#but he usually just ends up wearing hers or sasa's

[duisarcusxiv]

Day 1: Sleeping Positions

It's a good thing G'raha's as affectionate as they are, cause Sasa and Nelo are big fans of sleep puddles~

[hobidreams]

Moonlit Throne historical clarifications/references

i want to accurately represent the history from the joseon era, but sometimes for the sake of story/ease of accessibility, things had to be minorly changed. the following is a list of creative choices/changes i make in the writing of Moonlit Throne, as well as further information about the history/culture that i’ve found through my own research 💓 i hope this can also provide some more context for those interested. this list is to be updated as the series progresses so i always recommend you read the latest drabble before checking for more info here for risk of spoilers. please correct me if i get any info wrong!!

for even more information about the world, check out the tag #moonlit history!

last updated: after drabble 43!

new information for the latest drabble will be under the moon.

king gwanghae - as mentioned in the line “gwanghae flow” & in the rest of the MV, Daechwita was inspired by this historical king & the movie about him. Moonlit Throne is not inspired by any king. any event that is similar is purely coincidental!

topknot - various sources state that only married men were allowed to wear their hair up, though this is often not the case in popular korean media. even though Yoongi is unmarried, i chose to pay homage to the daechwita MV & give him a topknot throughout the series. *** same goes for the blonde hair color!

months - traditionally, they followed the lunar calendar in the Joseon era. but i thought that that would be a bit difficult to explain for modern audiences so i am choosing to use the months/modern equivalents of dates.

yoongi’s scar - i am aware that Scarlet Heart Ryeo depicts the facial scar as a reason that someone could not become king. i haven’t found much on this in the way of historical sources, so it’s not a factor in my series!

uinyeo - aka. reader’s mom, and eventually reader herself. at the time, it was believed that women could not be treated by male doctors due to the shame of showing a man their body, even in a medical context. this position was generally occupied by a woman that was ranked below middle-class & commoner (think merchants/fishermen/etc.) as it was not a very desireable role. reader’s mom, Eun-a, is the head uinyeo, which is why she is called “su-uinyeo-nim” by others.

***i haven’t found any information that says men couldn’t be treated by women due to the Confucius beliefs, so at least in this story, reader helps out the male physicians from time to time.

eunuch - eunuchs were impotent or castrated men (had all or part of their genitals removed) who worked within the palace walls, serving and attending the royal family. they had their own hierarchy, like head eunuch, etc. it was possible for eunuchs to marry & have families of their own.

***Eunuch Kim has a 🍆! it’s just his testicles that were removed.

yoongi’s name - technically kings use temple names that end in jo or jong instead of their given names, but i’m keeping it as Yoongi!!

age - it’s revealed in the march 1858 drabble that Yoongi is officially turning 10 years old that year, but this is in Korean age. his birth year is 1849, which would make him 9 years old in age as we know it internationally. Korean tradition dictates that people age up at the start of the new year (Jan 1), not on their actual birthday. traditionally, they also add an extra year as they consider the baby 1 year old at birth, not 0 years old. to do the math, reader is two years older than him, which would make her born in 1847 & turning 12 that year!

*** the average life expectancy around that time was ~35-40, so their understanding of a teenager would be very different than ours, at least in terms of maturity. thus, even though the main characters are relatively young by today’s standards, i’ve written them to come off as older. UPDATED INFO: it seems court ladies could live up to rather elderly ages, even up to 70, so i’m not sure if the earlier statistic was just mainly for men.

birthdays - i couldn’t find any information about whether they celebrated the actual day of birth as well back then, only about 100 day milestones, etc. but it is part of Korean culture to celebrate the birthday in modern times, so i kept it in.

jeonha - similar to mama, this is how you refer to the king as an equivalent to “Your Majesty”. wangseja-jeonha is the full title for the crown prince. usually people just call him seja-jeonha.

women’s rights - how much freedom you have kind of depends on what rank you are. most of the upper court/noble ladies (yangban) are born & raised within the palace. they were very, very rarely allowed to leave (& if they were married off, then they would have to leave with like guards/people with them). it’s unfortunate but they were treated like property, passed off from father -> husband. from what i can gather, the lower ranked women (like the uinyeo) had a bit more liberty about going into town (or at least ive seen in media), mostly bc no one cared about them.... sad truth but truth nonetheless.

king’s authority - even though the king is the ruler of the entire land, he doesn’t have absolute authority over everything. generally kings in the joseon era had to listen to the advice of the court officials if they thought he was making the wrong choice.

Minister Choi’s execution - so actually there were several types of executions for people of different ranks. someone of Minister Choi’s status likely would have been given a less gruesome death via. poison (sasa or 사사). but i’m keeping it as a beheading to pay homage to the daechwita MV!

***i also came across an article that said only royal blood could be spilled on the palace grounds so i’m not 100% sure where the public execution square was located, only that there was one & it was separate from the palace. also a lot of dramas seem to ignore this rule, so i’m not sure.

perfume - this existed back then! along with cosmetics. they were a luxury item for mostly the upper class, but they definitely existed.

Queen Jeonghui’s birthday - fun fact! i borrowed this real life queen’s name first, for drabble 3. then i found out, it just so happens that her real birthday falls in November as well. it was a total coincidence haha. 

OC’s outfit/hairstyle - this is what she would have worn!

palace - the layout of the series setting is loosely based off Gyeongbokgung Palace! if you look at the map, i’ve set the private gardens at #24 (though the position of the island is different than how it looks in the map. it’s instead from the right side going towards the left), Yoongi’s private residence is #25. reader is moved into #23. #26-28 are libraries, which includes the crown prince’s private library.

*** also the palace is much bigger than you might imagine so to get anywhere takes some time & a bit of walking!

jipgyeongdang (집경당) - #22 on the map. along with #23 (below), were traditionally houses for concubines & palace maids before Yoongi moved them.

hamhwadang (함화당) - #23 on the map. where reader lives post December 1868.

sanggung - the highest rank available for women who served the palace/royal family. a woman could become a “favored sanggung” if she slept with the king, but not a proper concubine. normally from the “commoner” class.

sangmin - “commoner” class. made up about 80% of joseon’s people. were the farmers, fishermen, laborers, etc. these were the people that paid taxes and were ruled over by the nobles!

cheonmin - the rank below commoner, described in English as “vulgar commoner.” the upper classes considered these people “unclean.” among their numbers were butchers, sex workers, performers, shoemakers, and yes, uinyeo. they were normally given little to no respect at all within society.

concubine - women that had the honor of sleeping with the king. concubines had their own ranks within them as the king usually had many (think around a dozen). more info.

town - from what i can gather, directly outside of the palace is a small town. if you think of the Daechwita MV, it’s like the town that Yoongi walks through when he has black hair. this is where mostly people of the middle/lower class, like sangmin & those below that, live.

chuseok - Korean harvest festival! it means “autumn evening with the brightest moon”. it’s usually celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar. that would put it anywhere around sept 9-oct 2 in our modern calendar depending on the year!

yangban - these are the “ruling class” or gentry of the joseon era. generally means their families own land, are somewhat (or very) wealthy, and they are well-educated. (think Mr. Darcy, for a British equivalent)

why does no one recognize the prince in town? - with a lack of access to pictures & internet, it was common for the normal citizens of the country to not know what their monarchs looked like. generally to identify people & rank, they had to rely on appearance. gold was a color only reserved for royalty, so only the king & his sons could wear the royal robes with gold embroidery. once Yoongi takes off those robes, it’d be hard to identify him from among regular yangban!

jeon - these are bits of shrimp/vegetables/fish/other small things that are deep fried in egg batter!

nokdujeon - this is like a small, savory pancake made with, you guessed it, mung beans!

Chun-ja calling Eunuch Kim “Kim-nim” - look. i’ll be straight with you i have no idea how a commoner would refer to a eunuch. i’m flip-flopping between his title (which i also cannot figure out bc idk which of the 18 political ranks he would be, but not for lack of trying y’all T_T) & his name with the respectful -nim. so just to be safe, i’m going with it.

***i also am not 100% on this, but i believe Eunuchs rank higher than commoners because they work in the palace? which is why Eunuch Kim uses “-ssi” for her.

hangul & hanja - so the Korean alphabet as we know it is called hangul, and it was invented in 1443. in the past, they used to use hanja, Chinese characters, to write documents.

female literacy rate - as related to above, it was rare for women to be able to read/write even up until the late 19th century. they weren’t allowed to learn hanja at all & only around 4% could learn hangul. of those 4%, it was mostly noble women, who received good education to be better wives.

***books were then thus read aloud by those literate to crowds, so people could still enjoy stories.

face - the concept of “face” is very much rooted in Asian culture. in Korea, it’s called chemyon, & is basically related to your reputation + how others see you. you can lose, build, or gain face through your actions or what rumors of you spread. for example, if parents have children with bad grades, they + the child lose face. people should strive to do things to build their family’s honor & face up. i’ve experienced firsthand how people go to sometimes extreme lengths to “save face” as the term goes. basically, if you’re going to do something shameful, it’s better to do it where no one can see. (this concept isn’t going to have a huge influence in the series, at least not so far & i use it rather lightheartedly in October 1865 but i just thought that it’s really interesting + important to know about Asian culture!)

French expedition to Korea (Byeong-in yangyo) - in October 1866, the second French empire tried to invade Korea (or Joseon as it was called at the time) because the king at the time executed seven French missionaries. after several months of fighting, Korea won with only four soldiers killed & 3 wounded (compared to France: 3 killed, 35 wounded). Joseon was able to stay relatively isolated from all the other countries, continuing the practice of isolationism.

gossip - i couldn’t find any laws prohibiting people from talking about court going-ons/battles, though i would assume that it’s punishable if you’re doing it to talk badly about the king. but even if there were laws in place, word gets around, as word tends to do. therefore, i’ve given Eunuch Kim a bit more freedom in his letters.

royal funerals - it could actually take up to 5 months for the coffin to begin its journey to the resting tomb, but i’ve expedited the timeline for plot purposes!

coronations - these actually weren’t super common in Korea or Asia in general, but it did happen once in the 1700s for King Yeongjo. i’m using that as inspiration for Yoongi’s crowning.

*** also i couldn’t find info on the exact wording that King Yeongjo used when he announced his succession to his deceased brother’s body so... i took some creative license there.

gama - how yangban & up women travelled, carried by their servants. here’s a visual!

the royal engagement - actually, Beom-su would not have lived within the palace walls. she would have lived in a detached palace that was further away from the main palace, and there would be a whole procession where the king goes to her during their wedding rites. however, i’ve seen several dramas have the bride-to-be hang around a lot, which seems to be true because she would have had to learn the customs of the palace, so i’m not sure how much she would have been around realistically. i’ve just chosen not to address it, like the dramas do.

Beom-su’s name - i chose this name for her because of one of the possible hanja for beom: “犯”, which i would pair with the hanja “秀” for su. her name would basically mean excellent invasion, which i thought was a bit cruel, slightly humorous, & overall fitting. it is normally a masculine name though! 

why are Beom-su’s father’s actions such a scandal? - so all the unmarried women living/working in the palace were considered the king’s property. he could sleep with them if he wanted to, but essentially they belonged to him. by laying hands on the maid, the minister committed a double sin because he not only was he assaulting someone, but he was infringing upon the king’s territory. 

civil service exam (gwageo) - this is an exam issued every 3 years that any man, commoner rank & above, could take in order to enter into civil service. it’s what Jimin takes to enter into the court! i’m not sure what month these were held or if it was just at the king’s discretion (could not find much info)

more on eunuch kim & the re-marriage process

royal tombs - these were often quite far away from the actual palace but looking on maps, i found that there were a few tombs rather close to the palace that people could have conceivably travelled to within a day, over several long hours on horseback!

on natural disasters - yes, in history, natural disasters like floods/earthquakes/eclipses were said to be the king’s fault because he wasn’t a good enough ruler! things like this could seriously derail the people’s trust in the king and was a big cause of concern.

on Queen Jeonghui being in court meetings - i couldn’t find actual evidence that said the queen couldn’t be at these daily meetings between officials. in fact, the real life Empress Myeongseong in the ~1870s was pretty involved in politics and was quite interested in matters of law, etc. so, i’ve decided to allow Jeonghui to be present and address the ministers alongside Yoongi!

Chunaengjeon - i kind of explain more about this already in the drabble itself but if you’re curious, it’s the only solo court dance in the Joseon era and the highlight of the dance is a moment where the dancer mimics a bird perched on a flower and smiles :’) i thought it was fitting for these two. here’s a video of a performance that i used as reference!

janae - there were quite a few different terms for couples to call each other during this time. “janae” was meant to represent wife and is kind of their equivalent to our... “honey”? it was mostly used among the commoners/lower classes to convey affection and closeness. (aka eunuch kim continues to be the cutest)

on adopting a child as a eunuch - the readings i found say that eunuch kim’s children must be eunuchs themselves if he adopts them directly, but they don’t mention anything about this particular case of a eunuch marrying a widow, aka the child is not directly adopted by Eunuch Kim himself. so Han-jae will not be a eunuch when he grows up!

american invasion of korea (shinmiyangyo) - this is a true historical event, as i’ve mentioned in my author’s note for “June 1871.” Americans repeatedly violated Korean soveriegnty and invaded their land, resulting in many, many deaths for the Korean side. they were hoping this destruction would force Korea to accept the trade treaty. Korea did not, and eventually were able to chase the Americans out of their land a month later. the wikipedia page goes into greater detail if you’re interested, and is a quick overview of the situation.

seong-min’s living situation - as i’ve mentioned earlier with the whole Beom-su situation, i’ve chosen to not use the detached palace again for this engagement as dramas tend to do.

the wedding ceremony - similar to my reasoning about the detached palace, i’ve chosen to focus on only a few parts of the marriage rites while only briefly mentioning the rest. why? well, while i would LOVE to explain all the details and intricacies of such an incredible process, i feel like that would take a lot away from the heart of the story and be distracting, especially at such a critical stage. so i’ve explained what i can, and given brief overviews where i am able. ofc i adjusted the parading ceremony because of the change of the detached palace custom. if you’d like an easy-to-read source on the whole process, please check out this link! basically the MLT chapter depicts a tweaked vers of steps 5 and 6. 1-3 happened behind the scenes, and i mentioned #4 in the “summer 1871″ drabble.

chungin - our equivalent of “white collar” workers, or the upper-middle class. this rank was made up of low-level bureaucrats, accountants, physicians, etc. some royal servants would also be part of this rank because they’re allowed to enter the palace. there is an exam (chapkwa) to become this rank!

conception dreams (taemong) - as uinyeo-nim explains in the drabble, these dreams were often seen as omens of impending pregnancy. depending on what you see in your dream, there are different interpretations. possible symbols are animals, fruits, elements of nature, children, and jewels. eg. if you dreamed of fruits, it was often considered to be a sign of having a baby girl.

other conception myths - i know from my own experience that Asians often have a lot of superstitions regarding conception and pregnancy and medical things in general. however, i couldn’t find any specific conception myths for the time period in question (most of my research only uncovered superstitions for after you’re already pregnant), so i’ve taken some creative license here, using the conception dreams and current beliefs as inspiration!

on Queen Jeonghui calling oc “dear” - since I prefer not to use Y/N, ___, etc. for reader’s name and just generally avoid mentioning it, it’s nearly impossible for me to convey the tone with which Queen Jeonghui would’ve been calling OC in this chapter. in Korean, she would be saying “[name]-yah/ah” depending on the ending syllable of the name. adding that suffix to the end of a name conveys closeness and intimacy between people. I’ve chosen to substitute it for “dear” to make things sound more natural in English. it’s not an exact match, but it’ll have to do!

[tbr-agency]

7 girls, 7 rescue plan.

summary ⟶ In which 7 girls were individually assigned to get the members of Got7. 

timeline ⟶ January 2018

characters : The Bloody Roses, Got7

  ❛ 7 girls, 7 rescue plans ❜

Somewhere near a convenient store

"Hyung, is there anything you want?... Beer?... Okay. Yeah... I'll be back around 10 minutes... No... I'll probably buy some food too... Okay... Bye.."

Jaebeom ended the call with his Deepshower hyung, entering the store. Though there was no one in the store, he tried to look unnoticeable as he pulled his bucket hat nearer to his face.

There was a reason why he wanted to come out of his studio. He felt helpless about the situation that has been happening.

"Why does sasaeng fans have to exist?" Jaebeom mumbled quietly as he took 4 cans of beers into the basket. He then went towards the processed food section; the sandwiches.

As he was picking up each one of the sandwiches, somehow, Jaebeom felt uncomfortable. It was as if someone was watching him.

He looked around, to see the retailer on the cashier section doing her nails, not even knowing Jaebeom's presence.

Jaebeom frowns as he shrugs, continuing picking up more sandwiches.

"Oppa."

"Holy sh—

Jaebeom dropped a sandwich upon hearing a girl's voice. He looked towards the voice to see a girl, wearing a black shirt and jeans and a hat.

She looks creepy.

Jaebeom nods alittle, acknowledging her presence then quickly taking the fallen sandwich, then waking away.

"Oppa. Don't you know how much I love you?"

As Jaebeom heard the sentences coming from behind him, he had a goosebump.

That is what sasaengs exactly sound. Okay, Jaebeom. Calm down. Just act normal.

Jaebeom gulped as he tightens the grip of his basket while making his way towards the cashier point. He could still feel the girl's presence behind him.

The cashier girl looks at Jaebeom then towards his back, while scanning his items.

"Your girlfriend looks mad. Is she okay?" The cashier girl looked towards Jaebeom as he was screaming inside his mind.

Not helping cashier girl!

Jaebeom quickly pays the exact amount, not caring if he took the receipt. As he turned around, he saw a shiny item towards the girl's hand.

Is that a knife?! It is a knife!

Jaebeom quickly exited the convenience store and he decided to make a bolt for it. He thanked the gods that he was a fast runner.

He looked behind to see the girl still running behind him, his eyes widen in horror to really confirm that the girl was holding a knife.

As Jaebeom was running, he saw a motorcycle speeding up towards his way. He can't help but frown deeply.

It looks like the motorcycle was about to crash on him. 

Jaebeom quickly stops in his tracks not knowing what to do next as he closed his eyes, somehow accepting his fate.

The next thing he heard was a gunshot and a screeching sound, then feeling the wind pass by him. Jaebeom slowly opens his eyes to see the rider holding out a gun towards where the sasaeng was.

Jaebeom looked behind as his eyes widen in fear.

"Did you just - Did you kill her?!" Jaebeom yelled in fear as he looks behind, as the rider lowering the gun down.

Jaebeom was frowning so deeply, watching each movement of the rider, also trying to guess if it's a guy or a girl behind that helmet.

In slow motion, the rider reveals itself, and Jaebeom's eyes slowly enlarge.

"I didn't kill her. It's not a bullet in the gun anyway, and clearly, you don't see any blood."

Behind the helmet was the face of a girl, which made Jaebeom more cautious.

"Lim Jaebeom?" She questioned, staring at him while scanning his features.

"Are you going to shoot me just like how you did to her?" Jaebeom avoided her question and she rolls her eyes, taking out something from her leather jacket.

"I'm Lee Haejin. I’m a member of the Bloody Roses and I’m here to pick you up before more sasaengs kidnaps you." She showed her badge and Jaebeom stared at her picture then towards her.

This was the girl that her manager was talking about, not just her. It was a group of 7 girls that was suppose to be guarding them.

Out of nowhere, there were sounds of sirens, indicating the police have arrived.

"Are you going to just stand there or come with me?" Haejin cocked her eyebrows as she was holding into an extra helmet.

Jaebeom sighs as he looks at Haejin, before grabbing the helmet, then getting on the back of the motorcycle.

"Hold on tight! It's going to be a fast ride!"

Somewhere around an apartment building

Mark sighs as he was walking into his apartment building. Though he was not in the mood, he greeted the receptionist that always took care of the people coming in and out.

Clearly, he was bothered with the company with how they handled sasaeng fans.

He went into the elevator pressing the level of his apartment, his head filled with a lot of thoughts, which is sending a group of girls to guard him and the other members.

When he heard what was the company's plan, Mark can't help but to let out a deep frown. Was it a big deal that they had to sent a guard individually for the members?

The sound of the elevator made Mark to be back in reality, realizing he reached the level of his apartment.

His footsteps stopped as he could see the door of his apartment door was opened slightly. Mark frowns as he remembered that he locked the door. 

He never forgets to locked the door, ever since the news of sasaengs trying to stalked his group members.

Mark eyes slowly widen to see the door open a jar to see someone wearing full-on black with a cap on.

"Fuc-

Mark made his way towards the stairs, parkouring his way down. He took a glimpse behind to see the sasaeng fan catching up towards him.

Once he reached the basement carpark, he quickly dialed a number, running with full speed while he was on the phone.

"HYUNG! The sasaeng is literally—

Just then a motorcycle suddenly appeared in front of him. The rider quickly took out its helmet, to reveal an unfamiliar girl.

Mark frowns as he glance towards his phone.

"Hyung—

"—Get on the motorcycle! She will bring you to JYP!"

"How do I know if—

"She's a member of the Bloody Roses! Just get on the motorcycle!"

The girl quickly hand out the helmet towards Mark, before getting on the back of the motorcycle.

Somewhere at the airport

"Where is he?" Jackson mumbled while looking at his watch. It was nearly midnight and his manager was suppose to pick him up at the airport.

Feeling pissed, he tried calling his manager and he was led to the voicemail.

"The number you are calling-

"Oh c'mon! Hyung!" Jackson whines as he closed his eyes in annoyance. There was clearly no one to call since it was in the middle of the night, taxis were probably unavailable.

He just wants to go home and have a good rest.

Jackson sat on the pave way, not caring if he looks homeless. He has been standing for half an hour while playing with his phone, informing his members.

Weirdly, none of them replied to his messages. The first ones to reply to emergencies were Jaebeom or Jinyoung.

Jackson frowns to see his phone being silent as he sighs loudly.

Great, looks like I will be here for a day.

Just then, a car coincidentally parked in front of Jackson. He just looked at the car, scanning its model.

Wow! It's a Ferrari!

The Ferrari window of the passenger seat scrolled down, to see a girl wearing a leather jacket, peeking through.

"Jackson?"

Jackson abruptly stood up as he frowns a little, scanning the girl's feature. 

As he remembered who she was, Jackson smiled a little.

"Are you the girl that somehow guard a girl group!?" Jackson exclaimed and she chuckled while nodding.

"That's us!"

Jackson nodded as he looks inside the car. 

"Where's manager hyung?"

"He is... in the company building."

"What?!? So he really forget to fetch me?!" Jackson looked disappointed as he looks at his phone, clearly remembered that he spam his manager's phone.

"Well—

At the same time, there was a loud screeching sound, making Jackson to look where it came from. 

His expressions turns into fear realizing a car was speeding up towards his way.

"That's the cue for you to come in! Hurry!"

Jackson hurriedly went into the passenger seat.

"Seat belts on and hang on tight, Jackson." The girl smirked as Jackson looks at the girl and to the car that was going to his way.

"Oh god."

Somewhere near an alley

"Thank you everyone for your hard work! It's a wrap for today!" yelled the director and everyone was preparing to go home, packing all lighting sets.

Jinyoung bowed to everyone, thanking all the staffs and saying goodbye to his co-stars that he is filming a drama with.

He quickly checked his phone, and the first thing he sees was Jackson's message.

Wang-gae  Manager hyung! Where are you????

That was an hour ago and no one replied him, which made Jinyoung quite surprised. Usually, their manager would quickly reply Jackson or either Jaebeom would reply him.

What's weird the other members didn't reply him.

"Did they fought? It can't be." Jinyoung mumbled as he was checking the old messages. 

Before this, they had a meeting with JYP executives regarding the sasaeng fans.

He could see some of the members were triggered and of course, they weren't too happy, especially Mark and Youngjae. Those 2 are more to being private.

"Jinyoung oppa."

Jinyoung instantly looks up, to see a girl dressed up all black with a cap on. He couldn't see the girl's features clearly.

"Yes?"

And strangely, the girl went silent, which is weird for Jinyoung. 

He expected a scream or a question for a picture. That's when he felt goosebumps.

"I'm sorry but I have to go." Jinyoung bowed apologetically and he was about to turn around when he felt a tight grip on his wrist.

"I'm sorry oppa but you are—

"Okay I'm tired of watching but he ain't going anywhere!"

And it took a second and the girl was already on the floor, and this time another girl was in front of Jinyoung, wearing something different.

It was a tight one-suit. 

Obviously, Jinyoung clearly looked really confused on what's going on until he remembered the talk he has with his executives.

"Is that a sasaeng fan?" Jinyoung questioned and the girl in front of him looks at the body, nodding.

"That's the 4th one." She simply said, looking at Jinyoung.

"4th?" Jinyoung frowns as he gulped nervously. 

He can't lie to himself, he was trembling with fear.

"I'll explain more on the way back to your company building. For now.., here." The girl handed out a jacket towards him. He looked at her, clearly confused.

"We will be walking since it's just a few blocks away." said the girl and Jinyoung quickly wore the jacket, walking next to the girl, catching quick gazes, analyzing the girl. 

She looked unbothered and knowing she wasn't a typical normal girl.

"Is the others...." Jinyoung trailed off and she turned towards Jinyoung, looking at him directly.

"The others are safe. Actually, some of them might be already in the company building right now." She looked at her watch, tilting her head a little.

Jinyoung looked visibly concerned, hearing how she put her sentences.

That means the others are being stalked too?!

"There are 7 of us, and we were given the locations of where the 7 of you are. And just recently, we found a threat of a group of sasaengs are targeting the 7 of you. So here I am." She explained calmly, although Jinyoung couldn't read the girl's expression.

Somewhere near the park

"Aish Coco. I can't believe we are doing this in the middle of the night..."

Youngjae was taking Coco for a walk, since she was being very active and just loud. 

Well, it's been a while that he took a night walk himself.

Seeing Coco walking a little slower, Youngjae guessed that Coco had a little bit of energy left, earning a smirk from the owner as they made their way back to their apartment.

As Youngjae was checking on his phone, he realized that Coco's leash felt loose, as he took a glance to see Coco stopping at its track.

She was looking at a specific direction and out of nowhere, Coco started barking.

"Yah! Coco! Quiet down! Did you forget that it's nearly 1???" Youngjae was panicking as he was trying smooth out the barking Coco.

It was the first time to see Coco barking, showing his canine teeth. Youngjae frowns while looking towards where Coco was barking at.

And without warning, Coco suddenly started running, making Youngjae to be on his feet, chasing the running Coco.

"YAH! Coco!" Youngjae shouted while groaning out loud. Youngjae was being led by Coco to a girl being attacked by another dog.

Youngjae somehow was feeling confused, to see Coco joining the other dog, attacking the poor girl.

"Coco! Yah! Hey- Stop!" Youngjae was trying to pull Coco away but he was taken aback to see how aggressive Coco is.

"VANILLA! That's enough!"

Youngjae looked to where the voice was coming from, to see a girl running with full speed. He then realized that she came with a handcuff.

"Oh god. Vanilla, I told you not to attack. Why on earth-- Well, it doesn't matter. You did a good job... Here.." The girl crouch in front of the other dog, Youngjae realized the dog's name goes by Vanilla and realizing it was a cavalier king Charles spaniel breed.

The girl then turns towards Coco who was wagging its tail seeing that she had a treat on her hands. "You too Coco.. Here.."

Youngjae widens his eyes to hear her knowing Coco, seeing his dog accepting the treat, gulping it quickly.

"Are you a fan?" Youngjae questioned and the girl scoff while petting Coco and Vanilla.

"I wish.." She mumbled and Youngjae frowns.

"Are you a sasaeng fan then?"

"I would be in that position if I was a sasaeng. Besides, I think Coco can testify if I am a sasaeng or not." She looked towards the body on the floor. 

The girl on the floor looked passed out.

Youngjae looked towards Coco who was sitting in front of the girl, he noticed Coco's tails were waggling knowing she was too happy.

Just in time, there were sounds of the police sirens and the girl looked towards Youngjae.

"I know you have a lot of questions but right now, we have to go back to your company building, before your fans catch us, thinking we have a date, right Coco?"

Somewhere in a studio

"Okay.... Is everyone okay?... Alright.. Yeah... Okay.... Right.. I will.. Hyung! Relax! I didn't leave the studio yet.. I won't! Oh. my. god. Hyung, just chill okay? It's going to be alright, I think you should be worried about Yugyeom. That kid is probably panicking... Okay. Bye.."

Bambam ended the call that he had with his manager, then letting out a loud sigh.

His manager just informed him of what has happened to his other hyungs, and also informing him of his next action.

Someone will come and fetch him, and his manager told him to lock the door, and not to open it even if someone knocks onto the door or call his name.

Bambam decided to text his other members regarding his situation.

Bambam : Is everyone safe?

Jinyoung hyung : Fortunately, yes.

Jaebeom hyung : Bambam-ah, where are you? Are you on the way to the company building with her?

Bambam : Her? I'm alone hyung. I'm waiting for someone to fetch me.

Youngjae hyung : WHAT?!

Yugyeom : I'm alone too.

Jaebeom hyung : Okay. I already informed Haejin about this. She said the 2 girls are on the way to get both of you.

Jinyoung hyung : Who's Haejin?

Yugyeom : Yeah hyung. Who's Haejin?

Bambam was about to reply when he heard a knock on the door. His head turned towards the door to see a shadow, and he can't help but gulp nervously.

Bambam : Hyung, someone just knock onto my door.

Bambam just stood there nervously, and the knocking got aggressive making the boy gasp silently while covering his mouth, afraid he would let out a sound.

He could feel his phone vibrating multiply, knowing his members were replying to his message.

Mark hyung : Ahrin said to sent a message to this number, 62298, and sent 2 rose emoji. Ahrin said the receiver would know what does it mean.

Bambam quickly followed Mark instructions, not hesitating to quickly sent the message and soon, the message was delivered.

Just then, the doorknob started moving and Bambam was already on his feet, grabbing the chair lightly as he hide in the corner.

He silently prayed for everyone, asking for forgiveness if he had done anything wrong, knowing as his last day on earth, guessing he will be killed by the hands of a sasaeng fan.

Goodbye world, Goodbye Mum, Bank, Beer, Baby Gent, Ahgase, Got7 hyungs. I love--

The door of his study suddenly opens abruptly, to reveal a girl wearing a white t-shirt and jeans with heel boots, gasping as she looked around as if she was finding for something.

Her eyes then locked with Bambam as he looked terrified.

She smiled while somehow taking a call.

"I found him. He looks scared.. Yes.. I'll inform him.. Yeah.. Oh! Okay okay! We will drop by there!" She ended the call while slowly walking towards Bambam.

"I'm not a sasaeng. That is a sasaeng fan." She pointed towards the door, to see a body on the floor. Bambam widen his eyes as he looked towards the body then towards the girl in front of him.

"Damn... Is she dead?"

The girl chuckled as she let out her hand towards Bambam. 

"No. I tranquilized her.. C'mon.. We have to fetch Yugyeom.."

Bambam's eyes widen as he quickly took her hand as she pulled him up.

"Woah... You're strong.." Bambam commented and the girl giggled as she quickly picks up Bambam's bag, knowing that she is running out of time.

She grabbed Bambam's hand pulling him along as they exited the room.

"Okay! So, what's gonna---

"I'll explain more where we are in the car!"

Somewhere  in an apartment

"WHAT?! Hyung, I'm literally outside! Oh god. What should I do?!?!?!....... Okay... Right... Okay... I'll rush back to the studio...."

Yugyeom put on his cap and as he was packing his bag, there was a knock on the door. Somehow, he had goosebumps and strangely, the air felt eery.

Instead of answering the door, Yugyeom lightly made his way to his bedroom door, closing the door light and locking it slowly without making a sound.

Grabbing his phone, he decided to call his manager.

"H-hyung... someone just knocked the door.," Yugyeom whispered and there was a commotion on the other side of the caller.

Yugyeom can hear a voice coming from a group of girls, and strangely, he can hear his other members too.

"Hello? Hyung--

"Hello? Yugyeom. This is Ahrin, the leader of Bloody Roses. I want you to calm down and I want you to follow my instructions exactly okay?"

Yugyeom let out a timid yes, thanking the girl as she sounded calm.

"Okay, slowly and without making any noises, I want you to go to the corner of the room and grab any item that can hit the opponent." instructed the girl and Yugyeom began finding for an item and he decided to grab a 2 different lightsticks, the Ahgabong.

"Okay.. I got 2 Ahgabongs with me."

"Okay good. That is for protection, in case the sasaeng went into your apartment."

"Okay. Can you stay on the phone with me?"

There was a calm chuckle on the other side of the call. "Of course. Please don't worry, Yugyeom. Your hyungs are here with me."

"All of them?"

"Not all."

"Is Bambam there?"

"He's with his bodyguard on the way--

At the same time, there was loud commotion just outside and Yugyeom gulped in fear.

"Ahr--

"I know I heard it too. Just stay low."

There was crashing sounds, loud banging, and it sounded like plates were being thrown everywhere. There were a few screams too. 

Suddenly, there was silence and it followed by a gun-shot.

"Hello?!? Yugyeom?!?! Yugyeom!?! Are you there?!?"

"Yes, I'm here. It sounded like a gun—

Out of a sudden, the door of the room where Yugyeom was hiding abruptly opens to see a girl wearing a one-suit while holding a gun. 

She looked towards Yugyeom.

"Guys, he's here."

There were loud footsteps outside, and Yugyeom gulped as he put his phone near his ear.

"Ahrin, help me say to the hyungs that I love--

"Yugyeom-ah!" There stood Bambam at the door, as he ran towards the taller one, hugging him tightly. He looked towards Bambam, already feeling his eyes welling up with tears.

The girl snatched the phone from Yugyeom, earning a shock expression from Yugyeom.

"Hello? Yeah... He's with me... Yeah, Nara and Bambam too... Okay... I'll call the cops too so we will probably reach in about 15 minutes?.....Okay..." The girl ended the call as she handed it towards Yugyeom.

"Are we safe?" Yugyeom questioned and Bambam nodded.

"Hyunji, the cops are coming and I already wrote the statement. We should go."

Another girl suddenly appeared on the door with a paper, looking directly at the girl who was wearing a one-suit. She then looked towards Bambam and Yugyeom.

"C'mon you two. We can go now." She said with a smile as she left.

The girl with the one-suit on gestured her hand towards the door, as a sign for the 2 boys to go first.

"Bam--

"C'mon, she said we should go. Don't worry. I am close to the 2 of them. They are nice and sweet girls." Bambam dragged Yugyeom out as the taller one looked at the girl who wears the one-suit, as she let out a small smile.

masterlist : Got7 Bodyguard Au

[talechaser-ffxiv]

04 - Doll

Another day, another social event to attend.  Some grand gala held by yet another of Ul'dah's social elite, she didn't bother to keep track of the details.  An invitation had arrived, her name was written on the card, that was all she needed to know.  So here she was.  One day she would have it in her to refuse.  She cursed her noble upbringing and the rules that came with it, which had been crammed into her head since a young age.

Sasae despised these events.  The forced smiles, the feigned laughter... hers most of all.  She hated having to pretend.  She hated having to play along with society.  She was content to just stand in the corner and sip her wine in peace.  At least she didn't have to worry quite so much about seeing her parents... they tended to avoid any event that she was invited to.

Perhaps that was truly why she went--the more parties she attended, the less influence her parents had among the nobility.

Sasae took another sip of her wine, her gaze sweeping the room once again.  No one had taken notice of her yet.  That was always a relief.  She hated having to wear the mask, to put on airs and pretend everything was fine.  She hated having to pretend to like people.  She preferred her privacy, her solitude.  Anyone that wished to violate that, she was all too eager to crush beneath her heel.

She refused to be anyone's doll ever again.

The music changed, and she found herself glancing towards the performers.  She had to admit, they were good.  If there was one thing she did enjoy at events like this, the music was often it.  The musicians were perhaps her favorite.  They just stayed quiet and played music, providing something that she could listen to rather than the catty gossip and egotistical posturing all around her.  Granted, it didn't stop her from eavesdropping; living in Ul'dah had taught her that having even the slightest nugget of information about your opposition could give you an edge... or cripple your efforts, if the information were false.

She made a mental note to provide a tip for the musicians before leaving.  Today's gala was especially dull, and no new gossip had arisen.  The music was the only good part.  The music and the wine.  At least no one had deigned to bother her this time.

"Hello, milady.  It is a pleasure to see you again."

Sasae could feel the faintest twitch in her brow.  So much for that thought.  She didn't even need to look to see who it was.  She knew that arrogant voice anywhere, one of her many 'suitors', and perhaps the one with whom her father had nearly arranged a marriage.  Prior to the 'incident', anyway.

Asobo Yuresobo.

"Why the cold shoulder, Lady Sasae?" Asobo asked.  She could hear the smarmy grin plastered on his face.  "After all, last I heard, we were to be betrothed...  I had your father's blessing, the arrangements were to be made... and then I hear nothing for moons."

"How tragic."  Sasae kept her gaze turned away from Asobo, preferring to watch the band play.  "I never heard of such an arrangement.  Perhaps you are thinking of someone else."

"Hardly."  Sasae had to keep herself from scowling.  She hated how he towered over her.  He lacked the height of a Hyur or a Roegadyn, but they at least didn't loom over her drooling like a street cur hungry for scraps.  "How could I mistake beauty such as yours?"  She had to keep herself from reacting as she felt his hand brushing through her hair.  Were this just another mongrel on the street, she would set him aflame immediately.  But here, there were too many eyes.  Not only that, but his wealth gave him an inflated sense of ego, and it meant that reprisal would be nonexistent even if anyone did notice.

She simply had to play along.  She hated this game with all her being, but this was how the world worked.

"Quite easily, I would think..." she mused aloud, still not looking towards the Plainsfolk.  "After all, were you not just professing your affections to Lady Namomo just last week at the banquet?"

"Merely a courtesy, I assure you," he replied nonchalantly.

"Then there was Lady Cicila at her dinner party..." she continued.

"It is good manners to express appreciation to one's host."

"Lady Ririmu at her cousin's masquerade ball..."

"I wished to congratulate her on her betrothal."

"Not to mention Lady Sanana, Lady Kokomo, Lady Ulele, or Lady Namimi..."  Sasae couldn't help but marvel at how he was willing to play off each of these as if these women weren't already present at the gala.  And all the while that smile hadn't left his face.

"None of whom can hold a candle to your beauty, Sasae..."  Asobo took her drink from her, and as he did, Sasae could feel him take her hand.  It took everything she had to keep her anger under control.  She disliked unnecessary physical contact, especially without her consent.  She could feel her hand heating up from an innate desire to burn him, but she forced herself to keep it contained.  No doubt he would misconstrue it as something idiotic, anyways.

"I must decline."  She pulled her hand back, despite how she felt his grip tighten initially.  "I have no interest in you, and your wealth and social status are of no consequence to me.  You are mistaken.  There was no betrothal, and there will be none.  If you wish to ask my father, then by all means, go ahead.  The answer will not change."  She finally turned her gaze towards him, and she could see him still smiling.  She hated that smile.  It was infuriating.  Did he even care what she had to say?  "If you will excuse me... I have elsewhere to be."

She turned to leave.

"Lady Sasae."

She stopped reflexively.  She could feel the anger rising within her.  It was getting to be more and more difficult to contain.

"Your drink, Lady Sasae."

Sasae turned to face Asobo, staring at the wine glass as he held it out to her.  He was still smiling, that same arrogant, slimy smile that she despised so much.  Sasae remained silent as she took the glass back, staring Asobo in the face.

"...why, thank you."

She turned the glass abruptly, throwing the wine in his face.  Seeing his smile drop was easily the most satisfying experience, to say nothing of the dark red streaking down his face and hair.  She handed the glass back to him, and he took it almost reflexively.

"I do believe I've had enough to drink today."

Sasae turned on her heel, ignoring the stares as she left Asobo behind.  She strode right out without even a second glance back.  She'd had more than enough socialization for the day.

At least the vision of Asobo's wine-soaked visage would leave her in a good mood for quite some time.

Sasae sat in silence before the fire, watching the flames dance within the fireplace.  She was alone in the darkness, alone with her thoughts of what had transpired at the gala.  Anger swirled within her like an inferno, yet despite it, she felt cold as ice.

She'd heard the stories.  She'd heard of how Asobo had collapsed at the gala not even one bell after her departure.  He was alright, much to her chagrin, but the panic to follow was of particular note.  There were rumors that the wine had been poisoned, and already she could imagine the unfortunate workers from the kitchens being blamed for the ordeal.

The implications were not lost on her.  Asobo didn't have a single glass of wine for himself.  Her wine had been fine as well.

At least, it had been until it ended up in his hands.

Heavy footfalls caught her attention.  She recognized them.  After all, she had employed him previous times in the past.  He hated her, she knew that much.  She didn't care.  Let him hate her.  If anything, she was all the more thankful that he couldn't see her face right now.  She didn't want to see the look on his face if he noticed.

She was done with being seen as a doll.  She was done being played with.  And she refused to be broken.

"...another 'offer'...?" she heard the Au Ra ask, his voice gruff, displeased, but she knew she could depend on him.  He was efficient.  And she knew that this was a job he would gladly take.

"...yes.  Twice the usual rate, more if you manage to keep it quiet."  Sasae's grip tightened on her skirt, her teeth grinding painfully as she fought to contain her anger.

"...and the job is...?"  His voice was cautious.  She didn't blame him.  She knew he didn't like being used like this.  Sasae had to take a breath to compose herself, silently praying he didn't notice the slight quaver as she inhaled.

"...I want you to get rid of Asobo Yuresobo."

March Writing Challenge - 04 - Doll

[imitranslates]

Fukigen na Mononokean Ch. 58

To tell or not to tell, that is the question... Enjoy!

Please remember to check out the official English release when it comes out, preferably on Crunchyroll if you’re able to!

The newest chapter can be read on the official website by clicking the yellow button labeled 読む!

Fukigen na Mononokean Chapter 58 – Scattered Buds

Page 2

[Sixteen years ago today, Ashiya Sakae disappeared...]

[But now, his influence and his personality that lay dormant in Ashiya have shown themselves.]

[By knowing about him, I've caught hold of a huge clue, but...]

[If I delve deeply into this thread, we'll end up learning about all sorts of other questionable stories.]

Page 3

["A human that kills demons."

It's a dangerous subject for us to rashly investigate or show interest in...]

[If those guys in the Underworld were to find out, he's the one who would be in the most precarious position...]

[Especially considering the "Executive"...]

[Even though he was warned by the Justice and Legislator due to his earlier violence, it's incredibly unlikely that he'll sit by quietly and let it pass.

Abeno: ......

[...However... Since it's dangerous, maybe keeping quiet is a good idea?

Before revealing the truth to Ashiya, I should probably reassess the present situation.]

Page 4

Ashiya: Aren't you keeping something about Sakae hidden from me?

Abeno: !?

Ashiya: .....

Abeno: .....

Abeno: (I'm sure I didn't slip up in my words or actions...)

Abeno: ......

Abeno: (I was planning to hide it, but if the seams are showing... Even if I keep deceiving him, it's just a matter of time until I'm found out.)

[I've kept quiet until today. If I consider what will happen from now on, maybe I should tell him everything...]

[Sasa: I don't want... to disappear...]

Page 5

Abeno: I'm not hiding anything.

Abeno: ...?

Abeno: (...Huh?)

Ashiya: ...Really?

Abeno: Annoying... I said I wasn't hiding anything.

Abeno: (Huh...??)

Abeno: ...???

Page 6

Ashiya: Is that so...

Ashiya: So that's it! Well, it's not like you have any reason to hide anything, Abeno-san!

Ashiya: Sorry for asking something weird!

Ashiya: Instead of moving my mouth, I should be moving our hands... isn't that right! I'll be finished in a little bit, so please wait a little longer!

Oh yeah! Can you bring over the small, white and fluffy flowers from the cooler for me?

Abeno: ...Got it.

[...What the heck am I doing...?

Wasn't that the perfect opportunity to broach the subject...?]

[There's no guarantee I can hide it forever.]

Abeno: ......

Page 7

[What happened that day... That Ashiya Sakae's personality surfaced and

What I witnessed in Sasa-dono's recollection... As well as...]

[That he killed a demon with his influence.]

Abeno: ......

[I don't want to, but I have to say it..]

Page 8

Joumatsu: Ununu! This is wonderful work!

Joumatsu: It truly is fluffy and sparkly, much like the princess!

Ashiya: I'm relieved to hear you're pleased with it!

Joumatsu: Unu?

Joumatsu: By the way, I do not see the Master around... (Is he elsewhere?)

Ashiya: Abeno-san...

Page 9

Ashiya: "You're the one who made it, so you give it to him."

He said that, so he's tending to the shop in my place.

Joumatsu: I see! I would like to give him my gratitude directly, but the princess awaits me in the Underworld!

Joumatsu: I must hurry back to the princess's side!

Joumatsu: Farewell!!

Ashiya: He's already gone... His hastiness hasn't changed a bit.

Mononokean: While he was waiting here, he was eagerly wanting to give her his present as soon as possible, too.

Mononokean: Flowers from the Mundane world are pretty and smell so nice!

If it's a present like that, I'm sure Princess Anmo would fall in love with them!

Ashiya: !

Ashiya: ...Do you want some, too, Mononokean?

Page 10

Ashiya: Mission complete! Joumatsu-san was happy with the result!

Abeno: I see...

Abeno: How much for the arrangement? Around 10,000 yen?

Ashiya: It's not that much.

Ashiya: It shouldn't be over 3,000 yen, considering the cost of the flowers you picked out. (I'll go calculate it now.)

Page 11

Ashiya: (Ah!) And please pick out some flowers to decorate the Mononokean's alcove! (Don't worry, I'll cover the cost!)

Abeno: Huh?

Ashiya: Today's work is already finished, right?

After this, why don't you try making an arrangement again if you have the time? (It's a tearoom, so it'll be a traditional arrangement.)

Ashiya: I'm also free after this, so it's fine if you take your time choosing them. (Let's see... Roses are 350 yen...)

Abeno: It doesn't need any flowers. The alcove is the hairball's usual spot, so if we decorated it, it'd probablly just get in the way.

Ashiya: That's not true, right, Fuzzy?

(Ashiya: And after that, the gerbera...)

(Abeno: Flowers for the alcove...)

Page 12

[Offering flowers]

Abeno: ......

Page 13

Abeno: ...Ashiya.

Abeno: Let's leave the flowers for the Mononokean for some other time....

Abeno: If we have the time... Then, today... There's something I'd like to talk to you about.

Page 14

Ashiya: Talk to me about..?

Ashiya: ...Then, what's the subject matter?

Abeno: ......

Page 15

Abeno: Influ...

Abeno&Ashiya: (Rain!?)

Ashiya: Oh no!! We have to bring in the flowerpots outside!

Mooom, it's raining! A total downpour!

Nara: How terrible! Hanae, help me get everything settled! (The weather was lovely until a second ago!?)

Page 16

(Ashiya: Mom! I'll carry these ones!)

(Nara: I'm fine! Heave-ho!)

(Nara: Hupt!)

(Ashiya: Mom, that's dangerous!?)

Abeno: ......

(Abeno: I'll help.)

(Nara: Abeno-kun, you don't have to help!?)

Ashiya: Abeno-saaan! Please help me out over here, too!

Nara: I'm sorry for making you help in the rain.

Nara: Dry yourselves off with these towels!

Page 17

Ashiya: Abeno-san, thanks a lot for helping o....ut?

Are you cold?

Abeno: Not particularly.

Nara: You got a chill, huh... I'll go make some warm tea now, so why don't you just wait inside!

Abeno: Don't mind me.

Nara: Come on in, come on in!

Nara: If you stay in those wet clothes, you'll end up catching a cold! There's a fresh pair of sweats, so you should change your clothes here! (You look like you'd be okay with the same size as Hanae!) (I'll dry your uniform!)

Abeno: No, I...

Nara: It was such a sudden rain that you probably don't have an umbrella, Abeno-kun. Don't worry, I'll call a car to send you back! (To your house? Or the nearest station?)

Nara: Don't be so reserved! Come and make yourself at home!

Nara: (Ah!) Even the back of your cardigan's drenched!

Page 18

Nara: Now that I think of it, was the flower arrangement a success?

Abeno: Y... yes... I gifted it.

Nara: Already!? That's awfully quick, isn't it?!

If you've already finished your business, you don't have to hurry back home, right?

Nara: I know! There's finally three people here, so let's order some sushi!

Ashiya: Mom... That's a bit...

Nara: Hello, this is Hana Ashi! I'm grateful as ever for your service~ I'd like to put in an order of sushi for delivery?

Nara: Abeno-kun, have some more to eat.

Here's some squid, too.

Abeno: ...Okay...

Ashiya: Abeno-san, have the fatty tuna! I'll eat the squid!

Nara: There's no school tomorrow!

Nara: So feel free to stay as long as you like!

Page 19

Abeno: ...Yes.

Nara: Good night!

Abeno: Yes...

Abeno: ......

Abeno: ......

Abeno: ......

Ashiya: (He's gotten as quiet as a meek cat... [I feel bad for him...])

Ashiya: A... Abeno-san... It's okay if you head home, now...?

Abeno: Yes...

Page 20

Ashiya: Please come back here tomorrow morning!

Otherwise it'll seem like you disappeared in the middle of the night! (7 AM tomorrow!)

(Abeno: 7 AM...)

Ashiya: ...Ah.

Ashiya: Come to think of it, Abeno-san... Didn't you want to talk to me about something?

Ashiya: It's already the middle of the night, but...

I don't mind talking now?

Page 21

Abeno: That's right... If you don't mind, we can talk about it right...

Ashiya: I'm really tired~! Actually, let's do it tomorrow!

Abeno: ......

Abeno: Then, tomorrow.

Ashiya: ......

Abeno: Mononokean... Come...

Abeno: Pardon me...

Mononokean: Why are you wearing those clothes?

Page 22

Ashiya: ......

Ashiya: ...What on earth could he want to talk about?

[When I think back over today...

When the subject of "Sakae" came up, he seemed get a little weird...]

Page 23

Ashiya: ......

Ashiya: ...Is it about Sakae after all...?

Ashiya: ...At any rate, it doesn't seem like it'll be a pleasant talk... I'll prepare myself to hear it.

Page 25

[...Ah....

This again...]

[A dream about a demon...]

Sasa: Help me...

Please... Don't kill me...

Sakae: Though I've tested out my influence for "demon exorcism" plenty of times, I've never tried "sealing" before...

Sakae: ...It's not a bad idea to try it out on you.

Page 26

Fuzzy: !?

Page 27

Abeno: What's wrong? Hairball?

Fuzzy: !!

Abeno: ?

Page 28

Abeno: Influence...!?

Page 29 Abeno: (What's going on...?! Is he doing it unconsciously?!)

Abeno: Ashiya! Wake up!

Abeno: Can you hear me?!

Abeno: Hey!!

Page 30

Abeno: Ashi...

Page 31

[His arm dissipated...]

Ashiya: Good morning?!

Abeno: !?

Page 32

Abeno: ......

Ashiya: Hm?

Abeno-san, it's still night?

Ashiya: I told you, "Meet me here in the morning," but this is way too early for that...

Don't tell me, you do it while half-asleep?

Abeno: That's not it... Hairball called for me, so I came here.

Abeno: You're the one doing things in his sleep...

Abeno: You were using your "influence" while half-asleep.

Ashiya: ...Ah.

Page 33

Ashiya: I was having that dream again... I wonder if it's that?

In that case, I think I've used influence each time I saw it...?

Abeno: Huh? Again?

What do you mean by "that dream"?

Ashiya: Well... It's...

Ashiya: A... A dream where I use influence to...

Erase and kill a demon...

Ashiya: ......

Abeno: ......

Page 34

Ashiya: I say that, but!! I've never once had any sort of sadistic desires of "wanting to kill a demon” or anything?! On the contrary, I LOVE demons!! I swear to god, it's all wrong!!

Abeno: ...

Ashiya: Besides, the victim wasn't Fuzzy or Yahiko or any demon I know!! I’ve had numerous dreams these last several days, but each time, the demon that appeared in my dream was a totally different one I don't remember ever seeing!! Even the dream I was having just...?

[That shrine.]

[And that eye.]

Ashiya: That's right...

Ashiya: Until now, no demons that I've known of have ever shown up, but...

In the dream just now, there's no mistaking that the demon...

Ashiya: Was Sasa-san...

Page 35

Abeno: Was it...

Abeno: A dream where you killed Sasa-dono?

Ashiya: No... That was...

Ashiya: I heard a voice talking about "sealing" or something.

Ashiya: In the middle of that is when I woke up, so I didn't see the demon actually being killed this time...

Abeno: Sealing... huh...

Abeno: Is this what he said?

"Though I've tested out my influence for "demon exorcism" plenty of times, I've never tried "sealing" before..."

"It's not a bad idea to try it out on you." Or something like that.

Ashiya: .......

Page 36

Ashiya: Eh?

Ashiya: ...Even though it was something I heard in my dream...

Ashiya: How can you say the same thing...?

Abeno: That's because I've also seen the exact same "memories" that you saw.

Ashiya: Memories...

Whose are they...?

Page 37

Abeno: Your father’s.

Abeno: As Sasa-dono was on the verge of disappearing completely, I was shown those memories of "Sakae."

Ashiya: On the verge of disappearing...?

Ashiya: Wasn't Sasa-san...

Exorcised to the Underwo...?

Page 38

Abeno: He was erased. By Sakae's influence.

Ashiya: ...

Ashiya: ...Huh?

Abeno: ......

Page 39

[I should have told Ashiya this much sooner.]

Abeno: I'll explain it all from the beginning...

Abeno: On that day... The truth of what happened after you got possessed by Sasa-dono--

Page 40

Legislator: Ahaha... Come on.

Tadpole: ...

Legislator: Don't use such a reluctant-sounding voice.

Executive.

Page 41

Legislator: You heard about it from Koura, didn't you?

I wonder how long it's been since the three of us officials were all in attendance.

Legislator: Just now, I've been talking with the Justice.

Legislator: You seemed so busy that I decided the Justice and I would save you some trouble and impose on you at the Songbird's Cage.

That's why...

Legislator: I thought I'd bring over a gift for the host. What do you want?

...Hm? Hello!

Legislator: ...He terminated the call.

[lazymilkshakecolor]

You’re pregnant

‘‘Mama are you okay?’‘

‘‘Yes dear I’m fine.’‘

The girl didn’t believe her mother , if the dark bags under her eyes and her abnormal exhaustion were anything to go by.

‘‘Can we go home now?’‘

The pink haired women looked towards the stack of paperwork on her desk before answering,thinking that if she stayed any longer her husband will come and get her,and his attempts never ended well for both of them,last time he did that they ended up with a broken desk and being caught in a rather awkward position by one of nurses.

‘‘Yeah come on.’‘

The Uchiha mother and daughter headed out of the hospital towards their home.

‘‘So what were you doing all day?’‘

Sakura said as she seemed to relax after meeting the night air.

‘‘I was just training’‘

‘‘Did you destroy a house or a field in the process?’‘

‘‘Mama!’‘

‘‘What? I gotta ask after you burned our house three years ago and just last week Naruto called me saying he has to talk to me about the training field you destroyed.’‘

‘‘Ok,first of all I didn’t know that the jutsu in that scroll was a fire jutsu ,and secondly,maybe I did pack a little more than necessary chakra into my punch last week.’‘

‘‘A little more!? you destroyed the whole field with one punch.’‘

‘‘Hn,don’t act like you’re not proud.’‘ she said while displaying a sheepish smile.

‘‘I am.’‘ she said.

After a moment of silence Sakura spoke again.

‘‘So Konohamaru told me that you’re getting closer to Mitsuki these days.’‘ she said as she waggled her eyebrows.

‘‘Mama no, me and him are like uncle Naruto and you.’‘

‘‘Hmm,but you do seem to get along much better  with Boruto than before?’‘

‘‘God no,there’s nothing between me and Boruto,he’s so annoying shanaroo!’‘

Sakura laughed as she pulled her daughter towards her by the shoulders,Sakura didn’t miss the redness of the girls face and ears but she decided to give the girl a break and change the subject.

‘‘You ready for tomorrow?’‘

‘‘Hell yeah,I’m gonna kick ass.’‘

‘‘Kakashi mailed me today,he said that he’s going to watch the chunin exams tournament tomorrow.’‘

‘‘Really? then I have to win!’‘

‘‘That’s the spirit Sasa-chan, you can do it Shanaroo!’‘

Both kunoichis raised their fists in the air which got them a few strange looks from the people on the street.

‘‘Hey isn’t that the Sakura Haruno?’‘

‘‘Yeah she is.’‘

‘‘Wow she’s so pretty.’‘

‘‘Come on I want to get her autograph.’‘

‘‘I can’t believe I’m going to meet the strongest kunoichi in the world.’‘

‘Seriously’ Sarada deadpanned as a swarm of people from different villages crowded her mother.

.

.

.

‘Wonder why she’s late? I hope she’s not working I’m not in the mood to go drag her away from her office.’ Sasuke though as he finished slicing the tomatoes.

‘Probably a group of foreigners crowded her,she’s too nice to shoo them away’ he though as he put the tomatoes in the salad,after setting aside a plate for Sarada without tomatoes.

If there’s one thing he will never get about his daughter is her hatred for tomatoes,they’re delicious.

‘‘Papa we’re home.’‘

Sasuke smiled upon hearing Sarada’s voice.

Both of his girls entered the kitchen,one of them a cheery and the other looking like she’s about to collapse.

‘‘Hello darling.’‘

‘‘hey,you should sit down.’‘

‘‘No I’m fine,I’m going to go get a shower, this smells delicious.’‘

Sakura has to admit that she’s a little jealous of her husband’s ability in the kitchen,he has one hand for Kami’s sake and he still cooks better than her.

‘‘Except for the tomato soup.’’

Sasuke shot a glare towards his daughter who smiled.

‘‘Sarada never insult tomatoes in front of you’re father,he’s quite sensitive about that subject.’‘ She said remembering  when she called him mister tomato face when they first started their relationship ,as in when she first started seeing him blush.

‘‘You’re food is going to get cold Sakura.’‘ he said as they made eye contact,she could see the question in his eyes,she nodded to isgnifie that she was fine.

‘‘Yeah just give me five minutes.’‘

.

.

.

‘‘So on what have you been training all day?’‘

‘‘Can’t tell you before the exams.’‘

‘‘Hn,not even a hint?’‘

‘‘You have to wait until tomorrow like everybody else’‘

‘‘Doesn’t the fact that I am your father get me special advantages?’‘

‘‘Yeah,those advantages only apply when my intentions aren’t to surprise you.’‘

‘‘You got me exited now.’‘

‘‘Good.’‘ she said as she moved to set the table.

‘‘Hn’‘

Her father isn’t as cold as he seems,she came to find that he’s a warm person he just either doesn’t want to show it or has trouble showing it,and he was quite funny too,but his jokes normally came at the form of sarcastic comments at the expense of Sakura or Naruto and sometimes Boruto.

‘‘Hey papa is mama sick?’‘

‘‘No why do you ask?’‘

‘‘I don’t know she’s been acting a little weird lately.’‘

She’s been  a lot more moody than usual lately.

Sasuke was about to answer when Sakura came in.

‘‘Okay let’s dig in.’‘

She was wearing her favorite red shirt,which seemed tighter on her than it was last week.

‘‘Em,mama are you noticing that you’re weight increased?’‘

Sarada picked her words carefully, aware of her mothers moodiness lately.

Sakura shared a look with Sasuke.

‘‘We should tell her now.’‘ he said to his wife who nodded in response.

‘‘Sarada activate you’re sharingan and look at your mother.’‘

She did as she was told,not hesitating to do what her father told her to do.

‘‘Mama you’re chakra is coiling around your stomach as if guarding it and theirs a different chakra than yours around their too.’‘

The girl froze as she figured it out.

‘‘Yo-you’re pregnant?!’‘

Sakura smiled and nodded.

‘‘But how,when,HOW?’‘

A tinge of pink appeared on Sasuke’s face as Sakura face was comparable to Sasuke’s favorite fruit.

Sasuke looked at Sakura before talking.

‘‘I thought you had the talk with her.’‘

‘‘I did when Sai tried to explain sex to her when she was nine.’‘

‘‘Sai what?’‘ he said as a tinge of anger flashed in his eyes,it was safe to say that Sai wasn’t Sasuke’s favorite person in the world.

‘‘I know how but you’re my parents and you’re old!’‘

‘‘Sarada!’‘

‘‘How far along are you?’‘

‘‘About six weeks.’‘

‘‘Huh.’‘

Sarada froze for a minute before continuing.

‘‘ A little brother.’‘

‘‘Or sister’‘ Sasuke said.

‘‘I have a feeling it’s a boy.’‘ the girl said still stunned by the revelation.

‘‘Are you unhappy Sasa-chan?’‘

‘‘What?no I’m just surprised that’s it.’‘

A moment passed before a smile found it’s way to Sarada’s face.

‘‘I’m going to be a big sister.’‘

Sakura smiled too, relieved that Sarada is happy.

‘‘Wait,you said you’re 6 weeks along ,six weeks ago was the attack at the chunin stadium,that means that-’‘

Sakura turned red from head to toe as Sasuke covered his face with his hand.

‘‘Eww eww,couldn’t you wait you-you perverts.’‘

‘‘I’m going to my room.’‘ she said as she ran upstairs,Sakura buried her head in her hands,she didn’t want to know what Sarada will do if she told her that the baby was probably conceived in her room since they used it to hide from Boruto who came barging in.

She raised her head when she heard a rare laugh from Sasuke.

‘‘What are you laughing about?’‘

‘‘Well the situation is quite amusing.’‘

Sakura couldn’t help but laugh,cause she has to admit that this situation is funny from an objective point of view,but too bad for her,she’s going to have trouble meeting Sarada’s eye tomorrow.