recesses of her house and her mind. The one who continuously watched her every move. Perhaps she was tired and seeing things, or perhaps she had grown more suspicious of the once happy abode the longer she stayed in it.

But those glimpses soon grew more obvious. More intense.

Looking up to see not only her reflection, but something else behind her. Waking up in the night to see a spot of the room darker than the rest. Walking up the driveway and seeing it staring out the window at her.

At this point, she had to voice her concerns to her boyfriend. It was beginning to eat away at her psyche, her body on constant alert and growing weaker with the incessant paranoia. Knowing that they weren't the only ones in their new home.

But Sunwoo was dismissive at best. Not only did he not believe her, but he also questioned her sanity, asked if she was truly okay or not. The way he pressed the back of his hand against her forehead as if ascertaining whether she truly was healthy or not was the breaking point for her, slapping away his hand with an unexpected yet not surprising harshness.

The next few days were rough, walking on eggshells around the other to prevent another fallout in what was supposed to be a happy time of their relationship. The occurrences continued to grow both in frequency and intensity, and (y/n) was merely forced to take it with a grain of salt. Sunwoo was unbothered by it all, his only turmoil seemingly being the strained relations he held with his significant other.

(y/n) took every opportunity she could to stay out of the house. If a friend needed help moving something, an invite to a company dinner was sent to her, a sale at her favorite store—she'd certainly be present there than at the inescapable and suffocating fortress of that house. Anything she could use to delay her inevitable return was taken advantage of.

Sure, it was petty. Sure, she should've pressed more in the communication department. Sure, she was perhaps adding fuel to the flames. But she couldn't find it in her to be any sort of accommodating. Not in that place. Not when this overwhelming and crushing weight seemed to fall upon her whenever she passed the threshold. The debilitating sense of dread seeping into her very being with every moment spent within those four walls. That constant, pervasive feeling of eyes lingering upon her no matter which way she turns.

Yes, she could've talked to Sunwoo more, but it was entirely incomprehensible to her how the man didn't seem to feel anything similar to her. In the sparing hours they spend together after work, he seems none the wiser. Nonchalant as he ambles about the place, this disconcerting rhythm in his mannerisms as if he's well acquainted, comfortable even, with the place already. Like he doesn't feel the heaviness that just hung in the air at all times or the sensation of being watched every moment you're conscious. He just seemed to be existing.

(y/n) could see their relationship growing more and more strained. Morning chitter chatter seemed to dwindle into mere formalities, saying what must be said before departing for work. Movie nights and shared dinners waned into her coming home as late as possible, and Sunwoo well asleep in their bed. They texted when they could, updating one another on their whereabouts and such, though that was about it.

Already, in a mere few weeks, the house had torn apart the seemingly sturdy foundation they once had established as a couple. Though her relationship began to be the last of her concerns.

Sunwoo grew more reclusive. On the days she'd find herself showing up home at an appropriate hour, she'd find him sitting in the living room. Alone, in pitch black, with no TV on whatsoever. It startled her every time, but upon seeing her, he'd stand and greet her as he usually does, though now in a more… empty, rehearsed way. They hadn't really been talking much, so it seemed reasonable for him to be awkward at this point.

They'd eat together, though Sunwoo began to eat less and less, the leftovers he'd leave on his plate growing by the day. In the mornings, he'd take a sip of his coffee before leaving for the day, abandoning his thermos upon the kitchen table. It concerned her, and when he was asleep one night, she found herself raising his shirt, seeing how his body was beginning to wither away. His skin grew pale, his torso defined with lack of fat, his face becoming gaunt. She felt her heart clench upon itself at the sight of her beloved Sunwoo suffering so, and in the back of her mind, she found herself blaming the household.

As much as she loathed it, as much as her body writhed upon itself at the mere prospect of it, (y/n) began spending more time at home. Feeding Sunwoo as much as she could, doting upon him with every fiber of her being, rambling on about whatever seemed to pass her thoughts. The warmth of his smile felt like a remedy to her tortured soul, a reminder of the good that lay within this cursed house. The way his laugh filled the empty space brought a sense of life that was once devoid in their living space. Sunwoo alone had the ability to make this house feel like home, and she remembered why she loved him so much.

After a few days of this new schedule, she was suddenly awoken in the middle of the night by an abrupt jostle in bed. Blearily, she squinted through the fluorescent lights pooling into the dark bedroom. Her mind was fogged by the haze of sleep, though she began to come to—began to process her surroundings. The source of the light deriving from the bathroom, the lack of Sunwoo beside her, and the terrible retching sound now filling the atmosphere.

(y/n) had rushed over as soon as she processed the situation, crouched beside Sunwoo with her hand along his back as he emptied the contents of his stomach. His body trembled beneath her touch, a sheen of sweat caking his skin. And as if to make matters worse, between the upheavals of his body, he managed to make out one word.

"Hospital."

A few traffic laws were broken in her haste to get to the hospital, but eventually she made it, dragging Sunwoo as much as she was able to into the emergency center. Though not even an hour later, they were being sent off.

"His vitals are fine. Perhaps a bit malnourished at the moment from his nausea, but he seems to be fine." The doctor explained, flipping through a stack of papers with a dismissive shrug. "Could be just a bad case of food poisoning, son. Just make sure to take it easy for the next few days. Try to avoid greasy and spicy foods. Drink lots of fluids. Make sure he's eating, though."

The drive home was silent. In regards to Sunwoo's case, (y/n) couldn't tell what he was thinking. He just sat there, staring ahead with this blank expression. In her stance, she was beyond worried for Sunwoo. She didn't understand what was going on. She didn't understand what was happening to her boyfriend at all.

The sight of the house made her stomach churn, grimacing as she reluctantly pulled into the driveway. It was silent between them, though only for a moment before Sunwoo was turning to open the door.

"S-Sunwoo!" (y/n) called out, arm shooting forth to grasp at the sleeve of his shirt. He froze, back facing her as his hand remained on the handle of his door. "Sunwoo, why don't we go someplace else? We can go to a hotel, call out to work in the morning, spend the day relaxing together. How does that sound?"

It was another bout of pure silence, Sunwoo as stiff as a board as (y/n) desperately clung to him. Eventually, he finally turned to face her, and she felt hope at first. Hope that he would listen to her. Hope that she'd be able to get to him for once. Hope that he'd be able to put an end to whatever was happening.

Then she got a look at his eyes.

Soulless, apathetic vats of darkness, glaring at her with such unbridled disdain that she found herself recoiling from him, hand retracting almost instantaneously as he cornered her with those heinous eyes of his. And for a moment, she didn't recognize what was in front of her. She didn't see Sunwoo at all. It was like an entirely different person in front of her.

But then he seemed to snap to, blinking away that momentarily evil farce for a neutral, tired look. Like a poor kicked puppy, Sunwoo came back to her, brows furrowed as he shook his head.

"Sorry, baby, I'm tired. I just want to go to bed for now. Maybe some other time." And then he slipped out of the vehicle. When the door closed behind him, she released the breath of air she'd been holding, pressing a palm to her racing heartbeat as her eyes trailed after Sunwoo sluggishly dragging himself back into their house.

What was that just now? What just happened? Sunwoo had never looked like that before. Sunwoo had never felt like that. It was strange, ominous even. As if some form of an anomaly that wasn't meant to be. As if something beyond her preconceived notion of reality. As if an invitation to begin questioning her world more than she already had been. Yet at a moment's notice, he had reverted right back, as if the turmoil he'd implemented into her mindset was for nothing.

Warily, she watched Sunwoo drag himself into the house, taking this moment to herself to recuperate from the whirlwind of a scene that had just transpired seconds before. He pushed open the door, stepping into the house in his weakened state, body slumping upon itself tiredly. And through the bleary image of her tear ridden eyes, she could see the vague, obscured shadow of a hand sliding upon Sunwoo's shoulder as he sunk into the inky blackness of the house's interior.

That night seemed to be the mere precipice of the hell which would ensue shortly after their return. Sunwoo had gone back to how he had been before. Only eating a quarter of his plate before pushing it aside. He all but rejected every offer of food she presented him, even scowling at her when she tried hand feeding him. He grew thinner by the day, skin practically graying before her, like the rich saturation of his once tanned skin was all but dissipating into thin air. His eyes were sunken with defined bags weighing down beneath them. His lips were down turned most of the time—perhaps all the time. And the few moments of sleep he did manage to receive were disrupted by late night attacks.

Nightmares that left his body shaking, drenched in a cold sweat as he heaved for air. (y/n) would be there to comfort him, stroking back his hair and bringing him back to reality, only for him to pass out once again with no recollection of the night before. At times, she'd catch him staring off places. Sat up in the bed and staring at the corner of the room, leant against the couch and staring at a blank TV screen, standing in the bathroom and staring at his own reflection. She'd snap him out and he'd be off doing whatever he does, again with no acknowledgement of his prior behavior.

At this point, and with no other reasonable explanation for such behavior, (y/n) had taken it upon herself to begin searching for new apartments. They'd be tight on money, but it didn't matter. She'd give every earthly possession of hers to ensure Sunwoo was safe and secure. This house did not provide that certainty.

She spent her free day scrolling through housing selections online, marking whatever caught her eye before proceeding on to the next. Curled into the couch and bundled in a blanket, headphones in and playing one of her playlists. Completely oblivious to the world around her, including that of the presence of the boy now standing behind her.

"(y/n)."

The voice that suddenly spoke made her heart plummet to her stomach. A deep, resounding voice that penetrated through the music playing in her ear. A voice she never once heard a day in her life, now reverberating in her skull like an incessant drum with its residual echo haunting her.

Springing to her feet, she whirled around, breathless as if every ounce of air had been expelled from her lungs from the sheer terror of it all. Though upon turning to the source, a conflicted sigh of both relief and confusion seemed to subtly quell her alight nerves.

"Sunwoo," she huffed out, pressing a shaky hand onto her rapidly beating heart. Nervously, she laughed, trying to make sense of whatever just happened—sort reality from imagination. "You scared the shit out of me."

"What are you doing?" He asked, completely ignoring the state she found herself in. His eyes were zeroed in on the phone in her hands, its screen still displaying local listings for apartments.

"Nothing…"

His eyes lazily rolled up to meet hers, glaring at her through the dark circles that enshrouded his gaze. There was an irritated scowl across his face as his head crooked to the side.

"We both know you're lying." Slowly, he began to round the couch, and as he drew closer, (y/n) took tentative steps back, clutching the device to her chest as she remained focused on the man nearing. An intimidating tension settled in the air, the adrenaline from before kicking back up as she trembled under his stare. Like a scene of a predator approaching its prey, she found herself utterly cornered as he continued to loom closer until he finally stood right in front of her, caging her against the wall with his presence. "Your God doesn't like liars, now does he?"

Her tongue had gone numb, mouth dropped open as if wanting to speak, but her voice had left her. A chill ran down her spine as she stared into the eyes of the man before her. Someone she didn't even recognize anymore at this point.

In less than a second, she felt her phone snatched from her hands, yet before she could give any sort of reaction to the matter, Sunwoo threw the phone across the room. Helplessly, she watched as the device crashed into the wall with an agonizing crack as both the wall and the device seemed to crumble in unison onto the floor.

"Sunwoo…" Her voice was weak, coming out as a strangled whisper, looking desperately between what just occurred and to her boyfriend who merely stood there staring at the spot with an unreadable expression. Before anything else could be said, Sunwoo tore his gaze from the scene.

"I'm sorry." That was all he mumbled before he ran off to their bedroom, head downcast and steps brisk, leaving (y/n) there in a stupor reflecting on what just happened

"Thank you for coming," (y/n) greeted the elderly woman as she hobbled into the home peacefully, a light grin and a curious eye taking in the place.

"Of course, dear. I don't get many house calls these days," She laughed casually. Her eye caught the hole in the wall, glaringly obvious amongst the otherwise spotless white of the rest of the room. "So I've read your recap in the email you sent. Would you like to add anything else?"

"I'm not sure." (y/n) nervously fiddled with her fingers, nails scraping down her cuticle beds as she recounted the past few weeks. "Things have just been different since we bought the place. I thought I'd just be scared of the house itself, but now…" She bit her lip, refusing to meet the perceptive gaze of the old woman, as if bearing her soul before a stranger. Except this stranger seemed rather receptive to it.

"That's why I'm here to help in any way I can."

The reassurance was enough for (y/n), looking up to the lady with astonished relief and a settled heart. She trailed behind her as the woman waved about burning incense, muttered things in a foreign language, and looked around the house for any anomalies.

At some point, she unveiled a series of objects for (y/n) from her bag of items. Bundles of twigs and ferns tied with a piece of twine. The only indication of it being anything unique was the attached sigil on the string. These were placed above doorways and beneath objects.

"Keep these candles alight." She handed (y/n) a batch of long white candles. Her frail hands wrapped around (y/n)'s arm as soon as the transfer was complete. "It'll ward off any negative spirits that may be lingering. It'll keep you safe."

"Thank you… I appreciate your help."

"Of course. Call me if things go wrong. Keep me posted."

With that, the woman was gone, and (y/n) was once more alone in the house. She spent this limited time setting up the candles, placing them around the living room where Sunwoo would be sat eventually. Her nerves ate away at her, hoping with all her might that this would be the end of this harrowing chapter of their lives. That the candles really would displace anything that's attached itself to their house or themselves. That the normalcy of their mundane lives would return as if nothing ever happened.

The sound of Sunwoo's car pulling up startled (y/n) into action, standing from where she was seated and expectantly staring at the doorway. With every sound outside, (y/n) grew more and more anxious. She recognized the sound of his car turning off, the sound of his door closing behind him, and that of his footsteps growing nearer and nearer. She felt her breath caught at her throat as he unlocked the door, and her head seemed to spin momentarily as he finally entered.

The first thing he took in was the candles, and then his gaze drifted down the hall to their bedroom, and finally he rested his attention onto (y/n). Her stomach twisted at the apathetic stare her way. The way his lids sunk with weariness, as if fed up by it all. Memories of their last altercation briefly flitted across her mind, and she found herself rooted where she stood, as if by standing completely still, he would ignore her entirely.

It seemed to work, as he dropped his stuff on the floor and stormed off into the house, leaving her standing there in a fearful awe, wondering what he'd do next. As if trapped in an enclosure with a wild animal, expecting the unexpected at all times. When he reemerged moments later, there was something clenched in his hands. (y/n) hadn't the time to analyze before Sunwoo ducked under the couch and snatched up another one. Another charm placed by the woman.

The branches snapped in his grip, shards of wood trickling behind him as he went about and removed each and every one of them, as if knowing exactly where to look. Upon seizing the final one placed above the kitchen's entryway, he turned around and left the house, door kept wide open so (y/n) could watch in horror as he threw it all away in the bin outside, completely and entirely unaffected by them.

Once more, she was rooted to her spot, but rather than as a defensive mechanism, it was out of pure terror. Sunwoo's eyes were trained on her as he made his journey back into the house, figure growing more and more imposing as he drew nearer. The door slammed behind him in a violent manner, causing (y/n) to flinch at its ferocity.

When he finally stood in front of her, reminiscent of just a few days prior, his eyes momentarily glanced at the series of candles illuminating the living room.

"I suggest you clean up, (y/n)," He spoke, venom laced in his words as he turned back to face her. "I don't like strangers coming into our house. So remember that next time."

With that, he left once more. She trembled in the wake of his absence, breaths shaky as she attempted to gather herself together and get into action removing the candles, lest he return with a vengeance. She had briefly headed over to their bedroom in hopes of reaching out to him, though stopped short upon stumbling on the state of their doorknob, now indented by the placement of his fingers.

It was perhaps the most startling revelation of this entire ordeal thus far. The one that wrapped up the evidence collected and gave her the conclusion she did not want to accept. Because how else could a man as frail and weak as Sunwoo looks now be able to put such pressure on a doorknob like this?

That day, she slept on the couch, facing the hallway and making sure Sunwoo never stepped out when she least expected it.

The next morning, (y/n) prepared breakfast. Sunwoo sat at the table behind her and she felt the presence of his stare upon her back, monitoring every minute movement she made. Her new phone lay beside the stove where she frequented it with nervous glances, praying for time to move so Sunwoo would go to work. Though upon her umpteenth glance, she suddenly began to receive a call.

An Unknown Number. On any other occasion, she'd have most likely ignored it. Though with the stifling atmosphere and the discomfort of Sunwoo's insistent surveillance, she found herself almost immediately answering the call.

"Hello?" She spoke, voice as leveled and steady as she could muster. Anything to draw suspicion away from the maddeningly paranoid man seated only a few feet away.

"Hello! This is (y/n), correct?"

(y/n)'s eyes bugged out of her skull from the sheer shock of hearing the woman's voice again, heart rate accelerating as she dared a momentary glance to Sunwoo. He was occupied reading something on his phone, not even noticing (y/n)'s subtlety. Turning back forward, she continued with cooking, clearing her throat again.

"Yes." It was all she could think to say. Anything else could potentially tip off Sunwoo—something she wanted to avoid at all costs.

"Is he in the room?"

Another pause on her part before she answered the same way.

"Yes."

"I take it… the measures didn't work? He's still… the same?"

"Yes."

She heard the woman sigh, muttering something and shifting in the other line.

"Stay put. We'll have to go to our second initiative. I'll come retrieve you later at the same time as yesterday. Is that okay?"

(y/n) took a moment to process the information. Retrieve her? Meaning she'd be… taken away from here. Away from this house of terrors. Away from the anxiety that's plagued her soul for so long now. Away from all the darkness that lurks within every corner and carries with in nothing but bad omens.

Away from Sunwoo.

"(y/n)?"

"I'm sorry?" Another pause as she dragged herself back to reality. "I mean… Yes."

"For now, lay low. I'll come with help."

"Okay."

The line went dead, two muted beeps being the last thing she hears before she placed the phone on the counter once more. She didn't know what this entailed. She didn't know what the second plan was. She didn't even know there would be a second plan. And the prospect of there being help needed in this endeavor only served to further propel (y/n) into an internally frenzied state.

Absentmindedly, she scooped her breakfast onto a plate, mind still wandering aimlessly as she turned away from the stove.

A gasp fell past her lips as she came face to face with Sunwoo, his close proximity startling her enough to drop the plate once held in her hands. It shattered as it collided with the floor, ceramic shards skidding across the linoleum and littering the kitchen like a field of landmines. Yet Sunwoo seemed unaffected, far too invested in boring holes directly into (y/n)'s soul.

His eyes were wide, almost in a maddeningly intrigued state, unblinking like a statue. At such a slim distance away from each other, perhaps the closest they've been to one another in weeks, she could see the decay in his character. He seemed entirely drained, as if just an empty vessel at this point. Eyes glazed over with a sort of dull sheen, haggard and tired looking, skin that seemed devoid of any color, having lost the vitality he was once brimming with.

"Sunwoo…" (y/n) mumbled, shuffling back against the stovetop as carefully as she could muster. Her feet bumped against the shards beneath her, their scraping sounds against the floor offering the only sounds within the whole house. Yet Sunwoo again remained unperturbed, still staring at her with every ounce of energy left within his depleted body.

"Who was that, (y/n)?" His voice came out gravelly, almost strangled sounding even, as if forced out after its lack of use, yet still uncharacteristically steady with a low timbre.

She tried answering him, though her mouth ran dry, lips opening and closing helplessly as stuttered clips of her voice seemed to penetrate the hazy state she found herself in. As she floundered before him, cowering beneath his imposing stature which loomed over her with little to no regard for her pitiful state, his facade finally seemed to crack with the most minuscule of eye twitches.

"Who was that on the fucking phone, (y/n)?" He spat out the inquiry through gritted teeth, veins protruding from his neck as he drew impossibly closer to her, practically swallowing her whole as she backed as far into the stove as possible, the harsh metal digging into her lower back to get as far from Sunwoo as possible.

"It was just a coworker!"

"Liar!"

His voice boomed with pure unbridled rage, forcing (y/n) into the appliance behind her with a violent jostle. Her body ached at the impact site, and she could faintly feel the sting of a shard slicing beneath her foot, though she could barely even process the pain at these junctures, what with the voice that had suddenly bellowed forth from Sunwoo's body.

It was something she recognized. Something she had momentarily heard just yesterday, and something she couldn't really understand at the time. Something beyond her comprehension and reasoning. Yet now, it seemed as if her thoughts were as clear as could be.

It emanated from him with this eerie sonority. A disconcerting fusion of tones that seemed to coalesce and diverge in a discordant symphony. It held an otherworldly, menacing quality, as if several voices, each with its own timbre and cadence, were vying for dominance within the same vocal cords of the decrepit man they were housed in. The result was this haunting cacophony of layered articulates, a chilling chorus of spectral echoes that sent shivers down her spine.

A low, animalistic growl began reverberating deep within his chest, its encompassing resonance filling the atmosphere between them. She gazed at him frightfully, wary of meeting his eyes, skin prickling with nerves as she remained trapped before him. A debilitating discomfort seemed to broil within her. Something primal. Instinctual, as if her mind were seemingly overriding every other function of her body for the sole purpose of escaping as soon as possible.

Adrenaline now coursing through her veins, she shoved Sunwoo back with all of her might. It didn't impact him as much as she thought it would have, though it was enough of a surprise for her to take advantage of his momentarily stunned state and run.

The short distance from the kitchen to the main door felt almost endless as she heard his growl suddenly grow louder and infinitely more furious than it had initially sounded.

Yanking the door open felt liberating, and the sense of freedom which came from shedding the all consuming pressures of that accursed house and embracing the open, fresh air was near cathartic. She tumbled into the front lawn, breathless as her heart thumped incessantly in her chest. The blades of grass tickled at her exposed skin, the dew of the morning still lingering on their sharp ends and soaking her clothes, though the cool moisture and the soothing morning chill helped in diluting the rush that had taken over her body.

Still laying across the grass, (y/n) whipped her head behind her, shakily taking in the house once more, with objectively more opened eyes.

It stood as a malevolent force of nature against the unassuming and quaint suburban scene it lay within. It seemed like any other structure throughout this block, blending into the neighborly charm that had first captivated the couple, yet now she could see more closely the stark, ever foreboding shadow that seemed to radiate from within. There was this palpable aura of malignance that exuded from its very foundation, suffusing the atmosphere with this chilling dominance that seemed to both lure unsuspecting victims yet ward off those who knew of its intentions—and (y/n) seemed to have just crossed this threshold of knowledge.

She didn't know for how long she lay there, trembling from the aftermath of the morning, desperately attempting to regain whatever composure she could. Her eyes had remained locked upon the open doorway, waiting for the moment Sunwoo would come and drag her back into that depraved, ungodly house. Yet he never did. Instead, what drew her back to reality was the sound of a car pulling into her driveway.

"(y/n)!" The woman came rushing over to her with a haste (y/n) thought she'd never embody. The elderly lady helped (y/n) to her feet, practically dragging her up against her will before tugging on her arm. "Come, let's get you out of here."

For a moment, (y/n) followed with a hazy mind, merely following along without any sort of comprehension of what was happening. Though she finally snapped out of it when she saw two men walking by her, adorned in black robes and crosses.

"Wait," (y/n) mumbled, beginning to resist the woman as she turned just in time to see the men enter the house. "Wait, who are they? What's going on?"

"You shouldn't be here for this." Again, the woman attempted to pull (y/n) away, but when she heard a familiar scream inside, (y/n) had suddenly become alert as ever.

"Sunwoo. What are they doing to Sunwoo? I need to get him."

"(y/n)!" The woman grabbed her shoulders, squeezing them beneath her bony touch, eyes widened and frenzied. "That is not Sunwoo in there. You know as well as I do that Sunwoo is not here right now."

(y/n) felt herself sink into this deep, muddled tunnel vision. The voice of the woman seemed to muffle until finally growing mute. (y/n)'s eyes remained on her, but all she could hear was Sunwoo's screams from within. Anguished, desperate cries. Guttural as he screamed with all of his might, nearly drowning out the Latin incantations that were being hollered at him. She could feel her limp body being pulled away again, her bloodied and bare feet brushing against the cool dew of the grass once more, the yells growing further and further away, until one cry reached her ears.

Her name.

She slipped out of the woman's hold, whirling around as she booked it for the house. Her mind screamed at her to turn back, to leave this horrific scene, as if her great morning getaway was for naught. Though she was too compelled by the weakness in her heart that couldn't bear to be without Sunwoo, especially at a moment like this.

Barreling into the house, she froze at the nightmare taking place. Sunwoo bound by ropes onto a chair, thrashing about with every fiber of strength in his feeble body, head whipping to and fro as the two priests spoke affirmatively before him, bearing crosses aimed his way as they read from a small leather bound book. Visible veins now spread across his face like cracks of lightning in the sky. Blood pooled the whites of his eyes, his irises near indecipherable from the darkness now encompassing them. The sight broke her heart.

She felt the woman's touch rest upon her back, no longer attempting to pull her away as she had beforehand. She now merely served as an anchor for (y/n), as the girl bore witness to her beloved Sunwoo in this anguished, horrid state.

The room seemed to quake with the guttural symphony of Sunwoo's screams only growing louder in intensity, his skeletal form writhing against the restraints that bound him. The air grew thick with this suffocating tension, walls trembling as they attempted to contain the battle of light and darkness within. The priests pressed on, voices unwavering as their incantations poured forth like a tide against the dam of evil that obstructed them.

And then, in an instant, the abhorrent cacophony of screams that had once consumed the room ceased. Sunwoo's body fell limp, sagging against the chair in an unconscious state, his once wild eyes now vacant, staring into the abyss of the unknown until finally sliding shut.

Without any hesitation, (y/n) rushed to his side, skirting past the company that stood motionless in waiting. Her hands trembled as she gently lifted his head into her arms, cradling him against her chest as tears pooled in her eyes.

"S-Sunwoo?" Her voice quivered as she whispered his name, eyes darting across his face for any sign of life. Only silence greeted her as the first tears began to pour down her face.

For a moment, it was pure and utter silence. Her quiet sobs broke the tension as the priests and the woman slowly reconvened, watching the scene before them with tormented hearts, allowing (y/n) her time to grieve. Though that hadn't lasted as long as they had intended.

With a suddenness that sent a shockwave through the room, his eyes had snapped open. (y/n) paused in her crying, analyzing the face that looked up at her. His eyes were no longer that of a tormented soul they had been just moments prior. Instead, they now gleamed with this… eerie serenity. A calm that seemed to stretch infinitely.

A macabre smile curled upon his cracked lips, blood seeping from the corners as they slowly dripped forth from his mouth, staining his skin a ghastly crimson. And in a cracked, hollowed manner, he spoke.

"He's gone."

The words dripped with finality. A statement for the people who stared at him with irrevocable fear. As if an undeniable truth which could not be refuted. As if he spoke not of an unfortunate departure, but instead that of an inevitability forced upon the lot.

His lips spread even further, watching (y/n) with intent fascination as she drew away from him, trembling with tears streaking her face. He laughed, this raucous, jarring sound that immediately prompted the priests to continue their incantations. Though (y/n) knew their efforts were fruitless.

She had collapsed onto the floor, breaths growing shorter and more frequent, chest convulsing upon itself as she crumbled in upon herself. She could feel his stare still upon her, hear his crazed laughs flood her mind, taunting her with his demented victory. And all she could do was lay there, vision growing blurry and hearing growing fuzzy, world spinning and reality deteriorating before her. Left only to confront the daunting truth forced upon her.

Her beloved Sunwoo. The man who she bought her first house with. The man who filled her days with joy and laughter. The man who rekindled the spark of love within her that she thought had gone dormant. The man who showered her with his endless waves of love. The man who she had promised her life to.

He was truly, undeniably gone.

#EVERYONE READ THIS #OH MY GOD #how do I even begin to tell all of y’all how well written this is? the build up? the emotion that just keep piling on?#it’s— if you could see my hand gestures right now you’d understand just how - WOW #me dejo con la boca abierta #no había leído algo que me gustara tanto EN TAN LARGO #automatic reccomendation #one of my new faves #reblogging so I never lose it #a: papermatisse #sunwoo x reader #.rec

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