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jellyfishright · 1 year ago

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At A Distance, Spring Is Green -BL Version (Yeo Jun x Nam Soo Hyun)-Chapter 11 : He Grew On You

"Why did you do that?" So-Bin asked Yeo Jun with tears in her eyes as she applied ointment to his bloodied face.

"Because I hated it." Jun replied with a distant look in his eyes. "I hate that they were using you, as my friend to get to me."

So-Bin didn't know what to say.

She admitted.She was both scared and startled when Chun-Guk and Gung-Ho grabbed her at the festival, carting her off to their both talking going on and on about Yeo Jun. In the past few weeks, she had gotten closer to Yeo Jun but she couldn't say she knew him better than anyone else. There was something about him. He kept a kind of distance, even from the people he was close to.

"I'm sorry." he apologized to So-Bin again.

She shook her head. "It's fine. It wasn't your fault. They were just being ridiculous."

Jun didn't add anything else.

He felt a deep-seated annoyance as he thought about the situation.While he tried to be nice to everyone and that often came with a price, he did not appreciate being baited or forced to do things against his will.

"You should get some rest." So-Bin advised when she was finished tending to his wounds. "I'll check on you later."

Yeo Jun nodded and smiled at her. "Thanks."

Yeo Jun wasn't sure exactly when he'd fallen asleep but when he woke up, he was alone, So-Bin had left.

He retrieved his phone sitting on the table.

Nam Soo Hyun. 3 missed calls.

"Soo Hyun. Is something up?" he asked after redialling

[Are you alright?] Soo Hyun sounded worried

"Did you call me out of worry? Three times to be exact?" Yeo Jun countered

Soo Hyun sighed in relief [I'm glad you're okay.]

Next the line went dead.

Yeo Jun looked at his phone.

"What was that?" he spoke to himself "He actually worried about me" That thought brought a smile to his face.

The next day

Yeo Jun picked up the black book that with the letters NSH written in bold letters on the cover.

"I forgot to give this back to him."

Picking up his phone he dialled.

The phone rang once.

[Yes?] Soo Hyun's voice came on the line

"What? You answered on the first try." Jun was surprised. "I thought I had to leave three missed calls too."

Jun could hear Soo Hyun's sigh on the line. [I'm hanging up.]

"But I'm sick." Jun pouted.

[You sound perfectly healthy] Soo Hyun replied. [If you have nothing else to say--]

"I do" Jun was quick to say "You're never a patient one are you?"

[What's this about?]

"Are you free tomorrow?" Jun asked "I have something for you."

[I'm busy] Soo Hyun replied. In the next second, the line went dead.

Yeo Jun looked at his phone, a little smile budding on his lip. "I was hoping to hang up first." He thought of the expression Soo Hyun must be wearing at that very moment. Looking at the book he spoke to himself "Maybe I shouldn't give it back." He turned the black book over a few times. "Couldn't he have bought it in a brighter colour?" But he knew the answer to that. This book suited Soo Hyun's personality very well, any other colour and it would not have been a good fit.

After hanging up with Jun, Soo Hyun was walking across the quad when Young-Ran caught up to him.

"I heard you hit someone." was her opening line "Was it because of Yeo Jun?" Soo Hyun didn't respond. "Seriously? I called you so that you could stop the fight, not throw a punch yourself."

"It just happened that way." Soo Hyun replied.

"I've never seen you get involved in other people's business." Young-Ran stated.

Soo Hyun looked at her. "I got involved in your business too."

"You nag alot." Young-Ran told him "But never have you punched anyone for me."

"That's because you threw the punches." came Soo Hyun's reply

"Right." Young-Ran admitted. "Maybe that's my issue then.I tend to do everything myself." She looked at Soo Hyun. "Yeo Jun must be a charming one to have changed you."

"We're from such different worlds that I thought we'd never get close." Soo Hyun admitted

"But now?" Young-Ran prompted

"I don't know. He's like my little brother in a way."

Young-Ran looked at him. "Is that all?" Soo Hyun looked at her but didn't answer. "So he grew on you." his friend redirected the question.

"He grew on me?"

Young-Ran smiled at her friend. "Wait here." she stopped them at a set of benches. "I'll go get us some drinks." Soo Hyun's protests went unacknowledged so in the end, he simply stood there while Young-Ran went off to do her task.

She'd just left when someone approached him.

"Soo Hyun." he heard his name.

He spun to face Mi-ju, the roommate of So-Bin and Young-Ran. "Yes?"

"Can I borrow your phone?" she asked.

"My phone?" he was puzzled. "But yours is in your hand." he pointed out.

She looked at the device in her hand awkwardly. "Oh. The battery is dead. I need to make an urgent call."

"Is that true?"

Both her eyes and her voice dipped. "No. Not really." The next split second, she looked up at him and recited a set of numbers. "It's my number. I'm sure you memorized it, being all smart and all." Soo Hyun looked at her and sighed "I should have your number too." she said with a smile "Give and take right?"

"I didn't memorize it." Soo Hyun said flatly. "I'm not smart, you see"

"But you're still handsome, so it's fine." Mi-Ju was quick to reply.

"I'm not that good looking either."

Her face fell. "Why won't you agree with me? Am I that unattractive to you?" she pouted slightly. "Wait. Don't answer that. There's a certain order to this. I won't bother you. Just tell me your number.I'll only look at your profile page." Soo Hyun was quiet "You won't allow that either?" Still no response. Getting the meaning of his silence, Mi-Ju took her leave with a sullen expression.

"Did something happen?" Young-Ran returned, handing him his drink. "Why does Mi-Ju look devastated?"

'I think I upset her." Soo Hyun confessed

"What do you mean?"

"She asked for my number."

"And?"

"I didn't give it to her."

"Why not?"

"I don't have that luxury." Soo Hyun replied.

"How can that stop you from giving her your number?"

" I mean I don't have the time to take interest in others." he looked away "Also I have nothing to offer her."

"You don't always have to give." Young-Ran pointed out. "The other person might be willing to give instead.Also. You can always make time for someone you like."

"Even though you like someone, you may still not have time for a relationship." Soo Hyun replied.

"What about now?" Young-Ran asked

"What about now?"

"Do you have someone that you like?" Soo Hyun looked at her but gave no answer.

"Hmm. Ok." Young-Ran took a sip of her drink as she sat beside her friend.She'd known him long enough to know that he would say anything he wanted to but would also not say the things that he didn't no matter what.

Yeo Jun was finally glad to be getting out of the house and back to school. So-Bin had brought him some medicine and now he was as right as rain.

"Jun. There you are." Go Sang Tae greeted Yeo Jun downstairs.

"I said we should meet on campus." Jun said when he saw him.

"But we used to walk together often.Don't act like this now." Jun didn't respond and walked on "If I were there, I would have laid Chun-Guk out flat." he said, referencing the incident from a few days ago "I left not knowing you'd come ."

Yeo Jun looked at him "But I saw you there."

"Come on." Sang Tae objected. "You probably saw wrong."

"I have someplace to stop by, so you can go ahead." Yeo Jun told him.

Sang Tae grabbed his hand "I had to move out of my apartment to pay for my mother's hospital bill.Can I bunk with you for a month?"

Yeo Jun looked at him and then to the place where he held on to his hand "I don't think so." he removed Sang Tae's hand.

"Why not? Why can't I stay at your place?"

"I have a roommate." Yeo Jun replied.

"A roommate?" Sang Tae was surprised. "Who?"

"Nam Soo Hyun." Jun said the first name that popped into his head.

"UP?" Sang Tae couldn't hide his surprise.

"Yes." Jun nodded. "Should we all bunk together?"

"Come on.I bet that's a lie."

"You lied about your dad being sick." Yeo Jun replied "Did you pay back the money you borrowed?" Sang Tae looked at the ground "How many times must I fall for your lies for you to stop?" Without another word, he left Sang Tae staring after him.

"We should talk." Yeo Jun addressed Chun-Guk as he sat with Gung-Ho and Sang Tae.

"We should talk?" Chun-Guk parrotted.

Yeo Jun walked away, waiting for him to follow.

"The police will contact you soon." Yeo Jun told Chun-Guk when they were alone.

"You're the one who provoked me you brat."

"There was too much violence, so I couldn't help it." Yeo Jun replied "I thought I should atleast give you a heads up." He walked away.

"So this is how it will be?" Chun-Guk asked "I guess Nam Soo Hyun will be my cellmate then."

Jun stopped in his tracks.

"What are you talking about?"

"Didn't you know?" Chun-Guk asked. "He attacked me the day I punched you." Yeo Jun finally had a proper look at Chun-Guk's face. It was also bruised in places.

Yeo Jun was in disbelief "Soo Hyun punched you?"

"Just look at this" Chun Guk touched his face "Darn it. I have proof that he did it and I won't settle.I'll press charges."

A quiet anger flared within Yeo Jun and his smiling eyes turned cold. "Keep your mouth shut." he told Chun-Guk. "It's how you can save yourself." Chun-Guk looked at him, recognizing there was a certain coldness about Yeo Jun. "Leave Soo Hyun alone ." His voice carried more than a warning.

Chun Guk watched Yeo Jun as he walked away. A chill ran down his spine. "Again with that psychopathic look in his eyes."

"What did Jun say?" Gung-Ho asked Chun-Guk as the sat in class.

"He said Nam Soo Hyun was off limits." Chun-Guk replied

"He said that?"

"What a tear-jerking friendship right?" Chun-Guk spoke loudly enough so that Soo Hyun, who was sitting in his usual seat ahead of them could hear. "Or are they more than friends?"

Soo Hyun sighed deeply. He just needed to ignore them like he usually did.

"That two-faced jerk." Chun-Guk continued to gripe. "The real psychopath is Yeo Jun, not Nam Soo Hyun."

Soo Hyun couldn't take it anymore. He spun in his seat and looked at them "Hey. Shut it will you?"

"What if I don't? Will you punch me again?"

Just then, Yeo Jun strolled in, making a beeline straight for Chun-Guk.

"What?" Chun-Guk spoke up. "I provoked your roommate. So what? I heard he lives with you." Soo Hyun looked at Yeo Jun. "It's a lie isn't it?" Chun-Guk asked. "Unbelievable. I heard you lied your way all through high school too.You lied about not having a brother.Isn't this an act of bullying too? Lying and stabbing people in the back to make a fool of them is bullying on a psychopathic level." Yeo Jun allowed him to speak "Anyway. Your brother is a professor here --"

"Yes.I live with Jun." Soo Hyun interjected. Yeo Jun slowly turned his head to look at Soo Hyun "How is that any of your business?" Soo Hyun continued to address Chun-Guk.

"Really?" Gung-Ho was surprised

"The only bullies here are you two." Soo Hyun's annoyance was evident in his tone "How about I make a big deal out of this? In front of all these witnesses?"

"Why? Will you punch me again?" Chun-Guk asked.

Yeo Jun smiled as he looked at Soo Hyun.

"I see the two of you really have a knack for pissing people off." Chun-Guk frowned.

"Remember what I said." Yeo Jun looked at Chun-Guk with those cold eyes again "I told you to stay low didn't I?" Chun Guk fell silent.

"Did you really punch Chun-Guk to avenge me?" Yeo Jun asked Soo Hyun as they exited the classroom. Soo Hyun looked at him "You're not one to hit anyone.Not especially for my sake. No way." He grabbed Soo Hyun's hand that was stuffed in the pocket of his jacket "How's your fist?" Soo Hyun pulled his hand away. "You really care about me that much? Enough to get revenge for me?"

Soo Hyun finally stopped walking and looked at him. "How can you be laughing? Why haven't you reported him to the police yet?"

"That's for me to take care of." Jun replied. "You know, I always dreamed of this. Having someone who would stick up for me."

"You have the weirdest wishes." Soo Hyun commented.

"I like you." Yeo Jun blurted out, stunning both himself and Soo Hyun. "Waitt--I mean--" he fumbled for words.

"Can you leave me alone now?" Soo Hyun pretended he didn't just hear that or that his heart hitched slightly at the words.

"You know saying that will only make me more clingy."

Soo Hyun sighed, aware of the truth in Jun's words.

"Why did you say I was your roommate?" Soo Hyun changed the subject.

"Because no one else would dare come barging in."

"I see. You're using the image I have."

"I'm think about selling emojis based on you." Jun teased. "No. Leave. Get Lost. Whatever." he recounted some of Soo Hyun's expressions. "Sweet right?"

Before he could reply, Soo Hyun's phone rang.

[Soo Hyun.] Soo Hyun heard his brother's voice on the line.

"What's with your voice?" Soo Hyun asked.

[Mom told me not to tell you, but her back's acting up again.] Soo Hyun mouthed to Jun that he was taking off as he listened to his brother. [According to Uncle, she might not walk without surgery but mom said she'd rather die than get surgery. What should we do?]

"Isn't it obvious?" Soo Hyun replied "Don't worry about it and study hard. I'll take care of it."

After the call ended, Soo Hyun walked in a daze.

Life had done it again. Another obstacle. Another thing for him to deal with.

Once again, he was reminded for him, there were no breaks and no one to rely on. He would fix his own problems....

He wasn't sure how long he walked around and couldn't tell exactly where he want. It was all a mess, a blur of thoughts.

Taking another drink of his alcohol, he sighed deeply looking out at the night's sky.Tears pricked his eyes and the alcohol burned as it went down.

What a pitiful life..

#at a distance spring is green #nam soohyun x yeo jun #yeo jun x nam soo hyun #nam soo hyun #yeo jun #bl series #boy love #fiction #fanfiction #fanfic #wattpad

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lostcybertronian · 6 years ago

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helllooo~can we please get some rare ship of host/bing with 44?

Sorry this took so long! Have some winged!Au

Tags: @authorsathenaeum @tiny-yan-an @darkstache-iplier @redraspberrycats @holyshitsnakesandspace @cookieface678 @bing-iplier @storm337 @sketchy-scribs-n-doods @pixelenchanter @itsjustkyss @demonnightmareangel @darkiplurrr

Prompt 44: “I’ll always be there for you. Don’t you know that?”

He banked right. Then left. Then right again, solely for the purpose of feeling the cool, night air rushing over his face and feathers, blowing back his hair and clothes.

Pumping his wings sent him higher, sent him hurtling through the sky ever faster, and from behind him he heard a laugh.

“Wait up, dude!” It was Bing; a solid, warm presence just behind him. “I’m not as fast as you!”

The Host obliged, settling into smooth glide so that Bing could catch up. His mechanical wings hummed like a hummingbird’s.

“You really like flying, huh?” He remarked.

The Host didn’t respond, but he did smile. His wings were fragile; easily damaged by sunlight or rain, so he wasn’t able to fly nearly as often as he wanted to. Only at night, and never alone.

“I like flying too,” Bing continued, “but my wings don’t hold charge very well. Not as well as Google’s …”

He trailed off all of a sudden, and somewhere, deep inside his head, the Host heard a tiny beeping noise.

Then, he shouted, “get down!”

—

They landed in the field just as the clouds opened up and the rain came down, instantly soaking anything and everything.

In a blind panic the Host stripped off his trenchcoat, draping it over himself as hard bullets of rain pelted him all over.

It didn’t help; his coat was drenched in seconds and it chafed, only adding to the pain that made him double over. It felt like hot acid was being poured over him. Felt like his very skin was dissolving.

He had to get to shelter.

He began to stumble forward, but then a hand grabbed his wrist and yanked him into a run, nearly dragging him right off his feet.

“Cccc-ome-come o-OOn, Hos-s-s-st!” Bing’s voice was static-laced and distorted, but it still pierced through the torrential downpour. “Ther-there are tre-e-e-s up ahead!”

They ran until the ground beneath their feet turned from twisted grass to twigs and dead undergrowth, until the sound of rain against bark and leaves nearly overwhelmed everything else.

Bing pulled the Host close and for a moment he could hear nothing more than mechanical clicking and groaning. And then the rain wasn’t touching him anymore, and the pain ebbed to a dull throb.

The Host’s hushed narrations told him that Bing had stretched his wings around his huddled form, shielding him from the rain. The drops hissed and sizzled and sparked when it came into contact with the sensitive metal, but despite this Bing was still protecting him.

“It’s-s-s-s fine, bruh,” Bing replied through gritted teeth. “I-I-I can-can gee-EEt fixed.”

“The Host still questions as to why Bing is risking his own safety.”

“‘S no big deal.” Bing’s core stuttered and his body made a noise like that of a dying laptop. “I-I-I’ll always be th-er-er-ere for ya. Don’tcha kno-o-ow that?”

Then, his eyes flickered out and he slumped over the Host.

—

Hours later- hours past the time the Host and Bing were expected back- the Host staggered in, dripping wet and hauling an unconscious Bing along with him and taking everybody by surprise when he himself collapsed to the lobby floor.

#private security #winged!egos au #winged!host #winged!bingiplier #the host #bingiplier #markiplier egos #writersofmark #fanfiction #lostandwandering #my writing #lost writing tag #writing prompts #angst #fluff #hurt/comfort #asks #nes24mf

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hvlly-blog · 6 years ago

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- ̗̀ ❛ muse 22 , kim chungha , she / her . ❜ ̖́- did you hear about the monaco trip ? it’s legendary at ucla. holland “holly” min is going, i’m so jealous. their instagram makes it seem like they’re pretty vivacious and they’re all about an empty locket around a delicate neck & strawberry flavored lip gloss. can you believe they’re only twenty-one and they’re going on a free trip to monaco for the summer ? hopefully they don’t let their quixotic side show too much on the trip.

hello… im xan ( she / her pronouns ) im 21 and its been...200 years since i’ve made an intro post or rped so JSDBJW go easy on me ! fun fact half my keyboard is broken…..so if i take 10 yrs to reply sometimes just kno….a bitch is trying her best ok... literally just winging all of this as i type if u thought i had a plan think again JSDBWB *jungkook vc* lets get it....

pause . before we get it JDBWJDJ we can plot here over ims if discord isnt ur scene !! BUT i am....way more likely to respond to discord messages bc its easier !! so u can find me on there @ A GIRL WITH LUV 💖✨🌙#8172

idk what is triggering for any of u so if mentions of AGE GAPS, DRUG ABUSE, CAR ACCIDENTS, or SEX ADDICTIONS is sensitive stuff pls proceed with caution !!!

BACKSTORY: so . this is holland but she thinks her name is UGLY so she goes by holly

she was born and raised in los angeles and her parents both own / run a luxury chain of rehab centers for ppl with $$$ ( u already know i want a plot involving this xx ) they are new money ! so holly really does not understand ... the spoiled lifestyle since her parents raised her pretty conciously on stories abt how they struggled as immigrants coming to a new country & making it & all that jazz

as a kid her parents would host / try to charm a lot of potential donors or clients so they’d make holly “entertain” them like as a kid she’d just be cute or maybe sing a song from chorus or just be impressively well-behaved but the older she got...the more her mom would demand from her /:

as all this was going on her parents started to have issues so instead of working it out.... holly’s dad just started traveling a whole lot to other states & countries where they had a business so growing up he wasn’t really in the picture . rip !

back to holly ! so her mom had a few close business partners and “friends” that where around holly’s family pretty much all the time and there was this one guy who was relatively younger than most of the men but still significantly older than 14 year old holly who had a huge crush. basically this man tried to take advantage of that bc hes UGLY .

one day holly’s mom caught this dude alone with holly and being way too friendly for comfort and instead of flipping on the dude she flipped on holly and was like we could lose our business and i think it’s all ur fault for causing drama” and holly was literally like What the Fuck !!! her mom cut off all ties with the dude but she still made holly feel like it was her own fault woo !!

more stuff her mom did ? yea ! one night when she was 17 she was out with this guy who had celebrity parents just eating at a nice place and drinking after and as he was driving her home, they get into a big car accident. turns out that the guy she had gone to dinner with had a coke addiction & was literally high the whole time & the only reason holly’s mom had set them up was so he’d check into their rehab center bc his famous parents were considering it but she never told holly any of that so holly was PISSED but relatively unharmed from the accident besides some bruising

basically by the time college came a bitch was ready she moved out, trying to have a fresh start away from her home life ! but college was also messy basically over the years holly developed a big dependency issue where she literally...craves attention and intimacy sososo bad bc she never got it from her family so ! she looks for it in other ppl like she needs to feel that validation so bad & she does that with really unhealthy sexual habits low key bordering addiction !

oh also ? since her family was never the family vacation type JSBDWJBDJ she’s never left california before so a bitch is VERY excited and if u try to make her feel bad for it . she will tell u to fuck off and let her have this !

PERSONALITY + TIDBITS: honestly one of the most sociable ppl u will ever meet she was literally raised to entertain and please so its super easy for her to make friends !! literally one of those ppl that just.....know everyone and ur like how the fuck !!! an avid social media user...are u even friends if u dont have a snap streak ? not to holly JSBDJWBDJ definitely her guilty pleasure aside from u know...sex !

speaking of sex she really.....ho(e)lly gets around ... 100% a chaotic bi but her trust for men is abt at a solid 0 ! she will still desperately seek validation from them though so thats fun ! she can be a gossip bc shes a gemini ... but she never does it on purpose she just ... tells funny stories & realizes half way through she was talking abt a friend’s tinder date horror story ... oops ... share secrets cautiously !

for someone who makes friends like its nothing shes pretty hesitant to share any real info abt herself bc she fears being rejected and abandoned ( not just romantically ) more than anything else like shes one of those ppl who ur like “oh yeah i know her!” but if someone asks u to tell them one important thing abt her ur not gonna know wtf to say

also she’s usually very amiable but if ur just .... a horrible person .. shes gonna be honest about it SDBSJWB shes got some strong opinions ! but also very unrealistic expectations in others so a lot of the time shes just ... disappointing herself for hyping u up inside her own head

she was an english major ! bc i love to self insert <3 JSDBJWBJ but she low key wishes she did something with film bc she loves editing videos & making videos abt her friends so if ur her pal ... u 100% have abt 50 videos ur a star in ! she tried to learned to speak french 100% for the aesthetic of it but only remembers like 5 words….she used to play the fucking ukulele but stopped bc her mom was like holly grow UP JSBDSJBJW shes scared of the dark /: like legit scared if she is sleeping alone a light has to stay on....and yea i dont know what else this is long enough JSDBJSWBJW IM SORRY

im out of ... juice UHHH but some basic ideas for plots are stuff to do with her family ( family friends, maybe ur muse or their family is somehow involved with her parent’s rehab center, or ur muse or their family could have been one of those business partners...whew we have possibilities !!! ), shes an only child so i would die for sibling type friendships, hmm also fwbs or just hook up connections bc those can get uhh Dramatic since she is so dependent on sex, also would die for like confidants bc thats rare for holly like sharing her deep feelings or whatever ... enemy plots are sexy but im gonna be real honest here . i suck at purely hateful connections so if u want a mean plot we gotta have depth ! JSXBDSJDB um romatic stuff too also more platonic stuff like best friends or party buddies thats literally enough i’ve been typing for HOURS . plot with me .. or Perish xx

#monaco:intro #░▓╳┊: 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 ��𝒏 𝒐𝒐𝒄 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕....𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔 ── OOC !#this is . so long JSDBJBJ if u dont wanna read this ? i dont blame u neither do i #not to sound like the duolingo owl but if u dont plot with me i WILL eat some poison bread and die . so /:#this is late ? on brand for me haha !

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mysmefanfic1 · 4 years ago

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Responsible Chapter 2

Jiho woke up slightly stiff but without any pain. The muscle relaxers he’d taken as well as the pain meds allowed him to sleep comfortably, but he knew by experience that he needed to ease up on the sitting for at least a day after overdoing it like this.

He took deep breaths as he sat up, focusing on keeping his muscles relaxed. If he felt a twinge he took another deep breath and eased into the movement more slowly. This meditative and repetitive motion synchronized with a hot shower first thing in the morning. Gradually, his offended muscles loosened further.

Shrugging back into his school uniform, he checked his phone and was surprised to find a dozen messages from Yoosung stretching from 9 pm to 3 am in the morning.

“Hey, Jiho! I talked to my friend and he’s interested in getting you hired!”

“Oh… you must be asleep. Can you message me when you get this?”

“Uh… never mind, I was doing LOLOL I just checked if you were online, you’re still asleep.”

“You’re a pretty heavy sleeper. Jaehee says that she’ll call you in the morning.”

“Ah… I just raelizde that u dont kno who Jaeeesi”

“Sorry typos. I cn barley keep my eys open.”

“I forgot to tell you who Jaehee is again! Jaehee Kang! She’s my friends assistnnt”

“Are you awake?”

Much to his shock, Yoosung was still showing as online. Did this kid never sleep?

“Hey, I just got your messages, Yoosung. I hope your LOLOL was fruitful but don't message me late at night. I don’t tend to sleep well and turn my phone on silent. Are you saying I have an interview? With who?”

The response was immediate. “Good morning!” A happy sun emoji was tacked on to the end. “Jaehee Kang. She works with C&R.”

Jiho’s breath caught in his throat. He knew C&R like most people in the city did: By the massive gleaming glass and steel tower of the C&R building, one of the tallest buildings in the city. It glowed in the dark with lights displaying its name, with a flashing red beacon to warn low flying planes of its immense height.

C&R’s property spanned outward to a plaza with fountains and eating areas. It had Valet parking in expansive underground parking garages. It was a centerpiece of downtown where only the finest of the city and even the finest of the country could work.

Jiho’s skepticism immediately brought him back down to earth. This poor gamer who couldn’t even afford tutoring and skipped classes and played LOLOL all night had an ‘in’ at C&R?

He typed a single word. “Bullshit.” and tossed his phone on the bed.

His mood sank. He heard his mother call him down to breakfast so he started to prepare for the day. So much for a new friend. Maybe he was a scammer. No way that was true.

“It’s true!”

Jiho eyed his phone as he slowly wrapped his school uniform tie around his neck.

“Look, my cousin was engaged to Han Jumin’s childhood friend. That’s how I know him. We talked about you last night and he’s interested in you so you have to be ready to answer the phone when she calls!”

Jiho could feel his temperature rise. He picked up the phone again. “I don’t know why you feel the need to joke around like this. But it’s not funny.”

“No, wait, look, I’ll get you a photo.”

He rolled his eyes. Photos used to be proof now they’re easily spoofed and altered. Did Yoosung scam people like this all the time?

A picture came up. It was a photo of Yoosung, but he had brown hair. Several people were standing around.

“This is my graduation ceremony. Jumin Han is the farthest to the left.”

Jiho blinked at the photo. He was seeing something with his own eyes, yet his brain found it hard to accept. He wasn’t someone who followed celebrities, but he knew the Han name and he’d seen photos of Jumin Han before. Still, he found himself googling Jumin Han and comparing the pictures online. This couldn’t be, that had to be a look-alike…

“Jiho! Come down to breakfast!”

“In a minute!” He shouted down to his mother. He turned back to his phone.

He typed. “This seems too good to be true.”

“I understand. But please believe me.”

The screen suddenly went black and the phone was buzzing with his ring tone. On the caller ID was Jaehee Kang.

Jiho felt himself starting to sweat. He held the phone to his ear and cleared his throat. “This is Lee Jiho.”

“Good morning, this is Kang Jaehee. I’m chief assistant to Han Jumin of C&R and we are interested in offering you a position here.”

Jiho’s mouth opened and shut. “Yes… thank you for considering me.”

“Yoosung shared his math assignment with us last night and I looked over it. All the answers are correct. Your public records are also exemplary. Do you have time for an interview this morning?”

“This morning…?”

“JI-HO!”

Jiho heard his mom coming up the stairs and quickly locked the door bedroom. “Can you give me just a moment.”

“Sure.”

He muted the phone. “Mom. I … I need some more time to get ready, I’m sorry.”

“What’s wrong?” The doorknob rattled. “Why is your door locked!”

“I’ll be right down I promise. By the way, where’s my suit? The one I wore to Dad’s memorial.”

“Your suit? It should be in the storage closet…”

“Can you get it out for me? I need it…”

“What is going on?”

“Please mom, just do it. I”ll be right out.”

Much to his relief his mother shuffled away, muttering to herself.

He hurried back to the phone. “I apologize, please continue.”

“Not a problem at all.” Her voice was clipped and professional. Her words were formal. Just listening to her made him sit up straight. “The job will involve auditing archived files kept in storage. These files don’t work with any of our current software and must be audited by hand. Once these files are thoroughly checked, they must be imported into a new system and the records will be destroyed. Therefore, we need someone with a meticulous attention to detail as once the records are destroyed they cannot be retrieved.”

“I can do that, no problem.” He said. “What time do you need to meet me?”

“I have an opening two hours from now. Meet me in the C&R lobby at 9:30 am.”

“I can make it. Thank you for this opportunity.”

After bidding each other farewell. Jiho had to sit down. He held one hand to his head staring into space. “Oh… oh my god. This is it. This is it! This is my chance! I…”

He hurried back down the hall to the bathroom and brushed his hair and his teeth again, one more time. He was afraid to eat. What if she smelled something on his breath or he got something in his teeth?

His resume! He quickly hurried for his backpack and opened it up. He smiled. Still there, perfect condition.

He hurried to the kitchen where his mom had her arms crossed and her foot tapping. He would have to take the subway to get to C&R. “Mom, can I borrow a few extra dollars. I’m meeting someone for a special project and I”ll have to take the subway.”

“No.”

His mother’s words stopped him cold. “What?”

“No. The school told me you’ve been skipping classes!”

“I told you I wasn’t feeling well yesterday!” He laughed nervously.

“What about the day before? And the day before that?” She glared at him. “You’ve been lying to me! Where have you been going?”

“I’ve been applying for jobs!” Jiho blurted. “I need the suit for an interview!”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t like it!”

“And you would be right! You are on scholarship! This is your one chance to go to a prestigious university!” His mother leaned on the table.

“And it’s not going to do any good if you have to work!” Jiho couldn’t believe she was being stubborn.

“What are you talking about? The whole point of university is to get a good job!”

“I’m about to get a really good job mom, really good.”

Her lips pressed together and her brow knitted. For a moment, mother and one glared at each other in a standoff.

Jiho looked away first, contrite. “I’m sorry I lied to you…” He ran his hand through his hair. “Look… I”ll cut you a deal. I’ll get this job. If I don’t, I’ll give up my job search and go to class. Okay?”

“You promise…” She asked dubiously.

“I promise. Super promise.” He crossed his fingers.

His mother hesitated for a few more seconds before reaching for her purse and handing him enough money for the fare.

Jiho took the suit from her arms and bowed deeply. “Thank you for this chance.”

“How good is this job anyway?” She glanced at him as he sat and devoured his breakfast.

He didn’t answer right away. “I kinda don’t want to tell you. I”m afraid it might not be real.”

“That good huh?” She asked. She quirked a single eyebrow.

“Yeah.”

“Well… you better hurry then. This is your last chance.”

Jiho rose from the table, walked over and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. “You won’t regret it.” He then ran off to get changed.

Soon, Jiho was one of a river of suited individuals making their way through a labyrinth of shining skyscrapers in the business district of the city. All around him, people spoke on cell phones, the clicks of women’s heels provided staccato rhythms and the steady hum of expensive cars added a backdrop of sound.

He glanced up at the C&R complex as if it were a castle he was planning to storm. He steeled himself with determination. This was the place that would change his life.

He walked through the automatic revolving doors into a brilliantly lit marble floor. Immediately his bravado left him when he saw a floor to ceiling saltwater fish tank complete with coral reef decorating a central column.

This confrontation with extravagance told him he didn’t have any business being here.

A woman in a brown dress suit met him. “Lee Jiho?” She bowed slightly. “I am Jaehee Kang. Let me help you get checked in.”

He fought the urge to respond like a school kid and nodded and followed her in silence. Inside, he was a raging mix of excitement, panic, and disbelief. Was he dreaming?

He looked down at the receptionist seated behind an ornate desk carved with snarling Siberian tigers.

She was young, bespectacled and dressed smartly. She looked at him, met his eyes and suddenly exclaimed. “Ah. What beautiful eyes!”

“Uh… Thanks” Jiho stammered.

Her cheeks turned red as she caught Jaehee’s deadpan stare. “I’m sorry. I… forgot myself. Here’s your security tag. Keep this on you at all times.”

He accepted the tag and put it around his neck.

Jaehee turned on her heel and walked towards an elevator. The doors were bright gold. Were they made of gold? They had the logo of C&R on them so that the two letters would part when the doors opened. “Have you ever worked in an office before?” Jaehee asked as she scanned her card and then looked at him.

“I’ve never worked in an office before, no…”

“C&R is a very prestigious company and we value our employees highly but we have very high expectations of them as well. I’m happy you’ve decided to at least dress the part, but exclamations like you just heard could actually be grounds for discipline.”

“I understand.”

The golden doors opened and they stepped inside. Jaehee pressed a button and the doors slid shut. She then turned and smiled at him, her eyes warm and friendly. “Don’t be so nervous.”

Her sudden shift in attitude was jarring; he wasn’t sure how to react.

“Yoosung had a lot of good things to say about you. To be honest, you’ve already made a good impression. This interview is just a formality.”

Jiho gaped wordlessly for a few seconds. “Wow. I … I didn’t believe him when he was telling me.”

“I can sympathize. I got into C&R on the word of Jumin’s friend as well. Jumin values his friends’ opinions highly. This job is yours to lose.”

“Ms. Kang, I…”

“You can call me Jaehee.”

“But aren’t you my supervisor?”

“Not directly. You’ll be with our accounting division. All the usual formalities will be there.”

The doors opened onto an elaborately woven carpet. There was another receptionist who only glanced at them as they passed by. “This is our archive. Should you accept the position, this is where you’ll be working.”

She scanned her card again at the double doors and they opened to a large windowless server room. Three huge center silos occupied most of the space along with industrial printing machines.

“Every day, you’ll examine a set of financial records. You’ll have your own desk and will be expected to work alone, but don’t be a stranger. The accounting division is a close knit group. It's in your interest to get to know them well.”

“They’re not here?”

“They work on a different floor. They’ll be in meetings right around this time.” Jaehee checked her watch briefly. “Do you have any questions for me?”

“Uh… when do I start?” He laughed, and hated the high pitch of it. He cleared his throat.

“Immediately. The reason we’re so eager to have you is... “

Her phone suddenly rang and she picked up. “Mr. Han. Yes, I’m with him now. Yes. I know. Now? Yessir. I’ll be right there.”

She hung up the phone. “Something’s come up. I’m afraid…” She suddenly sighed and looked incredibly tired. “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to sign the employment forms right away. I am very sorry.”

“I do have one question. Did you… seriously grade my homework?” Jiho’s eyebrows rose.

“Hahaha!” Jaehee’s laugh held a quiet bit of madness. “Yes. I did.”

Jiho bowed. “Thank you.”

She smiled at him. “Here.” She handed him a stack of forms. “Just sign here… and here… and here….”

This was real. He was going to work at C&R. C and freaking R! Every signature was like the unlocking of a massive door to a shining opportunity. His dad must be throwing a fit up in heaven. His boy did it! He probably couldn’t believe it. He said an opportunity would come knocked, but no way he expected something this amazing!

“Here’s our welcome packet, look over and sign everything you like. It includes our retirement, savings, and investment plans, alternate insurance, et cetera… I … am sorry I’ll have to escort you out. Security will provide you your badge you’ll need to enter when you start tomorrow.”

Jiho put a cap on his excitement but a glance at Jaehee’s smile told him he didn’t fool her at all. He was ecstatic. “Thank you ma’am. I mean… Jaehee.”

He followed her outside. “Take your time looking through those things. Be at your desk a little before 8 am to meet your new friends. Eat lunch in the common cafeteria to get to know your new coworkers.”

She suddenly removed her glasses. “You know… looking at you, reminds me a lot of when I started here. Working at C&R is indeed a great opportunity. Don’t lose appreciation for it. Now. If you’ll excuse me.”

Jaehee placed the glasses back on her nose and walked back into the building, leaving Jiho to stand in his own disbelief and joy.

Jiho made his way down the city walk to the central park. The green was cut through with shady walking trails around a large lake. Jiho settled down on a bench and sighed. He then opened the package and began to read it over.

After about half an hour, his phone rang. It was his mother. He answered.

“Did you get the job?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you would. I wish I had good news for you.” Her voice was gloomy and sullen.

“What happened?” He gripped the phone.

“Your school called. They’re going to list you as delinquent, in line for expulsion. This will go on your permanent record.”

Jiho’s expression set. “Call them back. I’m withdrawing from SKY.”

“What?” His mother was voiceless with shock.

“The job I got? It’s with C&R… one of the biggest companies in South Korea.”

“C&R…?”

“That’s right. I have no need to attend classes any longer.”

“But Jiho… you’re on scholarship. They’ll require the tuition paid back right away if you drop out!”

“I don’t care. I’ll be getting paid enough to make it up.”

“They’ll want it immediately, not in payments.”

“Mom.” He shifted his eyes to make sure he was alone. “You said that we had enough to last us a while? Not according to my calculations. We should be out of money in the next month or two. You have savings besides those from selling the food truck business, right?”

His mother was silent on the other end. Then she said. “Those were for something else…”

“Mom. Please, just pay off the scholarship loan. I’ll pay you back. I’ll pay you back and then some! They’re going to match my retirement contributions. I’ll get shares in the company. This optional insurance will make sure you have the best medical care!”

“Jiho…”

“Mom! Listen to me!” His voice rose in urgency. “I know this is too fast and this is too hard to accept. But I’m not going to let you work okay? I need you to trust me. I’ll handle it. All the money, all the finances. I’ll save up. Put down money on a house! This is it! This is what I”ve been waiting for! Just… just pay the tuition. I’ll pay you back. I promise. I super promise…”

The silence on the other end just grew. “Your father… saved this money… penny by penny… for you. For your wedding… I…”

“Mom.” Pain assailed his heart and he closed his eyes and chewed his lip. “I know you’re not used to having money. My dad. He… never wanted it. To him it wasn’t important.” Jiho’s voice cracked and began to shake. “So long as we were together. But we’re not together anymore! He’s gone! We’re not together!” He wiped his tears angrily. “So please. Just. Just do this!”

His mother’s voice came through, small and quiet. “Okay… I’ll call the school. I’ll sign the withdrawal.”

Jiho sighed, trying to get control of his breathing. His face was burning hot and his blood was racing through him. He hated this feeling of desperation after elation. It exhausted him. “Thank you. I love you, mom.”

“I love you too… I’ll see you when you get home.”

He pressed the end call button and lowered his phone to his lap, staring out over the lake. Emotion rattled about inside him but he couldn’t let it out. It crawled up his neck, twisting his muscles and tightening them. He stood up to walk it off.

By the time he got home, he was in agony and had to lay down. A therapy pillow with electronic massage balls provided some relief. His phone vibrated.

“Grats on the job!” Yoosung had texted with a celebratory emoji.

Jiho smiled weakly. “Dude… you’re amazing.”

“Nah you’re amazing. You can finally relax!”

“No way.” Jiho texted. “My work has just begun. But… I guess I can celebrate.”

“Do you still have your LOLOL account? Wanna come play with me?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t. My neck is killing me and I can’t sit up.”

“Seriously? Have you seen a doctor?”

“Yeah. Hey. Maybe I can listen to you play?”

“That’ll work!”

Jiho sat up painfully and got his laptop and signed into LOLOL.

“Add me to friends! I’m Super Yoosung!”

“Gotcha. I’m Mighty Taco.”

“Wat. lol”

“Don’t knock it.” Jiho logged in and then activated his bluetooth headset. “Here, invite me to your voice chat.”

Soon, Yoosung’s voice filled his ears. “Hey, can you hear me?”

“I hear you just fine.” Just that small effort was tiring. He lay back down and got comfortable.

“You sound kinda sick.”

“I’m fine. What’s the dungeon?”

“Elynor’s Keep Insane.”

“Ohh… is that from the latest expansion?”

“Yep. It’s progression so… we’re going to die. A lot.”

“I look forward to it.” He smiled and closed his eyes, already feeling the knots work out of his neck.

#Mystic Messenger #Jaehee Kang #Yoosung Kim #Fanfiction #Mysme

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