#( FEAT / BAEK SEONGHAN )

[sarangbe]

KAMIKAZE 염사랑 → 백성한

sarang knows nothing about superheroes, but as he didn't have a lot of time to come up with any elaborate costumes this year, tonight, he settled for his own particularly sultry take on batman's sidekick, robin—the boy wonder himself. not only is this character recognizable enough to the masses, but he's one of the only male heroes that wears hot-pants without tights underneath; fully showcasing his legs. considering his own pair of stems as one of his greatest assets, it was genuinely a no-brainer for sarang to throw this together. it's public friendly enough that he shouldn't get in trouble with axis labels either, but even if he does, he'll take the consequences.

who knows? maybe they'll add some excitement into his life.

that's why he's doing this ghost tour anyway. he yearns for cheap thrills; for something to get his heart rate up to a velocity that reminds him that he's alive. lately, he's felt so dreary and numb. his life is a revolving door of training, then returning home to an empty bed, and he wonders when it'll change, but tries not to get his hopes up that it'll be anytime soon. for some reason, he feels like he's doomed to remain in this state for awhile, much to his chagrin.

he's glad to be back in jongno though. before he joined sr media, he spent a lot of time here. it was always the pre-game spot before heading to homo hill, and though the tour is taking him on a journey through some of the city's darkest locales, he's also reminded of his wild nights-out. the memories are bittersweet, especially now, but he holds them near and dear to his heart.

focusing back on the guide, he listens as they discuss the former red light district of jongno 3-ga and snickers to himself. that area of the city is one that's still rather salacious, absolutely perfect for debauchery, so its history isn't hard to believe. though, it's in this moment when a man stands directly beside him. sarang doesn't recognize him through his costume, but he's tall, and he's warm, and as lonely as he's been, he decides to strike up a conversation.

"you ever spend your downtime here?" he asks, the question covertly loaded. if this person says yes, the likelihood of him being queer increases. "i definitely have. it's one i know well. literally some of the best bars in the city, all hidden in plain sight."

[sarangbe]

the instant that the man he spoke to responds to him, sarang feels a shiver race down his spine. it's the first time that he's felt any amount of fear all night, and the fact that the tour isn't what caused it makes his heart sink. there's a pang of regret that hits him when he realizes what he's done, even if it was by accident, and though he wishes that he never tried to approach who he once thought was a stranger, there's not much he can do about it now. it happened, they're sharing the same space after many, many months of forgetting one another existed, and he's forced to stand face-to-face with him; at least for a little while.

there's a part of him that wants to turn and walk away, but he fears that that would look cowardly. he's strong enough to handle himself. at least he thinks he is. the level of heartbreak he felt after seonghan broke up with him was immense, and being that sarang's experiencing yet another aching in his chest cavity after losing his most recent relationship, the timing of this encounter is especially unpleasant. though, he wonders if this is life's way of testing him; of showing him that, come hell or high water, he's strong enough to keep existing even if his affections are bruised.

so, instead of cowering, he stands his ground; sighing a heavy breath. "baek seonghan..." sarang hums, accusatory. "i guess not much has changed. you always loved my legs..." he teases, gesturing toward the fact that his hot-pants leave them exposed to the moonlight and neon. honestly, he's feeling a little cold, but he chose this for himself and can't really complain. going into this, he hoped to latch onto a man that'd help him warm right up, but he didn't foresee said man being his ex-boyfriend. how unfortunate.

"that's what you used to say, anyway... and who knows if you even meant it, honestly." there's a particularly scathing edge to his tone, but it's soft; barely-there. if he needs to ramp it up, he will. "did you come on this tour to learn more about the monsters who made you, or? i'm sure you can see yourself in at least a few of them."

seonghan always found the existence of halloween to be rather peculiar. how the origins of remembering the dead eventually turned to become closely linked to the genre of horror itself is quite interesting—and now, he finds himself participating in the ghost tours, a little curious about the decorations and the fabricated hauntings that he might be able to experience. maybe it's presumptuous of him, slightly pretentious too—but he wants to know, if he'd be able to feel a shudder down his spine. it doesn't take long for him to stray behind the group, although not too far off that he'll find himself lost in the process.

his outfit isn't anything too outlandish, he'd never been the type to dress-up to his full capacity. he doesn't tap into his own creativity in terms of costume, but he does have a simple idea that he thinks would fit his certain style. he already wears long coats rather often, he just needs to adjust his usual attire to something a bit more dramatic. a vampire; it's easy, but he thinks it suits him, for some reason. fake blood trickles down one side of his chin, starting from the corner of his lip. his skin is slightly paler than usual, and he's wearing fangs. he's donning something rather victorian, all black and white, with a mask to cover his face like the phantom of the opera. even if he doesn't feel the festivity, there's nothing wrong with being a part of it.

while he had originally attended the ghost tour with a couple of friends, he knew it was about time that he'd be separated from the rest of them. but what he wasn't expecting, was the sound of a familiar voice—inviting as usual. and yet, it isn't an invitation that he knows should be meant for him.

it's not everyday that he'd get this sort of chance meeting; although it's one he knows might happen sooner or later, despite the baggage of unresolved things left behind between the two of them. still, sarang seems as bubbly as ever, as eager to be the light and source of love in someone's life—it isn't something that should be directed towards him though, not anymore.

but he decides to answer sarang's question. "i have, quite a few times, but i tend not to make a habit out of it." it's a genuine response, and he wonders whether the mask on his face is that good at hiding his identity, or if it's the darkness of the room. now that he has spoken though, seonghan's sure that sarang would know who he is now. perhaps he should say more—but he does want to find out whether sarang will continue the conversation, or turn away instead.

"it's been a while," seonghan decides to say anyway, not wanting to keep sarang second-guessing. "you would usually show up with a more elaborate costume, but this feels like an original take from you too. it suits you."