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dennou-translations · 3 years ago

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Violet Evergarden: Booklet 5

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There was noon on that day.

Isabella York and the Spring Sunshine Filtered Through Leaves

—Cloudy day with soft breeze.

I have early mornings and late nights in me. Hardly any noon.

In the morning, while listlessly getting up, I make sure to live my life hoping that something will begin. Nothing ever happens, but even then, I live while thinking, “Today’s definitely gonna be the day.” In general, that’s how my days are.

Noon is literally a eulogy in my life. It’s when I feel happy being around people, having fun and wanting to savor that moment forever and ever, wishing for it to last an eternity. Like, “O time, do stop. Everything is so beautiful and precious.”

At night, I’m distressed. Anything that catches my eyes is a nuisance and I want to destroy it all. I feel irritated and filled with a desire for ruin, wanting to hurry and end this life of mine, to disappear like popping bubbles. “You, and you too – be gone,” I’d wish.

My life is just morning and night. I’ve only had a taste of noon a handful of times.

My life already had intense ups and downs in the first place. I didn’t have a father ever since I was born and my mother was murdered by a thug. I, a weak living creature that was supposed to be protected, grew up without any protection... until my body completely developed into one that could no longer be considered a child’s. After a repetition of so many nights, I arrived at my current self.

Amy Bartlett.

Isabella York.

And now, I had yet another surname.

There’s only night going on inside me. Both my life and my emotions are too much of a mess. I’ve never once attempted to give them a clean form.

This world that was so unkind to me should disappear.

But once I came to know noon, I found myself thinking that maybe I’ll get to bathe in sunlight one more time. That I might experience another beautiful moment. What an idiot I am. I’m sure it’s never gonna happen again.

These are my morning records as I wait for noon.

—Loudly whistling winds, sunny.

I’ve grown used to writing on this diary, but come to think of it, I haven’t written down the reason why I started using it. I also have to write stuff to read over again someday, after I turn into an old lady.

I got a diary with a lock to celebrate my birthday. Getting a diary as a gift was something unsettling to react to. Maybe because I only had dicey feelings for the person who gave it to me.

Who the dicey person is? The one who plays the role of my spouse: my honorable husband.

By the looks of it, he was deeply sorry for forgetting my birthday.

The man who performs the role of my husband is from a family worthy of someone like “Isabella York”. He’s supposedly a diligent and prudent spouse, who received a high-grade education and is far apart from me in age.

That aside, is he stupid or something?

I often ask myself this question in regards to that old man, despite how sorry I feel about it. I have to laugh.

My birthday was two months ago, dear husband. You were far too late.

Besides, I’m not the type to faithfully keep a diary. If you knew me better, you wouldn’t have thought of giving me one.

Let’s see... if it were my little sister, she would’ve given me colorful wildflowers. Decorating the dinner table with them might not fill up my stomach, but looking at them would make me feel at ease.

If it were my violet blossom, she surely would’ve given me ribbons to tie my hair with. After all, she always arranged my hair for me. Ever so smoothly, with her artificial fingers – she was such a skilled person.

Honestly, if I were to receive anything from the only two women I’ve ever loved, I’d be overjoyed even if they just gave me a tuft of grass from somewhere in the area.

That he was the one who gave me this diary was probably a big factor as to why I couldn’t be sincerely happy about it. That’s what I thought after self-analyzing this subtle feeling.

But, well, he didn’t have any bad intentions. The fact that he had gifted me with a diary of beautiful biding, in spite of not knowing what to buy for the much younger girl who played the role of his wife, was proof of his effort. He had already purchased clothes and jewelry for me at the time of our marriage, and he probably thought that this would be suitable of a gloomy girl who was always secluded in her bedroom at the estate. In any case, I would’ve preferred a book.

My honorable husband only acts as a spouse whenever he suddenly remembers to do so. In a way, he must have a feeling of obligation for taking me as his bride.

He locks his own wife up in the mansion and lets a lover whom he’s apparently had since before our marriage frequent his home. His barely existing conscience probably hurt because of that.

You don’t have to mind me, though. I don’t care about you either.

We both sold our souls in exchange for something. He got himself a bloodline of nobility and connections. And I got myself a means to protect the little girl whom I love most in the world. The two of us sealed a contract because there were things that we wanted. If I were to say it, we’re a pair that managed to get their hands on something even at the cost of our own souls.

We just happen to have one thing in common, but we don’t like each other in the slightest. We can never be a couple.

That, we already know.

I call my husband “old man” in my head and I think he’s probably nicknamed me “shitty brat” in his. We don’t get along. We were also raised in different ways. Our conversations don’t mesh.

When passing each other, we confirmed our respective intentions. As in, “It doesn’t seem that we’ll grow to like each other at all. If that’s how it is, then why don’t we become a make-pretend couple, plain and simple?”

We didn’t have to make any effort to love one another. We just had to coexist. That was the only point we agreed on.

Still, I wonder if wanting to keep appearances is a thing for aristocratic men.

The result of what he came up with as a gift for his wife and accomplice was a diary. Old man, there must’ve been something a bit better than that... like a book. A book would’ve been fine. I’d rather have a book.

Regardless, I had experienced growing up in poverty until a certain point, so I never want to let anything go to waste. Therefore, I’m here secluded in my bedroom, pen in hand.

My husband also gave me a peacock feather pen. I like this one. The ink is a pretty blue. A stunning blue. Blue like the eyes of a certain beauty. My favorite color.

Speaking of which, it’s been quite a while since I last wrote her a letter, I think.

Violet. Violet Evergarden.

When writing it in blue ink, the name becomes even more beautiful.

My violet blossom. My maid. My secret Auto-Memories Doll. My friend.

She’s probably forgotten about me already. I’m hopeless right now. I can’t write any letters.

I haven’t replied to her even though it’s my turn, so no new letters from Violet have arrived either. Ever since I got married, I’ve had no idea what to write about.

Maybe because I didn’t want her to find out how I was now.

Of course I wouldn’t. I don’t want to let the girl I like know how my married life is going. I don’t want her to learn that I married someone I’m not in love with or that I’m suffering.

“S’up, Violet. I’m doing horribly.” – What would I gain from writing her something like that?

Aah, Taylor. I want to see you.

But that’s impossible, isn’t it? I get it.

—Warm day with gentle breeze.

Quite a few days have passed since the last time I wrote here. I feel a tad amused whenever I reread this thing, so I guess I’m gonna keep doing it for a little while.

I tried going out into the garden for a bit today.

I usually don’t step out of my room. I even ask for my meals to be brought to my bedroom. When my husband comes over, we eat together at times in order to keep appearances, but the air around us feels like a father and daughter who have been estranged for many years while reminiscing to their home, so we avoid each other.

It was a warm day, so the wind felt nice. It’s not as great as the academy’s rose garden, but this mansion’s garden is beautiful too.

I remembered that I’m living a life in which I don’t have to touch the earth, so I tentatively grabbed a fistful of it. I would’ve switched over to a good mood if nobody had talked to me just like that... but after I spent a while staring intently at the flower beds, the gardener showed up.

“Madam, please look as much as you wish. If there is anything wrong, I shall fix it,” the gardener said, looking serious and nervous.

Is there such a thing as fixing or not fixing when it comes to gardens? It’s fine the way it is.

The silence was painful. I asked him a question because there was a flower that I was curious about, and perhaps he was happy about this, as he excitedly started giving me a specialist-like explanation on it. “Crap,” I thought. He was a chatterbox.

It’s at times like these that I can truly feel I don’t like dealing with people. Whenever I have to listen to someone talking non-stop, I feel like I’m being used as an outlet for something. I should just hear them out and have fun with it. But I find myself suffocated and wanting to run away instead.

As I kept on nodding with a strained smile, the elderly butler who manages the estate gave me a chance to cut the talk short since my tea was ready.

The gardener seemed down. He was young, so he probably wanted someone to compliment his work. I left the garden, went to my room and, after drinking the tea that was prepared for me, I thought at last, “I should’ve praised him more.”

Most likely, that’s what my real job is. After all, on the surface, I’m the lady of this mansion.

Even though I have such a problematic and unlikeable personality, that girl actually spent three months with me.

After drinking the tea, I decided to dance waltz by myself for a little bit.

—Stuffy winds, cloudy.

I met up with my husband. Apparently, he came to pick up some luggage.

Rather than meeting up with him, I guess I should say that he charged in, since I was in my room.

He asked me if I was doing well, to which I answered with an “I’m alive”. He asked if I wanted to go back home, to which I answered with a “no”. He asked me if I wasn’t going to my ex-schoolmates’ salon party, to which I answered that I wasn’t. He asked me if there wasn’t anything I needed, to which I answered that there wasn’t.

When he asked me what my favorite color was, I recalled Violet’s eyes. I said that it was blue, and he asked me why. When I told him that it was the eye color of the person I like, my husband forcefully tried to hold me in his arms and I vehemently resisted.

Since this was so sudden, I ended up coughing and everything I had eaten that afternoon spilled out of my mouth. It was then that my husband finally pulled himself together.

“If you come any closer, I’ll throw puke at you.” – This phrase also worked against him.

It seems my husband had a fight with his mistress. But did he have to try to lay a hand on the person he had mutually confirmed that he wouldn’t fall for, after both of us had decided to live however we wanted? This is why I don’t get men.

Actually, it’s not because he’s a man. I’m sure this person is a lost cause. He’s just like how I used to be in that he thinks it’s okay to harm other people if he’s unhappy.

Aah, this pisses me off. Running off to another woman just because your girlfriend is giving you the cold shoulder – I really don’t like that kind of thing. This isn’t love. He doesn’t have enough faith in his lover. I feel bad for her.

My husband endured it apparently quite well as I said lots of honestly nasty things to him, and then left the room. As for me, I cried while cleaning up the stuff I had vomited.

I want to see Taylor.

I want to spend my time only with someone that I can cherish.

—Rain after a cloudy day, no wind.

It’s raining today.

Since it was a rainy day, I had to brush Taylor’s hair thoroughly with my hands. Her hair is beautifully curly, but that’s a problem on days like these.

I was so sleepy. But there was work to be done, so I had no spare time in the morning. I had to get up and brush Taylor’s hair.

That’s what I was thinking when I opened my eyes. I looked for that curly-haired little girl for a moment, but couldn’t find her.

I’m an idiot, so I seriously looked for her for about thirty seconds. Could it be she had gone outside on her own?

If she ran into a kidnapper, she’d be done for – I had to do something, I thought as I jumped off the bed. That’s when I suddenly realized.

Taylor isn’t here.

Are you stupid, Isabella? You’re Isabella now, aren’t you? You’re not Amy anymore. Taylor isn’t with you either. She hasn’t been for the longest time now, so why did you think that? Why did you look for her? Even if you were half-awake, this shouldn’t have happened.

Unable to do anything about this emptiness and sadness that I couldn’t tell anyone about, I punched my pillow hard. “Ugh, ah, aaah, uugh...” I hit it really, really hard, several times. “Uuuugh, ah, ugh...” Each time I punched it, my tears splattered on the sheets.

This happens sometimes. I feel as if people who are no longer with me and sights I can no longer see are still here even now. It’s like an illusion.

The memories engraved into my body had me looking for my tiny little sister.

Is Taylor also seeing this rain? Is it also raining where Taylor lives?

I wonder where Taylor is living. Does she get to have breakfast over there? Do they feed her dinner there too?

Does anyone brush Taylor’s hair on rainy days?

As the tears trickled down, I looked out the window. A thunder rumbled, startling me and making me fall onto my butt on the carpet.

The lightning should’ve struck this place instead. If it had and if that caused terrible problems to this mansion, I would’ve felt a bit better.

I had this fantasy for the whole day.

—Damp air, cloudy after sunny weather.

I had stomachache today, so I went to the toilet all the time. I think about this whenever I get my period, but why does it have to be such a harsh mechanism? If I were the God who created all things, would I make a mechanism like this? Plus, it’s questionable whether I need this function or not. Probably not. I want someone to take it off me. Actually, I’m scared of taking it off.

Anyway, I don’t like pain. I’m weak to it. I get teary-eyed just from my constant coughing. It’s so painful that I can’t help it.

I didn’t want to associate that with my period, but no matter what, I’d find myself thinking about the family heir. A problem imposed on us, the make-pretend married couple. It’s still shelved, though.

If only my father died, we’d probably manage to trick everyone else with a child that my husband could sire with some other girl. We had to either make it look like I was the one who gave birth to them or adopt them.

The options were many.

I like kids, so I’m confident that I can raise even a stranger’s child with care, but I’d feel bad for them. As expected, it’s best for them to be with their real mother. I’m not necessary when it comes to that kind of thing, but I’m indispensable for my husband’s life plan, so there would be no divorce.

After writing up to this point, I was horrified to realize that I was thinking of children as a “device”.

Stop, stop – off with everything you just thought. People like me exist as a result of parents not thinking about their kids. What would a victim get by turning into an aggressor?

Just as I thought, let’s leave this shelved.

Even though my everyday consisted of just mornings, noon might come at some point. There were two women in my life who had taught me this.

Things will work themselves out one day.

Aah, for starters, it would’ve been great if I weren’t even a person... but rather, like, something that could be divided. If I were a thing whose feelings would interfere less with reproduction, and if it weren’t a physically heavy burden, I might’ve been able to give it a thought.

Geez, getting attacked by my husband last time had quite an impact on me, huh. “I’m fine; this is fine,” is what I told myself.

But actually, nothing about getting hurt is fine.

—Crescent Moon day, cloudy with intense winds.

I had a terrible time.

Is there anybody who finds delight in this sort of thing? I’m not having any fun with it at all.

How should I put it? Scandals, gossip. That kind of stuff.

The incident was unbefitting of such a quiet mansion.

As for what happened, it seems the gardener who works in this estate and one of my maids were making out in my husband’s room. My husband let his lover hang around his home and didn’t come back too often, so the two probably had their guard low.

I’ve been there a few times; it’s a room with a unique atmosphere – the all-black furnishings are very, very beautiful and animal mounts are placed around, waiting for their never-returning master. I can’t say that it’s an ideal place for a young couple to meet in secret, but it did have the mood. And a sense of guilty pleasure too. They probably found enjoyment in having several dates in my husband’s room.

I can’t say it was a good thing. That’s for certain. But the two who had done it weren’t far from me in age. They were too young. I wish he’d forgiven them with just a strict rebuke.

But from the conclusion we had, my husband got furious and went on a rampage.

Apparently, he came home by chance and happened to walk into the duo’s rendezvous. His angry yelling reverberated all the way to my room. So did the sound of breaking furniture. It was terrifying.

Men’s yelling is one of the things I hate. Violence is another.

And it got worse from there.

It was quiet after a while and then it seemed someone was opening the mansion’s gates, so I looked outside the window. Even though the nightly wind was so cold, the pair was chased out without being allowed to even take their belongings with them. The gates were closed without mercy, and they stood trembling outside of the estate, unable to move.

My husband must’ve been tremendously furious. I could understand why. It’s tough having people do something like that in your bedroom. I wouldn’t have liked it either. But I couldn’t sympathize with him.

Even if he could get rid of his anger by kicking them out, what was going to happen to the two? What happens to the ones kicked out without a single penny on them? Should they become beggars? Become thieves? Get killed by thieves? They might have to sell their bodies to either of these.

He couldn’t imagine such a future. Even if he could, he didn’t care. Well, of course he didn’t. My husband never had a hard time growing up, after all.

I wanted to give him retaliation.

That’s what I had in mind, for some reason. Rather than it being out of irritation towards my husband, it was closer to irritation towards things like fate, God and this world, who only ever thought of messing me up, as always.

What did I do the last time I got mad beyond any help? I took in a little girl, who should be made the happiest one in the world, as my younger sister.

That’s why I put myself to motion.

I really only hesitated for an instant, and immediately after walking away from the window, I went to the rooms where the help slept and had them take out the couple’s belongings. Everyone seemed appalled that the mysterious new wife, who barely talked ever since she had arrived at the estate, was suddenly exerting such ability to take action.

After taking their belongings, I went out not through the mansion’s front gate but through the back door and walked along a narrow path in the darkness for a little bit. Sure enough, I found the duo at loss, sobbing quietly.

“What do we do?”

“We shouldn’t have done that.”

They were crying while holding hands. Rather than them being drunk on their own tragedy, it was truly a tragic scene.

“Hey, you. You forgot this. Take it,” I called to them, handing over their luggage.

“Madam, is that you?”

“That’s right.”

“Hum, we are deeply sorry for...”

“I’m not looking for an apology.”

Maybe I should have given them some money, but unfortunately, I didn’t have anything, so I gave them the beautifully carved hair ornament that I was wearing, which I had received as a wedding gift, as well as the jewelry from my clothes. I also tore out the pretty buttons. If they sold them, they could earn enough travel expenses to some extent.

The two were in shock.

“Hum, this is really you, isn’t it, Madam?”

“Don’t ask the same thing over and over.”

“Why are you doing this?” they asked, to which I shrugged.

“I thought you’d need it.”

“Even though we did something inexcusable in your home?”

“You sure did. Still, this dangerous way of driving someone out is just... cruel.”

“But—”

“It’s not like you killed anyone, so I at least have to give you your stuff. I apologize in place of my husband,” I said plainly, yet the guy was crying quite a lot.

There was actually one more motive. Yes, o afflicted youths. There was another reason why I saved you.

Why had I done it? Well...

——Because no one’s ever going to save me.

Probably nobody knew, but I wanted someone to save me all the time. Couldn’t they tell? It was the truth. I always wanted to be saved. I needed saving. Or else I might end up hanging myself one of these days. I wanted someone to save me before this happened.

——Somebody save me. Somebody save me. Somebody save me.

I was lonely, desolate and feeling like I was going to die. But no one was going to help me.

I had no one to hold my hand through this dark path.

Therefore, I was going to do for other people the things that nobody would do for me. All of it. That was my logic. My revenge against God.

I’d been doing this for a long time. In the past, I picked up a little girl. I made her my sister.

I didn’t dare say it aloud, but I was making racket in my mind. Offering a helping hand to foolish lovers was an encouragement that I could give precisely because I knew poverty.

“Do you have a place to go?”

“I’m thinking of taking her with me to my hometown.”

“What about the train tickets?”

“If we sell what you gave us... we can probably...”

“Money converters take advantage of people, so you can’t sell it based on asking what the price is. Listen up. You’re going to protect her. If you get attacked by anyone, no matter how scary they are, don’t turn away on this girl.”

“Madam, what are you?” he asked dreadfully and I sneered in the darkness.

“I’m Isabella York. I have a different surname now, though.”

We talked about all sorts of things and that was the end of it, so I wondered if those two managed to reach his hometown safely.

—Humid wind, rain.

The sun came upon the estate today.

Amy Bartlett became Isabella York, Isabella got some other surname, and after changing quite a lot from when I was born until now, I arrived at my current self. But there was one thing that never changed. The fact that my bronchi were as weak as ever.

While receiving treatment, I’d think about heaven and hell. They’re essentially different places, but might be similar once you get used to them. Of course, the attributes granted to the two and how they’re viewed are complete opposites. But what I mean to say is that, once you get accustomed to something, your line of thought will grow numb and you’ll end up accepting it.

That’s resistance. One of the abilities bestowed upon human beings. A wonderful one at that.

As to why I was thinking about this, it’s because the estate’s doctor gave me a sermon.

“Lady Isabella, please be careful not to take too much medicine.”

The doctor who always gave me bronchial medicine told me about drug resistance. Apparently, if one kept on taking the same medicine, their body would get used to it and the medicine would begin not to work very well. He told me that overdosing mustn’t happen and it was bad to drink the medicine constantly, even when I was feeling okay, just because I was anxious. I couldn’t look at the doctor in the eye out of shame, so I was staring at the lint of his sweater the whole time.

“You shouldn’t become dependent on it.” Words that hurt my ears kept on coming. “You’re the only one who can heal your body and the medicine is nothing but assistance for that. It is common for people with lung illnesses to be depressed...”

——Shut up; be quiet.

“Go outside, take a walk or attend someone’s salon party, Lady Isabella. Being at home all day is unhealthy.”

——You don’t know anything. You don’t know anything.

“You have already graduated and become a fine married woman, so making use of your social status to get around would do you good.”

——Don’t spout nonsense. This body will always be a prison.

“If you go on like this, you won’t live long.”

——Who said I want to live long?

Who said I wanted to live a long life? I hadn’t said that even once. If anyone told me to die right now, though, I’d end up crying.

The doctor hadn’t done anything wrong, yet I wound up cursing him in my head because I didn’t have anyone else to take my anger out on. It might’ve showed in my attitude too. I was deeply sorry for that.

In order to show the doctor my gratitude, apology included, I went outside to see him off.

It was the first time in a while that I came outside of the mansion. There was the whole deal with the gardener, who was now gone, and my husband had tried to assault me, so I was a tad too disturbed by a lot of things and couldn’t take a single step out of the estate.

After watching the doctor board a carriage, I immediately went back into the mansion, but for just an instant, I saw someone with blond hair that resembled Violet’s in the distance, so I stopped on the spot.

It really felt only for a second that the person resembled her, and the magic soon dispelled. Upon a closer look, it was a man, which made me snicker at myself for reacting so out of proportion just because his hair was blond.

—Quiet breeze, cold then hot weather.

I was told that not to sunbathing during the day was bad for the body, so I decided to go out because there was nothing else I could do. But I didn’t want the people who live around here to see me. Hiding my face under a parasol, I went to not very popular locations in order to see seasonal flowers and natural greenery. I only ever felt depressed when I was in the mansion, so this made things a little better for me.

The parasol almost got blown away whenever the winds gusted with a rumble. Couldn’t the wind take me along? No one would be sad if I lost my life.

I want to vanish off to somewhere.

—Thick air, lukewarm temperatures.

I’ve been thinking this whole time about the “resistance” that the doctor told me about a while ago.

What happens to people when they don’t have resistance? They’d die in the winter from cold and they’d also die in summer from the heat. They can die even from the smallest disease or a tiny injury.

Well, what I mean is resistance must be an ability that people were equipped with in order to survive in all sorts of living environments.

Both happiness and unhappiness become commonplace when they’re part of daily life. There are many things that you can’t endure if you don’t have resistance. And at the same time, when you have resistance, you become insensitive towards all sorts of things.

In the past, I could only be sad or happy with what I received each day. When the pain that the world gives you becomes your everyday life, you start thinking that this can’t be changed. Maybe it’s the same with happiness. When a wonderful day becomes your daily life, it turns into a normal day.

When you get separated from someone, you finally understand. Things like, “Aah, so I was pitiful?” or, “Aah, so I was blessed?”

Once you’re able to see things from an objective viewpoint, you recognize it at last. It’s something that you can’t tell when you’re in the turmoil. Because you have resistance against it. Therefore, it was after I became Isabella York and was later removed from the York name to become the madam of some other family that I realized it.

“Aah, those days were irreplaceable.”

My life will probably end in this mansion, but if I were to see it flashing before my eyes in my last moments, it’s not this place that I would remember. I’d recall my most beloved little sister and the woman that I had declared my first love to.

I’d reminisce to sharing with my little sister a soup containing nothing but vegetable waste, to sleeping with her in my arms on cold days and to the fact that she, who could only speak incoherent words, called me “Big Sis”. Just these kinds of things. And also that I had danced with the most beautiful girl ever at the academy’s ball. That’s it.

During those times, those days, I was extremely fortunate. I’m only realizing that now, even though so much time has passed since I lost them.

Anyway, it’s been really hard lately. I feel that my resistance is weakening. Resistance to sadness, that is. It’s weakening. Everything is painful. Suffocating.

I want help. Do people live with this much loneliness?

I was supposed to be used to sadness, wasn’t I? And to being alone.

When my mom died. When I had to let Taylor go. When I waved goodbye to the girl I liked. I was sad in all of these times.

You’re used to it, right? Endure it.

Give me some resistance, God.

I want to have no emotions. I don’t need feelings.

Give me resistance to keep living even if I’m alone. Otherwise, God, at least please tell me that Taylor is happy.

With just these news, I can do my best until I die.

——It’s so hard; I’m so sad.

Today was rainy.

——I’m lonely.

Today was sunny.

——I’m so, so bored.

Today was cloudy.

——My coughs have been terrible and there’s blood coming out.

Today was sunny.

——Nobody touch me, nobody touch me.

Today was sunny and occasionally rainy.

——It’s morning now.

It was morning inside me too.

——There won’t be any noon.

Today was rainy.

——It rained inside me too.

Today was... Today was... Today was...

——What about tomorrow?

Tomorrow and after tomorrow. The next day and the day after that.

I was going to be lonely forever, wasn’t I?

Nothing good ever happened. The light of the sun never shone on me. Morning simply went on. There was no meaning to this if noon wouldn’t come.

Why was I alive?

If I was just going to have mornings of contemplating my dreams, then it was meaningless. If no beautiful moments were ever going to happen, what was my purpose for being alive? What was my drive for wanting to be alive? What sights did I want to see?

As though I were having a dream, today, tomorrow, forever. Forever. Forever. Forever.

Noon wasn’t going to come, was it?

—Pretty sunny day with warm winds.

A letter arrived.

I’m properly writing on the diary for the first in a long time.

That marvelous young man. The one who had blond hair and blue eyes like Violet. He brought me a letter from Taylor. He’s a postman from the CH Postal Company, the post office where Violet works. Violet hasn’t sent me letters all this time, yet she remembered me and my sister, and she cared!

That girl escaped from the orphanage by herself, I heard. What a surprise. She’s already grown to a point where she can do something like that. Aah, I wonder whom that recklessness of hers takes after. Gotta be me, I guess.

What do I do? What do I do? I’m already happy just from the fact that she was looking for me.

Yet she sent me a letter. She wants to see me. To think that something so wonderful would happen in my life – aah, what do I do? I’m crying as I write this. There’s tearstains splattered all over.

I wonder if she’ll come see me one day, when she’s an adult.

It kinda feels like time had stopped all along until now. So good things do happen, huh. I was merely resisting every day, patient and firm.

My heart had burst and I was about to discard myself just like that. Aah, aah, but...

If I live, there will be days when noon will come, huh, Taylor?

With time, both the world and I would grow old.

My field of vision, which only ever looked around with a cold gaze, would change its color, and little by little, the number of things that mattered to me would increase, as well as the number of things that I didn’t need. Even so, I would shoulder it all and live. Live, live and live.

Along the course of my life, I’d have days like this.

According to the blond, blue-eyed “deliverer of happiness”, who was now completely familiar with me and had a key position in his company, today was apparently the day that she would gain independence. It was his command that she be entrusted with deliveries specifically designated to me.

I was grateful for that. I ended up indebted to him for a lifetime. It would be great if I could pay him back someday.

Ever since I received these news, I couldn’t stay put, so I was outside since morning.

It was the morning of a peaceful spring day. Still a little bit chilly. With a shawl over my shoulders, I quivered.

At the back of the mansion, I was waiting for my destiny.

——Other than my violet blossom, you’re the only person that I want to forever keep waiting for.

After a while, amidst the unchanging natural scenery, I could see your beautifully changed figure. Mounted on a motorcycle, you showed up dashingly.

——Aah, but you’ve grown up so beautiful. You’ve grown up strong. I heard about it. You couldn’t memorize the names of the towns at all, huh. And even now, you get scolded because your handwriting is a mess. You haven’t fixed your habit of avoiding veggies that you don’t like eating, have you? Do you already have someone you like? I heard about the trip you went to with your friends. Don’t come running in such a hurry. I won’t run away. I won’t run away from here. So it’s okay. You can walk calmly. Really, thank you for coming all the way here to see me. I’ve been waiting all this time.

With a smile like the sun, she said, “Here’s your mail, Mrs...” nearly saying “Isabella”, she shook her head and corrected herself, “Here’s your mail, Lady Amy Bartlett.”

Hands trembling, I wrote down my signature to receive the delivery. While writing, as expected, I cried.

“You shouldn’t cry, Big Sis.”

Her sweet voice tickled my ears. Both of us held each other’s hands at the same time.

“Yeah, but I’m so happy that you’re doing so well...”

——Aah, God.

“From now on, I’ll always be in charge of this area. I’ll be exclusive for you forever, Big Sis.”

——I’ve always resented and cursed you.

“Yeah, yeah.”

——But for today, let me say thanks. God, I...

“Taylor, y’know...”

——...I’ll try to live on, just for a little more. Because I cherish the world in which this girl lives.

#violet evergarden #veedit #fyeahvioletevergarden #kyoani #kyoto animation #amy bartlett #taylor bartlett #isabella york #akatsuki kana #takase akiko #novel #my translation #violet evergarden booklets #isabella york and the spring sunlight between tree leaves #isabella york to haru no komorebi

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nishiisenpai · 4 years ago

Text

birthday forgotten - tsukishima kei x reader

REQUEST: “Hi babes! Another Haikyuu writer here! I saw you posted about doing requests and I was hoping on giving you one! Maybe an angst with fluff at the end fic where it’s the reader’s birthday (who is the karasuno manager and is also dating Tsuki cause I love that man) and they (the team) all forget, and when they find other later they feel bad because she has always made their birthday’s special. Then ending in fluff of them trying to make it up to her. Sorry if it’s not good I usually write and don’t request lmao. Hope you see more of your stuff in the future! - @nataliahaslosthershit “

A/N: I seriously can not thank you enough for sending in this request(deadass cried about it for a whole 10-15 minutes LOL - because i thought this blog was gonna flop ._. ) but thank you again for sending this in and i hope i didn’t disappoint you or anything!

WARNING: Angsty but with a fluff ending!

WHO: Tsukishima Kei x Karasuno Manager! Female Reader

“Morning Tsukki!” you smile at your salty dinosaur who had just entered the classroom. You followed him to his desk where he sat down and placed his bag, taking a book out.

“Morning.” Tsukishima said while giving you a small grin and paying attention to his book.

“Whatcha up to?”

“Reading.”

“Oh- uhm, do you want me to stay here or like?” You said as you were about to get up and leave though Tsukishima’s hand held onto your wrist.

“No no, it’s okay. You can stay here.” He looked at you with his norm straight face and you nodded sitting back down.

“I heard it’s a special day today...” you hinted. Today was your birthday and you were really hoping your salty dino got the message.

“Oh really?”

“Yup!” your eyes beamed with sparkles as Tsukki didn’t pay attention. “Hey are you ignoring me?”

“What? No! I was listening still. Keep talking.”

“Oh uhm, well today is a special day! A very very special day.”

“Is that so?” his eyes stayed on the book as he turned the page.

“Yes it quite is.”

“Well if you’re going to say something that mentions about practice then I think you’re mistaken.”

“No, silly! It doesn’t have to deal with practice. Something more exciting!”

“What is there to be excited about?” ouch.

“Well I don’t know, it seems that I am forgetting something...” you mumbled but screamed in your head to shout out the answer to your question. As much as you love this dinosaur, he sure is dumb to recognize the importance of your birthday.

“Well all I know is that today’s a normal and regular day, and there isn’t something special that I remember happening today.” suddenly the words Tsukishima was saying faded into a fuzzy noise. No longer were you able to connect back or hear anything around you, all you heard was the sound of your heartbeat slowly beating and your hurried breathes.

“Y/N? Hello? Are you okay?” Tsukishima snapped you back into reality.

“Huh? Oh yeah... I’m fine. Class is about to start, I’m going to head back to my seat and I’ll see you later yeah?”

“Okay, see yah.”

Class ended awhile ago and it was break. You had just left the washroom to see Kageyama and Hinata together bickering.

“What are you two boys bickering about, today?” as you walked up to them.

“Kageyama is calling me an idiot.” Hinata shot a glare at him.

“Again?” you chuckled.

“If you hadn’t ruined my favourite sweater Y/N got for me on my birthday by puking on it I wouldn’t be holding such a grudge.”

“HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY SORRY!” Hinata jumped up and down.

“It’s alright, Kageyama. I’ll get you another one on your birthday!” you said with a small smile and Kageyama’s eyes lit up.

“Wait actually??? Th-Thank you.” he gave you a small bow and you laughed.

“WHAT? NO FAIR-“ Hinata started saying but you interrupted him.

“I’ll make your birthday even more special, Hinata.” That’s all it took to have stars shine in Hinata’s eyes.

“NOT FAIR-“ you probably shouldn’t have mentioned or said that as they continued to bicker.

“Hey- BOYS!” you stopped them and they apologized. “Get to class, you’ll be late.”

“Yes, Y/N.” as they trudged back to class. Hinata had turned around.

“Oh by the way, Y/N.” maybe he would remember or say something about your birthday.

“Yes, Hinata?” you waited for the words to come out.

“Are you ready for-“

“Yes! I am so ready and excited!”

“See Kageyama, I told you Y/N would be excited to see our quick.” wait-what? I thought he would say something or remembered.

“Tsk, whatever.”

“See yah Y/N!” Hinata waved. You tried not to look upset and waved back with a small smile.

“Bye, Hinata. Bye Kageyama. I’ll see you two at practice.”

You knew these two boys would be forgetful. What type of hope did you clutch onto? If Tsukishima didn’t even remember your birthday, how would the others?

“Oh hi, Y/N!” Sugawara had said.

“Hey! Where are the others?” you said as you saw Daichi, Asahi, and Tanaka.

“They’re just coming.”

“Ahh I see.”

“So are you doing anything after practice?” yes, I’m going to celebrate my birthday by myself.

“Uh, just studying for an upcoming test. How about you Suga-san?”

“Good luck with that! And uhm.. I don’t think I have anything in mind today. Maybe just take a shower and sleep when I get home.” Suga laughed and you chuckled a bit before putting a small smile hiding away the pain.

Even Suga forgot your birthday... This is honestly one of the most heartbreaking thing because he’s never the type to forget things. Especially when it comes to birthdays...

“Takeda-sensei, I think I’ll head out first. I still have homework to work on.” You said.

“Okay, thank you Y/N for coming.” He said before turning around. You went towards the door to open it quickly as tears were streaming down your cheeks already and you didn’t want to be seen with such emotion displayed on your face. You accidently hadn’t seen where you were going as you bumped into someone.

“Oh Y/N, are you okay?” Kiyoko asked. You wiped the falling tears from your eyes quickly and inhaled a breath of air before facing her.

“Huh? Ah, Kiyoko-san, yes. I am alright. I’m just going to leave early because I have homework to finish.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yep! See yah!” As you quickly turned away from her and walked your way home continuing to have tears stream down your face. The slow mind process of doubt, and overthinking started playing in your head as to how this could have led you to such event.

“Alright everyone, good job today! Make sure to rest up well, eat a well balanced dinner and get enough sleep.” Coach Ukai had spoken before continuing to speak, “Where’s Y/N?”

“She said she had homework left to do.” Takeda-sensei spoke out.

“Shoot, I wanted to gift her this.” Coach Ukai was holding a bag of your favourite snacks from his store.

“What for?” The team questioned.

“For her birthday... Why else?” Coach Ukai looked at the team in confusion looking at the faces of shock and guilt before widening his eyes.

��Did you idiots forget it was her birthday?!?!?!?” Coach Ukai slightly raised his voice making everyone panic.

“Wait- what? It’s today?” Tsukki checked his phone and spat out his water.

“Holy shit, I’m a bad boyfriend.”

“Tsukishima! How could you forget!?!?!” Yamaguchi yelled at his best friend before slapping him on the back of his head.

“So that’s why she was crying...” Kiyoko spoke out and everyone froze.

“S-She was crying?” Tsukishima’s eyes enlarged before grabbing his bags and heading towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Daichi asked stopping at the door.

“To go apologize to my girlfriend and to spend the rest of the day with her, why else?” As Tsukishima stared down at his captain.

“We should all go and make it up to her. We as a team forgot so we shall go do what’s right.” Sugawara had spoken as Tanaka and Nishinoya had aggressively nodded their heads.

“Let’s go to Coach Ukai’s shop to purchase more snacks and drinks.” Hinata said while looking at Kageyama. “I’ll beat you there first.”

“Not unless I do it first!” As the two started sprinting towards the doors and to the shop.

“You sir,” Tanaka and Nishinoya said while looking aggressively into Tsukishima’s eyes, “Need to be a better boyfriend or we’ll take your girl.

“As if you can.” Tsukishima smirked heading outside before dashing to your place.

You were laying in bed after finishing your studies and staring at the ceiling thinking about how today turned out.

“Am I not important? Do they even know when my birthday is? I mean I had mentioned it before. Does Tsukki even know it’s today? Am I not special enough?” all these clouded thoughts were blocking out the noise around you but suddenly your phone vibrated next to you snapping you out of your thoughts. The caller ID showed a picture of you and Tsukishima on your second date at the park mindlessly being slight idiots at night.

“Hello-?”

“Open your door.” Tsukishima’s voice said.

“Huh, why?” As you got up and walked towards the front door.

“You’ll see.” The call ended and you stared at your phone questioning what Tsukishima meant.

You opened the door revealing your boyfriend.

“What are you doing here at this time?” You said looking up at your boyfriend and tilted your head in confusion.

“Hold on, you can come in guys.” Tsukishima mentioned and you cocked your eyebrow at him.

“Happy birthday, Y/N!” Hinata came in giving you a plastic bag. In came the rest of the team and you were suddenly now holding plastic bags and poorly wrapped gifts in your hands as each of them said happy birthday to you.

“What is this..?” you chuckled nervously looking at them all for an answer.

“We felt really bad for forgetting to say a happy birthday to you. Mainly that tall blonde over there.” Tanaka said and Tsukishima sent a glare to the older boy.

“Aww thank you guys... I will admit I was a little upset, but that doesn’t matter anymore because you guys are here now! What are we waiting for? Let’s get this party started!” you exclaimed and their moods brightened.

“I’ll go set up the board games.” Daichi said with Sugawara following behind. The rest of the boys went to set up the snacks meanwhile you went to your room and placed the gifts there before heading to the kitchen to get some cold drinks.

“Y/N...” Tsukishima said out of nowhere scaring you.

“Tsukki, you nearly gave me a heart attack.” you said as you placed a hand over your heart chuckling.

“I’m sorry.” your chuckling stopped.

“It’s okay, babes. You didn’t know.” you said placing the drinks onto the kitchen counter.

“No, it’s not okay! Today is significant and an important day. I am so stupid for forgetting that it was your birthday.” Tsukishima looked down. This wasn’t like your boyfriend. The Tsukishima you knew wasn’t all apologetic and or so soft?

“Tsukki, it really is okay...” you went over to him and stood right in front of him before wrapping your arms around your salty dino.

“But it’s not.” he said mumbling. You sighed before bringing your hands to Tsukishima’s cheeks pulling him down a bit and bringing your lips together for a light kiss and going back into a hug position.

“Baby, it’s okay. I already forgave you for coming and you guys making it up to me by purchasing all this stuff and bringing all this stuff too. I promise.”

“Really? Cause I feel like a shitty boyfriend right now.”

“You will if you keep being all pouty and soft. That reminds me, since when were you so caring and soft?” you push your head away from Tsukishima’s chest giving him a puzzled look before he placed his hand on the back of your head and pushed you back to his chest.

“Shut up.” he grumbled while blushing and you giggled.

“WOAH- TSUKISHIMA’S BEING ALL CUTE IN THE KITCHEN WITH Y/N!” Sugawara said telling the group and from there started chaos.

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suwya · 4 years ago

Text

Till the Stars Had Run Away - Chapter 4

Summary: Killian Jones was a voyager. Actually, he was many things, or at least he had been - a lieutenant, a brother, a loving boyfriend - until everything had turned upside down and his life had hit an all time low. So, he gave up. Aboard his spaceship he abandoned Arcadia, his planet, navigating the stars and other solar systems in search of... well, he still didn't know what he was searching for, but his rule was "never remain in the same place longer than necessary."

Rating: M

Prologue; Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

AO3

A/N: Thank you @thisonesatellite for being the best beta I could ever ask for . And thank to all of you who are reading this.

Chapter 4 . .

But I, being poor,

have only my dreams;

I have spread my dreams

under your feet;

tread softly because

you tread on my dreams.

(W. B. Yeats)

Days passed quietly. Emma and Henry went back to their usual mother-son relationship sooner than Killian had expected and he enjoyed all the domestic moments with them. Especially at night. Not that he didn’t care about the boy, Henry was always a ray of sunshine, and Killian felt he was starting to bond with him deeper than he could have ever imagined. But at night, after Henry had gone to sleep, Emma always spent some time in the main cabin, sitting next to Killian: sometimes just staring silently at the starry sky, other times listening to him explaining all the different constellations they passed through, even though Killian wasn’t sure whether she was interested in his knowledge, or she was too well-mannered to stop his blathering.

Emma Swan. This beautiful and somehow mysterious woman had invaded his life and had fascinated him since their very first meeting.

More exactly, she had tormented his nights and thoughts from that moment on. A bittersweet obsession that had accompanied him for years. He had almost convinced himself that he was over her, during his reckless years with his friend Robin. But that wasn't entirely true, and he couldn't lie to himself. She used to appear in his dreams when he least expected and left a hollowing feeling in his soul for the rest of the following days whenever it happened as if he wasn’t entirely complete without her.

The night he had found her again, thanks to Henry, his heart had skipped a beat and he had known he was in trouble. But it was a cross he was willing to bear. It was not only a physical attraction he felt towards her, even though he couldn’t fool himself, she was a very good-looking woman; but he was also determined to discover every single detail of what she was, no matter the effort. From that moment on, he cherished every minute, every second spent with her.

When they finally arrived at their destination, permission to land on the new planet was easily granted. Nevertheless, the day was coming to an end and they decided it was better to sleep inside the ship in the hangar than to find an available place to spend the night.

The next morning, from one of the lockers in the entrance of the spaceship, Killian retrieved the package that he needed to trade in exchange for the item he had to recover for his client.

It was still early and Killian was surprised to see Henry coming out of his cabin, still wearing pajamas. “Are you already going?” The boy asked him, trying to suppress a yawn.

“Aye, but I will be back soon.” He assured the lad.

Henry threw a glance at the closed door behind him and stepped closed to Killian. “Mom is still in the shower. May I ask you a favor?” He whispered, conspiratorial.

Killian made a great effort not to linger on the thought of a naked Emma under the shower jet, he breathed deeply and concentrated on the boy in front of him. “Sure, lad.”

“Today is my mom’s birthday.”

“Is it, now?” Killian was both surprised and amused by this piece of information.

“Yes. We have this tradition, my mom and I,” the boy explained. “When it's my birthday she tries to celebrate it with a cake... or something… It's not always a big thing, I remember once we just had a couple of biscuits with frozen spicy cream on them.” After a small pause, he added, “mom doesn't want to make me worry, but I can see she’s in some kind of trouble. I’d like to make a little celebration for her this time. But she won't let me wander around an unknown planet all by myself.”

Killian nodded in understatement. “You want me to purchase something sweet for your mother.”

“I know you have your job to do, but if it's not much of a problem, could you look for something?” He asked hopefully.

“Not a problem. At all.”

Henry's grin widened. “Of course mom doesn’t have to know anything about it. And we are going to need a name!”

“Come again?” Killian couldn’t follow the boy’s thoughts.

Henry extended a hand to shake with the man in front of him “Operation Candlelight is on!” He exclaimed.

Killian chuckled and retrieved his hand just in time to see Emma appearing from another door, fully dressed for the day.

She was wearing a pair of stretched dark blue jeans and a thin white v-neck blouse with a skinny light brown leather vest over it. Her hair was still damped and Killian had to swallow a groan when his eyes followed a drop of water running down her cleavage.

“Oh, Henry, you’re already awake.” She said surprised.

“I was just saying to your boy…” Killian came in help to a puzzled Henry, who wasn’t so quick in thinking of a good excuse why he was already out of bed. “I've heard there's a fair in town.”

He turned to Henry “Maybe you and your mother could have a look while I’m attending my duties.” And then back to Emma “What do you say, Swan?”

The boy looked hesitantly at his mother.

"I think it's a good idea," she agreed and was rewarded by a big grin on Henry's face.

~·~·~·~

. The trade went smoothly as predicted, which gave Killian enough time to deal with the assignment that Henry had sent him on.

Finding something sweet to celebrate was more difficult than expected, it took him a few rounds through narrow streets and alleys and after asking a few passers-by for information, he finally found something that in his opinion could serve as dessert. But the hardest part was to discern the right thing to buy as Emma's present. Henry hadn’t mentioned anything about a gift, but Killian thought it could be the right excuse to surprise her.

The problem was that he had no clue what she would like.

Killian tried to think about the time the two of them had spent together. All right, maybe it wasn’t the best idea to linger on the memories of their first encounter. And maybe it wasn’t good either to think about their second one. But since Henry entered his life things had changed. When the boy was in the same room with them, she seemed more relaxed, more condescending, less closed up inside her inner barriers. Killian would say she even seemed happier.

And the moments shared at night in his cabin had been... well, some had been carefree and others had been intense, very intense. In the short amount of days they’d spent together, Killian had already revealed to Emma too much information about his past, something he had never done before with anyone, not even his best friend Robin. And that was alarming. He knew he had a soft spot for her, but to which extent?

Bloody Hell, man, you’re so screwed-up! He said to himself. That Lady Swan is going to be the death of you. Killian sighed and passed a hand through his hair as if that simple gesture could be enough to clear up his mind. Swan. He thought and realized that he never asked her why she chose exactly this surname while changing her identity. He assumed that it had to mean something of significance to her. And there it was: the perfect idea for a gift.

When he went back on his spaceship it was already late evening and he found his guests sitting at the table in the entrance playing hologram chess.

“Who's winning?” He asked, securing the locks of the main gate.

“Henry is a much better player than I am,” Emma admitted.

Killian took a seat next to her and whispered something in her ear. After that Emma studied the board. “Oh. That's an interesting move,” she exclaimed carrying out what Killian had just suggested.

“It's not fair. That's cheating.” Henry complained.

“Come on, lad, your mother is at an evident disadvantage. Let me give her some advice.” But when Henry made an unsure face, “just this time?” Killian added winking at the boy.

“Ok...but only this once.” Henry surrendered.

Emma looked at them perplexed, sensing that something was brewing between them, but didn't ask for further explanations.

Dinner passed by telling how their days had gone. It was clear that Henry had enjoyed the fair quite a lot, especially some storytelling he’d had the opportunity to attend. “Have you ever been to the NTH-Confederates planets, Killian?”

The NTH-Confederates planets belonged to a very far galaxy and they were shrouded in layers of fabulous legends. Killian had always had problems discerning the truth from the myth, but he knew the large hand of The Industry had touched them somehow, and they had succumbed to it, dark times awaited those planets. “I've heard about them but never had the luck to land over there. From what I know, it's a very different place now than what it was in its glorious days.”

“This man, he told us of so many fantastic creatures he saw!”

“I wouldn't believe every word the storyteller said, kid. They are just stories.” Emma tried to rationalize.

“Yeah. I suppose. But it would be cool if a place like that actually existed.”

“One can always dream about marvelous lands and wish they exist, right? Talking about dreams and wishes…” but Killian didn’t finish his sentence, he stood up from the table and went to rummage in some of the kitchenette lockers. When he turned to face his guests, he was holding a sort of a brown whole cupcake with colorful cream and a single lighted candle on top. He deposited it in front of an astonished Emma with a grin on his face, and he sat down again on his chair. “Sorry, it was the only sweet food I’ve found on this planet.” He said apologetically.

“Killian...?” Emma started to say, but Henry was faster: “It's perfect!” The boy was wearing a matching grin to the man in front of her.

“How...? What does it mean?” Was the only thing she was able to put into words.

“Well, some fleeting rumor told me that today is some sort of anniversary. Correct me if I’m wrong.” Killian explained. Before she could answer him, he lifted a hand to stop her. “Before blowing out the candle, don't forget to make a wish!”

She looked up at her son, then at Killian for a brief moment, then she closed her eyes. When she opened them again there was resolution and something Killian identified as hope in them. She blew out and the candle went off.

Cheers and applause rang out. Henry was glowing, hugging his mother fiercely, while Killian smacked his forehead, as if he was suddenly remembering something, and then he retrieved a little package from one of his pockets. He offered it to a puzzled Emma.

She extricated herself from her son's arms and took the wrapped item Killian was giving to her. “What is this?” She asked cautiously.

“Customarily, a surprise is part of the fun of gift-giving.” He answered smiling. “Open it.” He urged her.

Opening the paper wrapping Emma found a small dark swan pendant made of polished meteorite rock. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered with shiny eyes, close to tears.

~·~·~·~

Later that night, Killian was resting on his hammock with his arms behind his head. The door opened and closed and Emma entered his cabin as she had always done the last few nights while they were flying. But tonight was a bit different. He wasn't sitting at the controls, but already lying on his bed.

She approached him with a serious look.

“Everything alright, Swan?” He asked as she stepped closer biting her lower lip.

She seemed to consider the situation for a few seconds before climbing into the hammock and lying next to him: her head on his chest and an arm resting across his torso. “Thank you.” She spoke so quietly that Killian wasn’t even sure he had heard correctly.

He didn’t know how to react, he felt paralyzed. But when it seemed she was feeling comfortable with the proximity, he put his left arm around her back and released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

They spent a few moments like that, neither of them wanted to break the spell of silence. Killian’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Of all the questions he would have liked to make her, to help him solve the puzzle this incredible woman represented, one came out of his mouth without really thinking about it “What happened the day we met? I mean after I left.”

She kept quiet for a few minutes, and he began to believe that she was in no mood to speak, but then she started with a soft voice almost audible: “Just after you left the room, that man, Neal Cassidy, he entered declaring that it was his right to… you know. He just wanted the reward money. I haven’t heard from him since. He’s probably not interested in his son at all. He just used me for his benefits.”

Killian clenched his jaw; if he had that Cassidy guy in front of him right now he would have punched him in the face. “Did he hurt you?” He asked, trying to control his rage.

“Well, I wasn’t exactly an expert in that matter, given that I was raised in strict privacy and all.” She sighed. “I knew I had to relax, but my mind wasn’t on the same path as my good intentions. So I’m not sure it was entirely his fault.”

“Son of a bitch.” Killian couldn't repress a curse.

“If it makes you feel any better, that wasn’t even the worst day of my life.” She stated. “The night you found me on the shore… I was so furious with you. I went back to the Palace to talk with my lawyers, to see if I could banish you from the planet, or put you in jail, or something like that. But it was late and I didn’t find anyone in their office. What I did find were some papers about me, ready to be signed. You were right. The King and Queen of New-Tolemac wanted full authority on my child, they weren’t interested in me or my future.”

“I should apologize for the horrible things I said to you that night.”

“Don’t. At least you were the only one who never lied to me.” Her gaze seemed lost in the memory of those days. “I also found a document, an old one. I discovered I was adopted, or rather, I was sold. My real parents gave me away when I was only a few days old. They probably needed some money and they used me, as so many others did.”

After a small pause, she added: “Henry is the only person in my life that cares about me for who I am.”

“I never intended to use you.” Killian assured, but he soon corrected himself: “All right, maybe I did. But that was before meeting you.”

She seemed to ponder her next words. “I know. This is why I told your name to my son when he first asked me about his father.”

“If there's anything I can do for you…” She had told him the night Henry entered his life.

But Killian dismissed her with a wave of his hand. “No problem.”

“Thank you for bringing him home.” Her tone was genuinely thankful.

“It was the right thing to do.” And when she didn't reply he felt it was the moment to say goodbye.

He started stepping back but suddenly stopped and turned around facing her again. “Uh... now that I think about it. There is a thing you could do for me.” He tilted his head arching an inquiring eyebrow. “I have one question,” he said, emphasizing his words lifting one of his fingers, “why does your boy believe that I'm his father?”

At those words, she lifted her gaze to look straight into his eyes. “I wanted Henry to believe his father was a good man.” Emma had answered, staring at him with sincerity before entering her house and closing the door behind her.

#cs ff #cs au #Till the Stars Had Run Away #alternative universe - science fiction #space au #My writing

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emy-loves-you · 4 years ago

Text

Baking’s Not As Simple As Chemistry

Pairing: Logicality

Word Count: 1,653

Summary: Logan tries to buy a cake for Patton’s birthday, but the bakery he always goes to is closed. He decides to bake it himself. Baking’s just a form of chemistry, right? How hard could it be? Logan POV

Masterlist

Logan was incredibly tired.

It was currently 8 PM on a Friday night and Logan wanted nothing more than to relax at home with his favorite blanket and a good documentary. He had to stay in late at work because his new coworker was incompetent and had no idea of how to do his job-

Logan shook his head, focusing on the road ahead of him. Being angry will get you nowhere, Patton had always said, try and channel it somewhere else.

Logan smiled as he thought about his boyfriend of almost a year. Patton was perfect in every way that Logan wasn’t; adorable, funny, emotionally and socially intelligent, you name it. They’d known each other since high school, having met through their mutual friends. Patton had latched onto him since day one and promised to never let go. And he never did. They were the best of friends and danced around their romantic feelings for years. It took forever for the two of them to confess, mainly because of Patton’s low self-esteem and Logan’s difficulty to express his emotions. But ten months ago they had confessed to each other and everything had become significantly better since.

Well, everything non-work related, Logan thought bitterly. Logan was a chemistry teacher at the local high school and Patton worked as a child therapist with his cousin Emile. It was stressful, mainly because they didn’t live together so they only saw each other on lunch breaks and weekends. But it was worth it, seeing the way Patton’s face lit up every time they saw each other.

Logan frowned as he heard his phone go off. It was the random chime that served to notify him of an event scheduled 12 hours from now. But he didn’t remember anything being scheduled for 8 AM tomorrow. Logan pulled into the nearest gas station and turned on his phone, reading his notification.

Saturday 8AM: Patton’s birthday

Logan groaned, facepalming. He’d been so busy this week that he’d completely forgotten about Patton’s birthday!

He shook his head. He needed to concentrate. Patton didn’t like large parties or anything, and he would probably just want to spend the day watching movies at Logan’s house. Which was fine; he just had to make sure the house was cleaned before Patton arrived tomorrow morning. His gift was already wrapped and hidden in the top of Logan’s closet, so all that was left was the cake-

The cake! Logan quickly unlocked his phone, searching up the bakery he always went to for Patton’s cake. They made a special handmade red velvet cake that Patton loved, but if Logan remembered correctly…

Logan groaned, staring dejectedly at the small screen. It closed 30 minutes ago and won’t be open again until Monday. What am I supposed to do now? He couldn’t have Patton show up tomorrow and not have a cake for him. And Patton didn’t like most store-bought cakes and cake-mixes, preferring to make cakes from scratch instead-

That’s it! He quickly started typing again, searching up red velvet cake recipes. I’ll just make Patton a cake from scratch! It says that it should take less than an hour, and the instructions look simple enough. Besides, baking is just another form of chemistry. And I’m a chemistry teacher for Newton’s sake! How difficult could it possibly be?

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Logan analyzed the carefully sorted ingredients in front of him. He’d bought all of the ingredients last night and decided to get a good night’s rest before getting up early the next morning to begin baking. It was 6:38 AM at the moment, and Patton wasn’t scheduled to come over until 8 AM. That should be enough time to bake the cake, tidy up the house, decorate the cake, and get dressed. He tugged his phone out of the apron he wore over his pajamas (another item he purchased last night, it was navy blue with the standard ‘Kiss the Cook’ written in white. He hoped that Patton liked it) and pulled up the recipe. He started by carefully measuring out each ingredient that he would need, putting the excess ingredients away. He then preheated the oven and greased the pan before turning to his bowl. The first step seemed simple enough: combine butter and sugar. The butter was still cold so it was difficult, but he eventually had an interesting butter-egg mixture. The second step was a bit trickier: add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This wouldn’t be a difficult step for someone who’s cracked an egg before.

Logan, unfortunately, is not one of those people.

At first, he tried it the way he’d seen people on the baking channels that Patton watched do it; he held the egg in one hand and attempted to crack it open with the pressure from his thumb, hopefully splitting the shell open down the middle.

He ended up with a handful of crushed egg.

After he cleaned that up, he tried the method he remembered his mother doing when he was little: cracking the egg on the edge of the counter and sticking his thumb into the newly-made crack to split it open easier. He lightly tapped the egg against the counter and frowned when nothing happened. Perhaps I need to add more force? He tapped it harder against the counter, but it still didn’t crack. He growled with impatience and hit it harder against the counter.

Well great, he thought as he stared at the egg yolk all over the counter. I have performed extremely dangerous experiments with higher precision than most people could ever dream of, yet I am being outsmarted by a chicken egg.

Several tries later (and several minutes of picking eggshells out of the bowl) Logan was finally making decent progress. He carefully added the premeasured ingredients, making sure not to spill any as he worked. He carefully poured the final batter into a pan and stuck it in the oven. He then set a timer for 30 minutes and checked the time. 7:02 AM. That took much longer than expected.

He spent the next half hour picking up the house, trying to make everything perfect for his boyfriend. He piled all of his blankets and pillows onto his bed, set aside a stack of movies for them to watch, and cleaned up the dirty clothes and take-out containers that had built up over the week.

As soon as the timer went off Logan rushed to the kitchen, taking the cake out and putting it on an empty burner to cool. While it was cooling he turned to the pot on another burner, setting out to make some homemade icing. He added the ingredients and turned on the stove, stirring consistently as instructed. It was supposed to gain a pudding-like consistency, but sadly it stayed more like soup.

Maybe it’ll change consistency once I add the rest of the ingredients. He turned off the heat and poured it into a metal bowl, adding the rest of the ingredients as instructed. He was technically supposed to use a stand mixer but he didn’t have one, so Logan did his best to hand stir it. He frowned when the consistency didn’t change much.

Knock knock knock

Logan gasped and looked up at the clock. 8:04 AM. Have I really spent so much time baking? There was another set of knocking and Logan rushed to answer the door. Patton stood there shocked, and it took Logan a moment to realize why. His hair was probably a mess, and he was still wearing his pajamas and apron (which were now covered in baking ingredients). “Oh.”

Patton stared for another moment before bursting into giggles. Logan chuckled along with him, blushing in embarrassment. It took Patton several moments to calm down, clutching his stomach as he shook with silent giggles. Once he finally caught his breath Patton gestured to the apron. “Is that permission?”

Logan looked down at the stained ‘Kiss the Cook’ and nodded. He sighed happily as Patton’s lips pressed against his. He melted into the kiss, biting back a whine when Patton pulled away. He awkwardly adjusted his glasses while he cleared his throat. “Uhm, happy birthday Patton.”

Patton smiled brightly, clapping his hands together. “Thanks, Lo!” He eyes Logan’s clothes again, undisguised mirth in his eyes. “So, what’s with the apron?”

Logan blushed, silently grabbing Patton’s hand and leading him to the kitchen. He gestured to the confectionaries before putting his head in his hands. Patton scooped some icing with his finger, watching curiously as it dripped off his finger, appearing more like milk than icing. He looked over at the cake and winced. The middle had caved in, making a little red crater. Patton stuck a knife into the middle and showed Logan the batter covered knife. "You're supposed to check to make sure that the cake's cooked all the way through before taking it out of the oven." He gestured to the cake. "So, what's with the baking?"

Logan hung his head low, unable to meet Patton's gaze. "I forgot to buy you the red velvet cake that I get every year at the bakery, so I tried to make you one myself.” Everything was silent for several moments, and every second flooded Logan with even more doubt and shame, the pressure in his chest expanding like a balloon until-

He nearly flinched when a cool hand touched his cheek. He looked up to see Patton smiling softly. “Oh Sweety, you didn’t have to do all that. Just knowing that you care is enough for me.” He kissed Logan on the lips, and Logan felt all of his worries melt away. Eventually Patton pulled away and tugged on Logan’s hand. “Why don’t we go watch some movies, and maybe later I’ll teach you how to bake a cake, alright?”

Logan smiled, following him to the bedroom.

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Taglist: @bisexualdisaster106 @self-taught-mess @arodynamic-enby @sanderssides-angst

#sanders sides fic #logicality #logan sanders #patton sanders

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untitlednottitled · 3 years ago

Text

number10

Pre-Event plannings

I had a grand plan, to be lawfully wedded to my bby on our 10th anniversary, 1 year after proposing to her on our 9th, in Jeju, in front of a field of flowers with a fantastical view of the sparkling sea. I even rushed and got the engagement ring ready before our planned trip to Korea in April! But alas, covid-19 had to happen and all was foiled. After the initial plan was foiled in Apr’20, we held out hope that we would still be able to travel by the year end.. but yeah covid gave us a great big middle finger, as yet again, cases skyrocketed and we were all but grounded in sunny Singapore.

Finally, in Dec’20, I decided to propose before July’21! Since the ring and the JannPaul box has been hiding at the back of the closet for the past year, and i didnt want to put it off any longer.

i began to scout for and collate decor items bit by bit on carousell, shopee and other shopping sites. It was a painful process because my initial plan was to recreate “Venezia”, which was an ice cream cafe we went to at Sixth Avenue, back in our JC days before it bowed out of Singapore a few years ago. There was next to no mention of Venezia on google and I was also unable to find any useful logos of the establishment either! So that idea was scrapped. Next, there was the plan to create big cut-outs of either Monsta X or VIXX members who would seem ‘genuinely happy for the proposal’.. but once again, let down by google, as the images I managed to find were either too pixelated or not relevant enough. Sadly, that idea flopped too. In the end, I decided to go for a more normal but personal decor to surprise bby :)

Truthfully, there were many chances to surprise-propose bby, especially our most recent staycation at Park Royal Marina Bay, but I didn’t feel that I was ready to do it.. so I delayed it till our big dinner on July 10th. Why July 10th? SAF had the brilliant idea to schedule my ICT during our actual 10th anniversary date, so we decided that we would have our anniversary dinner earlier. Furthermore, after Gyu Bar, we decided that we could and wanted to try more fine dining. After much research and deliberation (between Whitegrass and Buona Terra), we finally went for Whitegrass, which had decidedly nicer deco and ambiance.

The weekend before the 10th, bby suddenly suggested that after our big dinner, maybe we should go for a drive. This gave me a great idea - if i drove, this meant that she would have to come stay over, and then I would definitely be able to surprise-propose to her! I very easily agreed with her suggestion and went for a slightly higher-end car, an Audi. Thankfully, this rental was not far from my place and the rental wasn’t that much higher than the Honda Fit before. So far, all was going to plan. Then, we also decided that since we would be getting a car, we could travel slightly further out, eg. the East. We decided to go to Playground Ragdolls, which would be our first interactions with our dream pet for our new house!

I ordered a huge preserved flower bouquet beforehand as well as a tiny flower-box, to be delivered on the July 9th, which was also my mum’s birthday. She requested to have chilli crabs for dinner, which my bro bought from Jumbo seafood. We had a scrumptious dinner that night, but extremely regrefully, I couldn’t invite bby to come over, because it would mean that she would see all the flowers and thus ruin the entire event.

On the day itself

On the 10th, coincidentally, I had to take up a mover role, to help my bro move some of his guo-da-li stuff to his fiancee’s place in Pasir Ris in the morning. It was a very simple job that took up the bulk of my Saturday morning. After lunch, he sent me back and I quickly completed the deco and freshened up before leaving at 4pm to collect the car.

Leaving at 4pm was an overestimation of the travelling time, but also to prevent any lateness. I reached the rental car location at about 445pm but could not find the car at all. Confused, i called the host and she was quite pekcek to inform me that I was 15 mins early.. i went ‘oops’ and apologised for my kiasu-ness. At least she wasn’t overly judgey about it. I took over the car and quickly got on my way to Lakeside. Along the way, the aircon vent handphone holder kept dropping everytime I made my way over a particularly high bump as the Audi aircon vent was different from the normal aircon vents i was used to, with horizontal panes. Other than the handphone holder dropping from time to time, the drive to Jurong was pretty smooth.

I picked bby up at about 5pm and she surprised me with another street branded shirt, endorsed by Hyungwon of Monsta X. She even gifted me with a picture of him wearing the exact same shirt! I gifted her with the small flower-box and inwardly laughed as she whined about receiving another flower.. inside i was like ‘lol, wait till you get the one at night’. We drove off from Jurong to City Hall, which was supposed to get us to Chijmes in 25 mins?

Oops, we will be so early! But in the end we spent more than 35 mins on the road, because google maps was being a bitch and not giving the correct directions and we had to circle round Chijmes twice because we couldn’t enter the place! Finally, we decided to follow the signs strictly and we managed to enter the Chijmes carpark at last. We wandered around Chijmes for awhile and took some pictures. I helped her take some pictures that she was actually satisfied with!!!! SDNJIADBNAIKFAUFAKLFDNA!!!

After inwardly celebrating alone, we entered Whitegrass. Overall, the food was nothing to brag about, though the service was very good. Like what bby has said, the best things about the meal were the breads and the specially made financier by the Japanese Chef. The Chef came out to greet us and even wished us a happy anniversary followed by a picture of us hehe.

Full af, we decided to drive to Sentosa cove to sneak a peek at the rich people but nope, not allowed to ba long long go in, so we rerouted to Palawan beach instead. well well well, no entry into the beach. hur. oh well, time to head home. Inside my mind was running in all directions, almost 1.5y in the making, it’s finally gona be time!!

We reached and parked in less than 30 mins and quickly made our way back home.. only upon reaching my doorstep that i realised i left my keys in the flower-box inside the car.. luckily my dad was still awake to open the door for us.

Once in, we discovered my room door was closed and i let her enter first. Once she sweeped her eyes around the room, i panicked a little and just grabbed the ring and knelt down. I was entirely FLUSTERED and my mind was blanked out. haha, i lost all sequence of events. i knelt at an awkward angle and i wanted to switch knees, at which point, bby looked down and saw me kneeling on both knees (facepalm ttm). but okay, eventually it got sorted out and we took some pictures, with creative advice from my fiancee (^^). i also told her the entire journey from the ring all the way to present time, honestly, without hiding anything. Tbh, i wanted to make it hella grand but I missed out on some deco and by the time i discovered, it was too late to order again. UGHHH. When we went off to bathe, it was already about 1am and we had an early morning ahead. We both went to sleep happy hehe. (i got myself a ring catto)

Ragdolls all day, err’ day

I woke up next to bby catto who suddenly wrapped me up in the blankets and took a picture of me -.-

anyways, after a quick breakfast, i wore bby’s present and went out. We went some place first, before heading to La Fez in the East. It was a Morrocan restaurant which had a very pink and cutesy exterior. The food was not bad as well, the bby ordered Shakshuka while I ordered the Lamb Shwarma. Not entirely filling but good enough for me!

Next we set off for Playground Ragdolls.. but i think i missed a turn somewhere so we just parked at a nearby carpark instead. We wanted to walk to Tigerlily Pattiserie but changed our minds to head to Birds of Paradise nearby instead, since bby has been wanting to eat it. and hohoho, dark skies ahead started to thunder and shortly after rain poured down. We didn’t bring umbrella and neither were there any umbrella in the rental car.. so we decided to brave the rain. The initial rain was pretty manageable, a slightly heavy drizzle but manageable. The moment we were halfway to the next shelter however, it poured. and poured. and poured. Needless to say, we were both drenched.. and bby was wearing her Tory Burch too... nevertheless, we persevered and reached Birds of Paradise and got our ice cream too! (along the way we passed a mama shop and bought a $6 umbrella) We got roasted sesame and sea salt hojicha. Tbh, both were good but as we were practically wolfing the ice cream down and the quantity was really alot, the ice cream became pretty jelat after awhile. For the first time in a long long while, we threw away ice cream. Yes, bby was pretty horrible for throwing away ice cream, especially when she was the one who proclaimed she loved it.

With our new umbrella, we eventually made our way back the way we came, dry this time, towards Playground Ragdolls! Since we were pretty early, we waited outside for a short while, before the host let us in. and wow, once in, we were greeted by 2 curious little Singapuras. At first glance, they looked like regular strays but on a closer look, they had a kind of refined quality that really separated them from typical strays. And then as the host continued her briefing, our eyes strayed to the ragdolls. OMGGGG all so floof and cute!! Bby and I settled down near the couch and started playing with an 8 month old female kitto. and omg she was so playful!! Immediate want! While playing, we didn’t forget to enquire more about the purchase process and also listened in on the other customers’ queries as well. 1 hour passed all too quickly, and it came time to bid farewell to the cattoes.

On the way back to the car, bby remarked that she was a little peckish, so we decided to head to a drive-thru at marine parade.. but once there, no drive-thru to be seen!!! We stopped at the passenger waiting area for awhile to research but to no avail. Eventually we gave up and I drove her back to her house.

At her block, I helped to carry all the barang barang back up and I remarked to her that I was going to call her parents ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ to hint them that I proposed. And I did, but apparently, only her mum caught it. Her dad didn’t, sadly. Unfortunately, I needed to rush back to return the car, so i couldn’t stay to explain further (Sorry Father, i will explain the next time i’m there!)

Anyways, I drove back to return the car and swiftly parked. The owner ‘received’ back the car without much incident also. Aaaaand that concludes mine and bby’s eventful weekend, in which we both had our relationship statuses changed from boyfriend-girlfriend to fiance-fiancee ^^.

Honestly, I do regret not getting actual flowers for you back in 2011.. but lol, the virtual flowers confession did make our relationship more interesting though haha. Yet another interesting tale that we can tell our kids next time also. I feel so happy as I recount the entire experience and am so glad that it succeeded. This sat, we will be going to re-size the engagement ring so that bby will wear the ring for events soon!! can’t wait!!

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just-come-baek · 5 years ago

Text

at your scarvice

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader ft. Jimin x OC (Jiwoo) and other BTS members as cameos

Word count: 12.2k

Summary: “I’ve done a research about a haunted house which is like only one village away from Jiwoo’s parents’ house, and it would be awesome if we went there for a quick ghost hunt before the party. You can even bring all your cameras and shoot a Halloween special for your YouTube channel or whatever. You’re subscribers will love it, and besides, what could possibly go wrong?”

Prompt: “If I die, I’m going to haunt your ass.”

__________

Knock! Knock!

“What are you doing here?” Jungkook asked straightforwardly upon seeing me on the other side of the doors. As per usual, I smiled brightly, waiting for him to move aside, so I could feel myself home.

“I’m inviting myself in,” I answered, walking past him. “Tonight is a big day, and we gotta get ourselves ready,” I added and put two heavy shopping bags on the floor before plopping on the couch, catching my breath. “I planned the entire day, and we’re already far behind schedule. If it wasn’t for the traffic, I would be here about thirty minutes earlier.”

“It’s just a Halloween party,” Jungkook stated, and I rolled my eyes. “It’s no big deal; Jiwoo organizes one every year.”

“The party is just one of the things we’re gonna do,” I started, excited to tell him about everything I had meticulously planned. I was going to make sure he would never forget this night. “I’ve prepared a few surprises before the party.”

“Do I wanna know?” Jungkook asked, sitting in an armchair across from me.

“One thing at a time, okay?” I proposed, and Jungkook unwillingly complied; he had never been the one to fancy surprises, but he could make an exception for his best friend. “First thing on the list – re-watching the season 6 of Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural while eating unhealthy snacks and having gin and tonic drinks,” I revealed, and Jungkook scrutinized me, making an ugly face.

“Are we talking postmortem, too?”

“I can’t believe you had to ask me that,” I answered, a little bit disappointed that he thought I’d skip this content. Never; it was too good to be ever skipped on.

“Sweet,” Jungkook exclaimed, jumping out of the armchair in excitement. “Why don’t you turn on the playlist, and I’ll go get us glasses and a bowl for the chips?”

Hurriedly, I logged into Jungkook’s computer and turned on YouTube.

“Which episode was your favorite?” Jungkook asked me as he sat on the couch beside me, setting the tableware on the coffee table next to the laptop.

“All of them were good. They’ve gathered a lot of evidence this season, but for me, the house call one was the best."

“It was dope, but my favorite is definitely the season finale,” Jungkook stated, and I couldn't disagree. All of the episodes were great, and it was impossible to choose the best one – objectively, at least. All of them were hilarious and spooky in their own way, and it was a delight to re-watch them again. “The marathon shall begin,” he added, pressing the play button.

“Finally.”

It was a very peaceful afternoon, and frankly, it was exactly what I needed after a couple of hectic days at the university. The professors were more demanding than usual, and a relaxing hangout was the perfect remedy to all the stress I had been put under.

Per each episode, Jungkook and I would have a drink and empty a bag of potato chips, occasionally bickering about how we would act in these haunted places. While we both considered ourselves shainiacs, it was quite obvious we would chicken out in the moment of strange, not necessarily supernatural, occurrence.

For the outsiders, Jungkook might have seemed to be a tough cookie, but in reality, he was just a big softie. I, on the other side, enjoyed horrors a bit too much; therefore, in the face of danger, I would laugh.

Probably.

One cannot be sure without actually witnessing a supernatural occurrence. Best case scenario – a full- body apparition.

“You would totally run outside screaming,” Jungkook snickered when the ghoul boys’ spirit box picked up a bizarre voice. “You would lose your fucking mind.”

“I would let out a confused chuckle at best,” I fought back, but Jungkook wasn’t having any of this, throwing a potato chip at me, blowing a raspberry. “See, this is why Jiwoo doesn’t like you. You’re too childish.”

“What are you talking about? Jiwoo adores me,” Jungkook protested, and I couldn’t help myself but burst his little bubble of confidence and self-assurance. “I'm like... her best friend.”

“She only tolerates you because she has the biggest crush on Jimin,” I explained, and Jungkook gasped in disbelief. “What? You didn’t know?” I asked, confused because it was too obvious not to notice her infatuation. Only Jimin was too blind to see it, despite Jiwoo’s blatant flirting.

“Of course, I know. I’m not that stupid,” Jungkook answered, but I still thought he and Jimin shared one brain cell. “Too bad for her; Jimin's dumb.”

“I'm betting she's gonna make a move tonight,” I started, knowing the juicy gossip which would pique Jungkook's interest. “Jimin told me he's cosplaying as Fred from Scooby-Doo, and she's coincidentally dressing as Daphne. She's gonna be as subtle as a dump truck driving through a nitroglycerin plant.”

“Weird way to put it, but I agree,” Jungkook answered, giggling adorably under his breath. “And where's your costume?” Jungkook asked, confused, as he finally noticed the lack of my spooky outfit. Our whole crew enjoyed Halloween too much to attend a party in basic all black clothes. “Jiwoo's not gonna let you in without one. You know it.”

“Relax; I'm going as the Nun from the Conjuring Universe. My costume's at Jiwoo's. I'm not parading in that hellish make-up, giving people heart attacks,” I elaborated, and Jungkook nodded, understanding my choice. Last year, I had been dressed as a very vivid horror character, and a few elders had got pretty spooked. I'm not going down that road again. “I've only got white face powder, three black eyeliners, and a set of black contact lenses on me. And check this out; all of it fitted into my new fanny pack. It's awesome, isn't it?” I showed it to Jungkook, and he grabbed it to investigate my new purchase.

“I've been trying to convince you to buy one for almost a year; what've changed your mind?” Jungkook asked suspiciously, remembering numerous rejections of his (in his opinion) well-argued propositions. In all honesty, I considered fanny packs a terrible accessory, but tonight it suited the occasion. It was more comfortable than a purse or a backpack, and surprisingly, it could fit more items than I had previously assumed. “You've also got a new phone case? It's awesome! Why didn't you get one for me, too?” He added in a whiny tone after inspecting my latest let's summon demons phone case.

“I'd say my fanny pack is going to be a Mystery Mousketool, but then I realized you know what the item is, and you don't know what it's going to be used for,” I started rumbling, and Jungkook looked at me in visible confusion. Perhaps, he had one drink too many to comprehend my twisted presentation. “All I'm saying now, it may come in handy if the second phase of my amazing plan goes a little bit off track,” I continued vaguely. Best friends or not, I couldn't straightforwardly confess that it would be easier for me to run for my life if the police would start chasing us for trespassing a haunted property.

“Whatever's going on your mind, I don't like it,” Jungkook muttered as my previous account must've triggered his spider-sense. “What are you plotting?”

“It's nothing, really,” I tried to dismiss the topic, but Jungkook wasn't having any of that; he wanted to know everything about my secret plan, and he wouldn't stop glaring at me until I'd tell him all the details. With this man, keeping a secret wasn't a possibility.

“Tell me, or else I'm not going anywhere,” Jungkook threatened, and Halloween or not, I knew he wasn't joking. For him, gaming all night was just as entertaining as attending a party; therefore, he didn't have any trouble choosing either one of them. At this point, the only thing I could do was to advertise my plan, making it irresistible. “I was planning on streaming this one game this week, and I might as well start doing it today,” Jungkook carried on with his nerdy shenanigans, letting me know it was my cue to change the subject, snowing him under a handful of promises of an adventurous unforgettable night.

“I've done a research about a haunted house which is like one village away from Jiwoo's parents' house, and it would be awesome if we went there for a quick ghost hunt before the party. You can even bring all your cameras and shoot a Halloween special for your YouTube channel or whatever. Your subscribers would love it, and besides, what could possibly go wrong?” I blurted out on one breath, hoping my sincerity was enough to convince him. “Pretty please?”

***

The bus to the village was about to leave at 17:06, and we had only ten minutes left to double-check our inventory: two go pro cameras, two old-fashioned flashlights, a legitimate spirit box (which Jungkook had been gifted two months ago on his birthday), an ouija board (which he gave me for my early birthday), and a spare bottle of booze if we sobered up before arriving at the location.

Due to traffic, our bus arrived a few minutes late, but we were in a great mood, so we didn’t mind it that much. If anything, we were even more excited, because it would be already getting dark upon our arrival.

“So tell me something about your research,” Jungkook started, as we found a couple of empty seats in the back row of the bus – finally we were the cool kids.

“OK, so check this out,” I started, sitting comfortably in my window seat, rubbing my hands together in ardor. “No one really knows how many ghosts haunt this place, yet according to previous owners’ accounts there are at least three ghosts roaming all around the house, and I have my theory about their identities,” I said with a mischievous smirk upon my face, waiting for Jungkook to compliment my well-done research.

“What’s your theory?” He inquired, already intrigued by the house’s story.

Even it was only my thesis.

“Finally, let’s go over some theories,” I said, quoting my favorite YouTube channel.

Whispering, I told him everything I had managed to dig out, successfully keeping Jungkook on the edge of his seat for the entire ride.

It was a mystery how many ghosts actually haunt this location, but according to the witnesses’ testimonies, old newspaper articles, and land registers, I was sure about three names. All of the three men were once residents, and all of them died tragically within the sinister four walls.

The unholy trinity of Kims – that’s the name of my theory.

The house was built in 1913 on an old rye field. It was a very amicable side of the village, and no one had expected the house could bring so much evil.

The first tenants moved in 1915, and though neither of them died, they reported they had witnessed strange happenings within the premises, beginning with the dog barking in the middle of the night at the darkness, ending with them hearing screeching sounds from under the walls.

One night, they stirred awake with their skin covered in scratches, and their dog breathing heavily, slowly bleeding to death. Needless to say, they moved out before the dawn, leaving all of their belongings behind.

While the majority of the locals believed it was witches’ revenge since the coven had been denied the premises, some of whom thought the family was mentally-ill and violent.

The house remained empty way until 1973 when Kim Seokjin moved in. Back in the time, he was a singer, slowly gaining popularity. Having signed the contract with an entertainment label, he bought a house as his own getaway when he needed a break from his demanding fans.

He would reside in the house a few times a year, only when he was desperate for a few moments of solitude. In late October 1974, he went for a short hiatus. Late evening, when he was relaxing with a glass of scotch, someone knocked on his doors, asking for someone – almost like in The Strangers.

Seokjin suspected the stranger was just a very sneaky fan and locked the person outside. The sole purpose of buying the property so far away from the city was precisely omitting situations like this.

Unfortunately for him, it was not a fan.

Later that night, a dozen of Satanists broke into Seokjin’s house, tied him up, and carried him straight to the basement where they performed a grim ritual. According to the police report released to the press, he was discovered lying on his back in the middle of a bloody pentagram, his intestines gutted out, his tongue cut out found in a golden goblet, and two paper knives sticking out of his eyeballs.

It is told that his ghost roams around the basement, leaving a bloody trace after him. Moreover, a young journalist, back in 1981, while doing research about satanic rituals, claims she had seen his ghost, resting in a rocking chair down in the basement, sipping a glass of alcohol. She even swore she could smell a mixture of whisky and blood in the air.

Unfortunately, she didn’t gather any evidence, later being called a lunatic by the disbelieving society.

The house waited for its new residents for twenty years – in August 1994, a newly wedded couple moved in right after their honeymoon. Kim Namjoon was a poet, teaching European literature on the university, while his wife, Kim Joori, was a sweet librarian.

At first, they didn’t notice anything strange. No weird noises, no unexpected guests, no cold spots, no nothing. Everything was peaceful until they decided to conduct a major renovation – it was then when the hell unleashed.

In 1996 they decided to start trying for a baby, and though they both fancied the old décor of the house, it was evident it wasn’t a safe space for a child. While they were thrilled to upgrade the property, providing their newborn with safety, the entities which lived inside were not.

Joori was the one who started experiencing supernatural happenings; she only worked three times a week, and the majority of her time, she spent alone at home. During these late hours, she thought her mind was playing tricks on her. At first, she justified it with stress and a shitload of work regarding the renovation, but then, the occurrences she had witnessed couldn’t be explained with logic.

Joori wanted to sell the property and move out, yet Namjoon would always dismiss her pleas. It wasn’t until November 1996 when Joori, who was already three months pregnant, and Namjoon had a big fight. She gave him an ultimatum, and when Namjoon chose the house over her, she moved out.

A few collective nights after Joori’s departure, Namjoon would sit by the newly rebuilt fireplace and drink into oblivion. It was the first time he noticed peculiar activity in the house, yet he blamed the alcohol for it.

Slowly, day after day, Namjoon would lose his mind. It started off with strange whispers. The voice in his head, or so he thought, begged him to call Joori and bring her back, yet his pride would always stop after pressing the 6th digit of her parents’ landline.

Then it was tugs; from time to time, Namjoon would feel his shirt being tugged. It was challenging to explain with logic, but he opted for blaming the trauma for making him delusional. Namjoon would rather believe his brain was slowly frying itself than accept the supernatural entities.

At some point, he also started hearing distant giggles within the house and seeing shadows passing between walls, but the last straw that broke the camel’s neck was definitely his book of poems flying across the room, landing in the middle of the carpet, and then shredding into pieces right in front of his eyes. While a lot of events could be blamed on the strong drafts of wind or poor timely construction of the house, some things he witnessed were unexplainable.

Shortly after the incident, the entity residing in the house became violent – it wanted Namjoon away, and since he wasn’t going to leave like his wife, there was another way of getting rid of him.

Namjoon wanted to leave the house, reach out to Joori and start anew with her and their baby.

However, he never did.

On a Christmas morning, Joori paid him a visit and the things she witnessed traumatized her for life.

Namjoon’s suitcase was neatly packed, waiting by the doors to be picked up. The house was spotless, except for Namjoon’s study.

Walls were painted red with blood, Namjoon’s body dismembered – pieces of his body parts scattered all over the floor. Only his head was in scarless, resting on top of his desk, right next to his ripped poetry book.

No signs of forced entry, no motive, no evidence.

The police obviously closed the case, but Joori never felt at peace, still believing it was the entity that killed her husband.

And now, finally, the third Kim.

Kim Taehyung.

Not that long time ago, in 2007, the land was purchased by happy-go-lucky Kim Taehyung. At that time, Taehyung was only 19. He bought the house with his inheritance. Ever since little, he was very family-orientated, and when he had a chance to purchase a property, he didn’t hesitate.

Just like former residents, Taehyung didn’t sense anything odd; the omnipresent feeling of darkness came with time. However, even then, Taehyung would dismiss all the strange occurrences happening inside the house.

He had never been one to get scared easily, so a round of floor creaking or cold spots didn’t really impress him.

On the 17th of April, his girlfriend, Chanmi, slept over for the first time, and it was chilling.

According to her testimony, after their steamy sex session, she felt as if being watched. Later on that night, when they were sleeping, cuddling under the sheets, she heard distinctive steps downstairs.

Frightened, suspecting it was a burglar, she shook Taehyung awake, yet the moment he opened his eyes, the noise stopped. Complete undisturbed silence. To Taehyung, Chanmi seemed paranoid (and not accustomed to new surroundings), but he loved her dearly and checked the house, calming her.

Although Taehyung didn’t find anything, Chanmi already knew she didn’t feel welcomed – ever since that night, she made sure they would hang out at her place. Whatever it was that she sensed – it was pure evil.

On the 23rd of June, they had a big fight, and when Chanmi came over the next day to makeup, Taehyung was already gone.

His body was discovered in the bathroom on the second floor – he was lying in the bathtub, sharp pieces of mirror protruding from his wounded body.

Chanmi screamed and fell onto her knees.

But it wasn’t the worst thing about that day – the moment she started sobbing, Taehyung’s head tilted to the side, looked at her with his dead eyes, and in a throaty voice, he growled her name.

In a matter of seconds, Chanmi got back on her feet and bolted out of the house, swearing to herself that she’d never ever return there.

Though the police suspected a murder, deep down, Chanmi knew it was the evil’s doing. She never bothered mentioning that in her official statement, knowing the cops wouldn’t believe her.

Ever since Taehyung’s tragic death, the residence belongs to the city. Despite multiple proposals, it has never been sold.

And now, it’s our cue to investigate these haunted premises.

“You’re shitting me right now, aren’t you?” Jungkook asked me, probably both crept out and impressed. My research was thorough and off-putting at once, and I was sure it partially discouraged him from participating in the exploration.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve read that shit about the house, and you still wanna go there? What’s wrong with you? Only a psychopath can enjoy doing shit like that,” Jungkook argued, and I couldn’t find an answer right away.

I loved horror films and scary stories, mostly because I loved discrediting them and finding flaws in the storylines, and right now, I was about to do the same, but my subject was a real thing.

I didn’t have huge expectations – it was more than probable that we wouldn’t find anything, yet at the same time, it would be pretty dope to witness something strange. Jungkook shouldn’t be that worried – in the worst (best) scenario, we would get spooked by another team of amateur ghost hunters.

“Come on, Kook, grow a pair,” I started, trying to take our conversation on a less pressing level. It was just a silly ghost hunting gig, yet Jungkook sounded serious, almost as if we were going through the pros and cons of keeping a baby. “Ghost ain’t real; the scariest thing inside that house it probably bats,” I reasoned, and Jungkook agreed with a sigh.

“I guess you’re right,” Jungkook said, finally manning up for the mission. “Let’s get this shit over with,” he added when the vehicle stopped at our bus stop.

***

“So… what do you think?” I inquired when the murder house was within our eyesight; the building was spacious, and it really stood out amongst the other residences – no one could miss it. From quite a distance, you could see there was something evil about it, even the fence around the property was installed upside down, supposedly to lock the supernatural entities inside.

“It doesn’t look very welcoming if you ask me,” Jungkook started, scratching the back of his head, probably trying to come up with a good excuse to call it a day and just head over to Jiwoo’s party. “Just by the look of it, I can tell there’s something wrong about it,” he added, and I hummed in agreement.

“Are your spider-senses tingling again?” I asked, and Jungkook elbowed me lightly, not enjoying my teasing. “But for real now. Should we take a few selfies before going in?” I proposed, and Jungkook eagerly agreed, as if prolonging the inevitable reconnaissance.

Carefully, Jungkook wrapped his arm around my frame and snapped a few pictures with his phone, making sure the haunted house was standing proudly in the background. Then, he took another series of photos with my camera.

“If we’re seriously going in there, I think I need an intro for my Halloween special video, don’t you think?” Jungkook announced, pulling out his go-pro camera. After giving me a quick instruction, we started rolling.

At first, he reported what we were doing, but then, he started talking about the new segment of his channel, and my brain just froze. Although I respected his passion for gaming, I completely lost focus whenever he started blabbering about it. But honestly, I thought it was healthy for our friendship. We had a lot of things in common, yet it was a blessing to be different at some point. Whenever one of us felt a bit overwhelmed, we could engage in independent activities. For Jungkook, it was gaming – I’d never try crashing his nerdy party.

“I think we got it,” I announced when Jungkook’s mouth stopped barfing gaming jargon. “Let’s go inside.”

“Fine, but keep it in mind that if I die, I’m going to haunt your ass,” Jungkook stated, and I laughed. Right… as if this cinnamon roll could ever haunt anything.

“Puh-lease,” I retorted, trying to refrain myself from giggling. “If anything bad happened to you, you would be Kookie – the friendly ghost,” I finished, and Jungkook whined quietly, not fancying my opinion.

“Shut up,” Jungkook barked, pulling out the second fancy camera. If he were to step into that hellhole, he would gear himself up from head to toe, getting ready to catch the ghost on tape. “Let’s go in before I change my mind,” he added, as he effortlessly jumped over the fence.

“Will you help me? Not everyone has legs for days,” I mumbled as I extended my arms, so Jungkook could support me when I made my way through the first obstacle. “Thanks,” I quickly said when Jungkook grabbed me, and carefully put me on the ground.

“If it makes you feel any better, I think you’ve got a sexy pair of legs,” Jungkook complimented me, and though in other circumstances I’d blush, this time I ignored it, focusing on the vibration I felt in the butt pocket of my jeans.

The second I put my foot on the unholy soil, weird shit started happening.

Interesting.

My first thought was that I got a text message on my phone, but then it struck me that I always had my phone on silent mode. Quickly, I checked my cell phone, and it turned out that Siri turned itself on.

“What can I help you with?”

The device turned itself on again, but this time in my hand, when I didn’t push any buttons.

“It’s not a good sign,” Jungkook commented, and I started to second guess the brilliance behind my ingenious plan. “It’s not too late to turn around and leave. I won’t be disappointed if you chicken out,” he carried on, but I just grinned at him. There was no way I’d wimp out.

“Nice try; we’re going in,” I prompted, confidently walking toward the main entrance, Jungkook following behind me, probably shooting the surroundings.

As soon as we stepped onto the porch, the wood would start to creak underneath the pressure. Just like everything about the house, it gave off that creepy vibe.

“Showtime,” I whispered under my breath as I extended my hand and grabbed the knob. Just as expected, it was locked.

“Well… it looks like another sign to me. Let’s go back,” Jungkook spoke, trying once again to convince me to back out.

“Get a grip; we’re going in,” I ordered, and Jungkook sighed, regretting that he couldn’t say no to me. “I’m picking the lock; Betty in Riverdale does it all the time, it can’t be that difficult,” I muttered, reaching into my new fanny pack for a bobby pin.

“Are you for real? Since when anything they do in Riverdale makes any sense to you?” Jungkook wondered, but I just rolled my eyes, ignoring his mean comments. “You’re not opening that lock,” he added, making my blood boil. In times of crisis, Jungkook wasn’t very supportive.

“Just shut up, I almost got it,” I barked, sticking my tongue out, adjusting myself to my ultimate focus form, ignoring Jungkook and his shenanigans. Not only he showed me no support, but also he pulled out the small bottle of booze and took a gulp, without proposing me some.

“Just deal with it. We won’t get inside,” Jungkook teased again, pissing me off, and then leaning in, literally breathing on my neck.

“I really hate you right now,” I yelled at him as I straightened up, dropping my bobby pin in the process. “It was my only one,” I whined, kicking in doors in frustration, and to my surprise, it swung wide open.

“Ladies first?” Jungkook murmured, smiling sheepishly, moving aside.

“How gentlemanly of you,” I tsked, turning on the flashlight before entering the building. “I’m pretty sure you’re going to edit your video, deceiving people into thinking you’re a real macho man,” I complained, inspecting the foyer.

Nothing out of the ordinary. For now.

“I’ve got chills,” I stated matter-of-factly when the silence inside the house started to bother me. Though I didn’t believe in ghosts, for some stupid reasons, my heart rate quickened. I felt uneasy, and when I heard my voice echo across the room, I felt less crept out. “Which room should we check out first?”

“When I listened to you on the bus, all of them sounded awful,” Jungkook honestly answered while shedding some light around the living room. “If got rid of all the dust, it’d look pretty comfy,” he added, and I snorted, not expecting him to give me such a nonchalant comment.

Unfortunately, it seemed I was the jittery one.

Well… fuck.

“How about we check out Ouija board in Namjoon’s study,” I proposed, and Jungkook hummed in agreement.

“Maybe there’s still some blood left. You said it was pretty messy,” Jungkook added in excitement, making me wonder how the hell he did a 180 so fast. Not even two minutes ago, he acted like an adorable sacredly cat, but right now, he seemed confident enough to roundhouse kick all the demons back to hell.

“I doubt so, but it’s worth checking,” I answered, and we both headed to the east wing of the house, navigating toward Namjoon’s office. “It may sound ridiculous, but I’m getting horny,” I confessed, and Jungkook stopped in his tracks, gawking at me, not expecting such revelation.

“I knew you wouldn’t resist my manly charms,” Jungkook murmured cockily, wiggling his eyebrow suggestively. “I knew you would fall for me eventually.”

“Right… I’d rather believe a sex demon just possessed me,” I retorted, and for some reason, Jungkook didn’t find it funny. Come on, it was hilarious! “OK, I guess you’re kinda hot right now,” I gave in, unwillingly stroking his ego.

Not my fault, he was just irresistible.

“I knew it,” Jungkook cheered right before when we finally found the right room. This was it – the first space to be “properly” investigated.

Putting the flashlights on the desk, we set the Ouija board on the floor, sitting across from each other.

“Do you know how to use it?” Jungkook inquired, and I smiled sheepishly, telling him I knew bits and pieces, though I had absolutely no idea if my knowledge was legit since it all was based on multiple horror films I had seen. “I’ll check it online,” he proposed and pulled out his phone, quickly typing his inquiry into Google’s search tab. “Whoa, the signal here is no joke; I have a better connection than I have at my apartment. How expensive is this house again?”

“You’re really dumb, you know…”

“You love me regardless, so I don’t really care,” Jungkook absentmindedly replied while browsing through the answers. “OK, it’s easy.”

Briefly, Jungkook explained the ceremony. Apparently, the horror movies didn’t get everything wrong.

Unfortunately, the spirits inside Namjoon’s study weren’t chatty – during our session, they only edged the planchette toward the numbers 9 and 4 (the date of Namjoon’s settlement), yet I didn’t put much thought to it. Jungkook was probably moving it to scare me, and I wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction.

“You know what? It’s not as exciting as I thought it would,” I started when we were collecting our stuff, getting ready to explore another room. For the majority of the time, nothing was happening. We were sitting just sitting in darkness, waiting for something to give us a real spook.

Later, we headed towards the second floor. The stairs were creaking as we made our way up, but we didn’t pay much attention to it, being too focused on locating the bathroom to actually think about basic safety.

The bathroom looked terrifying; the tiles inside were dirty, the original color already fading. The facilities were covered in rust and probably making a lot of unnecessary noises.

“Give me your flashlight,” Jungkook ordered as he put both torches on the edge of the bathtub, one of which switched on. “If there’s something that wants to communicate with us, turn the right one on, and turn off the left one,” Jungkook spoke loudly, waiting for the lights to change, and after some time one did.

“It was definitely a ghost,” I exclaimed in fake dread, bursting out laughing a second later. “It’s solid evidence; it’s confirmed – ghosts are real,” I added, and Jungkook joined me, chuckling adorably. “You can’t change my mind.”

“If it’s you, Taehyung, tell us what happened to you,” Jungkook carried on, and I grew silent, waiting for the ghost to reach out to us. “We don’t want to hurt you; we just want to know the truth. Who killed you?”

Silence.

“Come on, Taehyung. We don’t have all night; we’ve got places to be,” I urged the ghost in a taunting manner, hoping for something to finally happen. With each passing second, our expedition seemed more and more disappointing, and though I didn’t believe in ghosts, I’d really liked to be proven wrong.

“You’re weak sauce, Taehyung!” Jungkook mocked, reaching for the flashlights, wanting to explore another active part of the house – the basement. “You had your chance, Taehyung, and you blew it.”

We quickly left the bathroom and headed to the basement, yet just before we entered the room, I hesitated.

“Maybe we should investigate the basement individually,” I proposed, and Jungkook bit the inner side of his cheek, pondering over my suggestion.

“Fine, let’s do this,” Jungkook agreed with a sigh. “Do you want me to go first?”

“Whatever.” I shrugged, and Jungkook pulled out the spirit box, a little bit excited to use it for the first time. “Go get ’em, tiger.” I patted Jungkook on the back, and closed the doors behind him. “You’ve got ten minutes.”

The stairs creaked when Jungkook was walking down. For a while, it was oddly silent, but then I heard the loud white noise, and I knew Jungkook finally turned the device on.

While he was down there, I roamed around the ground floor, taking a few extra selfies. Unfortunately, regardless of the flashlight, it was still dark as fuck, and I was sure none of the taken photos were Instagram-worthy.

Ten minutes passed, yet Jungkook still didn’t get out.

“You can come out now,” I shouted, but I got no reply from Jungkook.

This fucker was messing with me. I knew him too well not to understand what he was trying to do. However, I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. He wanted to scare me shitless, but he would never succeed.

Confidently, I swung the doors open and made my way downstairs.

“Have you found anything?” I asked when I noticed Jungkook standing in the corner of the room, facing the walls.

“Nope, it was boring as fuck.”

“OK, it’s my turn. Give me the spirit box,” I spoke eagerly, waiting for Jungkook to give me the gear. He survived the individual session with ghosts, so there was nothing to be afraid of. If ghouls didn’t eat Jungkook’s cute butt, I doubted they would be after mine.

“Good luck,” Jungkook murmured and leaned in, pressing a delicate kiss against my forehead before running upstairs.

OK. What the fuck?

With a slam, I was left alone in the basement, and frankly, right now, I didn’t give two shits about ghosts. What the fuck was that? Jungkook and I never showed any affection for one another. The most intimate interaction we had ever had was elbowing each other.

We didn’t kiss.

Never.

Not even an indirect kiss.

All the wires in my brain were frying. A whole army of ghosts might’ve jumped out of nowhere, and I wouldn’t give two shits about them. What the hell was Jungkook’s deal? Why did he do that?

Regardless of how much I desired to find evidence on ghosts, right now, my mind wasn’t in the right place. Thoughts of Jungkook, of how much I tried to not act on my attraction toward him, how I wanted him to make a move – they completely took over my sanity.

A full-body apparition might’ve as well started reciting Great Gatsby, and I wouldn’t notice it probably.

Trying to leave that horrifying train of thoughts, I shook my head. I needed to get a grip. Tonight was about ghosts, not about Jungkook.

Promptly, I turned on the spirit box, starling at how loud it roared to life.

Except for one beam of light coming out of my flashlight, it was entirely dark, and the white noise emitted by the device made the scene even more terrifying. I would undoubtedly faint if I didn’t like this dreadful atmosphere.

“Is anyone here?” I asked and looked around – everything seemed ordinary. Well… as ordinary as an abandoned house’s basement could be.

[UNINTELLIGIBLE]

“What the fuck was that?” I jerked my head to the side, staring at the device in my hand. It sounded like a male voice, yet I couldn’t quite comprehend the words. “Can you repeat that? You have to speak more clearly,” I spoke, refraining from face-palming myself.

What the hell was I thinking, talking to ghosts?

I must’ve really lost my mind.

“Behind.”

Once again, I jerked my head, furrowing my eyebrows. It really sounded like the word behind, so obviously, I turned around, checking if there’s something, in fact, behind me.

There wasn’t.

“I have to hear more than just one word,” I declared, focusing on the noise, ready to pick up another message. For a long while, the white noise was ringing in my ears, but then I heard something which sounded like my name.

[UNINTELLIGIBLE]

Jungkook’s gonna love my footage, I wondered upon hearing these strange noises. Maybe it is not groundbreaking evidence, but it surely will be thrilling to watch. Jungkook’s followers will love the new content.

“You find me.”

“Oh my God, this is awesome,” I cheered enthusiastically, and though I was having the time of my life, it was time to take the fun to the next level. “Who am I talking to? What’s your name?”

“Kim.”

“That was an instant answer,” I commented, feeling goosebumps on my skin.

Much to my dismay, it was the last coherent response I got; I sat there alone in the darkness and received only a few unintelligible reads. So much for ghost hunting… I thought, ready to leave the basement.

Checking the time on my phone, I realized I had two more minutes, and though it was pointless to reach out to ghosts at this point, I decided to record my useless commentary. Maybe Jungkook would use my witty monologue as a part of his YouTube clip, or if not, he’d have a good laugh when analyzing all the footage from this night.

“So… I’ve been sitting in the darkness for a while, and no ghost dared to give me a spook. It’s such a disappointment, really. These ghosts here are real wimps; I lured Jungkook inside this basement, and this may come as a big shocker to everyone, but nothing really happened to him –“

[BANG!]

Quickly, I turned my head around, trying to locate the source of the strange noise; it sounded as if it was coming from under the stairs, yet I quickly dismissed the disturbance – it must’ve been a rat or something.

Clearly, it wasn’t a ghost.

“As I was saying… this house is a complete bummer. When we first arrived, the house looked really nerve-racking, but when we actually started exploring it, it let us down. Honestly, the scariest part of this expedition probably was when Jungkook failed to prank me.”

“Your time is up,” having opened the doors, Jungkook hollered. “I’m going down there,” he added, and I turned around, giving Jungkook a chance to record my grand exit on tape.

“I’m getting outta here, ghosts. You are a bunch of wimps!”

“Did you just seriously mock the ghosts?” Jungkook asked, giggling adorably.

“Why not? It’s not like they’re going to kill me for calling them out.”

“Should we leave now? I’d stay for a little longer and recorded some weird random shit. What do you think?”

“It’s definitely gonna piss these ghosts, so I am in.”

At first, Jungkook insisted I record him dance a few Fortnite choreographies, and though I had no clue what he was doing, I kept the camera rolling. Then, I turned music on my phone, and we jammed to old K-POP hits like Super Junior’s Bonamana, SHINEE’s Lucifer, f(x)’s Electric Shock, and many others.

Then Jungkook made me record his beatbox performance, and it was torture. However, there was a silver lining – it helped me determine whether ghosts were real or not. The answer was no – no one would endure it.

And if it wasn’t for my crush on him, I’d definitely not endure it either.

Later that evening, Jungkook gave a short instruction video on how to defend oneself with basic taekwondo moves, and then we thumb-wrestled.

“You know what would really piss the ghosts off?” Jungkook inquired, and I wondered what else his one brain cell came up with since I highly doubted if it could get any dumber than it already had.

“I don’t know… what else would really piss the ghosts off?” I answered, having no idea what we could do to outdo ourselves. Everything that we had done for the past hour was already offensive as fuck.

“Isn’t it absolutely the worst when you’re in a public place, minding your business when you walk past a couple making out right in front of you?”

“It is absolutely the worst, but how is it any relevant?” I asked, cocking my eyebrow in confusion. Jungkook was right, making out openly in public was rude, and obnoxious, and one of my biggest pet peeves, yet I highly doubted the ghosts had the same hierarchy of irritating situations. They’re dead, and they can haunt people without any consequences – that’s pretty dope itself, and I just couldn’t understand why it would be their top bête noire.

“Well… it’s not completely irrelevant, and besides, ever since you’ve mentioned you’re horny, I really wanted to kiss you,” Jungkook confessed, and my jaw dropped at the revelation. Jungkook wanted to do what!?

“Well… you just played yourself,” I stated, and Jungkook creased his forehead in confusion. “Is that a confession you’ve just recorded? I bet you want to record our kiss, too. That’s kinky, and weirdly enough, it turns me on a little bit,” I finished my thought, and then Jungkook smiled widely at me, figuratively lighting up the rundown basement which we were still in.

“Well… now you just really have to kiss me,” Jungkook retorted, and I smiled mischievously, curious of how he’s going to play his cards now, “unless you want me to show your parents a video of you confessing to your kinks.”

“Well… you should’ve waited a little bit longer, maybe I would’ve named all the other kinks I’m into,” I challenged, biting my bottom lip seductively. “If you really want our first kiss to be in this shabby, totally not haunted basement, then go for it,” I consented, waiting for him to approach me and knock the air out of my lungs with a world-shattering kiss.

“It’s not perfect, it’s not exactly what you deserve, but it will be a hell of a story to tell our grandchildren one day. Don’t you think?”

“I think you’re getting a little bit ahead of yourself,” I retorted, chuckling. Jungkook was acting ridiculous, and it was adorable. With his cute smile and firm butt, he could get away with anything. “Just kiss me, you idiot.”

At first, I expected him to say something cringe-worthy like m’lady or alrighty, but thankfully, I was wrong. With one long stride, Jungkook approached me, resting his large hand on my hips before leaning in to kiss me.

The kiss was sensual and soft, and the way I had always imagined. Gently, Jungkook pressed his plump lips against mine, and we just moved, basking in pleasure. His hand was roaming over my back and butt, whereas mine was going through his silky hair, tousling it.

Gradually, it grew in passion. Jungkook pulled me closer against him, and I opened my mouth, inviting his tongue. Though it was only one kiss, it was quickly making me thirsty for more.

It felt blissful, yet it came to an abrupt stop when we heard a loud bang upstairs.

“Well… you were right, it obviously pissed someone off,” I whispered, chuckling.

“What do you think it was?” Jungkook asked, concerned about the strange noise. “It sounded as if someone just slammed the doors shut,” Jungkook stated, and I quickly agreed with him.

“But we left the doors closed, didn’t we?” I wondered, trying to remember our previous actions. Neither one of us was perfectly sober, yet I was pretty sure we did close the doors. “OMG, this is awesome! It was probably another group of adrenaline-seeking people! We could give them the spook of their life if we jumped out of the basement,” I explained, and I was sure I wasn’t perfectly sober right now either.

“It was probably the wind, but okay, let’s do this,” although knowing it was a stupid idea, Jungkook agreed to conduct my improvised prank.

Carefully, we made our way upstairs, yet when we jumped out of our hideaway, there was nobody there.

“Stupid wind,” I murmured under my breath, really bummed out by this whole situation. “Fuck you, you stupid house. You’ve wasted our time,” I hollered at nothing in particular as I approached the doors and pulled the knob. “Jungkook, it won’t open,” I announced, taking a step to the side, letting Jungkook’s strength to let us out.

Seriously, what kind of an estate agent would try to sell this house without repairing it first? At this point, only people from these HGTV shows would consider buying it, so they could later sell it with real profit.

At first, the doors didn’t want to budge either, but then he handed me his camera and roundhouse-kicked the doors open.

Whoever locked the doors, be it the wind, the ghost, or anyone else, Jungkook’s thick thighs were more powerful.

“Let’s get out of here,” Jungkook said as he grabbed my hand and led me outside, leaving the creepy though definitely not haunted house behind us.

***

Although the navigation system on my phone estimated our route to take us forty-five minutes on foot, Jungkook and I made that distance under half an hour. The house was creepy, but we were already late for Jiwoo’s party, and we didn’t want to face her wrath.

She had called me three times, and Jungkook and I lived in a universe where three missed calls from Jiwoo were more terrifying than fifty from mom.

When we reached Jiwoo’s house, we tried knocking on the doors, but unfortunately for us, everybody was already in a good mood. They couldn’t hear the knocks due to loud music, and I couldn’t be angry – it was our punishment for arriving so late.

Thankfully, when we walked the house around, the patio doors were open, so we got inside.

The house was packed with people, yet I was familiar with only a few of them – the majority of guests were Jiwoo’s college friends, and I haven’t yet acquainted them. In the kitchen, I saw Mario and Luigi, and I instantly knew it was Yoongi and Hoseok. Each year they have adorable couple costumes.

“Look who’s finally showed up,” I heard a loud voice from over the stairs, leading to the second floor. It was Daphne, closely followed by Fred.

“I guess Daphne and Fred just checked the bedroom,” I told Jungkook, and he chuckled, getting the reference. “I hope they didn’t find any ghosts.”

“I bet Scooby and Shaggy are already eaten by the ghost in the basement,” Jungkook carried on, and we both started to laugh.

“Your costumes are in my bedroom, but before you change, I have to feed us some jello shots,” Jiwoo started, making us follow her to the kitchen. “In which bushes were you two fucking, so you came so late?” She questioned, but Jungkook and I didn’t know how to reply. Jiwoo was unpredictable – she would either scold us for going to that house without her, or just shout at us for being reckless and irresponsible, but I guess it was her role in our friend circle.

She was the mom friend.

“We weren’t fucking,” I protested quickly, trying to buy us some time to get a better excuse for our late arrival. “If we were indeed fucking, we would be here before anyone else,” I joked, yet Jungkook didn’t find it particularly funny.

It didn’t worry me, though. Jungkook and I dissed each other daily, he wasn’t going to pout. If anything, he was plotting how to get his revenge.

“Well… true,” Jiwoo replied as she high-fived me. “Don’t worry, Kookie. I’m just messing with you,” she added, and I nodded, knowing she was extra mean to impress Jimin. Retorts weren’t her strongest suit, but so far, it was okay.

Jiwoo distributed the jello shots among the four of us, and to my surprise, they weren’t as strong as I had expected them to be. She had made them, and it came to me as a shock, then the proportions weren’t fifty-fifty.

“Oh my God, I just noticed you both have matching costumes. What a coincidence!” Jungkook hollered, faking his surprise, taking revenge on Jiwoo.

“What can I say? Great minds think alike,” Jiwoo quickly retorted before Jungkook managed to embarrass her in front of her crush.

“Some things are just meant to be,” Jimin added, draping his arm over Jiwoo’s shoulder, making me and Jungkook gag. What the hell had we missed?!

We had totally wasted our time in that haunted house – we could have been here, watching their relationship develop in front of our eyes! Though I had no regrets after reaming around that disappointing trip to that house, now I had one regret. I was genuinely upset that I missed witnessing how the line between their friendship and love faded away.

“OK, you know what? Go upstairs and change. You disgust me without your costumes on,” Jiwoo ordered, shooing us upstairs.

Obediently, we headed to her bedroom, finding our costumes on her bed.

“I’m so tired,” I announced as I plopped down onto her bed, wanting to get some rest. The march from one location to another was more exhausting than I had initially thought, and my legs were killing me.

“Well… it’s all your fault, I told to we should call an Uber,” Jungkook replied, lying on the bed next to me. “No slacking,” Jungkook hollered, playfully slapping my butt. “If we don’t get downstairs in a few minutes, Jiwoo’s gonna bust in here and complain how we ruin her party.”

“True,” I agreed, and with a loud groan, I stood up to get changed. “And that reminds me. You’ve never told me what you’re dressing as this year,” I spoke, wondering what was inside the bag which was sitting next to my costume.

“I didn’t have time to come up with anything, so I asked Jimin to lend me his costume from last year. He was Jack Sparrow or something,” he explained, and I watched him unpacking the bag.

“Or something it is,” I started when I saw what his costume consisted of. It was basically a deep-cut white shirt, a pair of tight leather trousers, and a hat. “Good luck with fitting into it,” I snickered, wondering how uncomfortable it’s going to look like on his powerful thighs.

“Why don’t you shut up,” Jungkook said, not pleased with my commentary.

In silence, we got dressed, and since my costume wasn’t revealing, I could quickly put it on my clothes, which gave me plenty of time to gawk at Jungkook.

“I feel like a piece of meat, right now,” Jungkook commented, as he caught me staring at him, zipping his trousers. “Can you stop staring at me like that? I’m a person with feelings, not a sex toy.”

“Now you know how all girls in clubs feel,” I retorted and continued to stare at him shamelessly. Right now, I only needed a bucket of popcorn and a few bills which I could put under the hem of his pants.

“Aren’t you going to put that creepy make-up?”

“I was going to, but I don’t have energy nor patience to do that,” I answered lazily, watching him button his shirt. “Besides, I checked myself in the mirror, and I’m rocking that Mary-Eunice look right now,” I added, and Jungkook agreed, approving my American Horror Story costume.

“You know what? Even when you wear that ridiculous nun costume, I would still fuck you,” Jungkook blatantly confessed, and I giggled, not knowing how to react to this odd compliment. “I really must be wrapped around your little finger. You even made me go to that abandoned house.”

“You make me blush,” I admitted shyly before approaching him. Then, standing on my toes, I pecked his lips innocently. “We better go downstairs, Jiwoo must be furious at us for taking so long,” I added, exiting the room, leaving Jungkook speechless behind me.

Though at first, we were too tired to party hard, Jimin and Jiwoo engaged us in a few drinking games, and I was thankful I managed to bullshit myself out of playing truth and dare with them.

I realized what Jiwoo would make me do or confess, and I’d rather Jungkook find it out in different, more private, circumstances.

Around three a.m., people slowly started to get tired, one by one heading upstairs to either fuck each other’s brains out or simply find an empty bed to sleep in. At that time, Jungkook and I were chilling in the kitchen, munching on the food which other guests had the courtesy of leaving.

“We should go on a date on Saturday,” Jungkook proposed, and I looked him in the eyes, nodding my head. “What do you want to do on our first date?” He asked, leaning against the countertop next to me.

“Is there any chance you’re wearing this outfit on our first date?” I asked, and Jungkook quickly shook his head. I teased him all night about this outfit, and by now, he must’ve dreamed about taking it off at least a dozen times. Best case scenario: taking it off right in front of already naked me.

“Nope, stare at me while you still can,” Jungkook said, and I didn’t dare to question his decision. Though he looked like a snack, I respected his choice. He wasn’t going to wear it again, and I wasn’t going to force him. Besides, I was kind of curious about how he looked naked. “So… what do you want to do on Saturday? Bowling? A candlelight supper? Cinema?”

“I was gonna say that anything is fine as long as it’s with you, but would you really prepare a candlelight supper for me?” I questioned, quite amazed by his proposition. Jungkook rarely cooked himself, and even if he happened to whip something up in the kitchen, it would be ramen or something just as easy to make.

“Of course, anything,” Jungkook promised, and I tried my very best right not to kiss him. “It probably won’t be any tasty, but at least, I made it with my hands.”

Oh, screw it.

Instantly, I pulled him closer, smashing my lips against his. The moment he realized what I was doing, he reciprocated the kiss.

“I don’t really care,” I spoke, wrapping my legs around his hips. “Oh, shit,” I cursed upon noticing Jiwoo and pushed Jungkook away.

“I think everybody’s asleep already, what are you guys still doing here?” She asked, eyeing the both of us.

“Nothing, we were just eating,” I stated, though Jiwoo didn’t fully believe in my innocent reply. “What have you been up to? Your green scarf is gone, and you have a hickey on your neck. Have you had fun with Jimin?” I inquired, and she looked away in embarrassment.

Jiwoo had never been to shy away, but she didn’t act like herself around Jimin. When with him, she became a better person, and right now, she was blushing. It was the first time when I saw her behaving like that, and I liked it.

With Jimin by her side, Jiwoo was slowly turning in the best version of herself, and the transition was crystal clear. Even Jungkook wouldn’t miss it.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow; right now, I just want to clean up and go to bed,” Jiwoo said, and I knew it was our cue to live. I didn’t like cleaning, and I knew Jiwoo wouldn’t appreciate my help. She would prefer Jimin’s assistance. “You’re sleeping in the guest room with Yoongi and Hoseok.”

“Thanks,” I replied, and we slowly headed to the guest room, knowing that Jimin would shortly join Jiwoo. They thought they were subtle, but they really weren’t. One look was enough, and Jungkook and I knew everything.

“I hope Yoongi and Hoseok already fucked each other,” Jungkook stated before we entered our room, and I agreed. I wouldn’t like to walk on them fucking. I just wanted to lie down and get some sleep.

***

On Friday, I focused only on myself. I needed to recover fully after a long night of drinking, but also, I wanted to pamper myself a little bit before my date with Jungkook. I was sure he was going to prepare everything to perfection, like the golden boy he has always been, and it only made sense that his girlfriend (me) also ought to be perfect.

I took a long, relaxing bath, I wore a face mask, I ate plenty of fruit, I planned my next week of college, I even turned on the relatively new drama with Ji Changwook, and whipped up a mug of cocoa with marshmallows.

The day was peaceful, and I cherished every second of it before I had to face reality and go to classes on Monday.

In the evening, I even chatted with Jiwoo, listening to a few newest rumors. I didn’t expect her to have any time to spare, but apparently, to her, gossip was more important than her new boyfriend. Good thing she had her priorities set straight.

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:21 | omg you won’t believe it!

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:21 | I know why Seulgi and Irene didn’t come

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:21 | apparently

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:21 | they were on a date yesterday!

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:22 | Chanyeol told Jimin that Jongin were their Uber driver and he took them to a fancy restaurant

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:22 | I was gonna get really mad

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:23 | but I ship them so hard

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:23 | I mean…

That crazy Capricorn girl |17:23 | fucking finally

Jiwoo wasn’t ashamed of double texting, obviously. If she had gossip to deliver, she would spam anyone until she would get a reply, and frankly, it never upset me. Mostly because I was texting the same way.

Me | 17:25 | told you

Me | 17:25| I knew they had hots for each other

Me | 17:26 | you should be glad they didn’t come

Me | 17:26 | they probably fucked all night long

Me | 17:27 | that would be gross if they did it at your place

Me | 17:27 | it’s enough that Jungkook and I walked on Yoongi and Hoseok

Me | 17:28 | if it was my house I’d kick them out

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:30 | they did what????

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:31 | are you kidding me???

That crazy Capricorn girl |17:31 | so Jimin lied to me

Me | 17:32 | wow

Me | 17:32 | you started dating and he’s already lying

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:33 | Jimin told me they behaved well

Me | 17:34 | pls don’t make a scene

Me | 17:35 | you better let them taste their own medicine

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:35 | I knew I shouldn’t have invited them

That crazy Capricorn girl | 17:35 | they’re cute but also horny af

With Jiwoo, when we started texting, we didn’t know how to stop. Topics would come and go, and we would always come up with something new. This night wasn’t any different. When we discussed everyone’s behavior during the party, late changing the subject to the people who couldn’t make it. Then, we would exchange messages about the newest K-POP hits, scandals, and dramas. Sometimes, we would even send memes to one another.

Usually, we would continue our conversation until one of us was tired and went to sleep, but tonight a bizarre text from Jungkook made me finish.

Cutie Goo Baby Kook | 21:41 | come over

Cutie Goo Baby Kook | 21:41 | now

Well… rude.

We didn’t even go on our first date yet, and he treated me like a booty call.

No, it couldn’t be.

Me | 21:42 | what do you mean???

Me | 21:42 | Jeon Jungkook

Cutie Goo Baby Kook | 21:42 | get your juicy ass over here

Cutie Goo Baby Kook | 21:43 | asap

Cutie Goo Baby Kook | 21:43 | you need to see something

What the hell did he want? Couldn’t he wait until tomorrow to meet me? If he wanted to see me, he could just text me like he a regular person. He didn’t have to act like an asshole about it.

Me | 21:45 | fine

Me | 21:45 | I’ll be in thrity

Me | 21:46 | if it’s your dick that I need to see you’re dead

***

Within thirty minutes, I was at Jungkook’s apartment, breathing heavily. His flat was located on the fourth floor, and the elevator was out of order, and whenever I had to take the stairs, I could feel blood on my tongue.

It wouldn’t hurt me that much to tag along once in a while to the gym with Kook. Well… hopefully.

“What’s the emergency?” I asked instantly when Jungkook swung the doors open. “Jungkook, I swear, if it’s a booty call, I’m gonna be pissed,” I warned him when Jungkook grabbed my wrist and yanked me inside.

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Jungkook reassured me as he led me to his bedroom.

Well… he might’ve said it wasn’t a booty call, yet his actions were giving me a totally different message. He was literally dragging me to his bedroom.

“What is going on?” I asked once again, as he made me sit in his gaming chair.

“So… I was editing the footage we recorded at this creepy house, and I found some weird shit,” he started before he leaned against the desk, looking for the right file to show me. “I watched every frame of these tapes, and there’s something seriously wrong with your individual session in the basement.”

“What do you mean by wrong? Can you be more specific? I didn’t feel nor see anything weird when I was down there,” I said, cocking my eyebrows up in utter confusion. Was there something my eye didn’t catch, but the camera did?

“Well… there is like a shadow lingering above you,” Jungkook confessed, and I fought the urge to laugh into his face. It was a shadow, and shadows do linger. “You don’t seem convinced, so why don’t you see for yourself?”

“Ugh, fine,” I answered, focusing on the screen.

I couldn’t believe my own eyes. Jungkook was right. It lasted for a couple of seconds; there was an irregular black specter behind me, and it couldn’t be my shadow – I was perfectly still while it moved for a while, and then disappeared.

It was terrifying.

“I’m speechless.”

Seeing my reaction, Jungkook sat on the edge of the desk and grabbed my hand.

“I know it looks like something supernatural, but I’m pretty sure it can be explained somehow. Don’t worry; all fellow ghost hunters would discredit this evidence in seconds.”

“I’m not worried; I don’t know what I’m feeling, but it’s not worry,” I spoke, still a little shook about the discovery. “Did you find anything else when editing?” I inquired, wondering if Jungkook had more aces up his sleeve.

“Nothing solid,” he declared with a sigh. “I was listening to the messages picked up by the spirit box, and one statement which you assumed unintelligible sounds like not alone, but once again, it’s not perfectly clear. It’s probably just my mind interpreting the white noise.”

“Too bad ghosts ain’t real. If we caught it on tape, we would be millionaires,” I confessed, and Jungkook nodded.

“If it makes you feel any better, I think we’ve gathered a lot of entertaining footage; my viewers are going to love it. It’s probably the dumbest video I’ve ever recorded,” Jungkook spoke, and I started to grin.

He was right – we were a great duo.

“Glad, I could help,” I answered proudly, boasting about my recording skills. Having tooted my own horn for an inappropriate amount of time, I inquired, “Since I’m already here, what do you want to do?”

“How about we cuddle?” Jungkook proposed, plopping on his bed, waiting for me to join him, and since his proposition was irresistible, I obediently lay down beside him, resting my head on his firm chest. “Mm… it’s so comfy,” Jungkook purred as he wrapped his arms tightly around me.

“Have you decided where you’re taking me tomorrow?” I inquired, curious as hell about our date. Knowing Jungkook and how perfect he was at everything he did, I could only guess he would exceed my wildest expectations.

“How is it gonna sound if I tell you I’ve already had it planned out for a while?” Jungkook confessed, and I giggled when he started to press delicate kisses across my neck. It was ticklish, but I liked being teased like that.

“Is there a chance you tell me? You know I hate surprises,” I spoke, turning around on my side, caressing Jungkook’s chest and abs. Jungkook smiled adorably and shook his head. Damn it. “Is there a chance I can guess it?” I tried a different approach, but Jungkook shook his head once again.

“You’ll find out tomorrow,” Jungkook said, and I pouted.

“Is there a chance I can convince you to tell me now?” I challenged him, and before he managed to shake his head again, I sat astride on his muscular thighs, making him speechless. “You can tell me. I can pretend I’m surprised tomorrow,” I urged him, playfully moving my hips against his crotch. Curiosity was in my nature, and Jungkook was really getting under my skin with his stubbornness.

“You’re cute when you’re frustrated,” Jungkook stated before he effortlessly flipped us over, pinning me down to the mattress. “I’d love to push you to your limits, but I’m not ruining the surprise.”

“Come on, Jungkook. You can tell me. We’re best friends, and we don’t keep secrets from each other,” I carelessly mumbled until Jungkook shut me up with a passionate kiss, reminding me that we no longer were just best friends.

With my eyes closed, I gave in entirely, letting Jungkook’s hands roam all over my body. Our mouths moved in sweet harmony while my body writhed beneath him every time his little touches set my skin on fire.

This moment was magical, and I wished every time with Jungkook to be just as good. His smooth and soft movements made my body respond, leaving me breathless and craving for me whenever it lost contact with his hands.

“I really want to fuck you right now,” Jungkook absentmindedly confessed while he was pressing sensual kisses along my chin. “We should wait, shouldn’t we?” I inquired, and I wanted to shout my objection.

Judging by his boner digging into my thigh, he also wanted me to oppose.

“You should’ve thought about it before you kissed me like that,” I replied, and Jungkook smirked, tugging my blouse out of my jeans, slipping his large hands on my bare stomach, slowly making his way up to my breasts. “It’s too late to go back, lover boy,” I added, undoing the buttons of my blouse.

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.”

“Drop dead,” I corrected him, and Jungkook hummed in agreement, his eyes focused on my cleavage, wondering how my breasts bounce. Arching my back, I wrapped my hands around Jungkook’s hips, pressing them against me, making me feel his throbbing cock.

“You won’t be a good girl, will you?” Jungkook asked me, and I bit my lip, shaking my head, hoping he expected such an answer. “Of course, you won’t. Why did I even ask?” Jungkook smirked, playfully nibbling my delicate skin all over my cleavage, while his hand undid the button of my jeans.

“You always assume the worst when it comes to me,” I reminded him, tugging the hem of his T-shirt, wanting to get rid of it. It wasn’t fair – I was almost half-naked while Jungkook was still fully-clothed. “Take it off, I’m losing my patience,” I ordered, and Jungkook quickly pulled his T-shirt over his head, tossing in on the floor. “Jeans, too,” I added, and with an angry growl, Jungkook stood up and discarded his pants as well.

“Happy?” Jungkook asked, standing in front of me only in a pair of boxers.

“Over the moon,” I retorted, and Jungkook smirked as a playful idea crossed his mind. “What are you thinking about?” I questioned uncertainly, but Jungkook didn’t bother to reply. He just leaned forward, slid his fingers under the hem of my jeans, and pulled them down in one fluid motion.

“You make me impatient,” he confessed, and I kneeled on the bed, waiting for him to join me again. I needed him to kiss every inch of my body.

Right now.

“Come here,” I urged him, and he obediently sat on the bed, allowing me to sit astride on him again. “I wanna fuck you like this,” I blurted out, entwining my fingers behind Jungkook’s neck, pulling him closer into another heated kiss.

“I want you to fuck me like this,” Jungkook whispered when we finally parted. “Just jump on it and ride me until I come,” he said before reaching to his night stand for a condom. “Roll it down for me, will you?”

Obediently, I pulled Jungkook’s boxers down, and smeared the pre-cum all over his thick cock before putting a condom.

“I wanted it for so long,” Jungkook whispered when I raised my hips, slowly getting seated on his length. Though Jungkook didn’t go down on me before I took his cock, I didn’t mind it. It stung a little, but I enjoyed this sensation.

“Fuck yeah,” I moaned when I slid down his length all the way to the base. For a short while, neither of us moved, letting one another get used to it. “You stretch me up so fine,” I muttered, gently rolling my hips.

“Move, princess,” Jungkook urged me, and I began to ride him. At first, my actions were delicate and a little shy, but as soon as I relaxed, I picked up the pace, rocking my hips back and forth, making Jungkook moan loudly.

“I love it when men are vocal,” I confessed when I put my hands in his hair, tugging it slightly when I happened to fall out of my rhythm. “It gets me off much faster,” I added, and as if I challenged him, Jungkook moaned again.

“Good to know; now I gotta use this information to my advantage,” Jungkook whimpered with a soft smirk upon his face. “You love hearing my deep moans, don’t you?” Jungkook asked, and I replied in a heartbeat.

“Yes!” I exclaimed when Jungkook began thrusting his hips from underneath, shoving his cock deeper and deeper inside of me. “Ahh… Jung-Jungkook, keep fucking me like that, please, don’t stop,” I begged, and Jungkook even increased his pace, quickly making me overwhelmed in pleasure.

“Your pussy feels so good,” Jungkook started, and I closed my eyes, feeling my orgasm approaching. With a couple of thrusts, I would come around his pulsating cock, and I couldn’t wait to welcome this blissful feeling. “So tight, yet you take my fat cock so well,” he praised, and I pulled his hair when he made me come.

“Fuck, Jungkook, that was amazing,” I praised him, and Jungkook kept ramming his dick inside of me, chasing his own release. His stamina was no joke, and I was feeling lucky because this incredible man was mine.

“Shit, shit, shit, I’m coming.” Shortly after me, Jungkook reached his orgasm, milking the condom with his jizz. “You’re out of this world,” Jungkook whispered before he wrapped his arms around me tightly, kissing me deeply.

We were both sticky with sweat, and we smelled like sex, but right now, I couldn’t care any less. Jungkook and I were floating in heaven.

“We should do it again in the morning,” Jungkook proposed, and I laughed, realizing it was the first time in my life I was actually excited to wake up early.

Unfortunately, our plans fell through.

Before my arrival, Jungkook had uploaded our Halloween clip into his YouTube channel, and then, Jimin forwarded it to Jiwoo.

Needless to say, Jiwoo blew up my inbox with notifications, furious at me and Jungkook for doing something so reckless shit without her supervision. Once again, she was the mom friend, and going into an abandoned house without her knowing was pure evil.

Thankfully, she didn’t hold a grudge for a long time – she grew pretty soft on us as soon as she discovered Jungkook and I were well… dating.

#jungkook smut #jeongguk smut #bts smut #fpwritingchallenge #jeon jungkook #jungkook #jeongguk #jungkook scenario #bts halloween #bts halloween special #halloween special #bts fanfiction #jungkook fanfiction #jengguk fanfiction #haunted house au #ghost au #ghost hunters au

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i-am-thequeencapricorn · 4 years ago

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01222021

Hello there,

I can’t exactly remember the last time I posted personal blog here on tumblr, Not really sure what to tell you guys. I’ve been wanting to make kwento since The Pandemic, but I can’t really get myself to do it. Well, maybe because a lot of great things had happen to me personally during the crisis, and I know posting good stuff here while others are struggling would be too insensitive. My heart goes out to those families na sobrang nahirapan dala ng pandemic, bagyo and kung ano ano pa.

Anyhow, the latter part of year 2020, had been great for me. I’ve been working from home since July last year. We got our own apartment, We’re no longer living with my sister, and since we are like starting from scratch, we got to experience the joy and excitement of buying stuff for our home. From all those little things like plates, utensils, curtains to appliances and furniture's. We learn the value of everything. And the most wonderful part of it, is the peace of mind that we get for not having other people staying in our home. It doesn't matter if we wake up too late or too early. If we cook meal or not. Basta, you get the picture right? Walang nangingialam sa buhay namen, lalo na sa pag didisplina sa mga bata. The kids won't get confused kung sino susunduin and the likes.

Currently, working ako as VA ng president/owner ng isang electrical company sa NYC, at first client lang namen siya sa BPO na pinagtatrabahuhan ko, then nung nag work at home na ako, inofferan nya ako ng magtrbaho sa kanya directly. Which is tinanggap ko ng buong puso. Lol, Kaya heto, as of January 18, working na ako directly sa kanya, mas maganda yung perks and payout. And he’s offering me to go to NYC. I don’t know what the future holds but let’s just hope for the best. He had provided a lot when I started working for him. I could never imagine I could have those kasi simpleng tao lang naman ako. Pero ayun nga, sobrang thankful ako kasi napaka generous nya na boss. He gave me a brand new iPhone11 Pro Max as a gift for my birthday, and while waiting for my desktop computer to be shipped here in the Philippines, he bought a brand new laptop for me use temporarily. I actually bought it, he just sent the monies. Once, the desktop arrives, I could have the laptop for personal use na. And he also told me that he would help me purchase my own house, as long as I worked hard for it. Sobrang thankful ako dahil binigyan ako ng opportunity na ganito, parang kelan lang nagkukwento ako kung gaano ako hirap n hirap sa buhay.

Isa pa sa pinakamagandang nangyari samen ni Babe, eh yung pagbalik loob namen sa Kanya, di naman kami ung tipong masamang tao, but hindi lang talaga kami ganun ka active sa church, but then last year November, Nag reach out samen ung step uncle ko, which is siya din yung lead pastor ng church namen, ayun nagpa re-baptize ako nung birthday ko last December together with Babe. We’ve been active sa church, ever since, ang sarap sa pakiramdam. I don’t know. Iba yung peace of mind. So ayun ang haba na ng kwento so puputulin ko na.

Magandang umaga sa lahat!

#randomthoughts #personal

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ultr4viol3tnim · 4 years ago

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It's (Late) Friday Y'all and the Birthday Festivities are still rolling out from my twin and I, to my cousin, then to my Mom and my Grandfather! But I still had a lil time for an unboxing!!! Y'all already know what it is. Let's get into it!!

So I ordered this Barbie Color Reveal Doll at Target online to pick it up. Once I got there and they scanned my barcode and gave me my order! I was like, it's lit! Until I realize that the doll they gave me wasn't what I ordered.

Because isn't what I wanted obviously, I immediately try to get a refund but the cashier lady talmbout some I had to wait 24 hours to get my money back. Then this other cashier says she's gonna try and look to see if they actually have the doll I was looking for. And she found it!!!

Mind you, part of my drive to go to Targét was because I thought the Barbie Extra Dolls were gonna be on the shelves. Womp womp, incorrect. But I digress; Its a Barbie Ultimate Color Reveal Doll.

They have these cool instructions to wash away her metallic layer! The witchcraft of it all was sending me.

Ebay took a lil long but nontheless I got this really pretty Barbie Fashionistas #95 Blue Jean Queen doll. I love the style of her fit and her hair is everything!

Walmart graciously brought me this doll. I just loved her outfit. Its very pop princess, very Ariana Grande-ish!

They look like they could be a a girl group lol.

I've been loving these unboxing moments! I'm not used to buying myself gifts but its been pretty dope. Sometimes you really have to have little joys in your life, not just because we're in a crazy time with this pandemic and other current events. But to just have little joys in your life in general.

I was fortunate enough to purchase my family some gifts for Xmas and I'm excited to spread a little joy to them as well. I know I'm a bit early with this type of message being we're still in November. But it is 2020, so get it how you live!

Speaking of gifts...Just when I thought "this is the end" (sike), I was able to order some dope new dolls. Don't wanna say too much or jinx the good juju until they get here tbh. But I will give you a hint...

Til next time ✌🏾

#mood #barbiefashionistas #barbie #dolls #unboxingfridays

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toasty-coconut · 5 years ago

Text

Me, My Wife, and Alcor

Summary: Ah, yes. Me, my wife, and her £500, four-foot tall Alcor plush. Rated: G Words: 2460 Characters: Akko Kagari, Diana Cavendish Note: I saw this picture that @blee-bleep drew and could not help myself. I had to write something.

Read on AO3.

Purchasing birthday gifts for Akko Kagari was a relatively simple task. She had always been vocal about what she wanted—the 15th anniversary Shiny Chariot World Tour bluray set, a particular polishing kit for her broom, or a trip to the new amusement park outside of Blytonbury. This year it happened to be a certain £500, four-foot tall plush of Shiny Chariot’s crow familiar, Alcor.

Diana’s original response to the request had been a firm, ‘no, absolutely not’. However, when Akko got that look in her eyes and that pout on her face akin to that of a sad dog, Diana would find herself going weak in the knees.

To say the least, her wife ended up having a very happy birthday.

While the look on Akko’s face upon seeing the large, stuffed bird sporting a big red bow was completely worth every pound spent to Diana, after a mere three days, the novelty of it was beginning to wear off. Alcor was taking up more space in their bed than Diana was, making for rather uncomfortable sleeping arrangements. He was also getting more… physical affection as well.

Not that Diana was jealous.

It would be silly to be jealous of a doll, of all things.

No, the most important matter at hand was the amount of sleep she was losing because of this. Their bed, as large as it was, was not meant to accommodate two fully grown women and one oversized bird plush. Her back and shoulders were sore from contorting her body to make room for Alcor. She was freezing at night since Akko insisted he ‘needed blankets, too’. She was awoken at 3 AM when his ungodly amount of weight was shifted right onto her face.

By the Nine, she was exhausted.

Perhaps that was why she woke up later than usual that morning. Typically, she was awake by no later than 6 AM, but today she had awoken at the completely unreasonable time of 8:30 AM. Upon sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she realized that, much to her surprise, there was no Akko (or Alcor) in sight. Seeing Akko out of bed any time before 10 was unusual.

Shaking the thought away, Diana pulled herself off of the mattress, slipping on a bathrobe as she made her way downstairs. The aroma of grilled meat and eggs hung heavily in the air on the first floor. Normally, Diana would have made her way directly into the dining room, but the sound of Akko’s humming voice in the kitchen caught her attention, and she turned on her heel to enter the kitchen doorway.

Under normal circumstances, she would have expected to find members of the Cavendish family staff moving about the kitchen. Instead, Akko stood in their place, her long hair still messy with bedhead, keeping a careful eye on some eggs that were cooking on the frying pan in her hand. Diana had to admit that it was an odd sight, but somewhat endearing in its own domestic sort of way.

Akko perked up as Diana entered the room, setting the pan down on the stove. “Oh! Morning, Diana!”

“Good morning, Akko,” Diana greeted, raising a brow. “You’re up early.”

Akko giggled, stepping forward and slinking her arms around Diana’s neck. “And you’re up late,” she noted, giving her wife a chaste peck on the lips.

“Restless night,” Diana briefly explained, causing Akko to knit her brows in concern. Deciding it would be better to change the topic than address the massive bird in their bed, her attention focused on the stove. “What are you doing in here? Where are Anna and Carter?”

“Kicked ‘em out!” Akko flashed her a toothy grin. “I thought it’d be nice to try making breakfast myself for a change!” She removed her arms from Diana’s neck, returning to her unattended frying pan. “There’s hot water on the stove if you want some tea.”

“That would be lovely.”

As Diana removed the hissing tea kettle from the stove, she wondered how much of a fight Anna must have put up to keep Akko out of her kitchen. But what she wondered about even more was how Akko convinced her to actually leave. Shaking the thought away, she poured the hot water into the tea cup sitting in wait for her on the counter.

That was when she noticed it.

No Alcor in sight.

She glanced around the kitchen, and sure enough, the massive stuffed animal was nowhere to be seen. Diana almost sighed in relief. She inwardly hoped that Akko had wisened up and finally decided to keep him where he belonged—in a separate room with the rest of her Shiny Chariot collectables. A smile graced her lips as she lowered a tea bag into her steaming cup.

“Here you go!” Akko announced, thrusting a plate full of food into Diana’s hands.

Diana nearly dropped her teacup from the sudden jerking motion, but managed to compose herself as she accepted the plate. “Thank you,” she managed, nodding to the dining room. “Shall we?”

Akko nodded eagerly, bounding ahead of her wife into the other room, food in hand. Diana followed close behind. It had been a while since she and Akko had breakfast alone. Usually they were accompanied by Aunt Daryl, Merrill, Marill, or the wait staff when they ate. She supposed it would be nice to spend some quality time over breakfast. Perhaps they could—

...Alcor was sitting in her spot.

Akko had happily taken her place at the dining room table and began munching away at the eggs and bacon on her plate. Diana, however, stood frozen. Her eyes were locked on the four foot tall toy sitting at the head of the table—the spot where she usually sat.

Diana cleared her throat. “...Akko?”

Akko looked up, her mouth full of bacon. “Hm?”

“Your… stuffed animal,” Diana gestured to the seat—her seat. “Would you mind moving it so I may sit down?”

“Wha? No way!” Akko gaped, bacon falling from her mouth onto her plate. “He was there first while you were busy being a sleepyhead! You can sit next to him instead.” She turned her nose up. “And he has a name , by the way.”

This was really happening. Diana Cavendish was really being kicked out of her spot at the head of the table, by her own wife, no less, in favor of a toy. She let out a long, restrained breath through her nostrils.

It was too early for this.

“...Fine.”

Plate and teacup in hand, Diana made her way around the table, choosing the spot across from Akko. She sat down, Alcor’s heavy presence looming over her, but she ignored it. Picking up her fork and knife, she began to cut into the eggs Akko had prepared.

But that was when she felt a different kind of heavy presence looming over her.

Diana’s eyes met Akko’s. Akko was staring heavily at her from across the table, drumming her fingers against its surface impatiently.

“...What?”

Akko scoffed. “For a Cavendish, I’m surprised you have such bad manners,” she snipped, causing Diana to reel back. “Aren’t you gonna say good morning?”

“I…” Diana’s face wrinkled in confusion, “already have.”

Akko puffed her cheeks. “Not to me!”

Diana twisted her lip, puzzled. She watched as Akko’s eyes flicked between Diana and the seat at the head of the table. She deadpanned.

“Surely you jest.”

“Surely I don’t.”

Diana put her fork down, rubbing her face with both hands. “Akko, dear,” she sighed, exasperated, “he’s not real.”

“He can hear you!” Akko hissed, covering the sides of Alcor’s head with both hands, as if to block his non-existent ears. His eyes bulged slightly at the pressure. “Don’t be mean!”

“Akko, please, it… it’s not even 9 AM yet.”

Akko narrowed her gaze, refusing to move her hands from Alcor’s head. Diana knew that look all too well. It was the look she wore when she absolutely was not about to back down from something. Diana couldn’t help but wonder if she gave Anna and Carter the same look earlier that morning.

It really was too early for this.

Diana closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. “...Good morning,” she droned. When she opened an eye, she saw Akko still staring at her expectantly. Through gritted teeth, Diana added, “ Alcor .”

Satisfied, Akko’s face lit up. “Better!” she sang, retrieving her fork from off of her plate. “Now, eat up!”

The pair spent the following minutes in relative silence, only broken by the occasional sound of utensils scraping against plates. Alcor hadn’t moved an inch, simply watching Diana from his place at the head of the table with those beady eyes. It was like he was mocking her. Diana wanted nothing more than to pick up the oversized pigeon and move it away from the dining room, but the fit she was sure Akko would throw if she did kept her restrained.

“Aren’t you gonna ask Alcor how he slept last night?” Akko asked, a teasing ring to her voice.

Diana resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I would imagine he slept better than I did,” she huffed, stabbing her fork into a piece of egg a little more aggressively than she intended. “He seemed rather comfortable in your arms.”

“Nah. I was the one who was comfy,” Akko laughed, waving her off. “He’s just so huggable.” She turned to her plush, pinching his cheek and cooing, “Aren’t you, Alcor?”

Alcor gave no response.

“Mm,” Diana hummed bitterly, taking a sip of her tea. “Well, I’m happy for you both, then.”

Akko raised a brow, looking between Diana and Alcor. Then, as if a lightbulb turned on in her head, she blinked. A knowing smirk spread across her face. “Oh, I get it,” she snickered, placing her elbows on the table.

“Get what?”

“You’re jealous of Alcor,” Akko declared, the smug grin on her face widening.

Diana nearly spat out her tea at the accusation. Clearing her throat, she lowered the cup. She met Akko’s gaze with an unamused one of her own. “I said no such thing.”

“You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face,” Akko remarked, reaching over to tap Diana lightly on the nose. “You’re jealous that I’ve been spooning with Alcor at night instead of you.”

“I’m not. That would be ridiculous,” Diana dismissed, swatting Akko’s hand away with a light swish. “You are welcome to do as you please. I merely believe that it—” Akko’s eyes narrowed again and Diana hesitantly corrected herself, “— Alcor —takes up more space in our bed than necessary.” She picked up her teacup, huffing, “It can make sleeping rather difficult.”

Akko tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that it is arduous to attempt sleeping when a four-foot tall crow is covering half of the bed,” Diana explained plainly, taking a sip of her tea.

Akko blinked, her brows shooting up in realization. “You’re losing sleep ‘cause of Alcor?”

“I suppose that’s one way of putting it,” Diana murmured against the rim of her cup as she took another sip.

Akko frowned, slumping in her seat. “Oh, gee, I’m sorry, Diana. I didn’t realize,” she apologized, pressing her fingers together. “You could've said something.”

And just like that Diana’s heart sank.

The pout on Akko’s face was enough to make her feel as though she had just kicked a kitten. As guilt washed over her, Diana realized just how soft she had actually become. Several years ago she would not have tolerated having a 50 pound stuffed animal taking up so much space in her sleeping quarters, but now all it took was one look from Akko to make her flip like a switch.

She let out a long breath, rubbing her temples. She was pathetic.

“It’s really nothing to fret over,” Diana assured, reaching across the table to place her hand on top of Akko’s. “If it makes you happy I’m sure I can… adjust.” Akko peeked up at her and Diana offered a small, reassuring smile. “Besides, at £500, I would certainly want you to get the most out of him.”

A smile graced Akko’s lips once more. She glanced at the ceiling, humming in thought. “All right, how about this, then?” she started, nodding to Alcor. “Alcor gets to sit in bed and cuddle with us before we go to sleep. And then when we’re ready to call it a night, I’ll put him in the armchair next to the bed.” She grinned devilishly and held up a finger. “That way, he can sit up and keep us safe at night from any intruders!”

Diana held back a small laugh at the childish suggestion, but before she could make a remark, Akko’s expression softened and she intertwined her fingers with Diana’s. “As much as I love Alcor, I don’t want you going into work unrested, you know? So, let’s try that instead.”

A light laugh escaped Diana’s lips and she tightened her grip on Akko’s hand. “...I can live with that solution.”

The smile on Akko’s face twisted into something more smug. She raised herself from her seat so she could lean across the table, her face inches away from Diana’s. “Be honest with me though, Diana,” she started, raising a brow suggestively at her, “were you at least a little bit jealous of me hugging Alcor all night?”

Diana could feel the heat rising from her neck all the way up to her ears. She shifted her gaze away from Akko, choosing to look at Alcor’s stupid, plump figure isntead. “Perhaps I missed your…” she coughed, tensing, “embrace…” Her gaze returned to Akko as she added, “A little bit.”

Akko snickered, teasing, “I can read you like a book.”

With that, she leaned in to press her lips softly against Diana’s. Diana rolled her eyes, but gladly returned the favor, lifting her hand from Akko’s grasp and using it to cup her cheek instead. She had completely forgotten about Alcor’s empty stare watching them from only a few feet away.

The sound of a door opening forced a crack in the moment, alarming both women who rapidly pulled away from each other. Looking to the source of the sound, Diana saw her Aunt Daryl standing in the doorway. Her normally icy eyes looked tired and hollow as they flicked between the pair and the massive white bird sitting at the head of the table.

For a moment, she said nothing—her stare locked on Alcor. Then she let out a resigned sigh, rubbing her temple. “...Anna?” she called into the hallway behind her. “Bring me the good wine. The whole bottle.”

----------------

End.

#diakko #dianakko #little witch academia #lwa #my writing #read this on AO3 cause I was too lazy to do proper formatting stuff for Tumblr lol

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