#cherryeo; Morning Star

[cherryeoo]

Morning Star (Ateez Fantasy!Au) Ch 5

Summary: Two unlikely companions join together to ride the rollercoaster known as: Life. With a yin and yang balance, they soon discover that there’s not only beauty in the beast, but beast in the beauty.

The tears flowed down Saetbyeol’s face as she sat outside the restaurant. Sniffles filled the environment as she swiped at her face with the sleeve of her shirt; cheeks flushed and eyes red as she tilted her head back.

Why was she feeling like this?

Why was she getting so worked up about the two of them talking? It’s not like her and San were a couple or anything like that. They’re just friends and they seem to be able to relate to one another. Mirae is the more open and outgoing type, so it’s makes sense that San has taken an interest in her. Besides, it’s not like Saetbyeol attempted to talk to him.Her constant cold and distant demeanor towards him pushed him away as she continued building her walls higher and higher. It’s only natural that this happened.

She didn’t hate either of them, but rather herself for standing by and not saying or doing anything.

Allowing the tears to flow freely now she pulled her hood up over her head and lowered her head, her hair falling around her face like a black curtain to hide her face, biting her lip to silence any sobs that escape her lips.

_

5 hours earlier

“San, why don’t we focus on the way in which the corpses were disposed?”

Looking up from his notepad he glanced at her through his bangs, making a mental note for a much needed haircut.

“I mean, we could, but I feel like people would get bored with reading that because it doesn’t spark their interest. They want to know who did this and their intent - not why the corpses were stacked the way they were.”

Saetbyeol puffed her cheeks slightly, becoming somewhat annoyed with the man standing before her. Lately, he had been getting under her skin with his sudden spike in disagreements towards all of her ideas and suggestions.

It was definitely getting to her.

Noticing her frustration, San cleared his throat as he straightened up, “Well, we could mention it briefly in the article, but I don’t think it should be the main focus.”

“Never said it was going to be the main focus, but okay, we can add it somewhere in the middle,” her reply was a bit bitter as she lifted her shoulders into a shrug before turning her back towards him. She was already irritated and now, he was only making it worse. Heaving a sigh, Saetbyeol began making notes by each paragraph to signify their future placements in the article.

The two remained in silence for what seemed like an eternity, the only sound deriving from the clicking of keys on her laptop as soft music played from the overhead speaker connected to the device. Pausing for a moment, San studied her demeanor.

He could feel the frustration radiating from her aura causing him to bite his lip - he never intentionally tried to make her angry. He wanted her to be happy, but to be honest, the sable haired male had noticed a change in her mood since he went to her house.

Was it something he did or said? She’s known for being cold, but not like this. What happened to cause her mood to change so drastically?

Noticing her eyebrows scrunch as her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose, San broke from his thoughts. She was getting more and more agitated with each passing second, so he wanted to comfort her, but how? How could he when he didn’t even know what was bothering her? San felt his own self grow agitated. Could it maybe be about what he had said earlier when she voiced her article suggestion? If so, he didn’t mean to hurt her feelings - it’s not that it was a bad idea, but rather related to the readers’ desires. He just knew what people wanted.

Well, for the most part.

Suddenly Saetbyeol rose from her chair, avoiding looking at San as she walked off towards the bathroom. Glancing over, San noticed that she had altered her portion of the article significantly to coincide with what he said the focus of the article should be.

It’s definitely about what I said earlier, he thought to himself.

Quietly cursing himself, he leaned back in his chair as his throat rumbled into a long groan before smooshing his face into his hands. He had to make this up to her somehow.  

Thinking of ways to turn her idea into the primary focus, he quietly watched she returned; her body sinking back down into the chair as she remained mute. Tilting his head, his eyes surveyed her appearance - hair tips slightly damp, eyes slightly red and puffy. If San had made her cry, he’d never forgive himself. Clearing his throat, he opened his mouth to speak up, but a familiar voice calling out their names beat him to it.

“Saet! San!”

Saetbyeol’s best friend, Mirae, squealed in excitement at the sight of them working peacefully together, or so she thought. Prancing over towards the pair, she hoisted herself onto Saetbyeol’s desk as she leaned in to get close, more specifically San. Flashing a bright smile, the bubbly female playfully kicked her dangling legs, “Who’s hungry? I found this great restaurant that you both should check out with me!”

“Mirae we’re still working. Can we-”

“No! You’re always working! I understand that you want to solve this mystery, but you need to take a break,” she whined, cheeks puffing in defiance. Saetbyeol was aware of how stubborn her best friend was, so ultimately, she knew Mirae wasn’t going to give in.

Sighing in defeat Saetbyeol turned off her computer and nodded as she slowly stood up, “Okay, you win. Let’s go.”

Smiling wide, Mirae lead the way as the trio exited the office. As the cool evening air greeted their bodies, the small group shivered; their hands immediately tugging their coats closer as they made their way to Mirae’s car. San slipped in after Saetbyeol as Mirae revved the engine, not a word spoken between the two.

The tension between Saetbyeol and San was apparent as Mirae peered at her best friend. She wasn’t sure what was going on with her, but she could definitely tell something was wrong. Deciding to hold off asking her until they went home, Mirae shrugged as she coordinated the restaurant’s route. Feeling a bit awkward, San decided to try and ease the awkward silence as he started up a conversation with the girl behind the wheel; Saetbyeol completely silent as she stared out the window, drowning out their words as she focused upon the blurred atmosphere outside.

Upon arrival, the three exited the car - San and Mirae continuing their conversation as they walked ahead of Saetbyeol who trailed behind them. The silent female watched in awe at the sudden closeness of the duo before her talking like they had known one another for ages. Huffing in frustration, she followed a slight distance away as the hostess lead the trio to their table. A soft exhale pushed through Saetbyeol’s nose as she ran a hand through her hair - tonight was going to suck.

Mirae slid into the booth nesting directly across from San, Saetbyeol sliding in after him, ensuring the distance between the two of them was to her liking. Noticing this, San frowned . He wanted her closer, but what could he do? She was obviously upset with him about something more than just the article incident.

After placing their orders, Mirae decided now was the perfect time to play 21 Questions with San. Sipping her water, Saetbyeol sat there as she listened to the pair learning more about one another; laughter rumbling in response to something one of them said. She wanted nothing more than to join the two, but she didn’t know how. The only person she ever opened to was Mirae, so to play such a game with San, or even just his presence, caused her to remain mute. At this point, as she watched the duo smile and snort, Saetbyeol felt a twinge in her stomach. She was starting to feel like a third wheel, which only seemed to upset her more.

“I noticed you seem to be a very organized person, San - almost to the point of OCD. You also don’t seem to eat a lot which makes me wonder - are you on some sort of special diet?”

Clearing his throat by the sudden questions and her awareness of his organizational preferences, San shifted in his spot. “You could say that I just like to know where everything is without unnecessary clutter. As for my diet, I want to stay healthy and fit, so I watch what I eat. Also, I usually have big lunches, so I’m not usually very hungry during dinnertime.”

“That must be pretty tough. I wouldn’t have the willpower to live that type of lifestyle, to be honest. I’m healthy, but not that strict,” Mirae responded in admiration towards his dedication just as their meals arrived.

Glancing at Saetbyeol from the corner of his eye, San watched as she sat there - chin resting in one of her hands as the free one grasped onto chopsticks as she idly shifted food around. A frown formed on his face - he wanted nothing more than to talk to her, but Mirae wouldn’t let either of them get a word in.

He could tell Saetbyeol wanted to talk, but he wanted to hear her speak directly to him rather than having her friend do it for her. At the same time, the expression Saetbyeol wore conveyed her true feelings - she didn’t want Mirae to speak for her either, but her limited knowledge in sparking up conversations built a barrier, so she just sat there in silence.

Reluctantly, San shifted his eyes from the girl sat beside him and onto his water glass, pausing to take a drink, before focusing upon Mirae. Eyebrows knitting together, the sable haired male squinted slightly as the curiosity that been gnawing on him the entire night intensified. There’s something about her friend that ignited a sense of familiarity within him. Almost as if he’s met her before - maybe in passing or briefly in the past, but something about her was definitely familiar to him.

Just the mere act of sitting in the same vicinity as her, felt like deja vu.

Biting his lip, San sighed. He was determined to figure out what it was, but for now, he was growing tired of the game that had slowly turned into a mild interrogation. Mirae might just be a curious person, or asking on Saetbyeol’s behalf, so San did his best not to snap at her as he opted to answer all of her questions patiently.

“Are you sure we haven’t met somewhere before, Mirae? You seem so familiar to me and talking to you is both comfortable and familiar,” San asked suddenly, staring intensely at her.

Blushing slightly, she cleared her throat, “I don’t think so. As far as I know, meeting you through Saet has been the first time we’ve met.” She paused before smiling sweetly as she added, “And this is the first time we’ve ever really spoken to one another.”

“Maybe you’re right. I could be mistaken, but you seem familiar to me,” he shrugged as he took a sip of his water; mind still racing still trying to conjure up any prior memory of her.

“Maybe I just have one of those personalities,” Mirae laughed as she took a drink of her water as well, eyes glued to the table as she awkwardly shifted in her seat.

Unable to handle the situation further, Saetbyeol placed her napkin on the table before excusing herself. As she pretended to make her way towards the bathroom, the dark haired female made a sudden turn for the door as she walked out into the chilly atmosphere. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she tilted her head back - being outside in the cold was better than sitting in there with those two.

They had been talking amongst themselves for a good thirty minutes, not once acknowledging her presence or including her in their conversation. She was hurt and angry - how could her best friend do this to her? And how could San ignore her like that? He had always been good at making sure she was included, but tonight, it’s like she wasn’t even there; not even a mere thought in either of their minds. They were so absorbed in one another, it made her sick..

San was confused by Saetbyeol’s sudden departure. Chewing on his bottom lip, he kept glancing towards the bathroom, anxiously awaiting her return. Today had been strange. It was one thing for Saetbyeol to be cold towards San, but to be silent towards Mirae? Extremely alarming.

Fifteen minutes passed and still no sign of Saetbyeol.

“Should we go look for her?” San piped up as Mirae nodded in agreement; the pair paying for their meals before beginning their search for Saetbyeol. Mirae checked the bathroom first, but only to find it completely void of people. Confusion and fear crept into both of their bodies as they shared a glance before jogging towards the door in efforts to check outside. A unified sigh of relief escaped their lips as they spotted Saetbyeol sitting on the concrete curb. Head hung low and hair covering her face from view of passersby, she wiped away the last few tears that remained on her face.

“Saet! What are you doing out here?” Mirae asked, rushing up to her best friend before kneeling in front of her, worry painted upon her face.

“Oh, I just wasn’t feeling very well, so I stepped out for some fresh air,” Saetbyeol responded as she looked up at her best friend smiling, hoping that her face didn’t give away the fact that she had been crying.

“Maybe we should go on home. It’s getting a little late,” Mirae responded as she helped Saetbyeol up, linking their arms together in an effort to stabilize her friend as the duo turned to face San. Saetbyeol couldn’t bear to look at him - never would she allow him, or anyone, know that she was jealous of Mirae and San talking all night and the sudden closeness the two of them seemed to share. She didn’t even want to admit to herself that she wanted that with San - the type of friendship where they could both talk for hours without running out of things to say, laughing at each other’s lame jokes as well as sharing inside ones. She wanted to feel comfortable with him like she did with Mirae, but she couldn’t help but feel like her best friend was nabbing this opportunity from her.

Saetbyeol wanted to be close to San.

“I can walk you two home if you’d like. It’s not safe for girls to be out alone at this hour,” San interjected, sliding up beside Saetbyeol, wanting to support her as well if necessary.

Waving him off with a gentle smile, Mirae shook her head, “Thank you, but we’ll be okay. I won’t let anything happen to her.”

“Very well then,” he nodded. “Be safe, you two. Saetbyeol, I’ll see you tomorrow at work. I really am happy the two of us are working together and I’ve gotten the chance to get to know you a bit better.” Smiling, San bid the girls a good night before turning away from them and began making his way back to his own home to finish personal tasks before the day ends.

Hearing his words Saetbyeol’s heart fluttered in contrast to the rolling of her eyes. She was still upset from today’s events, so while she enjoyed hearing his words, her stubbornness forced her to conceal her slight giddiness. Leading Saetbyeol by the arm, Mirae walked beside her friend as they ventured down the street towards their apartment. The two walked in silence - the only audible sounds coming from dogs barking and the chatter from busy restaurants as patrons entered and exited the buildings.

As the pair rounded a corner, caution suddenly washed over Mirae. Feeling every hair on her body stand on end, she darted her eyes around the surrounding area. With gritted teeth, her brows furrowed - no sign of life besides them. As calmly as possible, senses still alert, Mirae coaxed Saetbyeol to walk faster; the best friend immediately noticing Mirae’s sudden change in behavior. Tensing up a bit, she does as she told as she, too, becomes more aware of their surroundings.

In an effort to abandon the feeling of being followed, the girls turn down a street they don’t normally venture down. For a moment, the atmosphere was still until the sound a throat clearing behind them echoes in the night air. Feeling their bodies lock up, the girls spin on their heels, eyes immediately focusing on the source of their fear - two heavily built men, grins strewn across their faces, as they towered above the duo. Positioning herself in front of Saetbyeol, Mirae stared intensely at each of them, eyes darting back and forth with every move they made. Jaw clenched, she stood tall with her shoulders pushes back.

She was ready to defend her friend.

“What brings you two beautiful ladies here tonight?” The slightly shorter, but stockier male asked; slyly gesturing for his partner to follow him as the two slowly started to creep forward.

“That’s none of your business, and I highly suggest you leave us alone,” Mirae snarled, body tensing as she pushed both her and Saetbyeol back in an effort to keep some semblance of distance between them and the strangers.

“Oh, a fighter. I like a girl with guts,” The taller man smirked as his eyes scanned up and down Mirae’s body, tongue gliding across his lower lip as his friend rubbed his hands together.

Mirae’s skin crawled, his words making her sick to her stomach, but she remained standing tall - she wasn’t about to let them lay a hand on either of them. The men took another step forward, the girls retracting backwards in response. Feeling rage beginning to boil her insides, Mirae glared at the creeps once more, “I’m warning you, stay back.”

Clearly these men weren’t taking her seriously, let alone seeing her as any sort of threat, but they had no idea of the beast they poked.

Gently pushing Saetbyeol back, Mirae lunged forward - bringing her fist up, ready to connect with the shorter man’s cheek, but her attempt failed. Mirae was strong, but her strength did not compare to either of the muscular men before her. A sharp cry fell from her lips as the shorter male wrapped his hand around her fist, smirking, before he harshly tossed her off to the side like a ragdoll. Saetbyeol squealed as she saw her best friend wince from the pain of falling on top of a stray broken beer bottle; blood beginning to lightly soak her sleeve.

Saetbyeol’s eyes darted back to the two men who now had their sights set on her. Terror flowed through her veins. She didn’t know how to properly defend herself let alone take on two insane bodybuilders. Backing up, she could feel as the tears stinging her eyes began to affect her vision. Saetbyeol wanted to scream, but her throat wouldn’t allow her to make any sort of noise. She had to get away from them in order to find help, but suddenly, it was as though her body had forgot how to function.

“Run Saet!”

Snapping out of her stupor, she glanced quickly at her friend before quickly turning on her heels as she began running as fast as she could manage down the vacant street. As the men began following after the fleeing victim, Mirae jumped to her feet as she made a mad dash towards them. Taking advantage of the fact that they forgot about her presence, the injured female jumped onto the smaller man’s back - arms wrapping around his throat as tight as possible in hopes it would render him unconscious.

The man’s large hands gripped her arms tightly, surely to leave bruises the next day, but Mirae refused to allow him to overpower her. She had to protect Saetbyeol, she promised. With her newfound strength, along with the adrenaline rushing through her veins, she continued holding on until his grip slowly began loosening on her arms.

She was winning.

Saetbyeol, on the other hand, continued running - trying to find anywhere she could to get help. Spotting a porch light just ahead of her, she forced her legs to move faster, but to no avail. The man's large hand connects with her left shoulder, pulling her back. Tripping over her own feet, Saetbyeol crashed to the ground, her previously injured ankle buckling. A wave of terror washed over her body as she peered up with wide eyes - she knew she was in serious trouble. She was alone, unaware of where she even was, let alone if Mirae was alright. Opening her mouth to scream for help, the man lurched forward as his hand clamped over her lips.

Smirking down at her, Saetbyeol tried to pull away from him -  the rough concrete scraping up the palms of her hands. Clawing at his hands, the man pulled back with a hiss and Saetbyeol took the opportunity to try to run away, but the sharp pain that shot up from her ankle caused her to fall back onto the ground.

A laugh emitted from the man before her as he watched the small-framed female try to back up. Slowly, he followed her - cracking his neck side-to-side before stuffing his hands in to his pockets. As her back connected with the brick wall behind her, Saetbyeol knew she was in trouble.

What was she to do now? She had nowhere to go.

Frantically, she searched her surroundings as she reached for a nearby broken bottle. Her trembling caused her to fumble with the jagged glass as it pierced through her skin; her grip that tightened around it as she held up the pathetic weapon causing the wound to tear a bit wider. Holding it up, she swallowed hard, “Stay back.”

The man just stared at her, laughing. He knew she was no threat to him - that she was an easy target.

Knocking her hand aside, the bottle to flew from her hand and shattered a few feet away. Weaponless, Saetbyeol raised her arms to shield herself, but the predator pinned both of her hands behind her back as his free hand made its way up to her cheek. Leaning down closer, he gently trailed his fingers down her cheek and then back up to cup the side of her face.

She could feel bile make its way up her throat - she was going to be sick.

Leaning in closer the man planted a wet, sloppy kiss on her cheek. The scent of liquor lingered on his breath as he whispered a mere inch or so from her lips, “Such a pretty girl.”

Chuckling, he leaned in closer as he brought his lips closer to her’s. Saetbyeol knew what was going to happen. Closing her eyes tight, she waited to feel his disgusting, alcohol soaked lips against her dried ones, heart racing as she squirmed under his grasp.

But they never came.

Slowly opening her eyes, Saetbyeol took in the scene unfolding before her. The man was being pulled away from her by the collar of his shirt, his hand releasing her wrists to grab for the figure that was holding onto him.

The newcomer was much smaller in size and stature compared to her attacker, but the aura he gave off chilled Saetbyeol to her very core. As she wiped at her eyes, she blinked at the hero whose figure she knew as well as she knew her own.

San. San was the one saving her, but how did find her?

At this point in time, however, she’d never been more happy to see him. Admittedly, Saetbyeol was afraid for him; he looked like a little kid compared to her attacker.

But size didn’t seem to matter in this situation.

San threw the guy to the ground as if throwing away a bag of trash. Grabbing the predator by the front of his shirt, he raised his right arm back before bringing it down to ram into the right side of the man's face. The sound of shattering bone filled the air as Saetbyeol watched in shock and fear as San repeatedly punched the guy, blood beginning to soak his fist. The look in San’s eyes was one of pure rage, a shiver shooting up her spine as she realized the twist of events - he was going to kill this guy. The man’s body was limp as San continued to ram his fist into his face. Blinking quickly as she assessed the situation, Satbyeol’s screams mixed with the crunch of crushed bone.

“San, stop!

Jumping up, she quickly made her way towards the pair despite her throbbing ankle. Wrapping her arms around his torso, she held him tight, hoping to snap him out of his murderous rage before he did actually succeed in killing the guy.

Feeling him relax beneath her body, San let go of the lifeless man - his body falling down with an audible thump.  The world stood still for a moment as Saetbyeol steadied her eyes on his stomach; the fabric that moved ever-so-slightly an indication that he was still breathing. Sweat dripped from his temples as San’s own body heaved with ragged breaths. As he calmed down, he  whirled around to take Saetbyeol into his arms. If he held her any tighter, the two of them would become one.

“Are you okay?”

His voice was shaking with fear as he tried not to think what would’ve happened if he had shown up a minute later. Mentally cursing himself, San gritted his teeth -  he should’ve insisted on walking them home. It was neither his nor the girls’ fault, but he couldn’t bear the thought of anything worse happening to Saetbyeol.

Feeling her small frame start to shake against his body, she nodded into his chest. He wrapped his arms tighter around her, reassuring her that she was safe. Realization of what had just happened set in rendering her unable to speak.

Burying her face in his chest, inhaling his familiar scent in hopes that it would help calm her, Saetbyeol allowed the tears to flow freely. She was safe, but Mirae - where was Mirae?

Pulling away, arms still gripped around his waist, Saet looked around frantically.

“Where’s Mirae?”

“She’s okay. I ran into her as she was finishing off the other guy. She told me to find you.”

Nodding, relieved that her friend was safe, she leaned against San once more. She was so exhausted. Feeling her start to go limp in his arms, San quickly scooped her up, holding her close to him. Saetbyeol leaned her head against his shoulder, eyes closed. Completely sapped of all energy, she managed a strained, “Thank you,” before nestling her face into the crook of his neck.

“I’m glad I made it in time. I heard a commotion while I was on my nightly run, so I went to go see what was going on. I wasn’t expecting to see you. I didn’t hesitate or think twice, I ran as fast as I could to get that guy away from you.”

Feeling her nod against his shoulder in understanding, San continued to make his way down the street. He decided to take her back to his place, he wasn’t taking no for an answer so he didn’t even bother asking or telling her. He didn’t know where her friend went or when she’d be back, but he was not about to leave Saetbyeol alone. Gripping her frame tighter, he rounded the corner, spotting his apartment just a few feet in the distance.

Mirae stepped out from the shadows of a nearby alleyway. Watching San carry Saet down the street to his place, a wave of relief and gratitude washed over her. She knew her best friend was safe and in good hands and while she wanted to be with her, in her current state, it was wise not to. She needed to calm herself before she could face Saetbyeol again. It’s been a long time since she felt that much anger - enough to the point of making her nearly losing control - but she would’ve done anything to protect her friend, she was worth it.

“Thank you San. Take good care of her for me,” Mirae smiled at the two of them before turning away and making her way back to her little studio that she had for moments like these.

Closing and locking the door behind him, San made his way into the bedroom. Switching on the light with his elbow, he gently laid Saetbyeol down onto his bed. Seeing that she had fallen asleep in his arms, San carefully removed her shoes before pulling the covers over her.  Retrieving the small first aid kit from the bathroom, San returned to the bed as he went about cleaning up her cuts; ensuring he got every piece of dirt and gravel from the wounds. Once bandaged, San tucked her arms back under the covers. Taking in her sleeping figure San’s eyes scanned over every small detail of her face, memorizing every inch of her sleeping frame.

Bringing his good hand up, he stroked the loose strands of hair away from her face. Feeling her subconsciously press her head against his hand, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips, voice soft as he whispered, “What am I going to do with you?”

Giving her hair one last stroke, he rose to his feet - walking around the other side of the bed to grab a pillow and a spare blanket from his closet before making his way to the door. Glancing over his shoulder, San took one last look at the woman sleeping peacefully in his bed. With a smile strewn across his face,  he switched off the light on his way out as he ventured into the next room.

Spreading the blanket out and positioning the pillow to suit his preference, San sunk down onto the couch. Burying himself under the blanket, welcoming its warmth, he closed his eyes in exhaustion. Thinking once more of Saetbyeol safe and asleep in the next room, San smiled sweetly before giving into the sleepy abyss that called to him.

“Goodnight, Saet.”

[cherryeoo]

Morning Star (Ateez Fantasy!AU) Ch 1

Summary: Two unlikely companions join together to ride the rollercoaster known as: Life. With a yin and yang balance, they soon discover that there’s not only beauty in the beast, but beast in the beauty. 

   The space was small.

   Bricks covered every wall from floor to ceiling. The sun’s rays peeking through the clouds and into the windows lined upon the walls; rainbows dancing across the wood floor. Wooden shelves carved into the walls held various books, photos and newspaper clippings from over the years.

   The smell of coffee wafted through the air from the small employee coffee shop lounge located in the back of the office where San and Saetbyeol worked. Dim lights shaped as lanterns hung from the ceiling. Work desks of various shapes, sizes and colors were scattered around the room. Gray walls sectioned off each department for the company. The two had started working for the company as interns three years ago - both completing their internship after just one year. San was 27, Saetbyeol 28, both trying to figure out their lives as they managed their lives one day at a time.

   Despite being a small company, the newspaper managed to be very popular in their area.

   San wrote for the entertainment and comic sections of the paper. He was a very easy going, down to earth type of guy. One would think he was cocky and conceited, but on the contrary - he was modest and kind.

   His chiseled chin and sharp features made women swoon and men envious. His appearance was that of a divine being; eyes a chocolate brown, but as deep as a black abyss. One could get lost in them if they stared too long. He was the typical type of guy that everyone wanted to be friends with, and even date. However, he had never shown interest in anyone or got too close to people.

   For someone that friendly and bubbly, he was very guarded and private - causing people’s minds to wonder what secrets he held locked away. To be honest, those people’s wandering minds were correct in their curiosity. He did possess secrets - ones that weighed heavy on his heart and soul. The type of secrets that meant pain and suffering if anyone where to find out.

   So that’s why he’d make sure no one would discover his truths.

   Groaning, San leaned back in his chair; outstretching his arms over his head as a yawn escaped his lips - the chair creaking under his weight. For five hours he had been glued to his workstation furiously typing up his article on the latest news; ensuring its completion before the deadline.

   Righting himself in his chair, his eyes skimmed across the laptop’s screen - the monitor illuminating his defined facial features as he proofread the article. After a few minutes, a grin spread across his face as his forefinger excitedly tapped the mouse button - finally submitting his work to his boss. Satisfied with the outcome, San released the same sigh of relief he always did with each article he completed.Stretching his back out a bit, his eyes fell upon the various award plaques resting upon his desk; the corners of his lips curling into a smile.

   San was the golden employee - forever in the boss’s favor and his articles always accumulating a surprising amount of views. In a sense, one might view him as somewhat of a celebrity amongst the company and town considering everyone knew his name. A pretty remarkable feat for a 20-something year-old.

   As he sat there, his eyes traveled to the girl sitting in the corner cubicle. Quiet and focused, he watched as she edited the paper before her. Her small frame slightly hunched over the keyboard on her desk, her fingers grazing over the keys. Gnawing on her lower lip, a look of frustration danced across her face as she tried to word the sentence just right.

   Her jet black hair fell out from behind her ear as she lowered her head slightly - slender fingers gently pushing the strands back behind her right ear. Taking a sip of her now cold green tea, she glanced back at the screen to add a few finishing touches to her article before submitting it to her boss. Heaving a silent sigh, she pushed herself back against the body of her office chair; twisting her neck from side-to-side as she rubbed the muscles in her left shoulder.

   Unaware of the pair of eyes that watched her, she quietly rested her chin in her palm; the same lifeless expression she had always worn still strewn across her face. San watched as she began gnawing the flesh of her bottom lip again - her eyes fixated upon the monitor before her as she scrolled through a different news site. Feeling his eyes begin to sting from staring too long, he broke his gaze and ran a hand through his dark hair. Most coworkers would talk to one another and while San had always been intrigued by her, he kept his distance.

   Saetbyeol chose to keep to herself. She was cold and standoffish;  never associating herself with anyone at the company - especially men. Fortunately for her their boss was a woman by the name of Ms.Kim - chief editor of the Seoulstitution News.

   Come to think of it and gender aside, San had never seen Saetbyeol with anyone other than the occasional girl that came to walk home with her every day. San presumed her to be a friend of Saetbyeol’s, but he wasn’t completely certain. He had yet to see the two exchange a single word while in the presence of others; an action that was contrary to that seen in normal friendships.

   Companionships aside, Saetbyeol was a hard worker - one of the most driven at the company, actually. She consistently kept up with the tasks required - often turning her work in significantly earlier to the deadline. Her issues weren’t necessarily task-related, but rather coworker-oriented in that no one particularly liked her at the office.

   People would make fun of her and talk about about her, regardless of whether she heard them or not. It made San’s heart ache, but what could he do? He wasn’t one to focus on physical images or social statuses - he found them redundant, really, and had a tendency to stand up for the mistreated.

   Not when it came to Saetbyeol, however.

   It’s not that he hadn’t tried or didn’t want to, but rather, she didn’t allow it. The one time he had tried to comfort her, she shot him a death gaze and told him to mind his own business. Since he wasn’t one to argue, he let it go and went on with his days.

   The major difference between Saetbyeol and San was that she was a much more private person. So much so that no one knew a single thing about her other than her job and work ethic. Rumors were spread within the company stating that she was an orphan and then later on, a gang member because of her rough appearance and tone. Another rumor stated that even her family disowned her because she was a measly news reporter instead of the lawyer her parents had always wanted her to be.

   But her past was a lot darker than that, for she held secrets as well - secrets that weighed just as heavy on her as San’s did him.

   Hearing her phone buzzing on the table next to her, she startled upright - immediately picking up the phone. Glancing at the message on her phone, she furrowed her brows. Apparently a strange discovery was made in a nearby cave on the outskirts of the town. Since Saetbyeol was on the news committee and in charge of any breaking news, she knew she would have no choice but to investigate the scene rather than enjoy a nice lunch like she had planned.

   At this point in her career, however, she was used to it. In a city where there was never a dull moment, Saetbyeol always found herself rushing out to investigate the next story. It was, quite honestly, a miracle that she had ever found the time to sleep.

   Rising from her chair, she shrugged on her jacket and grabbed her belongings. As she began racing to the door, Saetbyeol passed by San; seeing him reorganizing his desk for the fifth time that day. Deciding not to dwell on him too much, she shoved the door open and ran to the company car parked nearby as she prepared to drive off to the caves.

[cherryeoo]

Morning Star (Ateez Fantasy!AU Headcanon)

Summary: Two unlikely companions join together to ride the rollercoaster known as: Life. With a yin and yang balance, they soon discover that there’s not only beauty in the beast, but beast in the beauty.

Choi San

Full time newspaper editor

Very popular

But very kind and humble

Lonely

Yearns for a sense of belonging

Has a deep, dark secret that could cost him his life and the lives of many others

Very handsome

Piercing eyes

Graceful

When he’s up to something his smile is foxy and mischievous

Saetbyeol

Works with San also as a newspaper editor

Outcast

Strong disdain for the world

Believes life is a joke

Has one close friend, Mirae

Also has a dark secret

Bitter

Doesn’t believe in love or romance

Lifeless eyes

Cold demeanor

Co-author @unnie-uwu Thank you SO much for understanding my mind once again and helping me put my thoughts into words and coming up with ideas for this story! I love you!

[cherryeoo]

Morning Star (Fantasy!AU Headcanon)

Summary: Two unlikely companions join together to ride the rollercoaster known as: Life. With a yin and yang balance, they soon discover that there’s not only beauty in the beast, but beast in the beauty.

Choi San

Full time newspaper editor

Very popular

But very kind and humble

Lonely

Yearns for a sense of belonging

Has a deep, dark secret that could cost him his life and the lives of many others

Very handsome

Piercing eyes

Graceful

When he’s up to something his smile is foxy and mischievous

Saetbyeol

Works with San also as a newspaper editor

Outcast

Strong disdain for the world

Believes life is a joke

Has one close friend, Mirae

Also has a dark secret

Bitter

Doesn’t believe in love or romance

Lifeless eyes

Cold demeanor

[cherryeoo]

Morning Star (Ateez Fantasy!AU) Ch 3

Summary: Two unlikely companions join together to ride the rollercoaster known as: Life. With a yin and yang balance, they soon discover that there’s not only beauty in the beast, but beast in the beauty.

Flipping on her desktop lamp, Saetbyeol sinks into her chair, locking her purse in the desk’s only drawer. Tapping her finger on the smooth surface of her desk, she impatiently waits for her computer to come to life. Today was going to be an exhausting day.

Saetbyeol was usually always the first to arrive in the morning. She wasn’t a morning person per-say, but she liked to get a head start on her work so she wasn’t having to get off late or be the last to leave. The glow of her computer monitor illuminated her face, exposing the exhaustion in her eyes. Taking a swig of her coffee from her travel mug, she opened her web browser and document software. The cave incident left her so baffled that she began thinking of any and all possible explanations - no matter how bizarre it seemed. Before she could document and publish the article, however, she had to find solid evidence on what could’ve caused this. The scenes from that day constantly flashed in her mind; the whole situation was unsettling.

Shaking the images from her mind, she cracked her fingers and let out an audible sigh before typing ‘behaviors of hunters’ into the search bar. Time slowly passed by as she read article after article on hunters and their occasional strange behaviors, but none of it matched with what she saw in the cave. The carcasses - piled perfectly on top of one another with only their livers missing. It just didn’t add up.

   Her next option was to research murders and bizzare patterns as well as various killings, but regardless of how deep she ventured into the rabbit hole, Saetbyeol couldn’t find similar cases. She didn’t want to rule out murder, or a deranged hunter, but she couldn’t find any solid reasons as to who would do such a thing, or why. Hunters never stacked carcasses neatly and perfectly, so maybe it was a warning? Maybe a serial killer lurked in the shadows and utilized animal carcusses to send out a subliminal threat?

Breaking her concentration, she heard the bells on the office’s front door chime. Looking up, she saw San walk in and towards his desk. Removing his thick black jacket, he draped it perfectly over the back of his chair. Placing his belongings neatly in their proper places, he pressed the power button on his computer as he waited for the machine to come to life.

Saetbyeol never once paid attention to his strange organizational behavior, but after the cave incident, she had become more aware of her surroundings. However, considering San was her co-worker, she didn’t dwell upon his actions. Sensing someone watching him, San spun around in her direction only to catch her watching his every move closely. Smiling sweetly at her, he waved to his mysterious co-worker. Her eyes quickly darted back to her screen, fully prepared to go back to ignoring him at all costs. Cheeks flushing just the slightest tinge of pink, she hoped he couldn’t see her discoloration from across the room. San frowned, he was always curious about her and why she never spoke to anyone other than the girl he saw her with the other night. Shaking his head, San makes his way to the coffee bar to make himself some tea.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Saetbyeol groaned in frustration - she was getting nowhere. She was just about to give up and try a different route when she noticed a comment from an anonymous user with a link to another article. Furrowing her brows, she gnawed on her lip - she might as well check it out. Clicking on it, she stared at the words in big bold letters, Mythical Creatures: A History,  the color of a dark red wine, maybe even a blood hue.

As she scanned the article, Saetbyeol quickly perceived that it was written by an amateur author. The more she read, the more skeptical she grew - what even was this? Fiction perhaps? The author talked about the reality of mythical creatures walking amongst human beings which which, in return, earned an audible chuckle from Saetbyeol.

The author probably wrote it to get a rise out of people and to fuel others’ superstitions. There’s no such thing as mythical creatures and even if there were, how would people know? Did they see one? Doubtful. The more she read, the more absurd the article grew - such creatures apparently took the form of human beings to fit in which caused Saetbyeol to, once again, question whether or not the author had seen such a sight, to which she, yet again, declared that it was doubtful.

It took everything in Saetbyeol’s power to not roll her eyes at the mention and definition of each creature. There’s no way people actually believed these things, right? She had to give the writer some credit, though - a lot of the information was very detailed, but there’s no way they weren’t making this up. Sighing, Saetbyeol moved her cursor to close the tab when suddenly, a familiar word caught her eye: Kumiho. Gnawing on her lower lip, she hesitantly clicked on word to read more. Just as the page finished loading, her boss called to her; Saetbyeol jumping in her chair as her head whips in the direction of her boss’ voice. “Yes boss?”

“Can I speak to you in my office real fast?” Ms. Kim stood at the bottom of the stairs that lead up to her office.

Jumping up, she made her way to her boss and up the stairs to her office. Returning to his desk, tea in hand, San noticed Saetbyeol was nowhere to be found. He wondered if she had gone to the restroom or to get something to eat. Why was he suddenly so concerned about her?

Shaking his head, he made his way back to his desk, setting his teacup down on top of the coaster next to his keyboard. The room had started to fill up with more of his coworkers, their voices becoming louder as they started to bid good morning to their friends while working on bringing their computers to life. Sitting down, San’s eyes scanned the crowd of people, eyes darting left and right in hopes to catch a glimpse of Saetbyeol, but to no avail.

“What do you mean I have to work with him?!” Saebyeol replied to her boss. The two of them were good friends from college, but at the end of the day, Ms. Kim was still her boss, so she had the final say in decision-making.

“I know this isn’t easy for you Saetbyeol and I’m not doing this to punish you by any means, but I am teaming you up with San for your cave investigation. An outsider's view might be a good thing, not to mention the attention he’ll bring to the story.” Ms. Kim replied giving Saetbyeol a sympathetic grin.

“So you are using him for publicity! This isn’t even his department anyway!” She groans as she folds her arms across her chest.

“Well, yes, but I’m doing this for you. You know I’ve always wanted you to go far in your career, so I’m using this opportunity to help you out as well.”

“Fine, whatever. But don’t expect me to be nice to him.” Saetbyeol snaps back, glaring at her boss and old friend.

“I’m not expecting you to, but do try to at least work with him.” At that Ms. Kim dismissed Saetbyeol.

She stormed out of the office, back down the stairs and to her desk. Flopping in her chair, she snaps her head in San’s direction, shooting daggers from her eyes into his back, hoping he could feel it. As if abiding by her wishes, San tensed up and turned his head to lock eyes with her, suddenly taken aback by her gaze. The look of pure hatred twisted the features of her face, her eyes cold as a storm brewed within them. Confusion overtook his body - what had he done to her that made her behave this way towards him? Had he taken her mug by mistake? Did he say something about one of her articles without realizing it? Eyes growing wide, Saetbyeol whipped her head around - focusing on her computer screen in front of her.

Frustration coursing through her, Saetbyeol tries once more to read the article she had found in the comments, but her attention was pulled elsewhere once more. Saetbyeol watches out of the corner of her eye as her boss makes her way towards San’s desk. Great she’s going to tell him the news. Pretending not to be paying attention, Saetbyeol fixated her eyes upon the monitor, but didn’t read the words virtually plastered to it. Stopping in front of him, Ms. Kim places a file of all the copies Saetbyeol made of her report from the cave and her findings so far beside his hand. Watching San flip through them, his eyes grew wide as they dart straight to Saetbyeol - he must’ve just been told the news.

Feeling her cheeks flush, she bends down, pretending to pick up something off the floor so her hair could fall freely from behind her ear to hide her face from his view. Straightening up slightly, she could see his shoulders tense up through the curtain of her black locks as he sighs; nodding in agreement with Ms. Kim, knowing he, too, cannot refuse. His reluctance was obvious, but being the good poster-child he was, he confirmed his agreement without too much hesitation.

As Saetbyeol continued to watch, a warm feeling of anger began pooling in the pit of her stomach. Sighing, she fully straightened up, unlocking the desks drawer, as she grabbed her purse and stormed out of the building. She needed fresh air before she snapped. How could Ms. Kim team her up with him? Of all people, why did it have to be Choi San?

An audible sigh escaped her lips - she was going to get so many glares from this, as if she already didn’t get enough. San was the most desired person at their workplace, but he was also the most unavailable person in the office. Clenching her jaw, Saetbyeol ran a hand through her hair once she realized how her female co-workers would react. San was fairly popular amongst women - especially those in their office. Countless times they had tried to make their move on him and each time, he politely turned them down. That, alone, was going to cause trouble for her, but she had to at least give him some credit - he was always a professional gentleman, even to her.

But she was cold, closed off from everyone; never made friends or spoke to anyone, and when she did it was laced with intense sarcasm. No one approached her for anything, and she liked it that way. Honestly, her only true friend was Mirae. Her boss knew of Saetbyeol’s past, so how could she do this to her? Ms. Kim said it was for Saetbyeol’s benefit, but there’s no way anything good is going to come out of this.

Paying for her lunch, Saetbyeol slipped into a secluded picnic table nestled under a tree. She always came to this park near the office for lunch, or whenever she needed some alone time to cool off or to think. Glancing down, Saetbyeol took a quick glance at her bandaged ankle. The bleeding had stopped, but considering the wound’s vulnerability and placement, it was easy to re-open the tear. Noticing no signs of blood seeping through the bandage, however, she went back to focusing on her lunch - doing her best not to think of the fact that she is going to have to work with the Choi San.

San was still so confused as to why Saetbyeol acted with such anger and rage towards him. She obviously knew that they would be working together from here on out. San knew how she kept to herself, how she never spoke to anyone and what others thought about her. If someone started to talk about her around him, he would instantly change the subject in hopes to get the negative attention off of her; he hated how people spoke about her. They didn’t know her, nor did they ever try to, but it’s not like he attempted to, either. He had tried to approach her once in the past, but it blew up in his face, so instead, he secretly admired her from afar; his interest growing everyday. Now that he was getting his chance, though, he had to admit that while he was thrilled to get to know her, he was reluctant as well - he knew what their interactions would do to her. More people would start to stare and talk badly about her - pondering and speculating as to why the two of them had grown so close. They wouldn’t care about the fact of their pairing being for an assignment; human beings only ever cared about drama and how to twist stories for their own benefit.

San glanced once more at her now empty workstation, her frustration apparent. Sighing, he stood up, mug in hand, as he made his way back to the coffee bar for another cup of tea. Passing by her desk, he stopped in his tracks as he noticed the article she was reading. What did this have to do with the cave’s case they would be working on together? Noticing the new, unread article in a tab next to the currently open one, he frowned. Leaning in a bit to get a better look, he rolled his eyes as he moved the mouse's cursor to the small ‘x’ button in the top right-hand corner of the tab, closing both tabs pertaining to mythical creatures.

“How stupid,” San’s voice was soft, irritation seeping into his body. He never thought Saetbyeol, of all people, believed in such wild stories. He would have to ensure she didn’t look up such things if he was to work with her. Their pairing was already going to cause trouble - he wasn’t going to allow her to make a fool of the company, let alone themselves, as well. Deleting  that day’s browser’s web history, he continued on his way to the coffee bar.

Satisfied with his beverage, San moves gracefully between the scattered crowds of employees discussing various projects they were working on. It wasn’t uncommon for people from different departments getting teamed up, but why choose someone from the news and another from the entertainment section? Contrary to popular assumptions, those two categories were in no way connected - not for this story, at least.

Looking out the window, San noticed Saetbyeol walking back towards the building. Should he approach her? Just as she was about to enter, Saetbyeol was stopped by one of their fellow coworkers. He watched as the man got closer and closer to her as she tried to put a comfortable distance between them, but the man was not letting up. The look in his eyes made San’s stomach twist, anger boiling up inside him.

The man was taunting her. He watched as Saetbyeol tensed her shoulders, curling into herself as she lowered her head to avoid his intimidating gaze. The more he pushed, the more uncomfortable she grew. She wanted to just disappear. Tears started to sting her eyes as he continued to tease her as to why she was taken to the bosses office - repeating how he thought she was finally getting fired. San noticed her small frame begin to shake. He normally didn’t get involved in people’s affairs, but he could tell how truly frightened she was. He knew what consequences this would bring, but he wasn’t going to allow this to continue to happen, not to his new partner. He would protect her of what people had to say from now on.

Standing up, San quickly made his way out the front door. Looming behind the man taunting Saetbyeol, he cleared his throat, lowering his voice to sound more menacing. “Is there a reason why you are tormenting my partner?”

Snapping her head up Saetbyeol stares at San. His demeanor was suddenly menacing and quite frightful; completely contrasting his usual cheery and warm self. She had to admit she was scared of the San she was currently seeing. She had never once seen him show any sign of anger or aggression, so this was new. Glancing up at him, she saw his jaw clenched tight as a nearly visible fire danced in his eyes. Their co-worker turned around to face San, he stood just a few inches taller than him, but that didn’t stop San from confronting the man. She couldn’t hear any of the words the two of them exchanged as she froze in pure fear and anxiety. It had been a long time since she had a severe panic attack like this, but it wasn’t much of a surprise - it was triggered upon receiving the news about working with San and now, with her co-worker cornering her and San acting out of character, it only intensified.

Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she noticed their co-worker backing down and heading back inside. Thankfully, only a small crowd of spectators had formed, and those who did gather around,all had their attention on San. Quickly wiping away her tears before anyone saw, she tried to calm her breathing when suddenly, a firm, but gentle hand grasped her shoulder. She already knew whose hand it was, but the feeling of him touching her, made her shy away from his touch.

“Are you okay?” His voice was laced with genuine concern, yet she could still hear the anger in his deep tone. He could tell she was still trembling, her breathing still somewhat uneven. Faint whimpers left her mouth as she started to speak.

“I-I didn’t ask for you help. I would’ve been fine on my own.” Her voice trembled uncontrollably as she tried to calm herself before she went back inside. She didn’t have any strength left to yell like she wanted to. She knew that her words were a lie, she wouldn’t have been fine on her own. Actually, if San hadn’t come to her aid, she would’ve been a lot worse. She couldn’t say it out loud, of course, but she was thankful that he showed up.

Flinching at her words, a deep sadness welled in his eyes, but only momentarily has he quickly replaced it with his usual gaze. Her words stung, and he didn’t understand why. He just helped her, why was she still behaving like this towards him? Deciding not to think too much of it he took a couple steps away from her, allowing her to have the space she needed to calm herself. This wasn’t his first time seeing someone have a panic attack, so he knew what to do in situations like these. To be honest, this was a whole new Saetbyeol; one had never seen before today. The girl before him was a fragile being - not the cold, hard-headed person he had always seen.

She truly was a mystery to him, but it intrigued him more. Maybe now he could finally crack her mystery.

Everyone else has quickly cleared the area, leaving her and San alone as they stood in the cool afternoon air. Small snowflakes had started to fall from the sky. Watching them, Saetbyeol began to finally feel her body relax, exhaustion consuming her, but she willed her body to remain upright. She couldn’t let San, or anyone who might still be watching, see her in this vulnerable state. This was the first time he had ever heard her voice, aside from when she was being short and sarcastic with people and when he overheard her talking to her best friend the other night after she got off work. The sound of it made him feel warm and soothed, it was soft and higher pitched than he imagined. This was her real voice.

“My name is Choi San. It’s nice to finally meet you after all this time --- partner.” He smiled sweetly at her, reassuring her that she had no reason to fear him. Making both of his hands visible, he extended his left hand out to her in a friendly gesture, hoping she would return his handshake.

Fear crept up within her once more, looking from his face to his hand she gnawed on her lip. She wasn’t used to physical contact with men, but she had already felt San’s hand. The feeling of his hand on her shoulder - faint, but still there. His touch was different, it was soothing and even though she shied away from his previous touch, she never felt fear from it. This was her first time ever being this close to him, or anyone besides Mirae, for that matter.

She was guarded but she didn’t feel afraid like she had with their coworker who, moments ago, stood uncomfortably close to her. She could feel her walls slightly crumbling in his presence despite how hard she tried to keep them standing. She still didn’t trust him, but if she was going to have to work with him for the case, she decided she would at least try to get along with San.

Slowly and hesitantly, she extended her right hand, placing it in his larger one. Watching his fingers curl around the back of her hand, swallowing her’s whole, she mirrored the movement and curled her fingers over his. Unable to take her eyes off his hand she spoke softly, yet hesitantly, “My name is Yoo Saetbyeol. It’s nice to meet you as well.”

[cherryeoo]

Morning Star (Ateez Fantasy!AU) Ch 2

Summary: Two unlikely companions join together to ride the rollercoaster known as: Life. With a yin and yang balance, they soon discover that there’s not only beauty in the beast, but beast in the beauty.

   Dark clouds loomed ahead, giving a feeling of dread to the already colorless winter landscape. It wasn’t supposed to rain today, was it? Pulling up to the scene Saetbyeol could see the crowd of people hovering beyond the yellow crime scene tape in attempts to get a glimpse of the discovery. The mouth of the cave wide and hungry; ready to consume everyone in its proximity.

   “Nosy people,” Saetbyeol chides.

   She never understood why people were so drawn to chaos. Also, how did they even hear about this before she did? It’s literally her job.

   Groaning, she opens the car door before stepping out into the cold winter air. A brisk gust of wind whipped around her; hair molding to her face. Tucking the wild strands back behind her ear, she tugged her jacket closer to her frame as she made her way to the scene of the incident. Briefly stopping to flash her work badge at the nearby officer, he steps in front of her to prevent her from not going any further. The officer reads over the small plastic card around her neck before nodding and raising the tape, giving her permission to move about freely.

   Amazing how something so small gave her so much power.

   Carefully, she walked around - observing every corner of the cave as she ventured further inside. Welcoming the surprising warmth radiating from the cave, she ventured further into the darkness. Despite the inviting heat, the cave, itself, was not welcoming at all. Maybe it was the darkness that enveloped her that caused her to feel uneasy, but something about the environment was off.

   But what could it be?

   After what seemed like an eternity, Saetbyeol found herself before a small pathway. Halting abruptly, her eyebrows furrowed at the sight. Oddly, the pathway was lit by scattered lanterns hanging from metal chains; a sudden realization racking her mind.

   The sight was too man-made.

   Not only that, but another oddity was the fact that in all of her time living in Seoul, she never ran across this cave. Saetbyeol considered herself to be fairly active. Every chance she had, she would walk the hills that surrounded the area.  

   Quite honestly, she knew this area like the back of her hand, so how did she not know about this cave?

   As she got closer, she could hear the overlapping voices of officers and detectives in the nearby distance as they discussed their findings. Their main question was who or what could have possibly done such a thing, but that wasn’t what bothered her the most.

   The sudden intense scent of copper mixed with soil filled her nostrils. Quickly wrinkling her nose, she pulled her scarf up over her nose in hopes of preventing breathing in that God awful scent into her lungs once more, but to no avail. Her stomach churned as she finally laid eyes on what was causing all the commotion; immediately wrenching at the sight and smell.

   Figures of all shapes and sizes laid in a pile upon the cave floor. Managing to step closer, she discovered that the figures were carcusses of various animals. What was most baffling, however, was how neatly they were stacked. Too much thought had been put into how perfectly they laid atop one another; almost like a puzzle that had been perfectly assembled.

   Animals still intact, or so she thought, laid there is such a clean manner that it was nearly too odd to be reality. This was, by far, the strangest story Saetbyeol had covered. With all of her years of experience, she was unsure if it were possible for things to get weirder.

   That was her first mistake.

   “What happened here?” She asked softly to the officer standing closest to her; pulling out her camera and notebook in the process as she prepared to document everything.

   “We’re honestly not even sure. It’s clearly not done by any animal and it can’t possibly be a hunter. They’re stacked at least 20 bodies high and the hides are all still here,” he paused for a moment contemplating his next words, “also, there is one other thing that’s strange.” The officer shifted in his spot, his gloved hand reaching up to anxiously rub the back of his neck.

   “What’s that?” Saetbyeol asked, peering up from far her notebook.

   The officer shifted in his spot - briefly peering around - as he leaned in; his voice a whisper, “Only the livers are missing.”

   Saetbyeol furrowed a confused brow, “Isn’t that normal for a hunter?”

   “Not exactly,” he shook his head, “if it were a hunter, they would’ve taken more than just their livers. The hides and meat of the animal are what hunters are after. Not to mention, the stacking off the carcusses is too odd - hunters don’t have that much appreciation for their killings.”

   Heaving a sigh, he shook his head as the muscles in his jaw tensed slightly, “I don’t know what to make or think of this. I’ve never seen anything like it in the twenty years I’ve been in the force.”

   The officer turned his head back to the pile of dead carcusses, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. Saetbyeol was silent for a moment as her mind raced for a plausible answer, but to no avail. Sighing, she stuffed her notebook back into her bag while simultaneously pulling out a black case.

   “Thank you for all of the information,” Saetbyeol gave the officer a slight bow before making her way to the pile, readying her camera to get some quick snaps of the bizarre scene before her.

  After a few minutes of snapping some defined, but not overly gruesome shots, Saetbyeol took a step back to examine the camera roll. Satisfied with her pictures and the information she acquired, she made her way back down the dimly lit pathway.

   She was almost to the opening of the cave when she suddenly stumbled into a hole, her ankle bone scraping across a nearby rock as she crumpled to the ground. Yelping slightly, she groaned - mentally scolding herself in the process. Go figure this would happen the one time she decided to not pay attention while walking. Picking herself back up, she dusted the dirt off her jeans before continuing her trek back outside - this time fully alert.

   Reaching the opening, she squinted her eyes against the sun somehow remaining to shine brightly through the thick gray clouds above. Dipping under the caution tape, she quickly made her way back to the car just in time as raindrops began to fall. Ducking into the driver’s seat, she tossed her belongings onto the passenger seat before leaning down to grab at the hem of her pant leg.

   Wincing, she rolled up the material to get a glimpse of her ankle. Small red gashes were scattered in thin lines across the ankle bone, up to her calf. Sighing, she made a quick mental note; reminding herself to clean the wound once she returned to the office. Gently rolling the fabric back down, she started the car - flipping on the windshield wipers as the rain started to come down harder. Backing away from the mysterious cave, she glanced once more at the ominous site before making her way back to the office.

-

   Parking the car, Saetbyeol grabbed the items off the passenger seat and rushed inside. The rain had slowed down, but it was still coming down hard enough to leave her hair slightly damp, strands randomly sticking to her forehead. Opening the door to the building, she’s welcomed by a wave of heat and the familiar scent of coffee and paper. The sounds of fingers typing on computer keys and the soft lofi music that traveled through the building speakers overhead comforted her. As much as she couldn’t stand being around people, being here in all its familiarity gave her a sense of peace.

   This was like her home away from home.

   Once back at her desk, she placed her bag down off to the left of her computer. Leaning over, she tapped the spacebar on her keyboard bringing her computer to life once more. Typing in her password, she sighed at the sight of the spinning wheel buffering upon the screen,

   “Might as well go clean up my ankle while I wait for everything to start up. The last thing I need is it getting infected and Mirae giving me hell,” she sighed.

   Rising to her feet, she was immediately reminded of her little “accident” at the cave when pain shot up her leg as she shifted from her right foot to her left.

   Saetbyeol decided to walk in the direction of San’s desk since it was the fastest route to the bathroom; being careful not to make her injury known to anyone at the office, not that anyone would care anyway. As she made her way towards her destination, the sight of San’s dark hair filled her line of vision.

   She didn’t know him personally, but she knew of him. He was the most popular employee in the company and it was no surprise since everyone absolutely adored him. Whether working on a group project or sitting with co-workers during break, San had always been wearing a bright and cheerful smile.

   Saetbyeol really hated him.

   It annoyed her that he was always so happy. So dapper and cheerful - she never understood it. Then again, maybe San didn’t either. Many times, Saetbyeol had noticed that his smile never reached his eyes. It was genuine, but also not. She didn’t understand it, but then again, she never put too much thought into it or him.

   At the end of the day, she couldn’t care less.

   As she passed by his desk, she briefly noticed San reorganizing his workspace for, probably, the fifteenth time that day. This time around, he was bent down - ruler in hand as he measured the distance between his knick-knacks. Furrowing her eyebrows, she watched in disgust.

   “How annoying,” she grumbled as she passed by him; his eyes briefly peeking up at her before returning his focus to his current task at hand.

   As she made her way into the bathroom, Saetbyeol grabbed a handful of paper towels - some to clean her wound and some to dry her damp hair. Reaching the sink, she pulled up the handle allowing the cold water to flow freely. Placing her left leg up on the countertop, she rolled up her pant leg carefully as to not brush the fabric across the open wound.

  Grabbing some of the paper towels, she placed them under the stream of water, saturating the entire towel. Wringing out the excess water, she brought the towel down onto the wound, biting down on her lower lip as she wiped the wet cloth against the cuts to remove the blood and dirt.

   New blood formed in its place, Saetbyeol, once again, wiping the damp towel against the cuts. Tossing the soiled towel into the waste bin next to her, she reached for a clean towel - repeating the process for a good fifteen minutes before the blood finally slowed enough to dry the wound; finishing the task by sticking a couple of large bandages across the cuts.

   Making her way out of the bathroom after cleaning up the mess she had made, she made her way back to her workspace. Glancing over at San’s desk, she noticed he was no longer there. The knick-knacks were all perfectly spaced apart from one another; each turned at the same angle.

   Where did he get all the time to do that and finish his articles on time?

   He truly was a strange human being, but Saetbyeol shrugged this thought off with a sigh as she sat back down at her desk. Plugging her camera into to her computer, she opened the notebook as she scanned over her findings. It wasn’t long before she began compiling everything into a single document on her desktop.

   Time ticked by and the office became less lively as the day turned into night. It was common for Saetbyeol to stay late to ensure her article was complete and to her liking. Briefly bowing farewell to her Ms. Kim, she went back to revising the now finished article one last time before emailing it to her boss for its final review before publishing.

   Satisfied, she leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms above her head. She glanced over once more to San’s desk where she noticed the same work layout remained. Clenching her teeth slightly, she huffed. She didn’t even notice him leave, granted she never did anyway, but today, he had managed to acquire residence in her mind.

   Why was she suddenly so interested in him?

   Shaking her head, she ran a hand over her face. Maybe it was just all of the anomalies and the stench of blood and dirt that the day held that put her in this abnormal state. At this point, she couldn’t wait to get home.

   Leaning forward, she shut down her computer and collected her belongings before heading home for the night. It was common for every employee to have a key to the building for such moments like these. Everyone had gained their bosses trust, so she granted each one of them keys in case they wanted to come in early or stay late, like Saetbyeol usually did, to complete various tasks.

   “Burning the midnight oil as usual, are ya, Saet?” A familiar, and welcoming, voice chimed behind her.

   Turning around to face the direction the voice came from, Saetbyeol shrugged her shoulders and gave the voice a gentle smile, a smile she only gave to one person. “Oh you know it. Wait until I tell you all about the day I had today.”

   Her best friend since childhood, Mirae, stood before her; her hands tucked in the pockets of her parka jacket and the knit scarf that Saetbyeol gave her last year for Christmas wound around her neck. She was the only person who Saetbyeol was ever close to and trusted. Quite honestly, the two were inseparable.

   Mirae loved and accepted Saetbyeol for who she was; knowing every flaw and her entire past. She stood by Saetbyeol through it all; there for every high and low. Saetbyeol owed Mirae so much and loved her dearly. She truly was her best friend, her guardian angel.

   The two girls lived together. Mirae always came and picked up Saetbyeol from work so the two of them could walk home together for both safety precautions and the chance to discuss the day’s events. A perk of Mirae being the manager of a nearby coffee shop was the fact she could usually bring coffee or various pastries and sandwiches to Saetbyeol for lunch or a quick pick me up whenever necessary. A perk of Saetbyeol’s timeliness was the fact that Mirae never had to wait long for Saetbyeol to finish up. Despite working later, she would always send Mirae a text letting her know when she was done for the day signalling for Mirae to finish closing the shop to meet up with her best friend.

   “Oh I can’t wait to hear all about it then!” Mirae squealed as she slipped her arm through Saetbyeol’s causing the two of them to laugh as they turned to head home.

   From the side of the office building, San stepped out into the light of the street lamp near the backdoor. He watched the two girls walk further down the street, their voices faintly echoing through the quiet night air. He watched Saetbyeol and her friend disappear around the corner, his eyes fixated on Saetbyeol.

   “Who exactly is that girl?”