mleighd94

[mleighd94]

I guess I’ve never asked, but if you’d like to be in a tag list for any of my stories, comment below what series.

[mleighd94]

Summer On The Diamond

Chapters:

Trailer

[mleighd94]

TRAILER — “Summer on the Diamond”

(voiceover, soft piano and ambient sounds of a summer night — distant crowd cheers, a baseball cracking off a bat)

[Black screen fades into the golden glow of stadium lights flickering on.]

NARRATOR (soft, female voice):

“They said this summer would be simple.”

[Cut to: Y/N stepping off a bus, her bag slung over her shoulder, eyes wide as she looks at the baseball field.]

NARRATOR:

“Just a job. Just a few months. Just keep your head down and don’t get attached.”

[Montage — quick flashes:]

• San laughing, throwing an arm over a teammate’s shoulders.

• Seonghwa helping Y/N carry a cooler, their hands brush.

• The team dogpiling after a win.

• Y/N wrapping tape around San’s wrist, both of them pausing as their eyes lock.

NARRATOR:

“But then there was him.”

[Cut to: San flashing that signature, cocky smile.]

“And him.”

[Cut to: Seonghwa watching her quietly from the dugout, eyes soft and unreadable.]

[Montage — slowed down clips:]

• Rain falling on the field, Y/N and Seonghwa in the dugout, inches apart.

• San spinning Y/N during a dance at the town festival, her laughter caught in the air.

• A hand brushing hair from her face.

• The look right before a kiss — but it doesn’t happen.

NARRATOR (whisper):

“One of them will break the rules for you…

The other will break your heart.”

[Final montage:]

• A sunset game, the whole team cheering.

• Y/N sitting alone on the bleachers at night.

• San yelling, “Then just say it! Say you don’t feel anything!”

• Seonghwa saying quietly, “I don’t need you to choose me… but I had to tell you.”

• A first kiss — blurred, backlit by stadium lights.

[Black screen.]

TEXT FADES IN:

“Some summers change everything.”

— Summer on the Diamond —

A baseball love story.

@remedyx

[mleighd94]

@remedyx Thank goodness. 😅 I’m glad you’re excited because I was really racking my brain about where this could go. What could happen? Who do we want? There was a lot of choice. But I thought summer's coming, so why not do something fun this summer?

Coming soon: Summer on the Diamond

(A slow-burn love triangle under the stadium lights. Soft hearts, reckless smiles, and the one summer that changes everything.)

@remedyx

[mleighd94]

Coming soon: Summer on the Diamond

(A slow-burn love triangle under the stadium lights. Soft hearts, reckless smiles, and the one summer that changes everything.)

@remedyx

[mleighd94]

Hallowed Grove Chapter Eight: Ruins Beneath the Moon

Jungkook’s POV

The forest swallowed them whole.

The further they followed the song, the deeper the darkness pressed in — but it wasn’t cold. It pulsed, alive, ancient. Jungkook tightened his grip on Y/N’s hand, afraid that if he let go, she might slip away into the shadows.

She moved like she was in a dream — steady, sure — her face illuminated by the faint silver glow clinging to the air.

The others followed close behind, their footsteps silent, their expressions tense. The song was louder now, curling into the marrow of Jungkook’s bones, threading itself into the rhythm of his heartbeat.

He didn’t know when he started humming along again. Maybe he never really stopped.

Ahead, the trees thinned, and a shape loomed out of the mist — jagged and broken, yet strangely beautiful.

A temple.

Or what was left of one.

Massive stones jutted out from the earth, wrapped in thick vines and moss. Symbols older than anything Jungkook could name were carved into the walls — spirals, wings, waves. In the moonlight, they almost seemed to move.

Y/N released his hand, stepping forward.

“Wait—” he started, but the words died on his lips.

As soon as her foot crossed the threshold of the ruined archway, the air shifted. A low hum vibrated through the ground, setting his teeth on edge. The others tensed, weapons and magic flaring instinctively.

Then the visions began.

It hit Jungkook like a tidal wave.

Suddenly he was somewhere else — standing beneath a silver tree, laughter ringing in his ears. A girl’s hand in his, her voice singing the very melody that haunted them now.

“Promise me,” she said, smiling. “No matter what happens, find me.”

He opened his mouth to answer, but the vision twisted.

The laughter turned to screams.

The tree withered before his eyes, black veins crawling up its trunk.

Jungkook stumbled backward, gasping for breath.

All around him, the others were fighting their own battles — Namjoon clutched his trident as if grounding himself, Jin pressed a hand to his heart, Yoongi shook his head as if trying to clear it. Y/N stood in the center, the light around her flickering, fragile.

Without thinking, Jungkook pushed through the chaos and grabbed her hand again.

“Y/N!” he shouted. “It’s not real! Come back!”

Her eyes snapped to his — wide, dazed — and something in them recognized him.

Their magic sparked where their hands met, gold and silver flaring between them.

The visions cracked and splintered.

One by one, the illusions shattered like glass, the temple groaning under the weight of the dissipating magic. A final surge of energy pushed them all back, and the song — that haunting, beautiful song — faded into silence.

For a long moment, no one moved.

Jungkook’s chest heaved as he stared at Y/N. She looked… different. Brighter. Like a part of her had snapped back into place.

She turned toward the altar at the heart of the ruin, her gaze distant. Then her knees buckled.

Jungkook caught her before she could fall.

“I’m okay,” she whispered, gripping his jacket. “I just… I saw it again.”

“Saw what?” he asked, his voice rough.

Her eyes met his, burning with certainty.

“The tree,” she said. “It’s the same one we found before. The one with the glowing flowers.”

Jungkook felt a chill crawl down his spine.

Because deep inside, he knew she was right.

And somehow, finding that tree wasn’t just a memory.

It was a promise they hadn’t yet fulfilled.

[mleighd94]

Hallowed Grove Chapter Eight: Ruins Beneath the Moon

Jungkook’s POV

The forest swallowed them whole.

The further they followed the song, the deeper the darkness pressed in — but it wasn’t cold. It pulsed, alive, ancient. Jungkook tightened his grip on Y/N’s hand, afraid that if he let go, she might slip away into the shadows.

She moved like she was in a dream — steady, sure — her face illuminated by the faint silver glow clinging to the air.

The others followed close behind, their footsteps silent, their expressions tense. The song was louder now, curling into the marrow of Jungkook’s bones, threading itself into the rhythm of his heartbeat.

He didn’t know when he started humming along again. Maybe he never really stopped.

Ahead, the trees thinned, and a shape loomed out of the mist — jagged and broken, yet strangely beautiful.

A temple.

Or what was left of one.

Massive stones jutted out from the earth, wrapped in thick vines and moss. Symbols older than anything Jungkook could name were carved into the walls — spirals, wings, waves. In the moonlight, they almost seemed to move.

Y/N released his hand, stepping forward.

“Wait—” he started, but the words died on his lips.

As soon as her foot crossed the threshold of the ruined archway, the air shifted. A low hum vibrated through the ground, setting his teeth on edge. The others tensed, weapons and magic flaring instinctively.

Then the visions began.

It hit Jungkook like a tidal wave.

Suddenly he was somewhere else — standing beneath a silver tree, laughter ringing in his ears. A girl’s hand in his, her voice singing the very melody that haunted them now.

“Promise me,” she said, smiling. “No matter what happens, find me.”

He opened his mouth to answer, but the vision twisted.

The laughter turned to screams.

The tree withered before his eyes, black veins crawling up its trunk.

Jungkook stumbled backward, gasping for breath.

All around him, the others were fighting their own battles — Namjoon clutched his trident as if grounding himself, Jin pressed a hand to his heart, Yoongi shook his head as if trying to clear it. Y/N stood in the center, the light around her flickering, fragile.

Without thinking, Jungkook pushed through the chaos and grabbed her hand again.

“Y/N!” he shouted. “It’s not real! Come back!”

Her eyes snapped to his — wide, dazed — and something in them recognized him.

Their magic sparked where their hands met, gold and silver flaring between them.

The visions cracked and splintered.

One by one, the illusions shattered like glass, the temple groaning under the weight of the dissipating magic. A final surge of energy pushed them all back, and the song — that haunting, beautiful song — faded into silence.

For a long moment, no one moved.

Jungkook’s chest heaved as he stared at Y/N. She looked… different. Brighter. Like a part of her had snapped back into place.

She turned toward the altar at the heart of the ruin, her gaze distant. Then her knees buckled.

Jungkook caught her before she could fall.

“I’m okay,” she whispered, gripping his jacket. “I just… I saw it again.”

“Saw what?” he asked, his voice rough.

Her eyes met his, burning with certainty.

“The tree,” she said. “It’s the same one we found before. The one with the glowing flowers.”

Jungkook felt a chill crawl down his spine.

Because deep inside, he knew she was right.

And somehow, finding that tree wasn’t just a memory.

It was a promise they hadn’t yet fulfilled.

[mleighd94]

Sorry this one so long

Eternal Hunt Chapter Eight: In the Skin of Strangers

The music pulsed like a heartbeat—low, heavy, and relentless. Beneath the haze of red lights and cigarette smoke, the club felt less like a room and more like a memory Y/N couldn’t quite shake. It smelled of sweat, metal, and old blood masked with perfume. Her senses sharpened the moment she stepped inside, Hyunjin close behind her.

They didn’t speak as they moved through the crowd. She wore black—simple, sleeveless, sharp. Hyunjin had dressed to blend in, but nothing about the way he carried himself suggested he belonged here. His sharp eyes swept the room like they were searching for ghosts.

In a way, they both were.

Y/N led them to the bar, resting her elbow on the polished counter, eyes scanning the booths along the far wall.

“There’s a man in the back,” she said without looking at him. “Used to run weapons out of Prague before the Syndicate collapsed. If Dominic’s moving anything, he’ll know.”

Hyunjin nodded. “How do you know all this?”

She tilted her head toward the liquor shelf behind the bartender. “I helped burn the Syndicate to the ground.”

His jaw tensed at that, but he didn’t press. Instead, he watched her in profile—watched the way she held herself like a knife still wet from the fight. She hadn’t spoken of her past, not really. But now, in the smoke and flickering neon, parts of her were slipping through.

“You’ve done a lot of damage in your life, haven’t you?” he asked quietly.

She glanced at him, one brow raised. “Regretting inviting me along?”

“No,” he said, and then added with a ghost of a smile, “But you do make it hard to breathe sometimes.”

She blinked, caught off guard.

He shifted, leaning closer like he was about to say something else—but then the bartender placed a drink in front of them without being asked. A clear signal.

“They know we’re not just here to party,” she murmured.

“I assumed that was obvious when you walked in like you owned the place.”

A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I used to.”

Hyunjin looked at her again—not the sharp, elusive mystery she’d been when they first met, but the woman beside him now. Powerful. Hunted. And utterly alone.

The music slowed.

He reached out, not even thinking, fingers brushing hers as she picked up her glass. “You could’ve run. You always do. But you didn’t.”

Her voice was barely audible over the bass. “Maybe I’m tired of running.”

Their eyes locked. In that second, there were no secrets. Only tension. Truth. And something growing between them neither could name yet.

A flicker of movement caught her attention—the contact. A man with scarred knuckles and a silver fang tattoo just below his jaw moved toward the hallway. Without thinking, Y/N stood, her voice low but steady.

“He’s on the move. Come on.”

Hyunjin followed her into the shadowed corridor, the pulse of the club fading behind them. She walked like she belonged in danger, and maybe she did. But he was realizing something more dangerous than that: he didn’t want to let her go.

And when the contact turned and ran, Y/N didn’t hesitate. She was a blur of speed, a breath of violence—and Hyunjin followed, not because he had to.

But because he couldn’t look away.

They ran.

Down a narrow corridor that reeked of rot and stale beer, through a rusted-out side door that slammed behind them. The alley beyond was slick with rain, the sky heavy above them.

The contact was fast—desperate—but Y/N was faster.

She moved like smoke, vaulting a stack of crates and cutting him off before he could scale the chain-link fence. She didn’t need to say a word. One look, and the man froze, panting, cornered.

Hyunjin caught up just as she slammed him into the brick wall.

“Talk,” she growled, voice low and dangerous. “What’s Dominic moving, and where is it going?”

The man struggled. “I—I don’t know specifics. I just heard… the weapon. It’s old. Buried. He’s afraid someone else will find it first.”

Y/N’s grip tightened.

“Where?”

The contact’s eyes flicked to Hyunjin, then back to her. “Underground vault beneath the old Glenrow Asylum. They’ve already started excavation. But it’s trapped—guarded. Nobody who’s gone in has come out.”

Y/N let him go, the man slumping against the wall like his spine had dissolved.

She turned to Hyunjin, her expression unreadable, but her hand trembled slightly at her side. Whether from adrenaline or something else—he couldn’t tell.

“Let’s go,” she muttered, stepping past him.

But he didn’t follow. Not immediately.

“Wait.”

She stopped.

Hyunjin didn’t know what he was doing until he was already doing it. His hand reached out, catching her wrist—gently, carefully.

“You’ve been running alone for a long time,” he said. “But you’re not alone now.”

She looked at him then. Really looked. And something cracked behind her eyes. Not a breakdown—never that. But something soft, something real. A truth buried under centuries of survival.

“You’re not just dangerous,” he murmured. “You’re… heartbreaking.”

Her breath caught.

He let go before she could pull away.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s report back. We’ll plan our move from there.”

She followed this time.

But long after they’d left the alley behind, her mind stayed on the way he’d looked at her. Not with fear. Not with suspicion.

But with something dangerously close to hope.

They drove in silence for a while.

The rain traced lazy paths down the windshield, blurring the city lights into smears of gold and crimson. Y/N leaned her head against the window, one hand pressed gently to her ribs where bruises from the chase still throbbed. She wasn’t healing as fast as she used to—not since the Bloodstone’s presence had stirred something old inside her.

Hyunjin kept his eyes on the road, but his voice cut through the silence, soft and curious.

“That contact back there…” he began. “He wasn’t just scared of Dominic. He was scared of what Dominic was trying to find.”

Y/N didn’t answer at first. But then, quietly, she said, “He should be.”

A beat passed.

Hyunjin glanced over at her. “What’s the weapon, Y/N?”

Her fingers curled tighter in her lap.

“Old,” she whispered. “Older than me. Older than Dominic. Forged during the first Blood Wars—when vampires tried to rid the world of the ones who couldn’t be controlled.”

His brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

She hesitated—then said it anyway.

“There was a girl,” she murmured. “The first one. Turned against her will. But something went wrong—or maybe something went right. She didn’t lose her soul. She kept her humanity. And that terrified them.”

Hyunjin felt a chill crawl up his spine.

“They say the blade was meant to kill her,” Y/N continued, her voice barely more than breath. “The only thing that could. It’s tied to the Bloodstone—two sides of the same curse. One gives power. The other… takes it away.”

He didn’t speak right away.

When he did, his voice was low. Almost reverent.

“You talk like you knew her.”

Y/N turned her head, meeting his gaze through the rain-streaked window.

“Maybe I did.”

And then silence again. Thick with all the things she wasn’t saying.

But Hyunjin didn’t press. He just drove. And in the space between them, something fragile began to bloom—too complicated to name, too dangerous to ignore.

Inside the office, the lights were low, the building quiet. Most of the team had gone home to grab what little rest they could, but Chan remained in the glass-paneled conference room, the glow of digital files flickering across his tired face.

He looked up when they entered.

“You two okay?”

“We’ve got something,” Hyunjin said. “A lead on the weapon. And a name—Glenrow Asylum.”

Chan stood, tension already forming in his jaw. “Dominic’s been circling that place for weeks. I’ll call the others.”

Y/N stayed silent at the back of the room, arms crossed loosely, as the two detectives spoke in hushed urgency. Her eyes wandered the office. The old photos. The scent of coffee still lingering. Something about it was grounding.

Safe.

And maybe that was the most dangerous feeling of all.

Because she knew safety was always borrowed. And debts like hers always came with a cost.

The precinct was nearly silent. Somewhere in the distance, a vending machine hummed, and a fluorescent light flickered faintly in the hallway.

Y/N wandered toward the break room, the ache in her ribs dulled but present. She didn’t need sleep like the others did, but rest—true rest—was still elusive.

The clink of a spoon against a mug caught her ear before she saw him.

Felix was leaning against the counter, stirring something into a chipped black mug. His hair was slightly tousled, his jacket gone, sleeves rolled to his elbows. He looked tired—but not the same kind of tired as the others. His was quieter. Lingering.

He looked up, and his face softened. “Couldn’t sleep either?”

She stepped inside. “Don’t really need to.”

“Right.” He offered a small smile. “Old habits, though. Warm drinks. Calms the nerves. Want one?”

She hesitated, then nodded. He poured the hot water into a second mug, added a tea bag, and handed it over.

“Chamomile,” he said. “Don’t ask how we even have it. Probably expired.”

She took it anyway, cupping the warmth in her hands. For a long moment, they just stood there, quiet.

Then—

“You saved Hyunjin tonight.”

She didn’t look up. “He saved me, too.”

“I know,” Felix said. “But… it doesn’t make sense, does it? You say you’re not part of this. That you don’t care. But you keep showing up. You keep risking everything.”

She turned slightly, eyes shadowed.

“Maybe I’m just bad at walking away.”

“Maybe,” Felix replied. “Or maybe you’re more human than you want us to think.”

That struck something. Her gaze dropped to the mug, shoulders stiff.

Felix took a slow sip of his drink. “I saw your eyes tonight. Not just when they changed. After. When you looked at him. At all of us. That wasn’t a monster.”

He didn’t press further. Just let the silence settle.

And then, softer: “I’m glad you came back.”

Y/N looked at him—really looked at him. Something flickered there, like a small light behind storm glass. Her lips twitched. Not quite a smile. But close.

“Thanks for the tea,” she said.

He gave a nod, a little bashful, like he hadn’t expected to say any of that aloud.

“Anytime.”

[mleighd94]

Eternal Hunt Chapter Eight: In The Skin of Strangers

The music pulsed like a heartbeat—low, heavy, and relentless. Beneath the haze of red lights and cigarette smoke, the club felt less like a room and more like a memory Y/N couldn’t quite shake. It smelled of sweat, metal, and old blood masked with perfume. Her senses sharpened the moment she stepped inside, Hyunjin close behind her.

They didn’t speak as they moved through the crowd. She wore black—simple, sleeveless, sharp. Hyunjin had dressed to blend in, but nothing about the way he carried himself suggested he belonged here. His sharp eyes swept the room like they were searching for ghosts.

In a way, they both were.

Y/N led them to the bar, resting her elbow on the polished counter, eyes scanning the booths along the far wall.

“There’s a man in the back,” she said without looking at him. “Used to run weapons out of Prague before the Syndicate collapsed. If Dominic’s moving anything, he’ll know.”

Hyunjin nodded. “How do you know all this?”

She tilted her head toward the liquor shelf behind the bartender. “I helped burn the Syndicate to the ground.”

His jaw tensed at that, but he didn’t press. Instead, he watched her in profile—watched the way she held herself like a knife still wet from the fight. She hadn’t spoken of her past, not really. But now, in the smoke and flickering neon, parts of her were slipping through.

“You’ve done a lot of damage in your life, haven’t you?” he asked quietly.

She glanced at him, one brow raised. “Regretting inviting me along?”

“No,” he said, and then added with a ghost of a smile, “But you do make it hard to breathe sometimes.”

She blinked, caught off guard.

He shifted, leaning closer like he was about to say something else—but then the bartender placed a drink in front of them without being asked. A clear signal.

“They know we’re not just here to party,” she murmured.

“I assumed that was obvious when you walked in like you owned the place.”

A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I used to.”

Hyunjin looked at her again—not the sharp, elusive mystery she’d been when they first met, but the woman beside him now. Powerful. Hunted. And utterly alone.

The music slowed.

He reached out, not even thinking, fingers brushing hers as she picked up her glass. “You could’ve run. You always do. But you didn’t.”

Her voice was barely audible over the bass. “Maybe I’m tired of running.”

Their eyes locked. In that second, there were no secrets. Only tension. Truth. And something growing between them neither could name yet.

A flicker of movement caught her attention—the contact. A man with scarred knuckles and a silver fang tattoo just below his jaw moved toward the hallway. Without thinking, Y/N stood, her voice low but steady.

“He’s on the move. Come on.”

Hyunjin followed her into the shadowed corridor, the pulse of the club fading behind them. She walked like she belonged in danger, and maybe she did. But he was realizing something more dangerous than that: he didn’t want to let her go.

And when the contact turned and ran, Y/N didn’t hesitate. She was a blur of speed, a breath of violence—and Hyunjin followed, not because he had to.

But because he couldn’t look away.

They ran.

Down a narrow corridor that reeked of rot and stale beer, through a rusted-out side door that slammed behind them. The alley beyond was slick with rain, the sky heavy above them.

The contact was fast—desperate—but Y/N was faster.

She moved like smoke, vaulting a stack of crates and cutting him off before he could scale the chain-link fence. She didn’t need to say a word. One look, and the man froze, panting, cornered.

Hyunjin caught up just as she slammed him into the brick wall.

“Talk,” she growled, voice low and dangerous. “What’s Dominic moving, and where is it going?”

The man struggled. “I—I don’t know specifics. I just heard… the weapon. It’s old. Buried. He’s afraid someone else will find it first.”

Y/N’s grip tightened.

“Where?”

The contact’s eyes flicked to Hyunjin, then back to her. “Underground vault beneath the old Glenrow Asylum. They’ve already started excavation. But it’s trapped—guarded. Nobody who’s gone in has come out.”

Y/N let him go, the man slumping against the wall like his spine had dissolved.

She turned to Hyunjin, her expression unreadable, but her hand trembled slightly at her side. Whether from adrenaline or something else—he couldn’t tell.

“Let’s go,” she muttered, stepping past him.

But he didn’t follow. Not immediately.

“Wait.”

She stopped.

Hyunjin didn’t know what he was doing until he was already doing it. His hand reached out, catching her wrist—gently, carefully.

“You’ve been running alone for a long time,” he said. “But you’re not alone now.”

She looked at him then. Really looked. And something cracked behind her eyes. Not a breakdown—never that. But something soft, something real. A truth buried under centuries of survival.

“You’re not just dangerous,” he murmured. “You’re… heartbreaking.”

Her breath caught.

He let go before she could pull away.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s report back. We’ll plan our move from there.”

She followed this time.

But long after they’d left the alley behind, her mind stayed on the way he’d looked at her. Not with fear. Not with suspicion.

But with something dangerously close to hope.

They drove in silence for a while.

The rain traced lazy paths down the windshield, blurring the city lights into smears of gold and crimson. Y/N leaned her head against the window, one hand pressed gently to her ribs where bruises from the chase still throbbed. She wasn’t healing as fast as she used to—not since the Bloodstone’s presence had stirred something old inside her.

Hyunjin kept his eyes on the road, but his voice cut through the silence, soft and curious.

“That contact back there…” he began. “He wasn’t just scared of Dominic. He was scared of what Dominic was trying to find.”

Y/N didn’t answer at first. But then, quietly, she said, “He should be.”

A beat passed.

Hyunjin glanced over at her. “What’s the weapon, Y/N?”

Her fingers curled tighter in her lap.

“Old,” she whispered. “Older than me. Older than Dominic. Forged during the first Blood Wars—when vampires tried to rid the world of the ones who couldn’t be controlled.”

His brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

She hesitated—then said it anyway.

“There was a girl,” she murmured. “The first one. Turned against her will. But something went wrong—or maybe something went right. She didn’t lose her soul. She kept her humanity. And that terrified them.”

Hyunjin felt a chill crawl up his spine.

“They say the blade was meant to kill her,” Y/N continued, her voice barely more than breath. “The only thing that could. It’s tied to the Bloodstone—two sides of the same curse. One gives power. The other… takes it away.”

He didn’t speak right away.

When he did, his voice was low. Almost reverent.

“You talk like you knew her.”

Y/N turned her head, meeting his gaze through the rain-streaked window.

“Maybe I did.”

And then silence again. Thick with all the things she wasn’t saying.

But Hyunjin didn’t press. He just drove. And in the space between them, something fragile began to bloom—too complicated to name, too dangerous to ignore.

Inside the office, the lights were low, the building quiet. Most of the team had gone home to grab what little rest they could, but Chan remained in the glass-paneled conference room, the glow of digital files flickering across his tired face.

He looked up when they entered.

“You two okay?”

“We’ve got something,” Hyunjin said. “A lead on the weapon. And a name—Glenrow Asylum.”

Chan stood, tension already forming in his jaw. “Dominic’s been circling that place for weeks. I’ll call the others.”

Y/N stayed silent at the back of the room, arms crossed loosely, as the two detectives spoke in hushed urgency. Her eyes wandered the office. The old photos. The scent of coffee still lingering. Something about it was grounding.

Safe.

And maybe that was the most dangerous feeling of all.

Because she knew safety was always borrowed. And debts like hers always came with a cost.

The precinct was nearly silent. Somewhere in the distance, a vending machine hummed, and a fluorescent light flickered faintly in the hallway.

Y/N wandered toward the break room, the ache in her ribs dulled but present. She didn’t need sleep like the others did, but rest—true rest—was still elusive.

The clink of a spoon against a mug caught her ear before she saw him.

Felix was leaning against the counter, stirring something into a chipped black mug. His hair was slightly tousled, his jacket gone, sleeves rolled to his elbows. He looked tired—but not the same kind of tired as the others. His was quieter. Lingering.

He looked up, and his face softened. “Couldn’t sleep either?”

She stepped inside. “Don’t really need to.”

“Right.” He offered a small smile. “Old habits, though. Warm drinks. Calms the nerves. Want one?”

She hesitated, then nodded. He poured the hot water into a second mug, added a tea bag, and handed it over.

“Chamomile,” he said. “Don’t ask how we even have it. Probably expired.”

She took it anyway, cupping the warmth in her hands. For a long moment, they just stood there, quiet.

Then—

“You saved Hyunjin tonight.”

She didn’t look up. “He saved me, too.”

“I know,” Felix said. “But… it doesn’t make sense, does it? You say you’re not part of this. That you don’t care. But you keep showing up. You keep risking everything.”

She turned slightly, eyes shadowed.

“Maybe I’m just bad at walking away.”

“Maybe,” Felix replied. “Or maybe you’re more human than you want us to think.”

That struck something. Her gaze dropped to the mug, shoulders stiff.

Felix took a slow sip of his drink. “I saw your eyes tonight. Not just when they changed. After. When you looked at him. At all of us. That wasn’t a monster.”

He didn’t press further. Just let the silence settle.

And then, softer: “I’m glad you came back.”

Y/N looked at him—really looked at him. Something flickered there, like a small light behind storm glass. Her lips twitched. Not quite a smile. But close.

“Thanks for the tea,” she said.

He gave a nod, a little bashful, like he hadn’t expected to say any of that aloud.

“Anytime.”

[mleighd94]

I wanted to do some posters for each character in Eternal Hunt, and I went to ChatGPT, and they created what they called character cards, which made me think of trading cards. But they turned out awesome, though. I sent some information about the characters to ChatGPT and also sent pictures of the Stray Kids members. I did do a couple for Felix because the first one was okay, but I wanted more. Don’t let this ruin what you’ve imagined for them. This is our story, so imagine what you want. This was just for fun.

[mleighd94]

I wanted to do some posters for each character in Eternal Hunt, and I went to ChatGPT, and they created what they called character cards, which made me think of trading cards. But they turned out awesome, though. I sent some information about the characters to ChatGPT and also sent pictures of the Stray Kids members. I did do a couple for Felix because the first one was okay, but I wanted more. Don’t let this ruin what you’ve imagined for them. This is our story, so imagine what you want. This was just for fun.

[mleighd94]

Hallowed Grove Chapter Seven: Stirring Shadows

The forest grew unnervingly still.

Even the soft glow of the Hollowed Grove’s enchanted flora seemed to dim, as if the very air was holding its breath. Y/N felt a prickle at the back of her neck, and she turned, heart hammering against her ribs, but there was nothing — just the dense curtain of trees and the faint shimmer of mist curling along the ground.

Then the earth trembled.

It was slight at first, like the pulse of something ancient awakening beneath their feet. Jungkook stiffened beside her, his hand automatically reaching for the dagger strapped at his side. Namjoon’s trident appeared in his hand with a low hum of power, the silvered points gleaming in the unnatural twilight.

“Stay close,” Namjoon ordered, voice tight.

Before anyone could respond, the trees erupted.

From the shadows burst creatures—twisted, unnatural things. Their bodies were patchworks of shadow and bone, eyes burning like coals. They moved with unnatural speed, hissing and snarling as they lunged toward the group.

“Ragnor’s creations,” Jin muttered, grim. He stepped protectively in front of Y/N, his hands already glowing with golden healing light — not to heal, but to ward.

The battle was chaos.

Jungkook swung a heavy branch he’d wrenched from a tree, crushing one creature into a cloud of ash. Hoseok’s mind powers stunned several others, making them stumble as if drunk. Taehyung flew through the fight with uncanny speed, weaving illusions to confuse the enemy.

Y/N stumbled backward, heart pounding, powerless—

Or so she thought.

One of the creatures broke through the line, charging straight at her. Y/N threw her hands up instinctively—and the air shivered.

A burst of silver-blue light erupted from her palms, slamming into the creature midair. It shrieked, dissolving into nothingness before it even hit the ground.

Everyone froze for half a second.

Y/N stared at her hands, chest heaving, the faint glow fading from her fingertips.

“What… was that?” Jimin breathed, awe-struck.

But there was no time for answers. More of Ragnor’s beasts poured from the woods, screeching with inhuman rage.

**

They fought harder now, desperation driving them. Jin slashed his healing light like a blade, Namjoon summoned tendrils of misty seawater to lash at the creatures, and Jungkook — beautiful, brave Jungkook — let his voice rise in a low, vibrating hum that seemed to weaken the monsters nearest him, making them flicker like faulty candle flames.

They held the line.

Together.

But it cost them.

When the final creature fell with a hiss and scattered into smoke, the clearing was a wreck. Trees toppled, the sweet-scented grass was torn up and blood-smeared, and the air stank of ozone and burning.

Y/N dropped to her knees, drained.

Jin was instantly at her side, pressing his hands to her shoulders. “You’re hurt.”

“I’m fine,” she lied. Her limbs trembled violently. It wasn’t physical pain—it was like something inside her had been torn open.

The others gathered close, battered but alive. They formed a loose, protective circle around her, and even though they barely trusted her yet, Y/N felt it — that bone-deep instinct to protect. To stay near.

“We need to get out of the open,” Namjoon said grimly, scanning the woods. “This wasn’t random. Ragnor knows we’re here.”

“How?” Hoseok asked, voice tight.

Y/N swallowed thickly.

She had a horrible, twisting feeling she knew the answer.

Because she was waking up.

Because pieces of herself—the real self—were bleeding back into this world.

And Ragnor would stop at nothing to destroy her before she remembered enough to defeat him.

“Something’s coming,” Jungkook whispered then.

Everyone turned sharply toward him.

He stood very still, his head tilted slightly, eyes wide and distant.

“I hear it again,” he murmured. “The song.”

A faint melody drifted through the trees — just barely audible — as if the Hollowed Grove itself were singing to them. A lilting, ancient song, filled with longing and sadness… and hope.

“Follow it,” Y/N said suddenly, her voice stronger than she expected.

She didn’t know how she knew. She just did.

The others hesitated, exchanging wary glances. But Jungkook moved first, reaching for her hand without hesitation. His fingers curled around hers, warm and certain.

“Come on,” he said softly.

And one by one, the others followed.

Together, they disappeared into the mist, chasing a song that had waited far too long to be heard.

[mleighd94]

Eternal Hunt Chapter Seven: Her Name In Old Ink

The Safehouse – One Day Later

The rain had finally stopped.

Soft light filtered through the cracked blinds of the detectives’ temporary safehouse, casting long shadows across the cluttered room. Y/N lay motionless on the old leather couch, her body still healing from the explosion. A faint gash ran along her collarbone, nearly closed now—but slower than usual. Too many fights. Too little blood.

She stirred as a mug of warm liquid was placed on the nearby table. Herbal, not blood. They were being cautious.

Felix sat across from her, watching but not intruding. He gave her a small smile when her eyes met his. “Figured you might like something warm.”

She said nothing, but she didn’t push it away either.

From the hallway, voices drifted in.

“She’s dangerous,” Changbin was saying, not bothering to lower his tone. “We don’t know who she really is or what she wants.”

“She saved Chan,” Seungmin countered calmly. “Twice.”

“That doesn’t mean she’s not playing her own game.”

In the corner of the room, I.N scribbled into a small notepad, occasionally glancing over at Y/N like she might sprout fangs and vanish. Again.

Across the safehouse, Chan leaned against a wall, arms crossed. He said nothing, eyes fixed on her with unreadable intensity. Something in his gaze flickered—recognition, perhaps. Or curiosity sharpened to a knife’s edge.

They didn’t lock her up. But they didn’t trust her either.

⸻

Records Room – Later That Evening

Hyunjin paced in the evidence archive, old files spread out across a long metal table. Reports from decades ago. Cases that had never made sense. Victims drained of blood. Witnesses who spoke of glowing eyes and shadows moving faster than thought.

And in one of the reports—blurred but preserved—a description that made his breath hitch.

“A woman. Pale. Red eyes. Not a ghost. She saved me,” the note read, dated over seventy years ago.

The sketch attached was rough. But familiar.

Y/N.

He looked up as she appeared in the doorway, silent as always. She crossed her arms, leaning slightly against the frame.

“You really think digging up dusty records is going to help you figure me out?”

“I don’t know,” Hyunjin replied, offering her a tired smile. “But the more I look, the more I find traces of you. You’ve been doing this a long time, haven’t you?”

She didn’t answer right away. Her gaze dropped to the sketch.

“There are things older than you can imagine,” she said quietly. “Things that should’ve stayed buried.”

Hyunjin stepped closer. “Is the Bloodstone one of them?”

Her jaw tightened. That same flicker of something unreadable passed across her face. Pain. Memory. Guilt.

“You’re close,” she murmured. “Too close.”

“And you’re running out of time,” Hyunjin countered. “Because if we’re going to stop Dominic, we need to know what we’re walking into. And maybe…” He hesitated. “Maybe you and I need to go find those answers together.”

She blinked. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a private club uptown. Old money, secret rooms. The kind of place where Dominic’s people trade more than words. We’ve been watching it for weeks, but we can’t get inside.”

“And you think I can?”

“I know you can. You and me. Undercover.”

She smirked, a touch of mischief in her tired eyes. “You’re brave, detective.”

“I’ve been called worse.”

[mleighd94]

Eternal Hunt Chapter Seven: Her Name In Old Ink

The Safehouse – One Day Later

The rain had finally stopped.

Soft light filtered through the cracked blinds of the detectives’ temporary safehouse, casting long shadows across the cluttered room. Y/N lay motionless on the old leather couch, her body still healing from the explosion. A faint gash ran along her collarbone, nearly closed now—but slower than usual. Too many fights. Too little blood.

She stirred as a mug of warm liquid was placed on the nearby table. Herbal, not blood. They were being cautious.

Felix sat across from her, watching but not intruding. He gave her a small smile when her eyes met his. “Figured you might like something warm.”

She said nothing, but she didn’t push it away either.

From the hallway, voices drifted in.

“She’s dangerous,” Changbin was saying, not bothering to lower his tone. “We don’t know who she really is or what she wants.”

“She saved Chan,” Seungmin countered calmly. “Twice.”

“That doesn’t mean she’s not playing her own game.”

In the corner of the room, I.N scribbled into a small notepad, occasionally glancing over at Y/N like she might sprout fangs and vanish. Again.

Across the safehouse, Chan leaned against a wall, arms crossed. He said nothing, eyes fixed on her with unreadable intensity. Something in his gaze flickered—recognition, perhaps. Or curiosity sharpened to a knife’s edge.

They didn’t lock her up. But they didn’t trust her either.

⸻

Records Room – Later That Evening

Hyunjin paced in the evidence archive, old files spread out across a long metal table. Reports from decades ago. Cases that had never made sense. Victims drained of blood. Witnesses who spoke of glowing eyes and shadows moving faster than thought.

And in one of the reports—blurred but preserved—a description that made his breath hitch.

“A woman. Pale. Red eyes. Not a ghost. She saved me,” the note read, dated over seventy years ago.

The sketch attached was rough. But familiar.

Y/N.

He looked up as she appeared in the doorway, silent as always. She crossed her arms, leaning slightly against the frame.

“You really think digging up dusty records is going to help you figure me out?”

“I don’t know,” Hyunjin replied, offering her a tired smile. “But the more I look, the more I find traces of you. You’ve been doing this a long time, haven’t you?”

She didn’t answer right away. Her gaze dropped to the sketch.

“There are things older than you can imagine,” she said quietly. “Things that should’ve stayed buried.”

Hyunjin stepped closer. “Is the Bloodstone one of them?”

Her jaw tightened. That same flicker of something unreadable passed across her face. Pain. Memory. Guilt.

“You’re close,” she murmured. “Too close.”

“And you’re running out of time,” Hyunjin countered. “Because if we’re going to stop Dominic, we need to know what we’re walking into. And maybe…” He hesitated. “Maybe you and I need to go find those answers together.”

She blinked. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a private club uptown. Old money, secret rooms. The kind of place where Dominic’s people trade more than words. We’ve been watching it for weeks, but we can’t get inside.”

“And you think I can?”

“I know you can. You and me. Undercover.”

She smirked, a touch of mischief in her tired eyes. “You’re brave, detective.”

“I’ve been called worse.”

[mleighd94]

I love this. This is true; everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I love what I have written and the worlds I have created and will create. Also shout out to Brittany Wright for sharing this on TikTok ❤️

[mleighd94]

I’d like some ideas and thoughts on some male characters. I really want to do a dating reality show story. Where there are undercover celebrities but also higher-ups, like money in the family-owned business type. I’d like to do K-pop idols, models, and actors. If you think any of them would be great with these personalities and jobs I’ve made up, let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Male Contestant Concepts:

1. The Golden Boy (Fake Job: Architect)

• Kind, reliable, always smiling

• Seems like the perfect boyfriend—safe, steady

• Bracelet is always calm or pink… until he’s near Y/N

• But is he too perfect? What is he hiding?

• Possible twist: secretly a famous model or singer who left fame after a scandal

2. The Flirty Trickster (Fake Job: Bartender)

• Witty, playful, always teasing people

• Constantly makes jokes about falling in love

• But his bracelet always glows red around Y/N

• Is it an act? Or is he genuinely falling for her?

• Possible twist: he’s a rising actor under a stage name

3. The Brooding Mystery Guy (Fake Job: Sound Technician)

• Quiet, introverted, observant

• Doesn’t open up easily—people think he’s standoffish

• His bracelet barely reacts to anyone… until Y/N

• Possible twist: He’s the only real “normal” person. No secrets. Just genuine.

4. The Sweet Nerd (Fake Job: Robotics Researcher)

• Awkward at first, but incredibly thoughtful

• Shares deep convos with Y/N at night

• He recognizes Y/N but doesn’t say anything—he used to watch her races

• Struggles with hiding that he’s a fan

• Possible twist: not famous, but his family is super rich/influential

⸻

Late Entry Male (Week 2/3)

The Chaos Card (Fake Job: Travel Photographer)

• Intense chemistry with Y/N from the moment he arrives

• The type to stir up everyone’s relationships

• Possible twist: He’s also a race car driver—and Y/N’s rival from the track, disguised. Their past is complicated.

[mleighd94]

Chapter Six: The Moment of Reckoning

The Aftermath

The moment Chan stepped out of the warehouse, the rest of the team was already closing in. Sirens had long faded into the distance, but the sharp scent of blood and smoke still lingered in the cold night air.

Changbin was the first to speak. “You okay?” His gaze swept over Chan, eyes narrowing at the torn sleeve of his jacket, the faint scrape on his cheek.

“I’m fine,” Chan said quickly. Too quickly.

Lee Know wasn’t buying it. His sharp gaze flickered toward the unconscious guards sprawled across the alley. “And I’m guessing she had nothing to do with this?”

Chan didn’t answer right away. He couldn’t. Because the truth was still burning in his mind—the way she had looked at him before she disappeared, the way she had hesitated.

Hyunjin, ever perceptive, folded his arms. “You’re hiding something.”

Chan met his gaze. “We don’t have time for this.”

Han’s voice crackled over their earpieces. “Hate to break up the interrogation, but Dominic’s men are on the move. West end of the district. Something big.”

That was all it took. The moment broke, suspicion hanging heavy in the air as the detectives fell into motion.

But as they moved, Felix stole a glance at Chan—curious, thoughtful.

Because for the first time, Chan wasn’t just chasing her.

Something had shifted.

⸻

The dim glow of candlelight flickered against the lavish interior of Dominic Laurent’s estate.

A man knelt before him, head bowed, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.

“We lost the relic fragment,” the man rasped.

Dominic exhaled through his nose. “I know.”

Silence stretched thin. The man braced himself, expecting violence, but Dominic only leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers.

“She’s getting bolder,” he mused. A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “I wonder… does she even realize how little time she has left?”

The man hesitated. “Sir?”

Dominic waved a hand, dismissing the question. “No matter. We move forward. I want it in my hands before she or the detectives can.”

His voice darkened. “Make sure that happens.”

⸻

A Dangerous Truth

Y/N pressed her back against the crumbling wall of an abandoned building, her breath steadying.

Her fingers traced the edges of the map fragment, her mind turning over the same thought again and again.

The Bloodstone.

Not just Dominic’s obsession.

Not just an ancient artifact.

It was tied to her.

And if it was destroyed…

Her grip tightened.

It wouldn’t just end Dominic. It would take her down with him.

She exhaled sharply, pushing the thought away.

Focus.

She had bigger problems—like Chan getting too close. He had looked at her differently tonight, not like she was just another enemy or a shadow in the dark.

Like he was starting to figure her out.

That was dangerous.

Her eyes flicked to the map again. The ink seemed to blur, a whisper of something tugging at her mind.

A name. A place.

A memory just out of reach.

But there was no time for that now.

She shoved the map fragment into her pocket and slipped back into the night.

——-

Another Step Toward the Truth

The underground tunnels beneath the city were a web of darkness and decay, stretching for miles beneath the industrial district. Dominic’s men moved with purpose, setting up explosives along the walls.

Y/N slipped through the shadows, watching. They were trying to collapse the tunnels—bury whatever lay beneath before she or the detectives could reach it.

She couldn’t let that happen.

Before the first detonator could be armed, she struck.

The fight was swift, brutal. She moved like a phantom, weaving between them, her strikes precise. The detectives arrived just as the last body hit the floor.

Guns were drawn.

“Don’t move,” Changbin barked.

Y/N exhaled, rolling her shoulders. “You’re late.”

Felix took a slow step closer. “What are they hiding down here?”

She hesitated. Too long.

A flicker of something unreadable passed through Seungmin’s gaze. “You know, don’t you?”

Lee Know’s voice was quiet but sharp. “And you’re not going to tell us.”

Then—before anyone could react—one of Dominic’s men, barely conscious, hit the detonator.

The explosion tore through the tunnel.

The world tilted.

Y/N felt herself thrown back, the heat scorching her skin.

Darkness swallowed her whole.

⸻

The Moment That Changes Everything

Pain. It radiated through her limbs like fire.

Her body struggled to heal—the damage was deeper this time.

She forced her eyes open.

Fluorescent lights. The scent of coffee, ink, and metal.

She wasn’t in the tunnels anymore.

She was in the detectives’ office.

Y/N tried to push up, but a hand pressed gently against her shoulder.

“Easy,” Felix murmured.

Her vision cleared. The detectives stood around her, watching. Some with caution. Others with curiosity.

She was vulnerable.

And she hated it.

Changbin crossed his arms. “Why the hell did we bring her here again?”

Hyunjin smirked. “Because she saved our asses.”

Lee Know didn’t look convinced. “Or she’s playing the long game.”

“Interrogation first,” Han said. “Then we decide what to do with her.”

Y/N exhaled slowly. “This is cute. A little intervention? Are you planning on talking me into turning myself in?”

Chan pulled up a chair, sitting in front of her. “No.” His eyes locked onto hers. “We’re planning on getting answers.”

The room fell into a tense silence.

Then Seungmin leaned forward, voice quiet but cutting. “Tell me something.”

Y/N’s eyes flicked to him.

“If the Bloodstone is so important to Dominic,” he mused, “then why do you want it?”

The air shifted.

Y/N stilled. Just for a fraction of a second.

Too long.

Hyunjin caught it. “There it is again.” His voice was softer now, laced with something dangerously close to awe. “You’re hiding something.”

Y/N forced a smirk, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Aren’t we all?”

Silence stretched between them. The tension was thick, heavy, suffocating.

Then Chan stood.

His voice was quieter now. “Get some rest.”

Y/N blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You’re hurt,” he said simply. “And I don’t know what game you’re playing, but right now, you’re staying here.”

She stared at him. Then at the others.

Han shrugged. “You’re not in a cell, if that helps.”

Lee Know smirked. “Yet.”

Y/N let out a breath, shaking her head. “You’re making a mistake.”

Chan didn’t blink. “So are you.”

A slow, dangerous smile curled at her lips. “Maybe.”

She leaned back against the couch, closing her eyes.

For now, she would play along.

But this wasn’t over.

Not by a long shot.