#library of illusion.

[thelargefrye]

LIBRARY OF ILLUSION : THE TWILIGHT PRINCESS ... mature rated series

PREVIOUS CHAPTER | M.LIST | NEXT CHAPTER

pairing : pirate!mingi x princess!reader

genre: adventure, smut, pirate au

word count : 3k

warnings : language, 8ft tall mingi (implied monster mingi), mentions of death

smut warnings : unprotected sex, monster cock!mingi, size difference, manhandling, fingering, stomach bulge (kind of), princess (both title and pet name)

journeying into the first section, adventure, you soon find yourself placed in the shoes of a princess aboard a pirate ship where she is attempting to take her kingdom back from twilight. without much guidance, you find yourself face to face with the first guardian as you attempt to complete his trial.

you felt like you were teetering from side to side as you made an attempt to stand up. it was a poor attempt as you immediately fell back to the ground. the ground being the deck of the pirate ship you had stowed away on.

wait a minute.

you didn't stow away on a pirate ship.

last thing you remember was being inside that library, you had ventured into the adventure section and then...

huh, you don't remember. you let out a sigh as you once again attempt to stand up. you bunched up the skirt of you dress, your heels making a rather deep click sound as you finally stood back up.

about damn time, you think as you look around the deck of the ship to see not another soul in sight.

this was wrong. there should be a whole crew of pirates running around in order to make the ship sail smoothly. but it was just you. you probably would have felt more unnerved than you already were if you slowly didn't remember that the guardian of the section had to be here somewhere. right?

your eyes drifted up to the main deck of the ship was, where the wheel remained untouched and you couldn't help but feel like someone should have been there. where was-

a loud crash startled you from your thoughts and you turned to see the door that leads below deck is thrown open. you swallow the large lump in your throat as you take a frightful step back. you were stuck with nowhere to go.

that's when you hear the heavy footsteps that first sound from below deck. you can barely feel the thumping of your heart over the thumping of the footsteps against the wooden steps. then you see a head of brightly colored hair before you're greeted with a sharp gaze. you back away just a little further from the person until you're tripping over your edges of your dress and falling to the ground.

no fucking way... was this the guardian of this section? the adventure guardian. your eyes traveled up his large figure and you concluded that there was no godly way this guardian was human. not with how fiery his hair was and by just how tall he was.

fuck, just how tall was this guy?

"you," he starts and you feel yourself getting flustered with just how deep his voice is. it was like something shot through you as you just kept taking in his appearance. "are you looking for this?" he asks before he's holding up a key that looks a little too tiny in his giant hands.

that's when you remember why you're here. why you got transported to this ship. you needed to pass his trial in order to receive his key and mark of the section. that was what the keeper of keys told you anyways.

"y-yes! it is! give it to me!" you say, quickly standing to your feet. you couldn't help but blink in shock by how demanding you sounded.

"my, my princess, you think that after all this time you've spent on board with us, that you would know how to ask nicely for things. especially when it comes to things you desperately want. did captain not teach you enough manners?" oh god, he's taunting you know and this is when you fully take in his height.

craning your neck up even with the distance between you two. there was no possible way he was human. you can't help the way your heart jumps to your throat and how aggressively butterflies start to swarm around in your stomach. you felt your body slowly get hotter and hotter the longer you stared at him, and you know its rude. you know that ▇▇▇▇ would be upset with you for forgetting your etiquette.

wait, why couldn't you remember his name?

"you know..." he trails off catching your attention. "i'm surprised you're here, and that you look the exact same as you did all those lifetimes ago," he says as he took several steps closer to you until he was bending over slightly in order to take your hand into his and bringing it up to his lips. "you still look as beautiful though," he adds before he's kissing your hand.

why did this all feel so familiar? like you've been here before with this guardian, on this ship, demanding him to give you something, his kissing your hand. you're mind feels a little fuzzy as you're starting to see things, see memories that weren't yours... at least you think they weren't yours.

"mingi, give it to me," you demand again and chill is immediately sent down your spine when the pirate grins at you.

his large hand suddenly comes up to easily squish your cheeks together. you can't help the sudden adrenaline that rushes through your body and to your core even when you feel him manhandle you just a little bit.

"what did i tell you about demanding things from me, princess. have you learned nothing, or is it that you want me to teach you a lesson?" he asks, craning your neck up to forcefully look at him and you can feel yourself moving to stand on your tiptoes as he's able to pick you up with just his one hand. his face is extremely close to yours with his hot breath hitting your face.

you have to will yourself to not try and rub your thighs together. you know that if he finds out how turned on you're becoming thanks to him, he will on taunt you more.

"unless..." he says, smirk painting his face, "you want me to teach you a lesson?" he adds before putting you down and letting go your face. you couldn't help but immediately try and rub the cramp that was forming in your neck.

you then have to stop yourself from immediately jumping away in surprise as mingi bends down, face to face with you as he says, "if you want the key so badly, princess, then let me teach you a few lessons in etiquette."

was this his trial? you thought as you watched him stand back up to his full height and turn on his heel before he once more goes back below deck. was allowing his to teach you a few "etiquette lessons" the trail you had to complete. you couldn't help but lick your lips before you followed after him, your heels clicking against the wooden deck and stairs which earned his attention.

mingi turned around with a smirk on his lips before he took in your slowly flustered looking appearance. "i always knew you were a masochist, princess."

"a-ah! mingi, fuck," you gasp out, your hands fisting the sheets tightly below you as mingi fingered you. your back arched high off the bed as your body tried to pull away from the stimulation. the stimulation and pleasure that was slowly bring you to the edge closer than you wanted it to. "a-a-ah– fuck! fuckfuckfuckfuck," you moan when you feel mingi use his free hand to hold you down.

"such a foul mouth, princess, don't you know better than to say such things," mingi tsk'ed at you and you found it quite ironic how him, a pirate, was telling you to watch your mouth. you couldn't help but moan at the pressure on his hand on your stomach as he presses down on you, stopping you from moving as he abused your poor pussy.

fuck and this was only his fingers, you couldn't help but clench around them at the thought of when he finally puts his cock in you. how big you know he'll stretch you out like he's done before.

"m-mingi, it feels so good please! let me come!" you say as mingi's long fingers hit your sweet spot over and over again. you cry out when he does the 'come hither' motion. the heat in your lower stomach keeps growing more and more, and you swear you think you're about to rip the sheets from how hard you're pulling at them.

"mingi– mingi, please let me come!" you beg again, tears welling up in your eyes from how you're back your orgasm. waiting for him to tell you it's okay to come.

"do you think you've been good enough to come, princess? think you deserve to?" mingi is teasing you as you feel him slow his fingers in order to taunt you. fuck this guy.

"yes! yes! i have been! please let me come! let me have your cock, please!" you beg, tears streaming down your face. mingi can't help but chuckle at how desperate you are. he hovers over your body and you feel a pleasured chill run up your spine as he licks one of your tears.

his lips then hover close to your ear as he whispers, "go ahead and come, princess." and just like that you feel the heat in your body snap and you're coming around his long fingers.

you come with a loud, almost ear-piercing cry mixed with a strangled moan and you feel your body shake from how long you had been holding your orgasm. mingi can only grin at how much your body is falling apart just for him and he's quickly leaning over and capturing your lips with his own.

"my princess, you've done so well. are you ready for my cock?" he ask and you immediately nod your head, a mantra of yes's leaving your lips and you feel yourself falling more and more in a fucked induced state.

mingi's grin never leaves his lips as he undoes the buttons of his trousers, your eyes falling his every movements like a hawk. he notes how flushed you look, a layer of sweat covering your whole body as you're trying to catch your breath. he can see the dazed look in your eyes and he's reminded about how he's seen you like this many times before. his princess. their princess.

"mingi," your voice comes out in a whine as you watch him remove the finally layer of his clothing. you can't help but clench at how his hard cock stands proud and almost angry looking. fuck, he's big, you think as you take in his size. the thought of will he fit floats in your head before you're pushing it in the back of your head.

like your body moves on its own, you spread your legs beckoning him between them. mingi notes how despite you coming only moments ago, you're already ready to continue. already ready to take his cock.

"oh, princess, don't look so eager, or else i won't hold back," he says as he moves between your legs and he swears that you spread your legs even further. the inhuman pirate towers over you and you can't help the whine that leaves you when he rests his cock on top of you.

it rubs nicely against your leaking folds as the both of you see how big he is compared to you. his tip resting past your belly button and it sends a shiver over your body from not only his length, but also from it heavily rests against your body and his thickness.

"f-fuck," you moan out as you move your body, your arms hooking underneath your legs in order to hold them up. basically presenting yourself to him. you felt some of your juices run down your pussy and over your ass. "p-please fuck me mingi! i'm up, please mate press me," you beg, voice shaking from how desperate you're feeling.

"oh princess, look at you. not very lady-like of you, did you forget what you were taught or has being on the sea with pirates stripped that away from you," mingi laughs as he reaches over you easily in order to grab a pillow before stuffing it under your lower back. "as much as you like feeling the pain, i don't want to snap your spine in half," he says before he's taking your legs easily with one of his hands and bending you in half.

you let out a surprised cry as you feel mingi enter you, his thick girth stretching you out. you throw your head back, mouth hanging opened as incoherent noises escape you. you feel a line of drool spill out of the corner of you mouth as mingi eventually bottoms out inside of you. your lover lets out a few curses as his entire body towers over you, his one hand pressing holding your legs up as his other hand rest above your head to brace himself.

"fuck, princess, you're so tight," he sounds a little surprised by his words as he begins moving his hips, slowly dragging himself against your walls before pushing back inside you. you feel him rub against your womb nicely, warmly every time he thrust inside of you. the two of you let out a string of moans as he continues to fuck you, his speed picking up with each thrust.

you let out a few shuddered gasp as the thoughts of only mingi and his cock cloud your mind. the thoughts of what you were doing before sits in the back of your mind and this reality and your own start to blend.

are you really a princess who ran away after her kingdom was taken over. running away with your guard and advisor after you watched you're father be killed by the magical army. how ▇▇▇▇ had to rip you away from your father's body, as he carried you away. fuck, why couldn't you remember anyone's name? why only mingi's?

your guard, no he wasn't just your guard but your best friend... your lover. just like your advisor. ▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇, no why couldn't you remember their names. why couldn't you remember the captain's name? captain ▇▇▇▇. his face was right there, but blurry and unrecognizable. you feel frustrated for not being to remember your lovers' faces. what kind of princess and lover were you.

"ah, mingi," you say, feeling the tears running down your face as you crane your neck to look at your fiery lover.

"yes, princess?" he doesn't halt his thrust, but you can tell that he's listening and waiting for you to speak.

"why can't– fuck– why can't i remember their names. why can't i see their faces?" you cry out and you can hear how shaky your voice is.

"because that's not how the library works, princess."

"library?" that's right. you weren't actually a princess. you're inside a library, trying to finish the trials of each guardian. trying to find the treasure to save your friend. "ah, mingi! the key!" you say as you suddenly start to remember why you were here.

mingi only grunts as he picks up the speed of his thrust, and you can't help but clench around his cock. the wet sounds of your juices mixing together fills yours ears as you feel them leaking out of your hole more and more. your hand immediately comes up and tangles into his hair, you give it several tugs here and there as you feel yourself coming closer and closer to your second orgasm.

"m-mingi! can i... can i come?" you ask as your other arm grabs a fistful of sheets.

"fuccck~ go ahead, princess, come around my cock," he says as you finally come for the second time. you were basically held in place thanks to mingi holding your ankles in a tight grip. your pussy clenches around him as your juices leak out and it's only moments later when mingi is stilling and filling you with his seed.

you feel his cum fill you up and paint your walls nicely, leaving your mind dazed as the pirate slowly moves his hips a little bit before he's slowly pulling out of you.

you felt out of breath, chest heaving as you watch mingi slowly lower your legs – which feel like jello with how shaky they are. mingi remains sitting on his knees between your legs. his hands come up to rub over your body as he leans over you, face to face.

"mingi..." you trail off feeling your eyes starting to get heavy.

"it was nice seeing you again princess," he says before pressing his lips to yours. when he pulls away you feel like a part of you leaves as well when you can no longer feel his body heat against yours. you try to reach out to him, to pull him back, but it's no use. your limbs are all like jello, and your eyes soon fall shut.

when you wake up, you find yourself back in the library. you're laying on a velvet couch, a small blanket thrown over you and you can't help but wonder if what you just experienced was all a dream.

"ah, you're awake," a familiar voice says and you look behind the couch to find the keeper of keys standing there. you watch as he walks up to you, his hand digging inside his pocket before he showing you a rather large ring-looking thing.

"what is this?" you ask as you take the ring from him.

"its a key holder," he says before gesturing behind you and you turn your head to see a key – the one mingi was holding – resting on the table. your heart beats loudly when you reach for, taking the metal in your hands and you note its a lot larger than what mingi made it look like.

"congrats on passing your first trial," the male says and you turn to look back at him as walks around the couch, but you note how he keeps his distance from you. not getting too close.

you can't help but think back to all the emotions and thoughts that had went through you in the adventure section. how your memories were getting mixed with that of the character you were put into. how upset you were not being able to remember any faces or names.

"would like some tea before you start your next trial?"

"yes, please."

tag list : @sanjoongie @yoonguurt @anyamaris @kwanisms @kpop-stories-21 @stardragongalaxy @flowerboykun @pyeonghongrie

network : @cultofdionysusnet

[anyamaris]

Easy Mode

Word Count-3789

Summary- Complete the quest...? What kind of adventure was this?

Pairing- Mingi x f!reader

Trope-Adventure AU

Warnings- Vulgarity, unprotected sex (wrap it up), overstimulation, Mingi has a big cock, dirty talk, mild restraining (using his hands/body)MINORS DNI 18+

Tags- @cultofdionysusnet @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @yoonguurt @shinestarhwaa @babesindestroyland @lemonhongjoong @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21 @thelargefrye @kwanisms @sanjoongie

Library of Illusions Masterlist here.

Tysm @cafekitsune for the banner below!

As you pass through the rows upon rows of books, you can't help but feel a tingle of excitement as you read "Adventure". You always loved adventure stories growing up, and you were actually on your own adventure right now.

Of all of the genres, your brain ran rampant at the thought of what awaited you. Pirates on the high sea? Lost in a jungle, looking for treasure? Climbing a mountain to get to the peak?

You smile as you go to grab a thick novel but then a small, thin book falls to the floor in front of you. Frowning you pick it up, accidentally letting it fall open in your hands.

"Oh fu-"

Sunlight warmed your skin as you sit up, rubbing at your eyes. The smell of grass and springtime assailed your senses. All around you was fields of grain, and other random vegetables and fruits.

You inhale the fresh air, standing up and dusting off your clothing. You'd woken up beside a dirt road, and you finally spot a small village in the distance. As you take a step, suddenly a small screen appears in front of you.

"What the..." you mutter, focusing on it. It was a small screen, much like you'd see in a video game. But this was a book? The words on it read:

Objective-Speak to the villagers.

That was it. Nothing else. Shrugging, you sigh, trudging towards the tiny houses.

After what seems like longer than it should have been, you approach the people there. As you draw closer, you notice they are about a foot shorter than you and they were busy hustling around, with small wagons, or baskets of food items.

Approaching, some stop and stare at you, hesitant. You put your hands up at their wary eyes and smile. "Good afternoon...I um....seem to be lost and I was wondering if you could help direct me....?" you start, not exactly sure what else to say. The quest wasn't giving you many details.

An older woman, by the looks of her greying hair and wrinkled eyes as she smiled, approaches you. "Where ye be headin, pretty lady?" she asks, hefting her basket up against her hip as she studies you.

"I am unsure, but I've been traveling for awhile now and I was wondering..." you think momentarily, and then inspiration strikes. "I am just passing through and was looking for food and shelter...but I have no coin. Would there be any jobs that need to be done to receive either payment or a warm bed and food for the night?"

You'd played countless games so you decided to treat this like one, given the whole quest screen thing. This could be exciting, maybe you needed to slay a dragon or rescue a princess!

The small woman eyes you, seeming to decide you were harmless then nods, spitting to the side. "There be a task, for sure. Mayhap you could earn your stay."

Smiling, you thank her and then your quest screen pops up once more.

Objective-Speak to the Villagers COMPLETE!

New Objective-Accept the quest.

Following the woman to what looks to be an inn or tavern of sorts, you are guided to a small wrinkled man behind the counter.

"She be wantin to stay this eve...and take on some work for her keep." she nods at him, and he grunts, clearing his throat. He studies you much the same as the woman, taking in your appearance.

"I won't be askin ye how ye got here, but if yer willin to help with our...neighbor....I can give ye a warm bed and some stew to warm yer belly."

"Ok, you just let me know where to go and I'll go do what needs to be done!" you say enthusiastically. The man just nods, pulling out a piece of parchment.

"This 'ere be the map to the cave o'er the hill to the west. Could ye go chase off the beast that done took up livin there for us?" he asks and you look over the map as you take it from him.

"A beast? Do you know what kind of beast?" you frown down at it. It's a very crudely drawn picture, mostly with an arrow pointing to the left and a circle around where he wanted you to go. This is like a children's drawing, you think, sighing.

"He be huge, hulkin'! He done skerred off our game and lurks in the shadows!" he says, his eyes darting around. Excited you nod at his description. I'll just have to get some kind of weapon and go for it! you think, smiling.

"I'll do it!" you say and set out of the tavern, deciding to see what the distance was for this map. You could walk over the hill and see if you could even see the cave from a distance.

Objective- Accept the quest COMPLETE!

New Objective- Deal with the beast to bring peace back to the villagers

What you hadn't expected was to walk about 20 minutes up the hill, to crest it and see the cave about 100 meters in front of you. What the actual.....

Shaking your head, you trudge forward, slowly wondering if this was even going to be hard. You could just drive whatever creature it was off with the stick you'd grabbed along the way.

Finally reaching the cave, you are shocked to see the remnants of a fire pit, along with some makeshift tools fashioned out of wood and rock.

Venturing into the dark cave, you see it's not large at all. Nor is it empty. You take in the crude bed with hay and some rough fabric, a badly built chair that was broken and a few....books?

What in the world was going on? you think before you hear a crunch behind you. Spinning around with your stick at the ready, you are completely unprepared for the sight in front of you.

Instead of a large hulking beast you are faced with....

Well he was definitely large. Maybe even hulking.....

Your eyes scan the giant man...yes he was a man. He was shirtless and wet, eyeing you warily as he sets down his pail and the pieces of wood under his arm. Running his hand through his hair, he gives you a moment to take in his form.

He was tall and lean, but very...very fit. His thighs were hugged by some kind of leather, his stomach flat and you kept having to force yourself from following that line all the way down...

Clearing your throat, you shake some sense into yourself. Finally focusing on his face, you relax a bit. He had beautiful brown eyes, dark hair and his frown produced a dimple on his cheek as he studied you in turn.

This man was gorgeous, you think then he speaks finally. You weren't prepared for the deep richness of his voice as he says, "Are you hungry?"

"So they sent you to chase me off." he says, frowning. You nod, sighing. This wasn't the adventure you'd been hoping for. Just a big man scaring the smaller townfolk because...as you learned through talking to him....he was shy. Mingi, he'd said his name was.

He kept blushing as he glanced at you, his cute laugh making you want to cuddle him. He explained that the villagers scared him with their torches and screaming when he'd tried to approach them.

"I guess that's fine, I can just go find another place. It's not like this is exactly...." he says, waving around, ducking his head again.

"I feel bad...why don't you just go talk to them? Maybe I can help?" you say, laying a hand on his arm. His head shoots up at the contact, his eyes flashing momentarily. Then his dimples pokes out again when he smiles at you brightly.

"You'd do that for me?" he asks and you can't help but smile back, his sweetness so adorable. "Sure. I don't see why not? But it is getting dark...maybe I can come back in the morning and we can go talk to them together?" you say, rubbing his arm lightly.

You feel his skin prickle as he bites his lip, his head tilting, glancing at the setting sun. "Could you...would you....stay with me tonight? I...am...lonely..." he says, a small pout forming on his lips.

Was he...flirting? You couldn't actually tell, given his seemingly innocent demeanor so far. You didn't see how it could hurt to keep him comfortable....just for tonight....

"I can stay, if you'd like." you say, as he grasps your hand, his excited reaction making you have to bite back laughter. He was just so cute.

After a warm meal and helping him clean up, he directs you towards the cave. You rub your arms as a chill makes you shiver. "Oh..." you murmur, looking at the bed. He comes up behind you and you can't help but be affected by his nearness, his natural scent intoxicating.

His low voice hums as he moves around you, adjusting the bed. He slips in, then looks up at you. Realizing he wants you to get in with him, you blink.

"Aren't you cold? I'm sure....I can....keep you warm...." he says, smiling. Without a second thought, you crawl in with him. His big arms immediately pull you into him, engulfing you and pressing you against his chest. Oh hell yeah.

You are reminded of his naked chest from earlier and you feel your body react. Suddenly you're looking up into the face of this beautiful man, the innocence you'd seen in his eyes earlier replaced with curiosity mixed with what could only be desire.

"You...smell really nice..." you say, feeling heat creep up your neck. He brings his head down to your neck and inhales, causing you to stiffen up. "You smell good enough to taste..." he whispers then his tongue is on your skin, licking a trail up your neck.

Gasping, you grip his broad shoulders. This wasn't the adventure you'd expected but fuck if you weren't going to indulge while you were here. This man was luscious and you were too horny to care about your objective at this moment.

"Mingi..." you sigh, and then suddenly he's on top of you, his huge form hovering above you. "I love when you say my name..." he moans, settling his hips between your legs, his thick thighs pushing yours apart. "I need you..." he groans out, and you can feel his thick length proving that need as he grinds himself against you.

"Please-" you whimper, feeling your panties soak through at his low noises. He leans up and tugs your pants down, discarding them. You pull at the strings on his as well, and he removes them quickly, settling back between your legs. The weight of his huge cock on your mound causes you to mewl out, suddenly wondering if you were going to be able to take him.

"Mingi..." you moan again, as his length slides against you, your slickness as he rubs against your clit making you arch up. His large body covers yours as he grabs you behind one of your knees, pressing your leg up and to the side.

"I'm going to show you what kind of beast I really am...." he growls into your ear as he rams his enormous girth into your eager pussy, stretching you painfully. You scream out as he sheathes himself completely, the sting of pain and pleasure mixing to make you dizzy.

He doesn't even hesitate before he's grasping both of your wrists, yanking them over your head, holding you down. "You're all mine now, and I'm going to fuck you until you can't even think anymore..." he murmurs, his hips thrusting in and out of you at a steady pace. It's not long before you feel the build of your first peak, taking you by surprise as your body trembles beneath his.

The weight of him holds you down, actually drawing out the high at the feeling of helplessness. "Fuck yeah, baby, just like that. Scream for me...." he's groaning, the slap of his balls against the wetness seeping out of you causing him to bite his lip and rut into you even harder. He holds himself up to look down, so he can see his large cock burying itself into your tiny hole.

"Such a pretty pink little pussy," he's panting, then he yanks your top up, his lips encircling your sensitive nipple, grinding his hips down into you. The pressure has your legs shaking again, another coil about to burst in your abdomen.

"Mingi! FUCK!" you scream, your aching walls clamping down on him. If he wasn't so heavy and his weight was holding him into you, the force would have ejected him. You watch his jaw clench when you can keep your eyes from squeezing shut, enjoying his reaction to your noises and body.

"Going to make you cum all night around my dick." he states, huffing and beginning to sweat. He pulls out of you, the feeling of sudden emptiness eliciting a cry from you. But then he's lifting you as if you weigh nothing, turning over to seat you on top of him, facing away.

"You want more of this cock?" he asks, seating you so his thickness is rubbing against your slit, slapping it against you. "PLEASE!" you moan out. He chuckles into your ear, one of his hands cupping the weight of your breast, his fingers pinching and pulling.

"Beg me..." he murmurs and you can't help but sob his name, crying out for him. "Fuck me, oh my god...please...I want you to tear me in two with your big fat cock!" you whine. "Mmm that's what I like to hear..." he groans, leaning you back so he can guide himself into you.

As he forces his way deep into you again, he grabs your arms and holds them behind you with one hand, his other slaps your sensitive clit, making it sting.

"Cum on me, do it." he growls as you whimper and bounce on him, the sense of being torn apart never felt so good to you. His long fingers slap against your nub once more, but then he's pinching and pressing on it, ripping yet another orgasm from you.

"Oh my god....how long....can ..you...last-" you gasp out, almost collapsing from the countless times you've cum tonight. "Mmm, do you want me to fill you up, baby? I can fuck you forever if you'd like...." you plead with him, tears falling down your face. Your poor body overused and shaking from overstimulation.

"One more..... this time- cum with me while -I fill- you up.....going- to make you- burst from the amount of- cum I have for you..." he's moaning, his mouth on your neck. His grunts start to pick up as you bounce faster, his hand letting your arms go to grip your hips.

Your head falls back against him as he sucks on your nape, leaving a mark as you start to feel yourself quaking. He murmurs incoherent pleased noises as you clench around him yet again, but this time he grits his jaw, a gutteral noise coming from his throat as he pulls you down one last time, and you can feel his thighs tremble beneath you.

"God yes, fill my pussy! Fill me up until I can't take anymore!" you're screaming, his hand dipping between your legs to rub you where you both meet. You cry out yet again as he lifts you briefly to pull you back down, his thick fluid seeping out from the motion. "Fuck yeah...." he moans, repeating the motion one more time, the sticky mess coating you both.

His hand goes to your mouth, his fingers forcing themselves into your mouth. You can't help but suck the mixture of the both of you off of him, reveling in the bitter salty taste. "Fuck I hate letting you go again..." he murmurs and you frown, too dazed and exhausted to say anything. The last thing you remember is him cooing at you, laying you down with him as you drift off to sleep.

Waking in the morning, everything seems like a dream. Minus the soreness between your legs. It seemed that he'd bathed you with something while you slept, as you were clean and reclothed. You rub at the nape of your neck, realizing that your whole body was aching.

Worth it, you think, taking in the form of the big man as he comes to tell you he's ready to go meet the villagers.

Finally setting out on the very short trip back to town (grumbling under your breath about the lack of actual adventure), you turn to Mingi on the outskirts.

"It's probably best if I go speak with them first to explain, then we can go from there. How does that sound?" you ask, looking up at the large man. He just smiles at you brightly with his cute dimples, giving you a nod.

Sighing, you turn to go talk to the villager who gave you the quest in the tavern. The switch from the animalistic beast last night to the adorable innocence and happy puppy dog personality has you rubbing your head. Who the fuck wrote this 'adventure'? you think, grumpily. Minus the sex, it was horribly boring.

Walking into the town, you notice the villagers gathered to greet you. A few are wringing their hands, worry on their faces that turns to relief as they see you approach them.

"We thought ye'd done got ate up!" one of them calls and the rest murmur their agreement. The tavern keeper pushes through and you look down at him. Clearing your throat, you address him and everyone around.

"I did meet the ... creature you all sent me to handle. He is indeed very large." Mutters of agreement and gasps escape the crowd. "How did ye survive?!" they ask and you put up your hands.

"This so called 'beast' is just a tall human man who was just too afraid to come to your village to speak with you all. He thought he would be fine where he was, but I explained to him the issues it was causing." you explain.

"How do you know he tells the truth!?" a voice calls out, echoed by others nearby. Sighing, you smile and gesture to yourself. "I spent an evening with him, and we shared a meal. I am in one piece and was not ravaged by him." you say, doing your best to hold back the snicker that threatened to escape you at that particular comment.

"Tis true, she do be livin." they all whisper amongst themselves. "Listen....I have spoken with him and he has expressed his desire to speak with all of you on his own, and explain himself. Perhaps you all could reach an agreement for him to live there and he could help you all around the village?" You're met with some shocked looks from some of the more wary people, but others are pondering the idea.

The tavern keeper walks forward and eyes you up and down. "Does ye trust this beas- this human?" he asks, squinting at you. "As much as I can trust someone I only met for one night, yes. He seems genuine and I believe he's not here to cause any harm. He's quite shy." You say, motioning to the outskirts of town where he waited.

"I've brought him here to speak with you all, if you'll allow it. But he's agreed to leave if you are uncomfortable with it." you explain before they can all freak out.

"I mean...he came all this way..." someone says, then others are nodding, while others are reluctantly kicking the ground expressing their doubts. "I'll go meet him!" a small woman says, coming forward.

"Momma!" the tavern keep says, pulling on the older woman's arm but she shoos him away. "Big fraidy, you all are. He wants to help, I say we talk to him." "Thank you," you smile at the woman and she just gestures you on to go meet him.

"His name is Mingi," you tell her as you both approach. You definitely don't fail to notice the entourage following behind as you both go to greet him.

As Mingi watches you approach, he ducks his head a bit, holding onto the little bucket hat he'd brought with him. "So ye be the so called "beast", Mingi?" the woman says, walking right up to him. She stood about as tall as his hip.

He looks down at her shyly, and nods briefly. "I'm sorry for causing any issues." he says quietly and she just throws back her head and lets out a loud guffaw.

Smacking him on his rearend, she grabs his hand and drags him with her to meet the others. "No need for 'pologies her, mister Mingi! My you're a big boy, I bet we 'ave lots o work for the likes of ye...." you laugh as he looks back at you, shocked as he's forced into the crowd of little people.

Once the greeting was over, and Mingi seemed like he was finally warming up to all of them, the tavern keep comes to speak with you.

"Well, it wasn't what I sent ye for but you done did deal with the issue. Looks like we got ourselves a new townsfolk. Thanks to ye." he nods. "That bed and meal are still yers for the takin'." he says, patting your arm as he walks away.

"Seriously?" you sigh out. "This easy mode shit is what I get for my adventure?" you kick at the dirt path, but then let your gaze wander over the gorgeous man you'd spent the night with.

Well...you'll take it, you think. Suddenly the quest screen pops up and you clap.

Objective- Deal with the beast to bring peace back to the villagers-Quest Complete!

"Yay! Quest complete!" you cry, drawing Mingi's attention as you reach out to let the key fall into your hand.

Momentarily before things go black, you hear, "NO! DAMN YOU HWA AND YOUR STUPID GAME TUTORIAL BOOK-"

You open your eyes to the familiar dim light and the rows of books. What a weird story for adventure, you think. You turn around to the sound of a cat yowling softly, slowly slinking away with it's odd, sad noises.

This place was so strange.

You open your small box and notice there are six slots. Sliding the key into one of them, you shut it and look around.

Smiling as you think upon your 'adventure', you touch the mark on the back of your neck, oddly the only part of you still sore before you make your way onwards.

[anyamaris]

kjsdfhjaskfjsahf I love this so much, I love the back story too, it's so interesting! Also, the mention of cats, the key box and his eyes....I swear, I have elements of those in mine too!!!!

It's so exciting ....I cannot WAIT! to read more and more!!!!

Library of Illusion — the Lobby

masterlist | next »»

➥ no pairing

wc: 2.5k

summary: With the death of her parents, Y/N inherits the house and finds a box of old research her father left behind that talks about a legendary place. After months of research and searching, Y/N has finally found it.

The Library of Illusion beckons.

genre/themes/au: fantasy, slight horror elements; non idol au

warnings: adult dialogue, female reader, mention of death

permanent taglist: @yoonguurt @wonderfulshinee @candidupped @dejavernon @violagoth @tigermoonbiss @katsukis1wife @luvsooby @thesolarplanetarysystem

ateez taglist: @2hodefender @cixrosie @pyeonghongrie-main @flowerboykun @sanjoongie @anyamaris @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21 @wooyoungmybelovedhusband

special tags: @thelargefrye @hwasdollie

Join my taglists: permanent | group

a/n: here it is finally! I have been so FREAKING excited about this event since we first started planning it. I hope you all love it as much as I loved writing each part and before I go off on a tangent, I'll let you all read! As always, this is a work of fiction and all characters are not reflective of their respective irl counterparts. for entertainment purposes only. banner made by me. I do not allow reposts or translations of my works. All my works are ©️ kwanisms.

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You’d always been told stories all throughout your youth about a mystical place known only as the Library. Your mother used to tell you grand stories about the place when she was putting you to sleep so she and your father could head out for an evening, leaving you in the care of a babysitter.

Your father always added onto these fantastical tales, painting vivid images with his words as he explained the Library in full detail, almost as if he had been there. The stories weren’t special to your family though. Lots of your peers heard similar tales, told to them by their parents at bed time.

And so it became sort of like a ritual. Until one day, it wasn’t.

You weren’t sure when you stopped caring about the wondrous and whimsical tales of the Library but it had to have been around the time you started showing an interest in things other than fairy tales.

Your parents still tried to instill the element of wonder into your life up until you left home, hoping to find something other than elaborate tales of a made up library.

Your parents were gone. Passed in an accident only a month ago today.

You hadn’t seen or spoken to them in years, preferring your circle of friends and work life you’d grown accustomed to.

After the funeral, you gained possession of everything they owned and while going through a box in the attic with only a bottle of wine to keep you company, you stumbled on something you probably never should have seen.

It was what you could only assume was a case file about a place called the Library of Illusion. As you flipped through the pages, sipping from your glass of red, your eyes widened reading the words you’d only heard from your parents' mouths as they tried to lull you to sleep at night.

Your father had been a professor of archaeology all throughout your life while your mother was an appraiser of rare antiques. They both loved old things.

As you scanned the documents you learned three things.

1. Your parents were obsessed with this Library, believing it to contain treasure.

2. Your parents, mainly your father had set about finding the location

3. Your father actually found the location just before his untimely death

As soon as you looked over the maps and checked it with known maps, the decision was made before you.

Wine in hand, you booked a flight, made accommodations, and hired a local guide.

Getting to the dense jungle where the Library was rumored to be was easy but traversing the jungle was another story. Your guide halfway through called it off but you were determined, taking the map and satellite phone and continuing alone on your journey which brought you to where you were now standing.

The Library was an very old stone structure, made of some kind of smooth sandstone. Most of it was covered in thick vines, the dense trees growing around the structure and making it seem very much a part of the jungle.

Two stone slab doors stood between you and the contents of the building as you checked your father’s notes, comparing them with the notebook he’d stashed with the other items.

Entering the library was no easy task but it wasn’t impossible.

A complex series of dials must be turned according to a riddle which was already solved by your parents. As you turned the last dial and it clicked into place, a mechanism behind the stone started to move and before your very eyes, the doors opened inward to reveal the inner corridor was nothing but a dark and empty void.

Taking the flashlight from your pack, you turned it on and headed inside, reminding yourself to put one foot in front of the other as you started into the blackness.

Your footsteps echoed around the walls as you walked down what seemed to be an impossibly long corridor, turning your flashlight around to keep a sharp eye on anything you might encounter from jungle animals to deadly insects or even plants. Your guide had warned you of the many dangers that awaited in not only the Library but the jungle as well.

Finally, just as you were about to give up, a dim light could be seen in the distance. Speeding up, you continued on your way, the first real sign of promise within your grasp.

As you neared what you assumed to be the end of the tunnel, the shape of the light grew in size until you emerged from the passage into a round room with a domed ceiling.

Around the walls were various bookshelves that had clearly seen better days. Old ruined books and stacks of yellowed paper lined the shelves and a thick layer of dust coated everything. Between breaks in the shelves were arched doorways.

You counted seven in total.

In the center of the room was what you could only describe as a stage, octagonal in shape and made of the same pale sandstone. Stone pillars stood in the eight corners, reaching from floor to domed ceiling and matched the same color of stone that everything else was made of.

Standing atop the stone stage, was a dark redwood desk. You carefully glanced around before ascending the few steps up to get a better look at the desk. It was a curved semi circular shape with a few stacks of aged paper as well as an old writing set.

As you inspected the desk, a voice rang out, echoing off the domed stone ceiling.

“Who are you?”

You nearly screamed as you jumped, spinning around to find you were not alone in the room as you had previously assumed.

Standing before you was a man. He had black hair, golden skin and was tall with a slim figure. He wore an entirely black ensemble, complete with a black brocade vest, black dress coat, and black trousers. His shoes were made of a shiny black leather with golden metal tips at the toe.

Your eyes snapped back up to meet his curious gaze.

When you didn't answer him, he spoke again.

“Who are you?”

Taking a quick breath, you answered him in a rush.

“I'm so sorry, I had no idea anyone was here!” The words burst from your mouth before you had a chance to stop them. You apologized profusely as the man looked at you, amused.

“Why are you apologizing?” he asked and you froze, uncertain of how you should respond before finally settling on an answer.

“I guess I just got nervous,” you answered sheepishly. The man tilted his head, like a puppy would upon having its name called.

“Why?”

You shrugged in response to his question. “I suppose I just wasn't expecting to meet anyone here.”

The man smiled again as he closed the distance between the two of you slowly, his footsteps echoing around the room with each step.

“And what are you doing here?” He asked. You hesitated to respond.

How exactly would you explain your reasoning for being here?

'My parents died and my father had a box of stuff relating to this place?'

No, he’d think you were absolutely mad.

Sensing your hesitation, the man took another step forward, climbing the steps one at a time. “You’d be surprised by the answers I get,” he started as he ascended the steps, stopping just before you.

You looked at him as he studied you. This close, you could see his dark brown, almost black eyes, darting around your face, seemingly taking in every feature.

“I’ve heard it all,” he continued, starting to circle you slowly as he looked over you.

“Fame, fortune, glory,” he rattled off as he continued to circle you like a predator.

“But what’s your excuse?”

You cleared your throat, turning to look at him behind you where he had stopped, meeting your gaze with an unreadable expression.

“Legacy I suppose,” you finally answered. The man’s eyes narrowed.

“Legacy?” His tone was curious and he waited for you to continue.

You decided there was no reason for you to lie and so you told him everything.

When you were done explaining the bedtime stories, the death of your parents, the inheritance, and finally the box in the attic, he continued to look at you curiously. “That’s a new one,” he admitted. “I’ve never heard of someone continuing in their parents’ steps before. So you aren’t here for the treasure?”

You shrugged again. “If there’s one to find, I’m not opposed to that, but that’s not entirely what brought me here. I’m fueled more by curiosity.”

The man smirked at you. “Curiosity is a dangerous thing,” he replied, continuing his circling from before. “They say curiosity killed the cat.”

His eyes met yours and you could have sworn you saw a flash of color in them.

Pushing it from your mind, you spoke up in retaliation.

“They also say satisfaction brought it back.”

The man’s smirk widened until he was chuckling.

"And so it did,” he said softly, moving to stand in front of you, his face mere inches from yours. “And is that what you hope to find, kitten? Satisfaction?”

Your stomach knotted at the use of the nickname, heat rushing to your core as you stared back at the man. “Perhaps,” you answered, trying to remain as unaffected as possible. The man chuckled again as he stepped around you and over to the desk.

“If it is satisfaction you seek,” he continued as he took a seat at the desk and glanced up at you. “Then perhaps you will find what you seek.” You watched him as he stared back at you.

"Satisfaction takes many forms," he continued, eyes studying you carefully. "I myself am also looking for it, in a way," he added before opening a drawer and reaching inside.

You watched as he pulled out a wooden box and set it on the desk.

You stared at it for a moment and then looked up at him. “What is it?”

The man gestured to the box. “Open it,” he said simply.

Sensing your reluctance, he sighed and reached over to undo the clasp holding the box shut and opened the lid, turning the box to show you the contents.

Or lack thereof.

You stepped forward, closing the distance between you and the desk to peer into the box.

A velvet lining covered the inside with indents in the material where something or rather a few somethings had been housed. Six of them to be precise.

“What’s this?” You asked, looking up from the interior of the box to meet his eyes.

“If you seek satisfaction, you’ll find it here in the Library,” he started, looking at you with his sharp eyes. “But to seek anything in this library, you need my permission first.” You narrowed your eyes at him.

“What, are you the librarian?” you snorted. The man smiled, clearly amused as well.

“Of sorts,” he answered. “Come,” he stated as he got up and beckoned you to follow him.

Descending the steps, you followed him around the room until he stopped near one of the doors. “Each door is locked,” he started to explain, taking the knob in his hand and trying to turn it and showing how it didn’t budge.

You glanced up at him as he looked down to meet your gaze.

“So how do I get in?” The man shook his head.

“You humans are always so eager. Just go in blindly without knowing what you’re looking for or who you’ll meet,” he said, sounding mildly annoyed.

It was your turn to sound annoyed.

“Okay, then explain it to me.”

The man crossed his arms over his chest and studied you for a moment before answering.

“I assume you don’t need an introduction to the Library. You clearly know what this place is.”

You nodded in response. “This place is home to a legendary treasure,” the man continued. You nodded again. “Yes, everyone knows that,” you interrupted.

The man’s smile was replaced with a frown. “Don’t interrupt,” he said sternly. You shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. “Sorry,” you whispered.

“As I was saying,” he continued. “A legendary treasure is hidden here. As you stated, everyone who knows about this place, knows this. What they don’t know is where that treasure is hidden,” he added, his smirk back as your eyes widened.

“And you do?”

The man nodded slowly. “That I do.”

“Well, that gives you a distinct advantage,” you replied. “Why not take the treasure for yourself?” The man laughed loudly at this.

“What need would I have for the treasure?” He asked, shoulders still shaking from his laughter as it started to subside. You shrugged your shoulders. “What need does anyone have for treasure?” You asked in response.

The man chuckled again. “You humans are always so predictable. Greedy, selfish, self destructive,” he said, stepping forward, forcing you to back up until you were caged between him and the end of a shelf. “Us humans?” You asked, realizing you hadn’t picked up on it before, but he’d referenced a difference between himself and your species.

“Are you saying you aren’t human?”

His smile widened as he looked down at you. “You’ve finally caught on,” he said, sounding both pleased and disappointed. “I figured you would have noticed by now.” You glanced over him quickly. “You look human,” you noted.

He shook his head. “You aren’t looking. Truly looking,” he replied.

Before you had a chance to ask what he meant, he pulled away.

“But we’re getting off topic,” he said, taking a few steps away and turning to look at you. Staring at him, trying to see what he meant earlier, you noticed something different. At first glance, he looked completely human but then his eyes did that same thing, a flash of color before they returned to the same dark brown.

He seemed to have an aura about him. Something you couldn’t quite see but you could catch glimpses of it. Almost like a flicker. As you stared at him, witnessing these phenomena, he smiled.

“There,” he said finally. “You see it.”

You stared in awe. “What are you?” You asked, not even realizing how rude it might sound. The man didn’t seem to mind however.

“I’m something your kind cannot comprehend,” he answered. “Not fully anyway.”

“Who are you?” You asked in response to his answer. He smiled wider.

“See, I asked you that same simple question earlier,” he said, in the same amused tone from before, the same smile present on his face as he studied you.

“A question you still haven't answered,” he noted, one of his eyebrows raising up.

You realized he was right. He’d asked you much earlier who you were and you hadn’t answered him. “I’m Y/N,” you replied. “Y/F/N Y/L/N.” The man crossed the short distance between you in moments, startling you.

“Nice to meet you, Y/N,” he replied, face inches from yours again.

“I’m Seonghwa and I’m the Keeper of Keys," he replied.

"Welcome to the Library of Illusion.”

[book-historia]

Magic in the collection 🪄 These are Thaumatropes, paper discs that create an optical illusion when spun. It’s so exciting to see these in motion! This set dates from the mid-19th century, and is part of col. 121 at the Winterthur Library 📚

[library-of-illusion]

Welcome to the Library of Illusion, a place where legend meets the truth. Fantasy and reality go hand in hand here and not all is what it seems.

Legends speak of a hidden treasure inside the Library's restricted section. What this treasure is, no one knows for sure. Some say it's an item of great value while others say it's an item of vast knowledge but one thing is certain: it's an item of great importance to many cultures and people. Rumors speak of a grotesque and sinister creature that inhabits the Library, living deep within the confines of the Restricted Section, protected by a mysterious figure known only as the Keeper of Keys. No one who has met the Keeper or seen the creature has ever lived to tell the tale. Or so it is rumored.

Come, explore the many winding passages, check out the six sections, and enjoy your stay because it might last longer than you initially intended.

『 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 』

»» 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐄 | 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 | 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄/𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐘 | 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 ««

»» 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 | 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 | 𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐌 ««

»» 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 ««

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「 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 」 • 「 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐔𝐏 」 • 「 𝐄����𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐔𝐏 」 • 「 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 」

[cultofdionysusnet]

Library of Illusion Event Masterlist

Welcome to the Library!

Take your time browsing each section and perhaps you'll find a story that strikes your interests! We have a few genres to choose from and several writers including @sanjoongie @anyamaris @thelargefrye @kwanisms @kpop-stories-21 @stardragongalaxy & @mint-yooxgi!

And don't forget to check the return cart in the lobby for books that haven't made it back to their shelves! Just make sure to take care and tread lightly in the Restricted Section, you may come across a few books that aren't for the faint hearted.

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📖 |:| 📖 |:| 📖 |:| 📖 |:| 📖 |:| 📖 |:| 📖

📖 |:| 📖 |:| 📖 |:| 📖 |:| 📖 |:| 📖 |:| 📖

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[kpop-stories-21]

Sci-fi Section | Among The Stars

Group: ATEEZ

Pairing: Yunho x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 3.4k

Rating: 18-21+

Genres + AUs: Non-Idol AU, Space AU, Aliens, Smut

Content & Trigger Warnings: Alien!Yunho, Space Pirate!Reader, explosions, injuries, reader & crew are presumed dead, unprotected sex(wrap that shit up kids), size kink, pet names, dirty talk, fisting, oral sex(f receiving), double penetration, orgasm denial

Summary: You just wanted this job to go down without a hitch so you could take a long overdue vacation. You weren't planning to end up in bed with a hot alien dead-set on making you scream his name for the whole planet to hear.

Tags: @kpop---scenarios @stardragongalaxy @jeonrose @skittlez-area512 @mybiasisexo @skeletor-ify @biaswreckingfics @anyamaris @liliesofdreamsskz @rdiamond2727 @naturalogre @thelargefrye @yoonguurt @bxffietheblxxdy

If you want to be added to my taglist, click here

Network pings: @cacaokpop-fics | @kdiarynet

MDNI banner courtesy of @cafekitsune

Event Masterlist | Main Masterlist

When you entered the Sci-fi section you were surprised to find the glowing book right away. Taking a moment to collect yourself, you pulled the book from the shelf and opened it. White light filled your vision before fading to black.

"Y/N, wake up! We're here!"

Sitting up with a start, it took you a moment to remember that you were in the captain's quarters of your beloved little ship Desire. You'd been having a strange dream about a library and some kind of trial you were supposed to complete. Shaking your head to clear it, you dressed and exited your room.

Yeonjun was waiting for you in the cockpit with the rest of your crew. You smiled at them, a sense of relief filling you as you gazed at the large blue planet Azerulas. Once this shipment was delivered, you would have the money to expand both your clientele and the reach of your travels. All six of you were praying to whomever might be listening that everything would go over without a hitch.

Taking your place in the pilot's seat, you turned off the autopilot and expertly steered the ship into the queue to await your turn at the security gate that hovered above the planet.

You'd never been to this planet, but many of the foods and drinks you enjoyed on Earth originated from here, so you hoped you'd have time to enjoy the sights and tastes.

When you reached the gate, you were surprised to see a human officer instead of an Azerulan. The exhausted-looking female gave your phoney information a mere cursory glance after discovering the credits embedded in the code of the documents. A quick tap had the money landing in her personal account without trace and she waved you on through.

The grin on your face was wide as you docked in the designated hangar and turned to your crew.

"We've been planning this for months now, everyone knows where they're going and what they're doing. Don't forget, if things look suspicious, say the codeword through our private comm line and we'll retreat back here. Any questions?"

Five pairs of eager eyes watched you excitedly, but none voiced any concerns.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road."

As you disembarked the bright silver of Azerulas' three moons lit the hangar bay like it was daytime. Gazing around in awe, it took mere seconds for you to realise that most of the things you'd heard about this planet's inhabitants were the results of misinformation.

The Azerulans were far less humanoid than you'd been told, each alien bearing two extra arms and glowing multi-coloured eyes. They sported a variety of different skin colours and wore minimal clothing. Mouthfuls of sharp needle-like teeth flashed around you in conversation or laughter, and long forked tongues darted out to moisten dry lips. They were also incredibly tall, the shortest in your immediate sight measuring a good seven feet.

Taking a deep breath, you locked down your ship and activated the theft alarms. Then you set out, your crew falling in behind you as you exited the hangar bay and entered the city.

Your senses were immediately assailed with bright flashing lights and an overwhelming mix of smells that made your eyes water. This had not been at all what you were expecting of the calm-looking blue planet, and it caught you off guard slightly.

Recovering quickly, you turned and spoke to the others in a low voice.

"This place is far busier than we were planning for, so make sure you stay with your partner at all times. We can't afford for anyone to get lost, especially if we have to make a hasty retreat. Got it?"

Everyone nodded and you smiled. "Now, let's get this show on the road!"

The others dispersed as blonde-haired Soobin fell in beside you. You smiled at him but neither of you spoke, fully focused on the task at hand.

After a good half-mile trek through the massive city, you reached your destination: a bar named Star 1117. Taking a deep breath, you pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The bar was surprisingly empty for this hour of the evening, you'd thought the place would be bustling. Perhaps your client was rich enough to buy the place out for the night and keep your transaction completely private.

You could almost feel the tension radiating off of Soobin and knew that he was just as uneasy as you. Something about all this just didn't feel right, like you were walking into a trap. So you both kept a hand on your guns, ready to pull them out at a moment's notice.

"There you are!" A familiar voice declared as you stepped into the bar's expansive storage room. "I was wondering if you were actually going to show up."

The masked face of your client, who had only ever given his name as JK, greeted you with a sharp smile. His dark eyes glittered with some indiscernible emotion.

"My apologies." You and Soobin bowed smoothly in greeting. "There was quite a line at the security gate."

JK chuckled. "Understandable. Azerulas is approaching peak tourist season, so traffic is picking up. Now, do you have what I asked for?"

You nodded. "I do. My crew has it ready to bring in as soon as I see you've brought the money."

"Pretty AND smart! I'm looking forward to doing more business with you."

JK motioned to one of the men behind him who stepped forward and opened the digipak on the table. The pak's holoscreen lit up, showing that it did indeed hold the promised three thousand credits.

"Satisfied?" JK asked, running a hand through his vivid purple hair.

You smiled. "I am." Tapping the watch on your wrist, you opened the private comm line and called for Yeonjun and Huening Kai to bring the package.

A few moments later the duo arrived, a large steel crate swinging between them.

"Two shock guns, a dozen untraceable bombs, and a sniper laser gun. It's all here, just as you requested."

"Very good. You've given me such good service, I almost hate to do this…." JK's voice trailed off as a metal door slid down in front of him.

Before any of you could even think of moving, an explosion sounded immediately in front of you, followed by another to your left, a third to your right, and a fourth from behind you. Heat blossomed everywhere, rapidly filling the room with fire, and you dazedly felt yourself fall to the concrete. Your ears rang as the flames steadily grew, and smoke began to gather in your lungs. You coughed dryly, trying to find your crew as you felt your consciousness begin to fade. You saw Soobin and Yeonjun lying together in a heap, with an arm sticking out from beneath them that you desperately hoped belonged to Huening Kai. Spots danced before your eyes, blending together into a dark curtain that shrouded your vision as you passed out.

You were brought back to wakefulness by a hand pressing gently against your forehead. Your eyes slowly fluttered open, vision blurry until you blinked a few times. You were greeted by the startling sight of an Azerulan male’s face mere inches from your own and jerked back slightly, a hoarse cry scraping your raw throat. The male looked at you apologetically, leaning back to give you space.

“Wh-Where am I?” You asked, afraid that the alien was an associate of JK. “Where’s my crew?”

"They are safe. Do not worry, my friends are tending them as we speak." The Azerulan smiled and continued. "My name is Yunho. My friends and I saw you go in before the explosions, so when they went off and none of you had come back out we grew concerned and ran to see if you needed assistance."

Gratitude filled you as you smiled back at him. "Thank you Yunho. My name is Y/N, and it seems my crew and I owe our lives to you and your friends."

Yunho stood from his seat, all four hands raised in protest. "Nonsense, we were simply doing what any respectable citizens would do. Though I will say, it's not every day I get to rescue a pretty little human."

You blushed, not used to such compliments. Yunho excused himself to go see how his friends were faring with your crew, leaving you alone to process the recent chain of events.

It was clear now JK had set you up from the start, probably itching to get his hands on the bounties for the six of you. Space pirates were a scourge across all the universes, but you and your crew were the most notorious ones to ever exist. This was mainly due to the fact that the government could never catch you no matter how hard they tried, and so the rewards for proof of your death had skyrocketed the longer you evaded capture.

Unbidden, your thoughts suddenly turned to Yunho, and you wondered if his friends were as attractive as he was. You'd be lying if you said you hadn't fleetingly considered jumping his bones once you got over your initial shock of seeing him.

At six feet tall Yunho was the shortest Azerulan you'd seen so far, but he was by far the best looking in your opinion. His skin was a rich forest green with lighter green undertones and hints of brown in shadowed places. His eyes were a mix of blue and yellow with slit pupils and he wore only a long moss-green loincloth, leaving his sculpted torso bare. Elegant gold tattoos sprawled across his chest, arms and legs; an indicator that he held a fairly high position in Azerulas' society.

You shook your head, trying to clear it of the not-so-innocent thoughts floating through it. Yunho had saved you and your crew from death, tended your injuries and given you a place to stay. It would be incredibly inappropriate to repay those kindnesses by trying to get with him. Besides, he probably already had a girlfriend. There was no way a hottie like him was still single.

The next day Yeonjun and Huening Kai both woke up, and you were able to go visit them. That same morning Taehyun and Beomgyu had run into one of Yunho's friends and were brought back to the place you were staying. You were beyond thrilled to see them, relieved that they'd been unharmed. It was during reunion visit that Yunho came to inform you what was going on in the aftermath of the explosions.

JK had slipped from the burning building unseen, then went around telling everyone he'd dispatched the most infamous pirates. He'd even somehow managed to come up with some convincing photographic proof and ran off to some distant planet with the reward money.

You weren't quite sure how you felt, being presumed dead and all. None of you were actually, and it seemed Yunho could tell this, as he said the six of you could stay until you figured out what was next.

You never imagined you'd want to give up pirating so easily, but all of you had just been handed fresh starts on a golden platter and you would all be fools not to take them. So when Soobin woke up a few days later, you all sat down to figure out what to do.

Huening Kai had never gotten to fulfil his dream of going to college, so he decided that he'd like to finally go through with it. Beomgyu liked this idea as well, and said that he'd tag along.

Yeonjun and Soobin, who'd been dancing around their feelings for each other for an unbearably long time, finally decided to take the plunge and start dating. They weren't quite sure where they would go, but said they'd figure it out together.

Taehyun wanted to go back and visit his family, then travel to some of the places he'd always wanted to see.

As for you, you had no clue at all what you wanted to do with your life. You had no family to speak of, and no real ambitions that had been put on hold. Yunho, ever the gracious host, allowed you to continue staying even after the boys had all left.

In the silent days that followed, your initial attraction to Yunho grew stronger. And though you were no expert on alien behaviours, you started seeing some signs that maybe he was starting to feel something for you too.

It all came to a head one day when you accidentally left the bathroom door unlocked while you were taking a shower. You were taking your time under the steamy water, letting your thoughts run wild, when you heard a gasp from the doorway.

Your head whipped around, realising your mistake as soon as you saw Yunho frozen in surprise, a dark blush colouring his cheeks. Your hands flew to cover your private areas, silently cursing yourself for not double-checking that the door was locked.

You could clearly see the conflicting emotions in Yunho's eyes as he tried to figure out how to handle the situation. From somewhere deep inside of you came the mental image of him taking you in the shower, and it had your thighs pressing together.

Movement pulled your attention back to Yunho and you felt your heart lurch at the sight of him stalking towards you, yellow-blue eyes darkened with lust. He ripped his loincloth off in one smooth motion, the action sending a wave of heat straight to your core.

He flung the shower door open so violently it snapped off its hinges and clattered to the floor. Yunho's bulk filled the shower, pressing you against the back wall. You looked up, feeling incredibly small as he towered over you. One hand came up to caress your cheek as he began to speak.

"I've tried to hold back my feelings, you are a guest in my house and I do not wish to disrespect you. It became harder when it seemed that you reciprocated those feelings. But this…this was the final straw. If you are amenable, allow me to express my feelings to you."

You could feel your body practically vibrating with want. You'd never craved for anyone as much as you did for Yunho in this moment. And so you spoke the words he waited to hear.

"Please, Yunho, make me yours."

The Azerulan needed no further provocation, two of his arms immediately lifting you off your feet so he could claim your mouth in a searing kiss. Your arms wrapped around his neck as you kissed back, a thrill fluttering through you when his sharp teeth grazed your lower lip.

"The shower is not an appropriate place for such activities, little one. You will get sick when the water turns cold. Come, let me take you somewhere more suitable."

You nodded your assent, and he began to carry you out of the bathroom. As he walked, his other two hands began exploring your body. One cupped your breast, tweaking and pinching your nipple. The other slipped two fingers inside you, punching a moan from your lungs as your head flew back.

Yunho chuckled. "Your moans are as cute as the rest of you. Don't hold back, let me hear all of them."

His mouth found yours again as he pushed into his room and laid you on the bed. A forked tongue poked at your lips and you parted them, allowing him in.

After a bit you had to part for air, a string of saliva extending between the two of you.

"May I taste you, sweet one?"

"Yes, p-please!" You begged, desperate to know how his tongue would feel.

A smirk crossed his face and two hands gripped your thighs, spreading your legs and kneeling on the floor. As you looked on, you saw him do something you'd had no idea he could do: His tongue, which was far longer than any human's, suddenly split down its centre, effectively creating two tongues.

A gasp fell from your lips as you felt one slip into each of your holes, going further than any fingers ever could. You could feel your high rapidly approaching and choked out a warning to Yunho, who immediately stopped eating you out.

You opened your mouth to complain, but he shushed you.

"Surely you're stronger than that. You can be a good human and hold out till I cum, can't you?"

You'd never held back your orgasm before, but for Yunho you would catch the moon if he asked, so you were certainly going to try.

"Yes, I'll h-hold it! Please I need you inside me!"

"As you wish, little one."

Without further preamble, Yunho began to slowly slide into you. The cry that left you was akin to a scream, his girth bigger than anything you'd taken before. The skin of his length was covered with bumps and ridges that offered extra pleasure as he began to thrust into you at a steady pace.

"Oh g-god, you're so big, gonna break me."

Yunho leaned over, engulfing your smaller frame as he did so. One half of his tongue slid out to curl around the shell of your ear.

"You love being stuffed full like this, don't you? You'd love to be split open on my dick, wouldn't you?"

Goosebumps rose all over your body and you felt your high rushing forward once more.

"Harder Yunho, please. Want you to ruin me!"

At your words Yunho let out a growl that would have been utterly terrifying in any other situation, but in this instance only served to pull a loud moan from you as he began pounding into you so hard the bed started to bang against the wall.

In the midst of all this, you felt something prodding your other hole and realised it was one of his hands slipping inside. One finger went in, then another and another, until finally his entire fist was shoved inside you and began to move. At this you did scream, eyes rolling back as your mind went blank and all remaining thoughts turned fuzzy.

By the time Yunho's hips began to stutter, you had been reduced to a babbling mess incapable of producing any kind of coherent sentence. Once more he leaned over you and whispered into your ear.

"You can cum now, little one. Cum all over my cock for me."

Your mouth stretched wide in a silent scream, your body locking up as the world went white and the most intense orgasm you'd ever had washed over you. You barely registered the sound of Yunho cursing and the feeling of his seed spreading inside you, too lost in the post-orgasmic bliss.

When you came back to yourself you found Yunho lying beside you, gently rubbing your side where a strange mark now rested.

"Wha's that?" You asked, words slurring as though you were drunk.

Yunho smiled softly. "It is a special symbol among our people, a sign of our love-bond to each other. It is very similar to the human concept of marriage, though we do not hold such grand ceremonies to celebrate it."

Your smile mirrored his as you curled into him and felt all four arms wrap around you.

"I think I like this better." You murmured sleepily. "Who needs some expensive ceremony anyway?"

Yunho laughed quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of your head before joining you in blissful slumber.

Jolting awake you bolted into a sitting position, eyes darting about wildly. Where were you? What had happened to Yunho? Why were you in a library?

Then reality came rushing back and the fear left your body. Seonghwa had spoken rightly when he said you would forget what was real the deeper you went. Even now, a part of you wanted to dive right back into the book and find Yunho.

Shaking your head, you lifted the key that had appeared in your palm. It was gold, decorated with deep green emeralds. It joined the first two and you stood, catching your breath as you pondered your next move.

Perhaps it would be best to get the worst over with before you were fully sucked into the false realities. Yes, you decided, the Horror section would be next.

Let's get this over with.

[mint-yooxgi]

The Library of Illusion - Prologue

Yandere AU - Based off of This Event hosted by @cultofdionysusnet

Genre: Mature, Horror, Angst, Slight Humour

Pairing: Ateez X Reader - (Focus on Seonghwa to start)

Words: 4,362

Warnings: Mention of losing consciousness, dehydration, and starvation. This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: Huge thank you to the network for allowing me to participate in this event!! I'm super excited for everyone to see what I have planned, there's a lot of stories heading your way!! I really hope you all enjoy, and please do let me know your theories and what you think so far!! As always, Feedback is greatly appreciated! Enjoy!~

Gentle reminder that I do not do tag lists.

Mini Masterlist

The heat is unbearable. 

With every step you take, exhaustion creeps closer and closer. Your entire body feels heavy, your eyelids drooping further with every blink. Long since has your blood flowing through your ears drowned out any other sounds of the desert around you, the sun bearing down on you like an iron cross. Each breath is a pain filled dagger into your burning lungs, but still, you carry on.

It has to be around here somewhere.

For four days and four nights, you have been trekking through the red, unforgiving sands of the desert in search of a library. Not just any library. A hidden library that is said to house an indescribable knowledge, and a hidden treasure.

You’ve never been one to care for material treasures, nor seek vast riches in life. In fact, you had been perfectly content with the way your life had been going.

Until the accident.

Now, you desperately seek this Library of Illusion and it’s treasure, for it is foretold that it can grant any wish, and right now, you only have one. You will only ever have one.

The constant drag of your feet through the sand grounds you. Your mouth, which has gone as dry and barren as the desert around you, desperately longs for water. A luxury you ran out of twelve hours ago. Already, you can feel the effects of severe dehydration, your vision blurring at the corners as your body feels as hot as the scorched sands of the earth you traverse.

Only yesterday, you ran out of food, and you can feel those familiar pangs of hunger twisting at your stomach. Yet, nausea builds steadily in your chest. Bile rises in your throat, and each attempt to swallow down the acidity rising within has your chest constricting from the pain.

You should have packed more. You should have been more prepared.

The map you had been following fluttered away in a sudden sandstorm early on, of which delayed you by a whole day. You had managed to find an outcropping of rocks to hide yourself in as the storm passed, but the only thing you had to gather your bearings and reorient yourself with afterwards was the sun. You’re running on pure adrenaline and hope right now, but you don’t know how much longer either will last.

Already, you can feel your movements slowing down, chest feeling heavier and heavier with each inhale you take. You would have called for help some time ago, were it not for the fact that your phone died, and so did the multiple spare wireless charges you brought along with you. Even so, there’s no service in this particular section of the desert, so you’re stranded regardless of if you had been able to garner communication with the outside world or not.

With each blink, your eyes sting from the sand beginning to swirl around you. Dread weighs heavy on your heart, which begins to slow with each languid step forward. Already, you are close to collapsing.

An ominous feeling from behind you has you turning your head to see a looming cloud of smoke approaching from the distance, and you realize with a horrid sense of dread that another sandstorm is on its way. Only this time, there is no shelter you can seek.

You are doomed, and probably have been from the very start. There probably isn’t an actual library out here to begin with, and you’ve just thrown away your life for a chance at something that seemed impossible to begin with.

Rumours are just that. Rumours.

Your feet give out beneath you.

Sand clouds your vision, stinging at your tired eyes as your body refuses to move. So much as coughing to clear your throat feels as if someone has taken sandpaper to your lungs, scraping the tissue raw from the inside out.

You begin to choke on dust, no tears able to form in your dry eyes.

This is it. This is how you die: lost in the desert, alone and starved, dehydrated and exhausted to the point of delirium. All for the hopes of some sacred treasure that may or may not actually be able to grant your wish. A desire so deep, you had been more than eager to throw away your life for, even if it did not actually exist.

Even now, on the bring of death, you cling onto that wish. A flickering flame of hope continues to burn so deeply in your soul, you swear that you can see the embers lighting up behind your very eyelids as they finally fall shut. The only thought in your mind as you succumb to your exhaustion is a desperate plea to whatever is out there in the universe to let you see him one last time.

~~~

It’s dark. 

Dark and cool, despite the feeling of something draped over your body. A body of which feels the lightest it has been in days, that aching feeling no longer buried deep within your bones.

Dark, and cool, and quiet.

A low groan escapes you, turning onto your side form your back as you begin to regain consciousness. Raising your one arm, you bring a hand to your head, wiping at your face lethargically.

A deep chuckle sounds from beside you, “Are you finally awake?”

Immediately, your eyes are flinging open as you tear the covers off of your body. You appear to be in a bed of some sort, dark red curtains, almost maroon, hanging from each of the grand posts rising high from each corner. The sheets are light in material, but dark in colour as your head darts everywhere around the room.

“Where am I?” Your frantic voice, sounding much better than you thought it would after days of no use, echoes around the area.

You seem to be inside of an old building of some sort, the walls the same dusty red as the sands of the desert. It appears as if this chamber has been carved out of stone, a wooden antique desk resting off to the side while shelves upon shelves of books line the walls. The ceiling is high and arched, chandeliers hanging every three rows or so to illuminate the space.

At least this place has electricity… and air conditioning, it seems.

“I think you already know the answer to that.” The same voice replies.

Turning your head, your vision is drawn to a man now leaning against the wooden desk. His arms are crossed over his chest, yet despite his closed off stance, his shoulders appear relaxed. He has somewhat medium length black hair that falls in light waves, parted over his forehead, and wide, dark brown eyes. They appear almost black in colour, for you can see what is supposed to be the whites of his eyes have faded to a sort of aged yellow, almost reminiscent of the few pieces of worn yellow parchment you can see littering the top of the desk.

His clothes are fair. A low collared black shirt adorns his torso, while black pants rest over his legs, reminiscent of jeans. You can even see a silver chain dangling on his hip, attached to the one loop on his waist while the other end disappears around him and into his back pocket. Another chain rests around his neck, thick and just as silver as the other.

How he doesn’t overheat is a mystery to you.

Amusement dances lightly in his eyes as he watches you from across the room. His lips tug upwards in a friendly grin, but the more you stare, the more unnerved your become.

Softly, you place your feet upon the floor, standing cautiously from the bed. Your eyes lock on your personal items - your backpack, canteens, and holster - all sitting beside him on the floor. They seem to be resting against the desk, untouched and in perfect condition.

Inhaling sharply, your one hand rushes to your back.

“Looking for this?” With a quirked brow, the man pulls out your hunting knife from under his arm. “I will say, not as many come as prepared as you do. Desperate, yes, but with weapons?”

A loud clanging echoes throughout the chamber as he tosses the knife onto the top of the desk behind him.

You eye him carefully, guard still high as you prepare to defend yourself using any means necessary. You’re not much of a fighter, but you won’t go down so easily.

“I’m dead, aren’t I?” You voice lowly. “This is the afterlife.”

The man begins to laugh, quite boisterously at that.

“No. You’re not dead.”

“I should be.” You counter. “Even I know that there’s no way in hell I could have been rescued from the middle of the desert when there was a sandstorm approaching. I was already suffering from heat stroke, and dehydration. I should be dead.”

“Is it that surprising to learn that you are not?” He tilts his head curiously at you.

“Did you save me, then?” You counter, mirroring his stance by crossing your arms over your chest.

“I did.” Comes his blunt reply. “It was quite easy, too.”

“Then, if your earlier implication is to be believed, this is the library I’ve been looking for.” You state, somewhat skeptically.

“The one and only.” He confirms with a slight grin.

You blink, disbelief painting your features. “Why… is there a bed in the middle of the library?”

“The bookkeeper needs some place to sleep, no?” He chuckles.

“You’re the bookkeeper of the Library of Illusion?” Your head tilts forward slightly, looking at him with a clearly raised brow.

“Well, I am the Keeper of Keys. Bookkeeping is just my hobby.” He shrugs casually, as if this is a conversation he has often.

“So, then, I’m also correct in assuming you know everything there is to know about this library?” You continue.

“That would be correct.” He nods his head once.

“Great.” You mirror his nod. “Where’s the treasure?”

His eyes widen in amused disbelief. “Not even going to ask for the name of your saviour first?”

“Fine.” You heave a tremendous sigh. “What’s your name?”

He smiles, as if he’s been waiting for this opportunity all along, “My name is Seonghwa.”

A firm nod in response in all he receives from you as you begin to look around the space once more.

His smile falls.

“You know, it’s common curtesy to introduce yourself after someone has identified themselves to you.” He states, rather pointedly.

Your brow furrows as you choose to ignore him for now. There doesn’t seem to be any visible entrances or exits in the immediate vicinity, and the entire chamber doesn’t look that grand to begin with.

“How did you manage to save me?” You turn your attention back to him.

“You were passed out, so I brought you inside.” Comes his simple reply.

You hum, clearly not convinced. Only, you decide to leave it at that for now. Instead, you opt to introduce yourself just as he said. It’s better not to get on his bad side, anyways. He may be the only one who knows the ways in and out of this place. Besides, he did save your life.

“So, bookkeep,” you straighten in your spot, “the treasure?”

“And here I was thinking you’d be different,” he sighs.

“Different?” You nose scrunches, dissatisfied with his tone.

Purposely, he ignores your statement. “What is it that you were told the treasure was this time?”

“I was led to believe the treasure is said to fulfill your deepest desire.” You eye him warily, lowing your hands to your sides for the moment. “A wish, if you will.”

“Let me guess? Fame? Fortune? Beauty?” His gaze narrows slightly, disinterest painting his features. “Love?”

You inhale sharply.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to.” You reply darkly, tone low and ominous.

“I am the Keeper of Keys, it is my duty to ask questions,” he pushes himself off of the desk. “Especially when the treasure is involved.”

“It’s real, then?” You watch as he begins walking down the open hallway a ways.

“As real as you and me.” He sighs, not even bothering to look back at you.

“Great!” You begin to follow him, that familiar blossom of hope swelling inside of your chest. “Where can I find it?”

Suddenly, Seonghwa makes a sharp right, stopping right before an iron gate. A plaque above the intricately shaped bars of metal reads ‘Restricted Section’ in big, bold letters. 

Wordlessly, he points at the gate.

“Behind there?” You question.

“If you can get to it.” He hums, shifting to lean against the shelf closest to him.

You go to take a step forward before stopping yourself. “What’s the catch?”

“What do you mean?” There’s a certain giddiness shining behind his eyes as he meets your own.

“I’m not stupid enough to believe you would lead me straight to the treasure without there being some kind of test.” Your answer is quite firm, irritation lining your voice. “So, what’s the catch?”

“You’re not even going to try the doors?” His tone is nothing short of mocking as he continues to stare at you.

“You didn’t unlock them.” You reply bluntly.

“Smart girl.” He hums. “You see, I cannot unlock them.”

Your brow quirks. “Can’t or won’t?”

“I cannot unlock them.” He repeats, emphasizing his every word. “I don’t have the keys.”

“Some Keeper of Keys you are.” You exhale a disappointed sigh. “Doesn’t even have the key to the restricted section. Bookkeeping must get so boring for you, not having any of the fun books to go through.”

“It has its moments.” He nods, actually contemplating your words. The way he notices you shooting him a blank look has him chuckling. “No, only you can unlock this door.”

“Me?” Incredulous doesn’t even begin to describe you, your eyes going wide as you look from him to the iron gate.

“If you’re serious about wanting this ‘wish’,” he stands back to his full height, “Then, you are going to have to earn it.”

“Earn it?” You shoot him another incredulous look. “How the hell do you expect me to do that? I can’t knock down a locked iron gate!”

“How do you even know it’s locked in the first place?” Seonghwa replies smartly.

“You just said you can’t unlock them!” You raise your hands exasperatedly in the air in front of yourself.

“Oh, I suppose I did.” He chuckles.

“Spend too much time in the desert you have dust for brains or something?” You mutter, shaking your head.

“That’s not a very nice thing to say to someone you just met.” He pouts.

A moment passes where you consider his words before your entire body is deflating.

“You’re right.” You take a deep breath as you look towards the ground. “I’m sorry. It’s just been a long past few months.”

His brow furrows in confusion. “You’ve been looking for this library for the past few months?”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” You shake your head once more.

“Then, what did you mean?” He blinks at you curiously.

“Never mind.” You wave him off. “Forget I said anything.”

“Normally, when people seek out the treasure’s wish, they tend to be down on their luck.” He comments. “Even fewer still who make it inside.”

“Well, I have you to thank for that, don’t I?” You attempt a faint smile, but it does not reach your eyes. “How do I even get into this restricted section, anyways?”

“You need to find the keys.”

“I think we’ve already established that.” You sigh.

“Not just one key. Keys.” He purposely emphasizes his final word, motioning for you to look closer at the door.

Sure enough, glancing intently at the iron gate reveals six different sets of locks, all weaving together intricately to keep the door tightly shut.

You swallow thickly.

“Where do you suppose I start looking for those? You already said you don’t have the key.” You turn back to face him. “Or well, keys.”

Again, Seonghwa motions across the way, and you follow the movement. A moment later, and he’s stepped to the opposite side of the hall where five plaques seem to be placed directly beside five doors. Each plaque is bronze, title corresponding the the name engraved onto the front of the section it resides beside.

“Each of these doors lead to a different section of the library.” He explains.

“I thought everything would be in one place.” You mumble, crossing your arms over your chest.

Looking closer at the wall that houses the doors, you notice each door to be different. One is a steel door with a circular handle that looks quite familiar to you. A few are thick wooden doors. One is intricately carved with what appears to be mini statues of kings. The other simply looks like an old wooden door, the types castles are sure to have. Another door is more modern in shape, but still not up to today’s standards, while the other is a mix between iron and wood with a porthole type window frosted over in the centre of it.

Scanning your head around the area, something to the left draws your attention. There seems to be a metal grate on the floor, the area beneath glowing faintly as if there are burning embers far beneath the surface.

That’s when you realize, that must be the sixth door.

“You will need to find the keys in each of these sections before you can attempt to open the main gate of the restricted section.” Seonghwa continues. “But beware, each of these keys are guarded. These guardians will not be easy to convince to give up their keys, if you can even manage that.”

“We’re talking regular old keys here, right? I don’t want this to be some kind of riddle where the key is, I don’t know, a sacred orb, or something that will only transform into a key when I get back here.” You say, somewhat skeptically.

“No, no,” Seonghwa assures you. “They’re all physical keys.”

“Little concerning that the Keeper of Keys doesn’t have the ones we need.” You shoot him a look out of the corner of your eyes.

“It’s not like I wanted them to have these keys. It’s just the way things are.” Seonghwa shrugs.

“Alright, so, these… sections house individual keys kept safe by these guardians.” You repeat back to him, noticing how he nods along to your words. “Anything I should know before I attempt to look for them?”

“Once you enter a section, you will no longer be able to reach the main chamber, or me, for help.” He adds. “Not until the task is complete.”

“If I’m being honest here, Bookkeep, you haven’t been much of a help to begin with.”

“Need I remind you that I saved your life?” He quirks an amused brow.

“Yeah, yeah,” you wave him off. “Details, smetails.”

“That’s not a word.”

“Neither is ‘irregardless’, but people still use it, irregardless.” You quirk a small grin, glancing at him out of the corner of your eyes.

“You certainly are very interesting.” He hums.

“I’m going to take that as a complement.” You say, moving closer to each door to inspect the plaques beside them. “Is there a time limit for each section?”

“Not that I am aware of. You can spend as little, or as much time in each section as you desire.” He responds, watching you carefully. “The only way you can come back is if you’ve successfully retrieved the key.”

“So, I could spend years searching for the key inside each section, and still come up empty handed.” You exhale a large sigh. “Great.”

“Not necessarily, but that possibility is not zero.” He replies. “There is no time limit. At all.”

Your brow furrows in thought. “Is there a specific order I have to do this in?”

“No. It is completely up to you to decide the order.”

“Can I take breaks between these so called ‘trials’?” You inquire, tilting your head slightly to the side.

“Yes.” He confirms. “You may stay in the main chamber with me for as long as you desire.”

“Are you allowed to come with me?” You turn to meet his gaze.

“Unfortunately not.” He shakes his head. “This is something you will have to do on your own.”

You purse your lips in response, opting to turn back to the first plaque closest to you. It just so happens to be beside the door which says ‘Adventure’ on the front of it. Stepping in front of it, you begin to read:

“The sea calls us home; a heart to yearn. 

Hoist the colours high; never shall we die.”

Inside your chest, you can feel your own heart pang, eyebrow twitching in tandem as you recognize the saying. No wonder there’s a porthole on the door.

Shifting over to the next door, the one with the carvings of kings, an audible gasp escapes your throat as you read the plaque. You’d recognize that inscription anywhere, the lines of the script as familiar to you as breathing. Subconsciously, you clutch at the necklace that you wear in your hand of a golden ring with the same inscription found on its sides.

How fitting for it to be for the ‘Fantasy’ section.

The next door you look over says ‘Mystery’ in those big, bold letters. It really reminds you heavily of a castle, and once you read the plaque, you find out why.

“Deep within the stone walls, terror lurks. A monstrous creature thirsting for blood. Some call it a beast, while others never get a chance as it steals their last breath. Can you uncover the monster lurking in these walls? Can you survive the cold, dreaded night?”

Your eyebrows raise in contemplation as you move onto the next door. It’s the steel one with the circular handle.

Glancing at the plaque, your heart skips a beat in your chest. Lines of code seem to be engraved upon the bronze to serve as the description. Lines of code which you recognize, especially considering the door proudly reads ‘Sci-fi’ as you walk passed.

The final door in the row reads ‘History’, and it is the only one you actively reach out and touch. It’s cool against the skin of your hand, but you find yourself recoiling quickly at the rumble you feel shake the door. Reading the description, you find out why.

“War-torn and forlorn, a husband desperately longs to see his wife instead of the gruesome sight of the dead and injured littering the battlefield. Never has there been such bloodshed since The Great War, and five years in, the world just longs for it to end. However, Europe isn’t the only battlefield this soldier has to brave, but does he have the courage to fight for and defend what is his?”

A slight hum escapes you as you finish reading the plaque, nodding to yourself as you move over towards the grate to your left. Crouching down, you read the final plaque for ‘Horror’.

“Mother is god in the eyes of a child.”

You seemingly breathe a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank god.”

Standing back to your full height, you notice Seonghwa standing a little tense off to the side.

“What?” His inquiry is somewhat short, but curious none-the-less.

“I’m assuming these plaques tell of what each section has in store?” You ask.

“You would be correct.” He confirms. “I still don’t see-“

“I’ve figured out a majority of what resides in each sections.”

Seonghwa frowns. “How?”

“Simple.” You shrug. “My husband and I-“

Immediately, your voice gets caught in your throat. You blink, fresh tears immediately springing to your eyes as you turn away from Seonghwa for the moment.

“I read a lot.” Your voice is strained as you attempt to clear your throat, wiping subtly at the few tears that manage to escape and roll down your cheeks.

Subconsciously, you grasp that ring hanging around your neck tighter. Another, thinner band of the same golden metal glints off of your own finger on your left hand.

“You’re married.” Not a question, but a statement from Seonghwa.

You glance at him from over your shoulder, unable to get a read on his expression. “I was.”

“Divorced?” Seonghwa’s brow furrows. “Many seek the wish to make the one they still love fall back in love with them-“

“He died.” 

A brief silence settles over the both of you.

This time, it’s Seonghwa who clears his throat. “My condolences.”

“I appreciate that.” You reply roughly, tightening your grip on that ring once more.

“I understand your motivations, now.” He replies, beginning to walk back towards where you first woke up. “You may start whenever you’re ready, but I highly recommend eating something first. Take as much time as you need.”

You swallow the sudden dryness in your throat, nodding your head along with his words despite the fact that he’s no longer looking in your direction.

Slowly, you begin to follow him back to the main area, your steps almost as silent as his.

“This wish…” you begin, voice much smaller than before. “Can you guarantee I’ll be able to obtain it if I do this?”

Seonghwa turns around once he reaches his desk, leaning against the front of it as he meets your eyes. “Your greatest desires at the time when you obtain the treasure will be fulfilled.”

Your own gaze narrows ever so slightly, “How do I know that I can trust you?”

“You don’t.” He hums in understanding. “But it’s either that,” his eyes flash to some point in the library off to the side, “or go back.”

“I can’t go back.” You shake your head. “Not now. Not ever. Not without him.”

Seonghwa takes a moment to observe you carefully, before seemingly nodding to himself.

“Then, My Dear,” he grins widely, and you swear his teeth suddenly look a lot more sharper than they should be, “Welcome, to the Library of Illusion.”

[sanjoongie]

Library of Illusions~ Horror Section

Better Run~

📚Part Two for the Library Of Illusions Event

📚Pairing: Slasher bf! Wooyoung x Exception! Reader (f)

📚Genre: Fantasy au, Horror au, established relationship

📚Warnings: mentions of blades, corpses, blood, dirty talk, prey/predator dynamics, penetrative sex with no barrier, sub!woo, dom! Reader, knife play, blood kink, begging, creampie, f&m orgasm

📚Word Count: 4,075

📚Rating: 18+ MDNI, smut, DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH OR HAVE TROUBLE WITH DARK THEMES

📚Summary: Upon entering the horror section, you are drawn into a reality where your boyfriend is a serial killer and he likes to play hide and go fuck

📚Dedication: @mejuii & @downtoamagicalland the best beta readers a writer could bribe have

↫Introduction ↭ MasterList ↭ The Fantasy Section↬

You let your fingertips run across the bookspine's of the Horror section. You had learned from the broken places of reality in your world that using your other senses was very helpful. You waited for a familiar tingling to run up your arm and you knew you had picked the scenario that matched with you the best. You did have to play the guardian of this section's game in order to get the key.

You pulled the book off the shelf that said "Slasher Boyfriend" and opened the book. The book shot out of your hand and landed on the floor upright, pages quickly flipping until it stopped in the middle. The book grew bigger and bigger until it was larger than the size of a door. The inside of the book was transparent, as if it was a simmering portal. The details were somewhat fuzzy but you swore you could see wooden panel walls and floors, a hallway stretching out and a window at the end. In the window, lightning flashed. 

You also couldn't ignore the feeling like you were being watched. Was it the guardian of horror? Was it another guardian? Seonghwa? You shook your head. You couldn't be swayed from your purpose. You strode purposely forward into the book and when you entered it snapped shut and shrank. It neatly was lifted, by nothing a human could perceive, and found its spot back on the shelf. You were a part of the story now. For better or for worse.

Once inside the book, your clothes changed. You were wearing a long t-shirt that fell mid thigh with thigh highs and sneakers. A choker was snug on your throat. You had a cell phone, something from the old world that hadn't worked in a long time. It was both familiar and not. 

Your phone buzzed and you brought the screen up to read. The light illuminated your face as your eyes scanned the text.

You unlocked your phone to text back to this Wooyo that he sounded a bit delusional when the screen now showed a news article as the last thing you were looking at on your phone. You quickly scanned it and felt your heartbeat skyrocket. Masked killer takes his fifth victim, no leads yet to any suspects, citizens worried for their safety. 

Wooyo: Remember the rules!

Wooyo: 1- try to run and hide

Wooyo: 2- try not to make a sound

Wooyo: 3- If I find you, i get to fuck you ~<3

Wooyo: 4- Love you

Was the killer and Wooyoung one and the same? And why was he calling you Babe? Were you his… Your hand came up to the choker you were wearing and felt along the front. W O O Y-- Your hand dropped. You most definitely were Wooyoung's girlfriend and Wooyoung was a serial killer. You had to remember, this was a horror book.

Wooyo: Your heartbeat sensor is going off the charts

Wooyo: are you scared?

Wooyo: or horny?

Wooyo: Baaaaaaabe 😘

Your feet shot forward before you really knew what you were doing. The window was actually in the center of a stairwell. You could go down or you could go up. You thought perhaps if Wooyoung was thorough, he would start from the bottom so that might give you more time if you went upstairs. You ran up the stairs and winced as your footsteps made resounding noises. That wasn't going to help hiding but you needed speed right now. 

Wooyo: I'm gonna count down now!

Wooyo: 3

Wooyo: 2

Wooyo: 1

Wooyo: Run!

When you arrived at the top floor, you quickly realized your mistake. This house was old. The second level had been full of doors that led to other rooms but the top level was simply an attic. There were less places for you to hide. The thunder came before the lightning, causing you to squeal in surprise and you slapped your hand over your mouth.

"Oh little mouse, where could you be~" A high pitched, gleeful voice came from the lower level.

Your stomach dropped. Shit, how close was Wooyoung? How were you to win the key? Did you need to hide perfectly and not be caught by your killer boyfriend? Or was the point to get… you swallowed, heartbeat loud in your ears. Was the point to play out this game of hide and seek and then for this killer to fuck you? Was this really what you picked for yourself?

You scrambled into a large wardrobe, pushing heavy clothes out of the way and pushing your back up against the end of the wooden furniture. You were breathing hard and almost squealed again when your phone buzzed in your hand. You had to turn that off or Wooyoung was going to find you!

You pulled back open the article that you had read and found several more. The weird part was… the first victim was never found. There was an empty house in the article, commenting about how they found blood of the victim but no body. That was weird. Each victim afterwards was seemingly random. A butler from a rich CEO's house, a maid from a cleaning service, a gardener who was famous in the community, a comedian who had been touring… nothing seemed to connect them and it frustrated the police greatly.

Wooyo: I wonder

Wooyo: did you stay on the second floor or did you go to the top?

Wooyo: don't make it too easy for me

Wooyo: you know I love a good chase.

You were so concerned with the articles on the phone that you didn't notice that your surroundings had been illuminated. A face with an odd grin was beside you. You screamed and jumped out of the wardrobe. The body fell out and you had trouble calming yourself down. How the hell had you not noticed an entire corpse in the wardrobe with you?

You shot back down the stairs to the second level and desperately attempted to wretch open a door but every one you checked was locked. You suppressed the need to shout in frustration. You just needed one door to open, please!--

Wooyo: did you find the joker?

Wooyo: only dummies hide in the wardrobe, babe

Wooyo: are you a dummy?

You fell into the next room, having used your entire weight to push against the door since none of them were opening. You felt a surge of relief when you saw two forms in the dark room but took a step back when the lightning lit up the room. There were two figures, one dressed as a butler and another a maid. The maid was bent over with a feather duster tied to her hand and the butler was directly behind her, hands at her hips, almost like-- you tried not to laugh, you knew they were dead, but that was a clear comical moment… if not for the fact that it was dead bodies playing it out.

Your eyes went over the room. It was also big and grand. You cursed your luck. Clearly this was some sort of drawing room or parlor that the 'maid' was dusting. You could hide under the clawfoot couch but you could practically hear Wooyoung mocking you. That simply wasn't good enough. There was a connecting door, so you ran towards that. You softly closed the door behind you as you heard the other door open. 

"Oh, Babe," Wooyoung sounded teasing at this moment. "Did you go to the perverted room too? Did you giggle? I bet you giggled."

Your heart was beating in your throat again. You had barely missed Wooyoung. You were in a computer room. It had many screens. Was this Wooyoung's headquarters? How did that make sense for you to be able to get in here? Unless… that's where Wooyoung had wanted you to go? Was he helping you or was he leading you down a path that he had pre-determined? No wonder he hadn't been caught by the police. Your eyes spotted a greenhouse in one of the screens and thought that was a perfect place to hide. You scurried out of the monitoring room and dashed down the stairs.

You could hear singing as you passed a door and it sent a shiver down your spine. Oh where oh where could my baby be? was a line from Pearl Jam’s song Last Kiss. The fact that Wooyoung was singing it as he looked for you was beyond fucked up but he was, after all, a serial killer. But he was your serial killer…?

The greenhouse was connected to the main house but the door to enter it was so goddamn squeaky, you might as well have texted Wooyoung your location. Dedicated now, you plunged into the foliage of the greenhouse, looking for some shrubbery to dive into. There was a plant with large leaves that gave you the perfect hiding spot. You curled up into a ball and pulled the larger leaves over your head and waited.

And waited. And waited. Where the hell was Wooyoung?

Your breath caught in your throat. Was he here and you didn't even know it? And who was the gardener? This could be another trick but… you didn't think it was a good idea to make Wooyoung mad. He was the guardian of the horror section after all. 

Wooyo: >:[

Wooyo: you didn't even admire the gardener

You moved aside a leaf and peered around the greenhouse. Then your eyes saw another figure. This one had a pair of shears but they were pointed towards its neck. Your hand moved to touch your neck but was impaired by Wooyoung's collar on you. It was as if the gardener was cutting his own head off. You shuddered. This really was like a horror movie.

"Better run."

You shot off as soon as the high pitched giggles followed that sentence. You couldn't afford to look back but you knew Wooyoung had been right behind you. What kind of game was he playing?

"Run fast little mouse!~" Wooyoung called after you. 

You ran back into the house and found yourself in the kitchen. There was a butcher's block on the island that was calling out to you. You could grab a knife, you could defeat the guardian you, could--Remember the rules! If I find you, I get to fuck you.

You turned around and ignored the butcher's block. Wooyoung ran into the kitchen, breathless and laughing and then abruptly stopped. The dark haired man cocked his head, covered by a mask. It had LED lights for eyes and a mouth. There were question marks where his eyes were and a slash for his mouth. 

"Babe?"

You swallowed and gathered all the courage you had in your erratically beating heart and spoke what you knew was the way to win the game. "You found me, Wooyoung."

The LED mask showed a pout. "But I wanted to chase you more!"

"Wooyoung," You couldn't help but let your voice waver even though you wanted to sound firm, "You know the rules."

Wooyoung pulled out a switchblade, playing with whipping the blade in and out. "Just one more chase. If you run to our room and touch the doorknob before I can get you, I won't cut you tonight. Just like how you want it."

Your hand subconsciously began to run over your arm. Memories of Wooyoung flashed through your mind. Nights where Wooyoung would fuck you and cut you and lick his knife and lick your cunt and-- "Alright," You agreed, "But no mask. I want to see your handsome face."

The LED mask made a sighing face but Wooyoung pushed it up and it sat on the top of his head. His onyx eyes glinted with mischief and mayhem. "I'm going to fuck you so hard when I catch you. I can't wait to hear you screaming my name."

You felt your panties wetten and you knew that was exactly what you wanted. You wanted Wooyoung to chase you, to take you down and fuck you in victory. You could feel in your brain that even though Wooyoung cut you and fucked you, at least he wasn't killing anyone else. You could shoulder this burden. After all, you loved him, didn't you? Maybe you were a little fucked up too.

You started to slowly pull up the oversized t-shirt you had on. Your thighs were revealed and eventually your underwear as well. Wooyoung's eyes followed the ascent, the tip of his tongue playing with the freckle on his lip. "Come and catch me," You purred and then you were gone. 

Your sneakers squeaked as your stride ate up the ground. Noise wasn't an issue any longer so you pulled down items behind you, making obstacles for Wooyoung to jump over and dodge. He cackled behind you. If you were being honest, you felt like your heart was about to escape through your ass but the adrenaline and lust pumping through your veins spurned you on. You raced up the stairs to get to the second level. You were so close. You just had to reach the door at the end of the hall on the right to win. 

"Don't you want my blade to kiss you too, Babe?" Wooyoung taunted behind you.

You dug into the last little bit of energy you had, raising your knees high so that you could run to your greatest potential. The door was getting closer and closer. You reached out your hand, desperate to gain some control over this situation, slowly losing your own mind as you got sucked deeper into the narrative. Shit.

Wooyoung's body slammed into you from behind and then your hand touched the doorknob. He had both his palms on either side of your head, breathing heavily in your ear. "I won, little mouse."

Your nipples were so hard with just the small phrase. You let your body rest against his, attempting to catch your breath as well. "Are you gonna fuck me now, Mister Serial Killer?"

Wooyoung chuckled. "You get so wet when we play our little games, don’t you?"

You raised your hands above your head and Wooyoung's, pulling his head down so that you could kiss him. "It’s why we play them, is it not," You murmured against his lips.

"I got wet too," Wooyoung responded, eyes heavy-lidded.

“You gonna fuck me with your wet, pretty dick, Woo?” You cooed, “Right up against this door where you caught me?”

Wooyoung whined loudly, his lower half pressing heavily into your back side. “Can I? Please? I really want to.”

“Where’s your knife?” You breathed out lightly. “You know how this always starts.” Wooyoung’s switch blade came out without hesitation. “What are the rules?” You said in a sing-song voice.

“No deep cuts,” Wooyoung recounted, teeth pulling your earlobe cheekily before responding with the others, “Avoid the wrists and bends of your arm. I can lick the knife as long as I’m still fucking you.”

“...and?” You intoned.

“And?” Wooyoung’s voice went higher in question, his other hand firm on your hip, keeping you in place as he dry humped you from behind. “Aaaaaaaand…?”

“Poor Baby,” You tutted, “Already brain dumb and we haven’t even started yet?”

“And!” Wooyoung said with triumph coating his tongue, “You come first, then I do.”

“That’s right!” You felt a twisted smile pulling at your lips. Wooyoung may be in control the majority of the time you spent with him, but in the bedroom, he had to follow your rules, otherwise he didn’t get access to your wet cunt. And Wooyoung ALWAYS wanted access to your wet cunt.

“You can begin then, Woo.”

The next few minutes were a flurry of activity. Wooyoung was pulling up your oversized t-shirt, tugging your panties down your legs, helping you step out of them, pulling your ass out a bit more, adjusting your feet and then he sank into you without resistance. He chuckled at the fact that your pussy took him so well. 

Then the cutting began. Wooyoung would whisk his knife quickly and you always felt the pain before you saw the knife cut you. Superficial cuts sprang up on your arms as Wooyoung thrusted into you from behind. He would pause to lick the knife, groaning at the taste of your blood, and then grunt as he continued to fuck you from behind.

“So good,” Wooyoung whined. Whether he was talking about his pretty dick inside of you or your blood, you didn’t know, but as long as Wooyoung was happy, you were safe.

“Feels good inside of me, baby?” You wondered, feeling the slow furl of lust in your lower stomach.

“Your pussy is so warm and so wet and so good,” Wooyoung babbled, “Much better than when I stick my hand in a--”

“Wooyoung!” You cut him off before he could say something too fucked up. You grabbed his free hand and brought it up your breast. “Play with me,” You whined, looking to distract him.

Wooyoung moaned and dropped his knife. Both of his hands cupped your breasts through your shirt, rolling your nipples between his thumb and forefinger. You groaned for more and he pulled up your shirt so that he could touch skin against skin. He pulled and pinched your nipples, all the while still thrusting from behind. 

You found a rhythm, pushing your ass back against his thrusts, feeling satisfied as skin slapped against skin, the tip of his dick rubbing the spongy part inside of you. His tongue found a cut on your shoulder that his knife had already shredded your t-shirt as well, and he played with the wound there, rough tongue rubbing against the cut. He whimpered and you could tell he was getting close.

“I can--” Wooyoung choked on a moan, “I can cum inside of you, pretty?” He asked.

“You gonna give me a pretty cream pie, Woo? You wanna drip out of me, hmmm?”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes,” Wooyoung chanted, his voice pitching higher and higher as his climax approached.

“And the rules, baby?” You cooed.

Wooyoung cried out in frustration and slowed down his thrusting. “Why aren’t you cumming?!”

“I don’t know, Wooyoung, why aren’t I cumming?” You purred dangerously.

Wooyoung whined. “I’m doing good, aren’t I? I'm fucking your pussy good, right?”

“Maybe you don’t want me to cum before you. Maybe you want to fill me up but leave me feeling empty. Maybe you don’t love me enough,” You said woefully.

“No!” Wooyoung insisted, somewhat brattily, “I love you a lot, you know. A lot a lot. Forever and ever.”

“Then you’re gonna make me cum, like a good baby does?” You said in a sickly-sweet voice.

“Yes,” He said with determination. 

Wooyoung pulled out of you and you heard him groaning. You quickly checked over your shoulder and he was using his index and thumb to run up and down his cock before stuffing you again. Then he reached around your body and began to pinch and play with your clit.

“Fuck, Wooyoung,” You cried out, “That’s it, baby, just like that.”

“Yeah, you like when I play with your clitty and fuck you from behind, don’t you?” Wooyoung growled, “Love it when I chase you, love it when I push you down and fuck you raw. You love when I pound into this pussy, don’t you, little mouse?”

A shudder went through your body, goosebumps littered your skin and you came. You came hard, gasping for air. You moaned loudly, although it didn’t matter, did it, considering there was no one else in the house but you, Wooyoung and a few corpses. 

Wooyoung didn’t stop as your climax ripped through you. He pounded into you from behind, just like he described, searching out his own release. And when he did, the glorious whimpers and whines that tumbled from his dirty mouth were like music to your ears. His fingers dug deeply into your hip, most likely leaving finger bruises there but you didn’t care. Spurt after spurt of his cum released inside of you and you managed to feel full after all. And when he pulled out, you could feel your still fluttering walls pushing his cum out.

Wooyoung patted your butt affectionately. "You play well, pretty."

The air tensed, warping and stretching and suddenly it snapped and you were no longer in the dollhouse that serial killer Wooyoung had created. You were back in the Horror Section, with the tense feeling that someone was watching.

"Woo…Wooyoung?" You were back in the original clothes you had donned upon arriving at the library. But Wooyoung was no longer in the baggy sweater and jeans he had been sporting when he had been chasing you through the mansion. He had on tight leather pants, a sleeveless shirt and an epaulet with gloves. 

"We're back in the library, you did it." Wooyoung raised both eyebrows and sent you a winning grin. "I'll give you your key now."

"I did it?" Thoughts of your serial killer boyfriend still swirled in your brain, interfering with thoughts of a key and the treasure and-- you rubbed your temples. This was not going to be easy to do five more times.

Wooyoung crossed his arms over his chest and frowned, portraying the opposite of what he was about to say: "I haven't had that much fun in awhile, actually."

You cocked your head curiously. "Then why the frown?"

 Wooyoung shook his head. "It's nothing." His tongue began to play with the freckle on his lip and you wondered how much of Wooyoung the demon had been in Wooyoung the Slasher Boyfriend… "Wanna play again? There's a tentacle horror over here and I--"

You laughed nervously. "No offense Wooyoung, but I kind of have other sections to conquer."

Wooyoung looked dejected but good spirited about it. "I suppose you're right." 

Wooyoung moved to the bookshelf and pulled out the Slasher Boyfriend novel. When he opened it, in the center of the novel was a mini version of the LED mask that he had sported in your story. It had heart eyes and a kissy lips face. He tugged it out of the book and offered it to you. "Here's your prize. You earned it."

You gently took it from him and couldn't help but shiver again, remnants of Wooyoung chasing you and fucking you still clinging to your brain. You swore you could feel his switchblade kissing your skin as you spoke. "Thank you," You said in a squeaky voice.

Wooyoung cackled, the same he released while chasing you. "Oh, I am going to miss you, little mouse."

You left the horror section and made your way back to the heart of the library. Seonghwa was back at his desk, feet still up on it, but this time with a book over his face. It had flowers climbing up its spine but that was all the details you could see at this moment. 

You slammed your hand on the desk and Seonghwa sat upright immediately. When he pulled the book off his face, his mouth made a small 'o' before he blanked his face. "You're still here."

You put down the mini LED mask and pushed it across the desk to Seonghwa. "There's my first key, Keeper."

Seonghwa took the tiny mask and lifted an eyebrow at you. "And Wooyoung’s at that. Very impressive, human."

"Thanks," You said sarcastically, "Try to not fall asleep while I get my next one, demon."

Seonghwa sputtered in response to your sass, "I'll have you know I am a centuries old demon! Where is your respect for me, human?!"

But you were already walking away from him. "I'll respect you the minute you call me something other than the degrading human you insist on."

With one hand in your pocket, another jauntily waving, you made your way back amongst the stacks of books, looking for your next section to overcome. You were curious if you had to seduce another demon or not…

The next section that snagged your attention was one that sounded of twinkling magic and horseshoes clomping on cobblestone. There, in beautiful cursive and simmering rainbows, was the sign saying "Fantasy". You could barely contain your excitement. Fantasy had been one of your favorite genres growing up. Surely this quest would be a walk in the park!

Tag list: @yoonguurt @hijirikaww @flowerboykun @starillusion13 @flurrys-creativity @kitten4sannie @a-soft-hornytiny

Library staff: @kwanisms @thelargefrye @anyamaris @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21

↫Introduction ↭ MasterList ↭ The Fantasy Section↬

[thesmartartslibrary]

[slugpup2]

inktober day 16: angel

WAHHH i'm actually really proud of this one!! anyways, angela for angel day because it's easy enough.

[thelargefrye]

♥︎̶̶⠀ ִ ׂ💫 ◟♡ ˒ ʾʾ STARSEED : LIBRARY OF ILLUSION

STARSEED: LIBRARY OF ILLUSION is a mobile app game written and directed by SMALLS and published by THELARGEFRYE STUDIOS and CULT OF DIONYSUS as a collaboration project.

the game features NINE chapters as the player is placed in the shoes of Y/N, a young woman down on her luck as she looks for the legendary treasure inside the LIBRARY OF ILLUSION. however, not everything is as it seems within the library and y/n is soon thrusted into several trails in order to unlock and access the treasure beyond restricted section of the mysterious library.

game releases JUNE 2023.

PAIRING : ATEEZ x F!READER

GENRE : VERSATILE GENRES, MATURE, UNHAPPY ENDING

WARNINGS : SMUT, EACH CHAPTER FEATURES ITS OWN WARNINGS / READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED

♥︎̶̶⠀ ִ ׂ💫 ◟♡ ˒ ʾʾ SECTIONS // CHAPTERS

INTRODUCTION : LIBRARY OF ILLUSION

SECTION 001 : ADVENTURE

SECTION 002 : FANTASY

SECTION 003 : SCIENCE FICTION

SECTION 004 : MYSTERY

SECTION 005 : HORROR

SECTION 006 : HISTORY

FINAL TRIAL : KEEPER OF KEYS

TREASURE : RESTRICTED SECTION

EPILOGUE : LIBRARY OF ILLUSION

[anyamaris]

Morning Dew

Word Count-2300

Summary- Upon your marriage to your fae Prince, you enjoy the affections of the one you love.

Pairing- Prince!Yeosang x Princess!F!reader

Trope- Established Relationship - Fantasy Romance AU

Warnings-Sexual language, unprotected sex (don't do this irl), fantasy elements, MINORS DNI 18+

Tags- @cultofdionysusnet @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @yoonguurt @shinestarhwaa @babesindestroyland @lemonhongjoong @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21 @thelargefrye @kwanisms @sanjoongie

Library of Illusions Masterlist here.

A/N-This one is especially indulgent for me, I fall more in love with this man every time I write him so I allowed myself the leeway to express my fantasies. I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!

Wandering aimlessly through the fantasy section, you take the time here to admire the intricate bindings of the novels. Fantasy was such a broad genre and you wanted to savor the section while you had the time. Breathing in slowly and letting out a long breath, you ready yourself for the next trial.

Once you've let yourself linger long enough, you decide to pull on one of the attached ladders. You slide it over, then climb as high as you can. In the other sections so far, you'd just picked randomly. But you wanted to see if something interesting lie beyond your natural reach.

Sliding out a blue and gold novel, you admire the graceful flowing script upon it. It's in a language you can't read but as you run your hand over the cover, a sense of happiness fills you. Nodding, you open the pages.

Softly singing the last line of the verse you'd created just for him, you can't help but bask in the beauty of your Prince. His beautiful bronze eyes shine with love for you as he sings out his verse to you in his rich, deep voice.

Finalizing the ceremony by slipping a shimmering ring onto your finger with his mark on it, Yeosang flutters his shimmering wings and you return the gesture as he takes your hands in his. You both rise up into the canopy of trees, letting the glimmering dust produced rain down in celebration upon your people. The sparkle from the light showering down illuminates the deep night around you.

Singing voices bless your union as he swirls you around in a graceful dance. Then he takes you in his arms and whisks you away above the canopy, finally able to join him in his treetop residence.

Landing upon the large branch that leads into what is now your bedchamber, he spins you around to place a kiss upon your forehead.

"Finally, my love. We are one for eternity." his voice murmurs against you, his timbre low. Excitement flutters within your stomach as his arms wrap around your waist, pulling you close. You can feel your wings betray you, trembling already at what is to come.

His fingers slip into your hair, cradling your head as he leans back to look down at you. "Don't be nervous, my love." he hums, his lips parting as he leans in to meet yours. Tentative at first, you gradually lean into him, your hand reaching up to cup his cheek. He sighs against your mouth, his tongue gently skimming your bottom lip.

You open to him, your own tongue seeking his. At this, he lets out a groan, his head tilting to kiss you even deeper as he runs his strong fingers down your bare back, to where your wings protrude. You sigh softly as he traces designs upon your skin around them.

You can't help but reach up to tug at his top, unfastening the shoulder clip and letting it fall to the floor. Your breath catches at the site of him bare chested in front of you, your hands traveling up his muscular body to his shoulders, eyeing every inch of bare skin.

The rumble of his low laugh has you blushing and biting your lip. "No need to be shy, my Princess. Take as long as you desire to look upon me. It pleases me to have your admiring eyes gaze at me so lovingly."

You let your eyes flick up to take in his beautiful face, his blonde locks falling into his eyes. You reach up to brush a strand back and smile coyly at him.

"Then allow me to bask in your gaze as well." you say as you step back, reaching behind to you release the one clasp holding your beaded wedding gown on. It falls to the floor with a musical tinkling and you stand before him as you extend your wings fully, your form shimmering in the moonlight.

His wings tremble as he takes in your figure, slowly raking his gleaming eyes over you. The mixture of delight, pride and lust at his reaction has your wings reacting as well, quivering to the point of lifting you off the ground slightly.

He laughs softly at your response to him and you can't help but blush shyly. His smile alone has your heart bursting as he flits over to you, taking you in his arms once more. He spins you both around and upward with the strength of his wings and you reach between your bodies to untie his loose trousers, the remainder of his clothing.

As you release them, he kicks them off, letting them flutter away into the night. You giggle as he pulls you against his nakedness, the two of you hovering over the trees as he embraces you. "My Prince." you whisper softly as he tastes your lips once more.

His mouth trails down to your neck, then your collarbone as his arm holds you tightly against him. His naked form is skin to skin with yours, his rigid length pressing against the softness of your tummy.

"Yeosang..." you sigh and open your eyes to take in the night sky full of stars as his large hand cups your bottom. He slowly lowers you both as you instinctively lift your leg to wrap around his hip. At your movement, his breath quickens and he moans eagerly.

"Stay with me forever..." he breathes out, his arm tightening around you. "Yes..." you respond as he lands, keeping you firmly in his grip. Letting your other leg wrap around his waist, you let your hand slide between the two of you. His hot breath skims over the skin of your breast, his hand cupping underneath to knead at it.

The firm flesh of his thickness in your palm twitches when you finally stroke him, slowly sliding your delicate fingers over the tip where he leaks his need for you. Your leg rubs down the back of his thigh, a soft mewling escaping your throat as he brushes his lips over your sensitive nipple. You stroke just his cockhead as he looks up at you, his intense eyes glazed with desire.

You can't help but choke back a cry when his mouth latches onto your nipple, his tongue tracing the taut peak as he sucks gently. His eyes watch you intently as small mewling sounds escape your lips, yet you continue to roll your wrist, coercing a low humming from him as you pump his length.

"Make me yours, my Prince." you demand, your fingers delving into his hair. Tugging gently as he flits his wings, you guide him to your eager opening. He gently flies you both to the edge of the veranda to alight upon a cushioned chaise. He settles upon it with you in his lap as you rub his tip against your slickness.

Far too eager to allow any more of your playful teasing, he grips your hips and lifts himself into you. Your wings tremble as he stretches you, his eyes never leaving your face. "Yeosang~~" you cry out as he presses you down onto him, completely sheathed within as your hips start to move.

You return his intense stare as you roll your hips, grinding down against him. Gripping his shoulder, you rise up just to sink back down on him as he grasps your buttocks, spreading you wider so he can sink deeper into you. Your moans and cries blend together into a sweet melody, his low tone vibrating through your being as he guides you gently upon him at first.

Then the tempo gains momentum, his breath and sighs quickening to match yours. Running your hand from his shoulder down his back, you run your fingers against the delicate spot where his wings extend from his back muscles. His eyes darken as he chokes on a moan, his hands tightening to dig into your delicate flesh.

"My Princess..." he cries out shakily as you slide your fingers along the thick muscle that connects to his silken wings. The vibrant colors of his radiant wings pulse as you trace the pattern of his veins shining through the gossamer silkiness.

"Mine...my Princess....my forever....please..." he's crying out, then he is standing up with you still wrapped around him, his strong fingers grasping your wing muscles in return possessively. The sensation of his strong grip mixed with the meaning of the gesture has you stuttering out incoherent syllables.

You can feel your wings begin to agitate on their own, mimicking the tremble of his. "Prince...my Prince ....." is all you can manage as he manages to maneuver you to one of the pillars to press you against it.

Careful to not hurt your wings, he presses his hand to the sensitive skin where your wings meet and backs you into the structure. You grip his wings as greedily as he did yours, holding on to him tightly as he thrusts up into you.

His cries and moans are so broken as he starts to plunge zealously into your clenching sex, as he starts to speak as brokenly as you are. "Name~~ say...... please.....my name~~" he is whimpering as your body begins to quake. You begin to clamp around him as you feel the tightness of your abdomen threaten to snap. You stroke his powerful wings muscles as you finally begin to cry out his name.

"Yeosa- Yeos...sssaang..." your voice quivers as he growls out yours in turn. "Mine...for..ee.v.err." he continues to repeat, until he seizes against you. His mouth clamps onto yours to swallow your cries as you finally crest to your peak, flooding around him as he empties his seed into your womb.

The flare of his wings as they tremble with his climax lights up the entire area, pulsing in time with yours. You can feel the glimmering dust they produce settling on your dewy skin as you open your eyes to take it all in. He pulls back from your mouth to lean back slightly, looking down between you where you are joined. He pulls back just to thrust into you again, admiring the glistening fluid from you both trickling out of you.

"Beautiful...so beautiful..." he whispers, his eyes coming back up to meet yours. They shine golden in the early morning sunrise, the orange, yellow and red glow washing over the both of you. "Yes...you are.." you whisper back to him, cupping his face lovingly. You pull close to him again as he carries you gently to the bed in the middle of the veranda.

Settling down with you in his lap once more, he pulls you both onto the soft silken bedding. He seems unwilling to part from you but he finally slips out, adjusting both of your bodies so you are lying side by side, face to face. Pulling you close once more, he gently kisses you, taking his time.

You cradle his perfect face in your hands and kiss his cheeks. Drawing back at the dampness, you look at him with a frown. "My Prince?" you ask, worried. He takes your hand in his and kisses your palm.

"If I asked you to stay forever, would you?" he inquires softly, his eyes pleading. "Of course, Yeosang...I..." he sighs again and kisses the ring he had placed on your finger the evening before.

"I wish it were so. Let us just enjoy this morning together." he whispers, taking your mouth once more.

The rest of the morning is a haze as he takes you twice more, seemingly insatiable. When you are finally completely exhausted and on the verge of sleep, he slips from the bed. Crying softly at his absence, he coos at you softly to wait, then he's sitting beside you on the edge of the bed.

He is cradling a small silver box, his mark upon the lid. "Our time together is the most wonderful thing I've ever experienced. I wish you could remain here with me, for eternity." he says, once more placing a kiss upon your lips.

Then he slips the box into your hand, turning away from you. "My love?" you ask, then glance down at it. Opening it slowly, there lies a key upon the silken fabric.

You breath catches as realization hits you and you finally remember why you are here. Your heart clenches at the truth of what he'd been saying. You go to reach for it, then stop yourself.

"Yeosang...?" you whisper, your fingers tracing his wing pattern once more. He gasps and spins around, his eyes large at your touch. "My Princess?" he says, concerned.

You close the box, and set it to the side. His face flicks through a range of emotions as you reach for him, sitting up. You slip into his lap once more, brushing his hair back from his beautiful face.

"One more day together wouldn't hurt anything, would it?" you murmur against his lips. You barely get the words out before he is growling out your name, a choked cry of happiness escaping his throat.

And after you both have worn each other out over and over, through the day into the next night, you wait until his eyelids flutter shut to kiss them one last time.

Taking in the sunrise one more time, you open the box and allow yourself one small tear shed for a fantasy you have to leave behind before you take the key.

You rematerialize into the dim stacks. This time, you wipe your cheek as you breathe out slowly. You look down at your hand where a small mark is, a shadow of the ring he'd given you. You take some time with your thoughts as you feel regret wash over you. It takes you a few moments cradling the key he'd given you to finally retire into the box.

Rubbing the ache in your chest, you move on once more, this time to your last trial.

[kwanisms]

The Witch & the Lamb — k.hongjoong

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➮ witch!Hongjoong × fem!Reader wc: 33.5k (i am so sorry) summary: Hongjoong lives on the edge of a village nestled in the Carpathian Mountains and mostly keeps to himself except when he comes to town to sell his wares. After the town’s governor’s daughter catches his eye, it starts to cause problems for him. Problems that are made worse when he’s accused of being the source of the village’s problems. genres/themes/au: angst, slight fluff, smut; fantasy, horror, supernatural, biblical & demonic; non idol au, historical setting, demon warnings: adult dialogue, female reader, historical period setting (think Puritan or like Salem witch trials but fantasy and with more creative liberty lol), mentions of: alcohol & food consumption, witches & witchcraft, religious text & ideology, harm against animals; attempted SA, Hongjoong is treated like shit by the villagers & later accused of witchcraft, major & minor character deaths (heed this warning, i’m not playing around. This shit is dark), sexual content (18+ mdni), see smut warnings under the cut!

taglist have been moved to the reblogs. join my taglists: main | series Strikethrough means I cannot tag you. MINORS WILL BE BLACKLISTED & BLOCKED.

a/n: I said I was going to write a backstory for Hongjoong and here it is. It’s kind of long so read with caution. Do NOT ignore the warnings. They are there for a reason. Hongjoong isn’t the asshole, the villagers aren’t the asshole, this is a total ESH (everyone sucks here) kind of situation. Everyone does what they do for a reason. That being said, please enjoy this part and keep an eye out for the next part which will introduce the rest of the priests aka Yunho, Mingi, San, Wooyoung, and Jongho. Thank you so much for reading and as always, this is a work of fiction and all characters are not reflective of their respective irl counterparts. for entertainment purposes only.

smut warnings: dirty talk, virgin!Reader, fingering (f receiving), oral (f receiving, m receiving), unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it!), rough sex, breeding kink, praise (f receiving), and I think that’s it? There are two sex scenes in this so if I missed any, I’m sorry! Just let me know!~

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A sense of community is something many people strive for, especially in rural areas but for Hongjoong, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

He hated the idea of community. Mainly because his community hated him.

Maybe hate was the wrong word, but strongly disliked covered it pretty well.

Hongjoong was well aware that he was considered an outsider of his community. Never mind the fact his home had been there longer than the village. These woods had always been his home. He’d grown up in them, played alone in them, explored them as a teen. As far as he was concerned, they were his woods.

And he didn’t like anyone in his woods, especially not the villagers.

Unless that villager was you, of course.

You stepped out into the cool autumn morning, the gray clouds overhead threatening to bring rain. You had errands to run, items to trade, and chores to do and to get it all done in a timely manner, it required you to start your day early.

As you started for the small village square where the market was always set up, you caught sight of movement out of the corner of your eye. Nicolas had spotted you and no doubt was ready to make his move.

It was well known amongst the people in your age range that Nicolas had eyes for you. He’d made his intentions clear from the start but to you, he was no better than the pests that bothered your animals. A fly buzzing around the eyes and ears, a bug to be swatted at.

As you continued your walk, Nicolas’ path intercepted yours and soon he was standing directly in your way. Instead of giving into the urge to push him out of your way and earn the ire of your parents and possibly Nicolas’ parents, you forced a polite smile.

“Good morrow, Nicolas,” you murmured, trying to step around the man. “Why are you behaving so bizarrely, Y/N?” he asked, a smirk present on his face. You wanted to slap that look off his face but chose against it. Better to grin and bear it. “No reason,” you answered.

“Then why are you avoiding me?”

You tried not to roll your eyes. “I am not in the mood for your games, Nicolas. I have errands to be done,” you said, stopping to look at him. “Go your way and I shall go mine.”

Before he could say anything else, you managed to duck around him and continue down the path. You were walking past the square where the marketplace had been set up. Your eyes wandered over where several of your neighbors and members of the village were set up to sell their wares.

It wasn’t uncommon on this day of the week for people to sell things. They’d worked all week and now had something to show for it. Your eyes were drawn in particular to one spot. A small cart with furs, antlers, bones, and plenty of other animal parts. Your eyes traveled to the owner and a smile crossed your face.

It was Hongjoong. He was currently talking to Gideon about something you couldn’t hear but when Gideon nodded and the two traded, Hongjoong handed over a couple rabbit pelts and some leather in exchange for a knife. As Gideon walked away, Hongjoong looked up, meeting your gaze. He sent a nod in your direction which you reciprocated before turning away.

You couldn’t afford to be distracted by him when you had plenty of errands to run.

You went about your errands, trading the jams your mother had made with the kind old widow who lived next to the church. You also took the cheese you had extra of to her sister who lived next door. She loved the goat cheese you made and would spend actual coin on it. She also always had the loveliest baked goods which she shared with you on occasion. 

As you left her home, you bumped into someone, dropping your bag of scones onto the ground. You mumbled an apology and knelt to pick up the bag but a set of hands beat you to it. Looking up, you saw the face of the young pastor who had joined your village only last winter, Yeosang.

You stood upright as he handed the bag to you. “My apologies,” he said softly, a kind smile on his face. “I didn’t see you standing there.” You took the bag, mumbling a thanks. “It’s my fault,” you replied. “I was not paying attention.”

Yeosang’s smile widened slightly. “No doubt distracted by the baked goods Mrs. Goode gave you?” he asked, a slight hint of amusement to his voice. Your cheeks burned but you couldn’t help the smile spreading across your face. “She likes the cheese and jams my family makes,” you explained. Yeosang nodded thoughtfully.

“As do I,” he answered. “Your mother was kind enough to offer me some last month. Do you make the cheese yourself?” he asked as you turned to start the trek back to your place. You nodded silently. “Your mother tells me you’ve been making cheese since you were a young girl,” he continued. You nodded once more. “Aye, I have,” you answered.

“I like making things. I do not get to craft much but baking, cooking, jam and cheese making is one of my favorite pastimes,” you explained as you headed back towards the market. You caught sight of Hongjoong as he was carving something with the knife he’d procured from Gideon. He glanced up, meeting your gaze and gave you a smile before noticing Yeosang beside you. Yeosang noticed Hongjoong and sent him a polite nod which Hongjoong returned.

“I have business to attend to,” Yeosang said as he turned away from Hongjoong to look at you. “Have a pleasant day,” he added, giving you a small bow before turning and heading back in the direction of the church. You turned towards the market where Hongjoong was showing someone the selection of dried herbs he had. As they came to an agreement, you slowly approached, waiting for them to depart before approaching the stand.

“I’m almost out of rabbit pelts,” he said, not looking up as he tucked the knife away in the leather sheath at his hip and looked up, his eyes widening in surprise before a smile spread across his face. “Well, well, well.” he said with a smirk, not unlike the one Nicolas had given you earlier.

The difference was that while you didn’t much care for Nicolas, you definitely liked Hongjoong.

“I have no need for rabbit pelts,” you replied, a smirk spreading across your face as Hongjoong crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against his cart. “No need for rabbit pelts?” he asked, tilting his head curiously. “Not even one?”

You shook your head. “I have nothing to trade for it,” you answered. Hongjoong smiled before standing up straight and turning to his cart. He started shifting things and sifting through a bag before pulling something out and turning to you and closing the short distance.

“I ask for nothing,” he started, presenting a pure white pelt of fur. You glanced down at it and back up at him. “It’s pure white,” you noted. Hongjoong smiled warmly. “Aye,” he answered. “It’s beautiful, is it not?”

You nodded, reaching out cautiously to touch the soft fur. “And so soft,” you whispered. Hongjoong motioned for you to take it, prompting you to withdraw your hand. “I could not,” you said quickly. Hongjoong shook his head and wordlessly took your hand and placed the pelt in it. “I already told you,” he said softly. “I ask for nothing in return. Think of it as a gift.” 

Your cheeks burned as you looked at the fur in your hands. “Thank you,” you said softly, looking up to meet Hongjoong’s dark brown eyes. Of all the men in the village and that you’ve seen passing through, Hongjoong was the most beautiful. He was not a member of the community, his family having settled in the woods long before your village was established.

You’d never seen the cabin he called home but you’d heard much about it from the stories Hongjoong told you. You wanted to see his home, see where he lived and what kind of home he kept on his own.

Hongjoong took a step forward, eyes darting around to make sure no one was watching too closely before he slipped something into your hand. “Come see me in a month and I might have another white pelt for you,” he said softly, a smile on his face as he backed away.

You nodded, unable to speak before muttering a departing goodbye and hurried away from the market, hand gripping the paper he’d pressed into your palm. Once you were a good distance away and able to slip out of sight, you unfolded the paper to read what he’d written.

There’s a full moon tonight, come see her with me? I can show you the new constellations for the season.

Your lips pulled into a smile as you read his note over and over before folding it up and tucking it away in your dress. You headed out of your hiding space, glancing back to find Hongjoong speaking to another village elder, showing off his items for trade. 

You headed for your house, smiling to yourself as you walked, a skip in your step.

When your family first moved to this village, Hongjoong’s family had already lived in the woods and you were a mere 12 years old. You vaguely remembered his parents, mainly his mother. She was gorgeous and had a different kind of beauty than you’d grown accustomed to.

She wore loose gowns and her hair down. She didn’t seem bound to the same rules and regulations the women of your village were, preferring to be free and not hide her natural beauty. The day she passed was a day you’d remember forever. Hongjoong was barely 17 when his mother passed away from some mysterious illness.

You didn’t see him or his father for weeks as they mourned. You had almost thought they left until months later, when you saw Hongjoong’s father speaking to one of the village elders, trading what seemed to be a lot of furs for seed, tools, and a few goats.

After that, you started to see Hongjoong more frequently, trading his own furs as well as various dried herbs he collected himself. You’d always admired him from afar, not feeling brave enough to approach him until one day you ran into him while on a walk with one of your friends from the village. She was apprehensive of Hongjoong but you were not. 

You were intrigued by him and his life which seemed like a big mystery to you. Hongjoong was surprised that you weren’t put off by his presence, having grown accustomed to the rumors and the rest of the village avoiding him and his father. He knew what they said about his mother and what they said about him.

You were different though. You treated him with nothing but kindness and respect, something he hadn’t experienced with the other kids in the village. You even offered your condolences about the passing of his mother, telling your friend off when she called his mother a witch.

That day, Hongjoong knew he could trust you. When his father died some months after he turned 18, you were the first person Hongjoong went to, the only person to see his walls break down and cry openly. You’d been there to dry his tears and tell him everything would be alright. You were there to offer him kindness in a dark period of his life and keep him afloat,

That was the day Hongjoong knew he loved you.

From that day on, Hongjoong would sneak into your village and you would sneak out of your house to meet with him. The two of you would sneak around to the forest and venture into the trees. Hongjoong would show you all his favorite spots including a small wildflower clearing. It was here he would show you the stars and tell you about them.

He’d learned astronomy and astrology from his mother. She knew the constellations, planets, and stars and would teach him from a young age. She also taught him about the natural world, something he passed onto you.

As your friendship grew throughout your teens, a romance started to blossom until one night, Hongjoong confessed his feelings for you, sealing it with a kiss. Your first kiss. Compared to the rest of the people in your village, Hongjoong was so different. He wasn’t confined to the same rules that seemed to govern your village.

Hongjoong made it clear he didn’t share the same faith as your neighbors. He believed in something different and he did his best to teach you his beliefs in a way that made sense to you. He felt a strong connection to the earth and nature, something you respected.

The more time you spent with him, the more you started to understand him and his way of life. You wanted to be as carefree and as happy as he was. Your time together grew and often, you would lose track of the time and come home as the sun was beginning to peek through the trees. It was innocent in every way but when your mother caught you trying to sneak in after a night out, you knew you would have to be more careful in the future.

You’d been caught more than a few times but always by your mother. If your father had caught you sneaking back in, your punishments would be much more severe. Your mother usually just tacked more chores on and refused to let you leave the house.

After a few days, your transgressions would be forgiven and forgotten and you’d be back in the woods at midnight to meet Hongjoong again. He was like honey, drawing you in with his sweetness. You couldn’t get enough of him.

As you reached the front door and opened it, you greeted your mother and walked over to where she was boiling something over the hearth. “Mrs. Goode gave us some pastries,” you announced as you walked over and set the bag down. “She loved the jams as did her sister,” you continued as you started putting away the things you’d collected on your errands.

“Did she give you any of those scones she makes?” your mother asked as you turned, bag in hand. “Aye, she did,” you answered, walking over to show your mother the pastries who smiled as you started to empty the bag, placing the pastries in a basket on the mantle of the fireplace.

“What’s this?” your mother asked, noticing the white rabbit pelt. “Oh, nothing. Just a gift,” you answered, turning away and starting to put the rest of the goods away. “Oh?” your mother asked. “From whom?” 

Before you could answer, the front door opened and your father entered the house. You excused yourself and headed up to your room to put the rabbit pelt away. The rest of the day you spent inside, helping your mother around the house, mending some of your father’s shirts as well as your mother’s favorite apron.

Once the inside chores were done, you headed out to do some of the gardening and tending to the flower garden but also the small herb garden you’d started after learning from Hongjoong. Your mother was surprised by your skill with the garden but she didn’t complain as she loved having fresh mint and rosemary on hand.

After your chores were done, you were allowed to rest for a bit before you helped your mother in the kitchen prepare dinner so when your father came back from meeting with the other town elders, it would be ready.

It was a simple stew, made even more delicious by your additions from the herb garden and some of the mushrooms you’d foraged on one of your trips to the forest. Hongjoong had taught you everything you knew about the wild plants and edible vegetation that grew there.

Your mother never said anything and was grateful for the additional ingredients most of the villagers didn’t have.

After dinner, you sat down to read a book you were borrowing from the church, something Yeosang had lent you a few days prior. Your mother was seated by the fire, making a new quilt for the upcoming winter season. She’d already finished one for her and your father’s bed but she knew you needed a new one.

Your father sat in his chair at the table, mumbling to himself as he cleaned his pipe. After finishing a few chapters of the book you were reading, you closed the book and looked at your mother. “May I be excused? I am quite tired and if I go to bed now, I can get up earlier and visit the chicken coop to get fresh eggs for breakfast,” you explained. Your mother looked up from her quilting and nodded silently.

“Goodnight then,” you said, getting to your feet and walking over to kiss your mother’s cheek. “Don’t forget your prayers,” your mother said as you walked over to where your father sat and bid him goodnight as well before heading up the stairs to your bedroom. 

Once inside, you removed your shoes and pretended to get ready for bed. You climbed into bed, fully clothed and pulled the covers up to hide your plain clothes. You lay there for a few hours before you finally heard your father join your mother in their room, shutting the door. You gave it another hour before deciding it was safe to get up.

Carefully, you pulled your boots back on and grabbed your cloak. You made your way downstairs as quietly as you could before heading for the door. You opened it, careful not to make too much sound and stepped out under the pretense of going to the outhouse.

Once you were outside, you made sure the coast was clear, pulled your hood off and made your way to the forest, avoiding walking where you could be seen. As soon as you were in the trees, you grabbed your skirts and started making the trek to the clearing where you knew Hongjoong would be waiting.

You arrived as the clouds parted, moonlight filling the clearing and allowing you to see everything in the silver light. You could make out a figure sitting in the middle and walked over. You knelt down, throwing your arms around Hongjoong’s shoulders and surprising him.

“Starlight,” he said as he pulled you into a hug, burying his face in your hair. “You made it,” he murmured, hugging you tightly. You pulled back to look up at him, giggling as he cupped your face, thumb caressing your cheek before moving to your bottom lip.

“I missed you,” he said softly before closing the distance, pressing his lips to yours. You kissed him back, your hand moving to the back of his neck, fingers curling into his hair. “Sorry,” you said softly. “I got caught sneaking back in the other morning,” you added.

Hongjoong clicked his tongue and smiled at you before leaning in to kiss your forehead. “You have got to be more careful,” he mumbled against your skin. “I went out the front door this time,” you replied. “I think if she catches me coming in through the door, I can pass it off as going to the outhouse,” you explained. Hongjoong snorted before shaking his head.

“Such a clever girl,” he whispered. You looked skyward. “So,” you said, breaking the conversation. “What constellations do we have to look forward to tonight?”

Hongjoong spent the next couple hours pointing out different celestial bodies, telling you which ones they were and telling you about their properties in astrology. You lay next to one another on a blanket he brought to place on the grass as a barrier between your bodies and the ground. You weren’t sure when but at some point, you fell asleep, face buried in his chest as he hummed a melody, gently stroking your back.

As you awoke, you peered up at him. The moon had shifted in the sky, the light now coming from behind you and illuminating his face. He looked peaceful, eyes shut as he hummed that same lullaby. “Hongjoong?” you asked, your voice breaking the quiet.

His eyes fluttered open before landing on your face, a soft smile gracing his features. “What is it, Starlight?” he asked, his hand stilling on the small of your back. “How long have I been asleep?” you asked earnestly. Hongjoong glanced up at the sky, taking note of the change in the positions of the moon and the stars. “Hmm, maybe about an hour,” he answered.

You sighed, letting your head fall back onto the arm that was tucked under you. “I should probably head back,” you murmured. Hongjoong let out a quiet chuckle, moving his hand up to caress your cheek. “That would probably be for the best,” he hummed.

Neither of you made any attempts to move and you whined, rolling into him, pressing your face into his neck and inhaling his earth scent. “I don’t want to go back,” you whined. Hongjoong let out a low laugh this time, wrapping his arm around you and pulling you against him.

“You never want to, love,” he answered, the pet name sending a flutter through your stomach. “Can’t I just run away and come live with you?” you asked, pulling back to look up at his face. Hongjoong chuckled, leaning in to press his lips to your forehead. “As much as I would love that, Starlight,” he started. “I think your parents might figure out where you are and come to collect you.” You let out a groan of frustration. “Of course they would…”

Your eyes opened as a thought hit you and you quickly sat up, Hongjoong following, a look of concern and confusion etched onto his face. “Starlight?” he asked softly but you turned to look at him, excitement in your eyes.

“What if we both ran away?” you asked, catching him off guard. “We could leave together!” Hongjoong studied your expression as your words hung in the air. “You would do that?” he asked, scooting closer towards you. “You’d leave your village, your people, your family? Leave it all behind for me?” he asked, reaching up to cup your cheek. You leaned into his touch, eyes shutting as you reveled in the warmth of his hand.

“I would,” you answered. “If it meant I got to be with you always.” Hongjoong rolled his eyes but smiled all the same. “Do you think we’d make it?” he asked, his hand sliding down to the side of your neck. You nodded, watching his eyes dip down to where his hand rested against your neck. “I think we could make it. Maybe settle in a different part of the forest or even a different village. Maybe on the other side of the mountains,” you continued, feeling his thumb brush against the front of your throat.

“Or maybe we could settle down near the sea,” he countered, looking up to meet your gaze. “Build a little cabin near the shore.” Your lips pulled into a smile. “You’d build me a little cabin?” you asked softly. Hongjoong nodded, leaning closer. “I’d build you a hundred cabins if it pleased you,” he whispered, his lips inches from yours.

You giggled softly. “Now what would I do with a hundred cabins, Hongjoong?” you asked, laughing when he broke into a smile. “Okay, I’ll build you just one. But a really nice one,” he retorted. “One I could always add onto,” he continued, leaning forward and pushing you onto your back. You giggled as he hovered over you, lips barely brushing your own.

“Add on to? Why would you need to add onto the cabin?” you asked as he smiled down at you. “If we decided to expand our family,” he answered, pressing a short, chaste kiss to your lips before kissing a trail down the side of your neck. “Children, you mean?” you asked and he pulled back to look at you, nodding. “Only if you want them, of course,” he replied.

You pulled him down into a kiss, muffling the groan that escaped once you felt his hands on your hips. “I do,” you finally said when he broke the kiss. “I do want your children.” Hongjoong let out a sigh, shifting his body so his hips rested between your thighs. It was the most intimate position you’d been in with him.

“You want to carry my babies?” he asked softly, nipping playfully at the skin of your neck, moving up to whisper heavily in your ear. “You want me to get you pregnant?” he asked, hand sliding under your skirt and dragging his nails up the outside of your thigh. “Want me to do that right now? Make you mine and give you a baby at the same time?”

You let out a giggle as his breath tickled your neck. “Hongjoong! What if someone walks by?” you whispered. He pulled back, giving you a smirk. “No one ever walks past here, Starlight. These are my woods. People know better than to enter my woods,” he replied, leaning down to press a kiss to your cheek.

“Well, I entered them,” you retorted. Hongjoong let out a chuckle. “You’re the only exception,” he replied. “You’re not just anyone. You’re my guiding star. These woods are just as much yours as they are mine, Starlight.” Your cheeks grew warm at his praise and suddenly, he was sitting up, taking your hand and helping you up.

“It is getting late, sweetheart,” he said as he glanced at the sky. “I don’t want you to get in trouble or not get any sleep before you start your chores in the morning. Come,” he added as he got to his feet, holding out his hand for you to take.

Once you were on your feet, he started to walk you in the direction of the village, taking care to help you over the fallen trees and broken branches until you reached the edge of the woods. Hongjoong turned you to face him, taking your face in his hands and pulling you into a kiss. “I hate parting,” he hummed as he pulled you into a tight embrace.

“One day we won’t have to part,” you replied, looking up at him. Hongjoong smiled, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Alright, Starlight,” he said softly. “You should head back. I don’t want you to get in trouble.” You nodded, starting to walk away but he held your hand. “I love you,” he said softly, making you break into a smile. “I love you,” you replied.

Once the words left your lips, he let go of your hand and watched as you exited the trees, sneaking around the back of the buildings until he was no longer in sight. As you reached your home, you stopped by the outhouse to do your business before heading back into the house. 

Shutting the door, you heard a creak and turned to find your mother standing at the base of the stairs, a candle in her hand. “What are you doing?” she asked in a hushed tone as you removed your hood. “I had to use the outhouse,” you answered. “I woke up with the urge.”

Your mother said nothing, only nodded and then gestured for you to head upstairs. You did so, her following you. As you reached the landing you bid her goodnight and went into your room, shutting the door. You quickly stripped down and put on your nightgown before getting into bed, forgetting your prayers altogether as you fell into a deep slumber.

—————————————————————

The following morning, your mother again asked what you did last night but you reiterated that you got up to use the outhouse. She asked why you were dressed and not in your nightgown and when you were unable to provide an answer, she knew you had snuck out yet again.

“How many times have I told you?” she scolded as you got ready to head to the chicken coop, your mother carrying a basket and accompanying you. “It’s dangerous to go out at night. Only devils, demons, and beasts wander the night,” she continued. “And you are no devil or demon nor beast, are you?” 

You shook your head in response as you worked. She tacked on extra work after you collected eggs. You were to milk the goats, clean their stalls, clean the house as well as tend to your gardens and help her with the laundry.

It wasn’t work you weren’t used to and you knew she was only doing it to keep a close eye on you. That night, you knew you wouldn’t be able to sneak out to see Hongjoong but you hadn’t made any plans to meet anyway. The next night you still weren’t able to sneak out without arousing suspicion.

On the third night, you received an unexpected visitor as you got up to get a glass of cider. You could hear your parents snoring in the other room as you tiptoed down the steps, barefoot in your nightgown and made your way over to the kitchen. You had just grabbed the pitcher when you heard a soft tapping on the window behind you.

Turning around, you were met with Hongjoong peering into the window. You gasped, setting the pitcher of cider down and rushed over to the window, carefully unlatching and opening it. “What are you doing?” you hissed at him as he smiled, leaning on the window sill.

“I haven’t seen or heard from you in three days,” he whispered back. You glanced towards the stairs before looking back at him. “Mama caught me coming in and saw me in my plain clothes so I couldn’t talk my way out of it,” you explained. Hongjoong’s eyes wandered down to your nightgown before looking back up to meet your gaze.

“Maybe you should sneak out in your nightgown instead,” he whispered, giving you a mischievous smirk. You playfully swatted at him. “I just need to wait until she’s not as on guard before I can sneak out again,” you added. Hongjoong leaned further in, peering into the empty room. “Or I can come in,” he offered. Your eyes widened, brows rising as you placed a hand on his chest and gently pushed him back slightly.

“That is far too risky,” you replied. He leaned in closer, face near yours. “I promise I’ll be quiet, Starlight,” he whispered. You shook your head again. “No,” you replied, gently pushing him back. Hongjoong pouted but you stood firm, leaning in to kiss him. “I promise I will come see you. How about next week? Saturday night?”

Hongjoong smiled, leaning in for another kiss. “Alright,” he whispered. “I guess it’ll have to do. But don’t forget the week after that. The new moon. I want to show you something amazing.” You smiled, pressing another kiss to his lips. “It’s a date,” you replied.

“Now get out of my window. You’re gonna get me in trouble!” you hissed. Hongjoong chuckled, leaning in one last time for a kiss before he finally pulled away and started to head back to the woods. You shut the window and went back to the pitcher, pouring yourself a glass of cider.

As you sipped it, you heard the stairs creak. Your father appeared at the base of the stairs with a candle. “Oh, you’re up?” he asked. “It’s late. What are you doing up?” You held up the cup of cider. “I woke up thirsty so I came to get some cider,” you answered.

With a nod, your father started for the door, no doubt heading to the outhouse. You finished your drink and set aside the cup before heading back upstairs to your room. As you settled into bed, you heard your father climb the stairs and the door to your parents room shut.

The rest of the week passed by without incident, your mother’s watch grew lax and you were certain you were in the clear. It was the morning of Saturday and you were running errands for your mother once more, checking the market for any sign of Hongjoong but found none.

You were leaving the Smith’s home when a shrill wail sounded from near the well. You turned your head as a crowd started to gather, the elder minister, Jonas, pushing his way through the crowd to get to the epicenter, Yeosang in tow. You froze as the wails continued. You were vaguely able to pick out some words but most of it was a jumbled mess of wailing and cries.

You stepped off the front stoop and slowly made your way over to the crowd. Part of you wanted to see what was going on but you also had to pass by the area on your way back to your home. You stopped at the edge of the crowd, standing on your tiptoes to try and see past the villagers but before you caught sight of anything, you felt a gentle hand on your arm.

Turning your head, you saw Yeosang meet your eyes before he firmly but carefully dragged you away from the commotion. You twisted around to glance back at the crowd but Yeosang continued to pull you away. “Don’t,” he said softly. His voice was quiet but his tone was very firm.

You turned back around and walked with him, avoiding the crowd as you headed home.

“What happened?” you whispered, glancing at him. He shook his head. “Mrs. Collins says something is wrong with her child, the youngest,” he replied, keeping a hand on your back as he guided you towards your home. 

“Oh no,” you said softly. “Not the baby, surely?” you asked. Yeosang’s silence confirmed it for you. “She claims it’s some sort of bewitchment,” he continued, a look of disdain crossing his features briefly. “More likely some illness is the culprit.” You looked up at him as he seemed to contemplate something before his attention shifted.

“How are you?” he asked softly. “I’m all right,” you answered. “Been busy and my duties have kept me inside,” you explained. “But hopefully soon, I’ll be able to come out more. I miss the fresh air.” Yeosang stared at you for a moment before a smile spread across his face.

“You miss the forest,” he said. It wasn’t a question. You glanced at him, cheeks growing warm under his gaze. “I know more than you think I do,” he continued. “I’ve seen you coming out of the forest.” Your heart skipped a beat. Your panic must have shown because Yeosang placed a hand on your shoulder. “I would never tell your secret,” he said reassuringly.

“Hongjoong needs a friend and if it's you, then I am happy for the both of you.”

Your heart rate slowed back to normal and you took a deep breath. “What if it’s not just friendship?” you asked quietly, glancing over to where the crowd was now dispersing before looking back at Yeosang.

He studied your expression before speaking in a low voice. “Have you done something that would be considered improper with Hongjoong?” he asked. Your eyes widened. Had you been improper with him? The memory of Hongjoong’s weight on top of you the other night came to mind but that was the extent of it.

You shook your head. “No,” you replied. “Nothing like that. He’s never taken more than a kiss,” you admitted, cheeks burning under Yeosang’s gaze. You missed the look that Yeosang gave initially but he quickly changed it.

“Well if that’s all he’s taking, then I won’t say anything,” he said, his tone light as the two of you continued towards your front door. Yeosang stopped, guiding you to turn towards him and looked around before speaking in a low voice.

“I really am happy that Hongjoong has you but I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you. Please, Y/N, be careful. Not everyone in this village would be so kind or welcoming of your… friendship with him.”

Before you could respond, the door beside you opened and you turned your head to find your mother standing on the other side. She looked from you to the young pastor and back before noticing his gentle grip on your sleeve.

As quickly as she noticed, Yeosang let go of you and stood upright, clearing his throat. You turned to look at him, scrambling for something to say. “Th-thank you for walking me back,” you said quickly, bowing your head. “It’s been a pleasure to talk with you again.” Yeosang gave you a warm smile.

“The pleasure has been mine,” he replied. Without another word, you slipped past your mother who greeted Yeosang before bidding him farewell and shutting the door. She rounded on you as you walked over to the kitchen to unload your haul.

“Do my eyes deceive me or have you been spending time with the youth minister?” she asked, approaching you as she wiped her hands on her apron. You glanced up, noticing her excited expression. “He just walked me home, mama,” you replied. “There was a commotion in the market today and he guided me around it and walked me to the door. That’s all.”

You bustled about, putting away jars and the bread you got from trading, your mother hot on your heels. “Is that who you’ve been sneaking out of the house to see late at night?”

You froze, hand in the bag of pastries as you were putting them away.

‘No,’ your mind said. ‘I’ve been seeing Hongjoong.’

The temptation to tell her the truth was strong but you knew if you did, your mother would never let you out of her sight again. But if she thought you were spending that time with Yeosang? She’d probably encourage it. ‘What’s one harmless lie?’

You turned to look at her, glancing around. “Is father home?” you asked softly, to which your mother shook her head, excitement building again. Taking a deep breath, you merely nodded. Your admission made your mother squeal with delight.

“Oh, he is a fine young man!” she exclaimed as you forced a smile and went about your chores, removing your cloak and grabbing an apron. “He is,” you simply replied, not wanting to feed too much into it. ‘And so is Hongjoong.’

You turned to look at your mother. “So, what can I help with?”

After finishing your chores for the day and preparing for a day of rest on Sunday, you headed out to the garden to bring in some fresh rosemary for your mother to add to dinner. You checked your stores of fungus but found you were running low.

“Oh, it’s alright,” your mother noted as you told her you were almost out of mushrooms. “We don’t have to add them this time.” You removed your apron and donned your cloak, fastening it as you headed for the door. “Nonsense,” you replied. “I know a spot close by where they grow. I’ll be back in a moment.”

You pulled open the door, stepping out into the cool air as the sun was beginning to set. You walked towards the forest, passing houses on your way. “Y/N!” a voice called. You turned to find Nicolas waving you over. You quickened your pace as he said something to one of his friends and made a beeline towards you.

You stifled a groan as he stopped you, blocking your path, grabbing your arm which you pulled back immediately. “Where are you off to so late?” he asked, that signature smirk on his face that made you want to smack it off. “None of your business, Nicolas,” you replied and tried to step around him.

Nicolas matched your movements, letting out a chuckle. “Come on, Y/N. Why do you always shut me out? All I want is to be friends,” he asked, taking a step forward, forcing you to take one back. “I don’t want to be friends with you, Nicolas,” you retorted, voice low and full of ire.

“Why not? I really like you, Y/N. Everyone knows you’re probably going to be my wife one day, so why fight it?” You let out a sound of disgust, pushing him aside and hurrying into the forest, taking one glance back before making your way through the woods on a path you knew well.

Your attempts to lose Nicolas were in vain as he followed you into the trees. “Come on back, Y/N! It’s not safe here at night!” You ignored him, continuing on your path to the small patch where your favorite mushrooms grew at the base of the pines.

Nicolas was hot on your trail as you reached the spot and started searching in the low light for a few good mushrooms. “You’re fast,” Nicolas noted as he stopped to lean against a tree, watching you forage. “What are you doing?”

“Foraging,” you snapped as you found a few mushrooms and started to carefully unearth them. “You really are a strange person,” Nicolas said as he walked over, crossing his arms and leaning against the tree you were currently knelt by.

“You know, this is quite a compromising position,” he said, a chuckle escaping him as you glanced up at him. “There’s nothing compromising about this,” you replied, turning away from him and continuing to collect the mushrooms.

“Oh come on, Y/N,” he said. You felt his hand roughly grab your chin and turn your head to face him. “I know you like me,” he continued. “I know when a woman acts disgusted, it actually means she wants you.”

You jerked your head back, glaring up at him in the dying light of the sun. “No,” you said, shaking your head. “It doesn’t and I don’t know who taught you that but they’re wrong. When a woman acts disgusted it’s because she’s actually disgusted. You are rude, crass, and the last man on this green earth I would ever marry!”

Your voice echoed around the forest as your words set in. Nicolas let out a deep sigh. “I’m tired of waiting for you to come around, I guess I’ll just have to force you,” he snapped. You tried to back away, getting to your feet clumsily as Nicolas made his move.

He forced you back down, kneeling as he grabbed your wrists and tried to force you to the dirt. “Let go of me!” you shouted as he managed to force you down onto the forest floor. You struggled against his hold as he rolled you onto your stomach, taking your hands behind your back as you kicked and tried to scream.

You felt his hand tug at the skirt of your dress, trying to force the hem up and you struggled harder, screaming insults and curses at him. He managed to keep your hands pinned as he started to loosen the ties of his trousers.

“Give in, Y/N, it’ll be more enjoyable,” he huffed.

You wriggled and writhed under him, trying to free your hands or wear him out enough to break free, coughing up dirt and dust as he resumed pulling your dress up. “Don’t touch me!” you growled. “My father will have your head on a pike, Nicolas!”

You heard him chuckled before there was a loud metallic thud and the weight on top of you dissipated. You looked over your shoulder to see a dark figure standing above you and a now unconscious Nicolas, holding a shovel. “Y/N?” a familiar voice asked, the figure moving to kneel beside you.

It was Hongjoong.

You pushed yourself up before collapsing into his arms as the shovel hit the ground. His arms went around you instinctively as you sobbed into his chest. “It’s all right, love, I’m here,” he said softly, stroking your back as you continued to cry.

“Here,” he continued, guiding you to your feet and helping brush the dirt off your dress. “What are you doing here?” he asked, taking your face in his hands. “I was just foraging for some mushrooms,” you said between sobs. Hongjoong clicked his tongue before pulling you in closer. “He f-followed me,” you continued.

Hongjoong glanced down at the unconscious form of Nicolas, his dislike of the man having grown tenfold. He could kill him but he wouldn’t. He would let the villagers decide what to do with him. “Come on, love,” Hongjoong said as he stooped down to pick up your small bag of mushrooms. “Let’s get you home.”

You shook your head. “I want to stay with you,” you objected but Hongjoong pressed a kiss to your forehead, calmly shushing you. “You need to go back home. I’ll walk you. I’ll explain to your parents what happened. I came across Nicolas trying to assault you and stopped him. With the state you’re in, they’ll have no choice but to believe me.”

You nodded slowly as Hongjoong carefully led the way out of the forest. The sun had almost set by the time you reached the village and very few people were still outside, those who were, eyed the two of you as you made your way to your house.

Upon reaching the door, it opened and the worried face of your father turned into confusion when he saw Hongjoong. “If I may explain?” he asked before your father could get a word in. Your father stood in the doorway, eyeing the man for a moment before relenting and letting the two of you in.

Your mother rushed over, gasping at the state of your dress and tear stained face. She guided you to sit down as your father rounded on Hongjoong. “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded.

“I know what this looks like but Y/N can vouch for the events. I was coming back from burying one of my goats in the forest when I heard screaming. I followed the sound and found your daughter being attacked,” Hongjoong explained.

“I rushed over and managed to incapacitate the man and immediately helped her up and brought her straight back here,” he continued. Your father turned from Hongjoong to look in your direction. You glanced up, eyes full of tears and nodded. “It’s true,” you added.

“Why were you in the forest alone?” your father asked.

“I went to get some mushrooms, to add to the stew,” you explained, to which Hongjoong handed the small cloth bag to your father. “Nicolas followed me into the forest after I told him to leave me be,” you continued, taking a deep breath.

“Nicolas?” your father asked, turning to look at you fully, brows furrowed in confusion. “Aye, Nicolas,” you heard Hongjoong reply. “He was the one attacking her.” Your father turned to look at Hongjoong. “Why would Nicolas attack her? What could he possibly want?” your father asked. Hongjoong fell silent, hoping the realization would come to your father.

“I asked you a question, boy,” your father snapped. Hongjoong sighed and glanced at you before addressing your father.

“He was trying to force himself on her,” he answered. “He had her pinned down and was trying to –” Hongjoong’s voice cracked. “Are you accusing him of trying to rape my daughter?” your father asked incredulously. “He’s not accusing him,” you interjected. “Nicolas tried to rape me. He pushed me down and tried to lift my skirt and –” your voice faltered as your mother pulled you into her embrace. “If it hadn’t been for Hongjoong, Nicolas would have succeeded.”

Your mother patted your head, shushing you gently as she rocked you. A fresh wave of tears rolled down your cheeks as you sobbed softly. Your father turned to Hongjoong, running a hand over his face. “Where is Nicolas now?” he asked.

“In the forest as far as I know. I hit him with a shovel. He was out pretty good. Still breathing. Unless he came to, he should be right where I left him,” Hongjoong answered. Your father nodded before gesturing to the door. “I will need to go get some of the others but we will need you to show us where Nicolas is,” he continued as he led the way to the door.

You looked up as Hongjoong followed your father. He glanced back at you. “Thank you,” you called out. Hongjoong nodded and your heart ached, yearning to run to him and kiss him for saving you but in front of your parents, all you could do was express your gratitude through your words.

Your father opened the door and just like that, they were gone.

The next morning, you learned from your mother that Nicolas was indeed still where Hongjoong said he was and was still passed out. It took a few of the villagers to carry him through the forest back to the village and that your father had personally thanked Hongjoong for what he’d done.

You were unable to meet with Hongjoong that night and for the next week, your mother kept you inside and away from the forest. She ran your errands instead while you stayed inside. News of Nicolas’ transgression had spread throughout the village and by the middle of the week, the entire village knew what he had done and with the backing of your father’s testimony, Nicolas was to be punished accordingly.

His sentencing came almost a week after the incident. He was to receive fifty lashes, publicly, spend a day in the stock, and receive a brand on the back of his hand. Your father wanted you to attend the sentences being carried out but your mother advocated for you to stay home so you wouldn’t have to see Nicolas again.

Hongjoong’s name was kept out of it all and when your father recounted the tale to the ministers, he testified that you had walked home alone and that an unseen figure had knocked Nicolas out and ran.

It upset you that your father refused to speak a word on the good deed Hongjoong had done but if you said anything about Hongjoong, it could make the townfolk’s beliefs shift in favor of your assailant.

You were checking the pot hanging over the hearth, stirring the stew when you heard a knock at the door. Your parents were out, attending the public whipping so you were home alone. You wiped your hands on your apron and walked over to the door, cracking it open.

At the threshold was Yeosang, he turned quickly as the door opened and he looked relieved upon seeing you. “Can I come in?” he asked softly. You opened the door further, hearing the crack of the whip and cries of pain in the distance.

Yeosang quickly entered the house, allowing you to shut the door and muffle the sounds of torture. Yeosang looked around before turning to look at you. “How are you?” he asked quickly. “I wanted to check on you as soon as I heard.”

You forced a smile. “I’m okay,” you replied softly. Yeosang closed the distance between you, gently lifting your face to look at him. “You don’t have to lie or put on a brave face around me, Y/N. What you went through… I can’t even imagine.”

You pulled back, turning to resume cooking. “It’s okay, really. Nicolas didn’t get far. He was knocked out cold before anything could really happen.”

Yeosang stepped forward cautiously. “Right,” he answered. “The unseen figure in the forest.”

You picked up the spoon and stirred the pot, hoping to distract yourself with cooking. “Your father said you didn’t see who it was but I have a suspicion,” Yeosang said softly, stopping just behind you. “It was Hongjoong, wasn’t it?”

You turned quickly to look up at him. “Please, don’t bring this up. I don’t want to cause any more trouble!” Yeosang held up a hand to calm you before he placed that same hand on your shoulder. “I won’t tell anyone. I promise,” he whispered.

“And you aren’t causing problems. Nicolas made his choices. You did nothing wrong. He has to face the consequences of his actions. Whatever you may think or may have heard, you are not to blame in any of this.”

You nodded slowly as he retracted his hand. “I merely wanted to check on you,” he added, making his way over to the door. “I wanted to make sure you were all right.” You watched as he reached for the door. “Why?” you asked suddenly, catching him off guard.

Yeosang turned to look at you. “Why what?” he asked, seeking clarification.

“Why did you want to make sure I’m all right?” you asked again. Yeosang studied your face for a moment before responding. “Because I care about you, Y/N. I care about you a great deal.”

He gave you a kind smile before bowing his head and opening the door, stepping out and shutting it behind him, leaving you to contemplate the meaning of his words. He cared about you? Did he care about you as a neighbor? As a pastor? Or as a man? Questions consumed your mind as you returned to the stew over the hearth while you pondered.

After dinner that night, you sat in your room, dressed for bed as you stared at the same spot on the floor for what felt like hours. There was a soft knock on your door and you looked up in time to see your mother peer into your room. “Have you said your prayers?” she asked to which you nodded. A lie, but your mother didn’t need to know that. You had much more on your mind than praying.

Your mother entered your room, shutting the door and walked over to sit beside you. “I heard the young pastor came to visit you during Nic- the sentencing,” she said, stopping herself from saying the name. You nodded wordlessly. “He clearly cares a great deal about you,” your mother said, a hint of joy to her voice.

“Perhaps he will ask you to m–”

“I’m really tired, Mama,” you whispered, cutting her off. She fell silent before taking your hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Of course, my dear,” she said, bringing your hand up to place a kiss on the back. “Get some sleep. We have service in the morning.”

She got up and headed for the door, you watching as she opened it. “Mama,” you called out suddenly, making her turn to face you. “I love you,” you said, giving her a small smile. She returned the smile before replying. “I love you, too.”

As soon as the coast was clear, you headed out of the house. With things dying down after the incident with Nicolas, you felt you would be able to visit Hongjoong once again.

You had opted to keep your nightgown on, throwing your cloak over it and headed out of the house, keeping as quiet as possible as you snuck into the forest, following the path to Hongjoong’s place once more.

Upon arriving, you saw that the lights were out and wondered if maybe you should go back but you decided against it, your urge to see him stronger than the urge to let him rest.

He wouldn’t be mad at you for that, would he? He couldn’t.

As you reached the door, the goats were in their shed for the night and made no sound upon your approach, so you were able to actually knock on the door, softly at first.

Either Hongjoong was a light sleeper or he had just settled down for bed because you heard a light shuffling before a dim light emanated from the window. You heard the latch for the door slide and it opened a crack, the light of a candle peering out from the darkness before the door opened wider.

“Starlight?” Hongjoong asked as he realized it was you. “Did I wake you?” you asked softly as he checked the woods around the cabin. “No, no,” he answered before ushering you in. “I just wasn’t expecting you.”

You turned as he set the candle down on the table and moved to light the fire in the hearth. “I just wanted to see you,” you explained as he set a few logs on the growing blaze. “It’s alright, Starlight,” he said with a chuckle.

You moved to kneel behind him as he stoked the fire, trying to get it to grow. He let out a small noise of surprise as you wrapped your arms around him, resting your head against his shoulder.

“I missed you,” you whispered. He grabbed one of your hands, bringing it up to kiss. “I missed you too, Starlight.” The two of you sat there in silence as the crackling of the fire filled the space. Finally Hongjoong started to turn and you released him.

“I haven’t been able to ask,” he said softly, cupping your cheek. “How are you doing?” he whispered, eyes searching your face. “I’m fine,” you answered. “I don’t want to talk about that,” you said softly.

“I didn’t come here to talk about that.” Hongjoong nodded as you got up and walked over to the table. He stood up, following your movements and taking your hand in his, bringing it up to press against his chest where you could feel his heartbeat.

“Then what do you want?” he asked gently, reaching his hand up to caress your cheek. You looked up at him, leaning into his touch before moving your hand up to the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss.

Hongjoong fed into your touch, hands sliding to your waist and pulling you closer as his lips parted yours, his tongue sliding into your mouth. He tasted like strawberries and you pulled back to look at him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned he’d done something wrong. “You taste like strawberries,” you said softly, eyes dipping to look at his lips. He chuckled before speaking. “I had some before bed,” he admitted.

You looked around. “Do you have any more?” you asked. Hongjoong shook his head. “I ate some of them, the rest I’ve started to pickle,” he explained, nodding towards a set of jars sitting on the mantle of the fireplace.

You pouted before looking back up at him. “I guess I’ll just have to kiss you some more,” you said, pulling him into a kiss. Hongjoong laughed into the kiss as your need grew, hands moving to pull at his shirt. Hongjoong stopped you, pulling back to look at your face.

“What are you doing, Starlight?” he asked, holding your hands still. You tried to pull free and continue. “I want more,” you simply said but he didn’t relent. “Want more what? Starlight, I need you to be absolutely certain you know what you’re asking for.”

You stopped struggling to look at him. “The incident with Nicolas made me realize that I don’t want anyone else, Hongjoong. I want you and only you,” you explained, looking up at him with pleading eyes. Hongjoong’s eyes flickered back and forth between yours.

“Are you absolutely sure, Starlight? Do you even know what you’re asking?” he asked softly as you reached up, caressing his cheek, tracing down to his lips. “I want you to make love to me, Hongjoong,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

“I want you to make me yours, give me a baby, I don’t care. I just want you to claim me,” you added.

Hongjoong swallowed thickly before he pulled you into a kiss, his tongue slipping back into your mouth, stifling the moan that had been building up in your chest. His hands moved to your hips, guiding you carefully back towards his bed.

“On the bed, sweetheart,” he said softly. You did as he asked, undoing your cloak and letting it fall to the floor before sitting down on the edge of the bed. Hongjoong dropped to his knees, starting to undo your boots and pull them off one by one. He looked up at you, his hands sliding up your legs, pushing your nightgown up to your knees.

“Lie back for me,” he instructed. You did as he asked, propping yourself up on your elbows. Hongjoong guided you back onto the bed until you were in the middle, climbing over you.

“What’re you–” you started to ask but he simply shushed you, his hand moving from your lips and sliding down to your chest. His hand ghosted over your chest, sliding further still, past your stomach until he reached your most private area. He carefully and without breaking eye contact, pulled the hem of your nightgown up.

“I want you to do something for me,” he said softly, licking his lips. You nodded silently, looking up at him. “I want you to touch yourself,” he said, taking your hand and guiding it under your nightgown.

Your cheeks burned under his gaze. “T-touch myself?” you asked softly. Hongjoong nodded.

You thought back to when you’d attempted to touch yourself but had grown both ashamed and frustrated at your inability to make yourself feel good. You nodded slowly, maintaining eye contact with him. “And how did it feel?” he asked, keeping your hands in place. “It was… fine,” you answered, cheeks burning as one of his brows rose questioningly. “Fine?” he asked. “Just fine?”

You nodded. “I don’t think I did it right,” you blurted out, your eyes widening at your own admittance. Hongjoong’s lips threatened to curl into a smile but instead he cleared his throat, tearing his eyes from yours for a moment as he glanced down to where both of your hands disappeared under your dress.

“Show me.”

You nearly choked on your own breath at his command.

“S-show you?” you asked. “Show you what?” Hongjoong leaned in, pressing his forehead to your temple. “Show me how you touch yourself, pet,” he replied softly, his breath hot against your ear. “Show me so I can teach you how to make yourself feel good.”

You glanced up at Hongjoong who was tracing your features with his eyes before meeting your gaze. “Do you want me to stop?” he asked softly. You shook your head. “I… I want this I’m just…” you trailed off. “I’ve never…”

Hongjoong smiled, taking your face in his hand and turning you to look at him. “I know, sweetheart,” he replied. “That’s why I’m taking this slow.” You nodded slowly and cleared your throat, licking your lips. “I don’t know how to start. Should I just–?” you turned to look at Hongjoong but your words were cut off when he pressed his lips to yours.

You moaned into the kiss as he pressed your fingers into yourself, finding the wetness between your thighs. Hongjoong groaned against your lips as he guided your fingers, pressing against the sensitive bundle of nerves.

You gasped as he guided your fingers to circle the nub, his lips parting yours as his tongue explored your mouth. This was nothing new to you. Hongjoong had kissed you like this plenty of times before but him guiding your hand beneath your skirt was definitely new.

“Go on, darling,” he mumbled against your lips. “Show me how you touch yourself.” You whimpered as your fingers pressed against yourself clumsily. Hongjoong removed his hand, taking your chin in his fingers and pressing a tender kiss against your lips.

An urgency took over, his tongue slipping back into your mouth and dancing against your own as your fingers tried to massage and stroke yourself but it was no use. You weren’t sure what you were doing. It was messy and clumsy and you whined against Hongjoong who pulled back, to meet your gaze. His hand joined yours, fingers guiding yours as he pressed against the bundle of nerves again.

The moment it made contact, your mind went blank. “Feel that?” he whispered as your eyes slid shut. “That’s where you wanna touch,” he continued, guiding your fingers in a circle. “And this,” he added, moving your hand further down, pressing your fingers against your slit. “Is where you can also touch but like this,” he continued, guiding your fingers and pressing the tip into your hole.

You let out a gasp, eyes opening to meet his. “Don’t worry,” he cooed. “We’ll take it slow.”

Hongjoong guided your fingers back up. “This is the clitoris,” he explained, showing you how to massage and circle the nub just enough to give you some pleasure. “Keep going, sweetheart,” he whispered as his hand moved from yours. You watched as he brought his fingers up to his lips, wetting them before his hand disappeared under your skirt.

“Spread your legs for me a little,” he urged, fingers finding your slit when you obeyed. “Good girl,” he cooed.

“This might be uncomfortable at first,” he explained. “But if we’re going to do this, I have to prepare you.”

“Prepare me?” you asked, slowing your ministrations. Hongjoong nodded. “You wanted me to make love to you, right?” he asked to which you nodded. “Then I have to make sure to get you ready. If I don’t, it might hurt you and I don’t want to hurt you.”

You nodded as you looked up at him, cheeks burning and lips wet with both your spit. “Keep going,” he urged and you continued to move your fingers against yourself, letting out a soft whimper as it started to feel good.

You felt the tip of one of his fingers slowly enter your hole and you froze. Hongjoong’s hand stilled. “Don’t tense up, sweetheart. Just relax.” You nodded, trying to will your body to relax against the intrusion.

“Keep touching yourself,” he reminded you. “It’ll help relax you. Try speeding up a little.” 

You did as he instructed, letting out a small whimper as the friction increased, a heat starting to spread from the pit of your stomach to other parts of your body. Hongjoong continued to ease his finger inside you, keeping his eyes on your face as he did until he stopped. “Is… is it in?” you asked curiously. Hongjoong nodded. “How do you feel?” he asked. It wasn’t uncomfortable like Hongjoong mentioned. It was a foreign feeling. You’d never felt anything like it before.

“It feels… odd,” you answered. Hongjoong chuckled, carefully pulling his finger back until just the tip was in and before you could ask what he was doing, he moved his finger back inside you, setting a slow pace, pumping in and out of you. “Oh, that’s different,” you whimpered. You felt him curl his finger and you let out a moan at the sensation of his finger rubbing against a soft spongy spot inside you.

“Does that feel good?” he asked softly as he continued to move his finger. You nodded, unable to speak, only whimpering and whining as he continued. After a few moments of this, he pulled his finger back and leaned down, taking your lips in a searing kiss. You squealed into the kiss when you felt his finger reenter you this time with a second one.

“It’s okay,” he murmured as his hand stilled. “I have to stretch you if I’m going to fit,” he continued. “If what’s going to fit?” you asked, breathing heavily. Hongjoong removed his hand from between your legs, grabbing your hand and guiding it to his groin. “You wanted me to make love to you, Starlight,” he replied.

You felt your walls contract around nothing as your hand met something hard. “But for this to be able to fit, I have to do this,” he continued, his hand returning to the space between your thighs, fingers slipping back inside you easily. You let out a moan as his fingers sank into your heat.

“Here,” he muttered, gently nudging your thighs apart. “Spread your legs a little more for me.”

You did as he asked, letting out a moan as his fingers slowly pumped in and out of you. The slight sting was quickly replaced with a dull ache which subsided into pleasure not long after. You felt his fingers move, attempting to stretch your walls more. “No matter what, this might hurt,” he continued as he curled his fingers against the spongy spot that had your back arching off the mattress, a whimper leaving your lips as a tension wound tightly in the pit of your belly.

“But I promise I’ll be gentle,” he added.

You let out a whimper, turning your head to bury your face in his chest, making him chuckle as he continued to pump his fingers in and out of you.

“How does it feel?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he watched you writhe under him. “S-so good,” you whined, fingers digging into the linens of his bed. “Yeah? Feels good?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. “I think I can do better than that.”

His fingers moved faster, the coil in your body winding tighter and tighter as the pressure built. You let out a gasp as you felt cool air against your naked lower half. Hongjoong had shifted, positioning himself between your legs as his fingers continued to pump in and out of you. 

He gave you a mischievous smirk before lowering his gaze, his lips parted, tongue slipping out to wet his lips before you felt his tongue against the bundle of nerves you’d been working earlier but completely lost interest in when Hongjoong’s fingers entered you.

You let out a loud moan, falling back against the bed as his tongue flicked against you expertly, teasing, rolling, and licking against you as his fingers moved in tandem. The coil that had been winding inside you finally broke, the tension in your body finally reaching a breaking point as a rush of heat and wave of pleasure washed over you, spreading from your stomach to the tips of your fingers and toes as you let out a moan, your legs shaking.

Hongjoong continued to lap at the sensitive nub before finally pulling back, his fingers also slipping out of your hole. You raised yourself up, propping up on your elbows as he appeared, cleaning his fingers. The sight alone had a fresh wave of want coursing through your body.

You grabbed the front of his tunic, pulling him into a passionate kiss which surprised not only him but yourself. Hongjoong chuckled as he broke the kiss and pulled you up into a sitting position. 

“Let’s get this off you,” he said softly tugging at your nightgown. “But then I’ll be naked,” you replied. Hongjoong chuckled as his hands worked to gather the material. “That’s the idea, love,” he answered. “But you’re still dressed,” you continued. 

“Shouldn’t we both be naked?”

Hongjoong chuckled and sat back, looking down at you with the skirt of your nightgown in his hands before he reluctantly let go of it, instead grabbing the back of the collar of his shirt and pulled it up over his head, discarding it quickly on the floor with your cloak and boots.

You’d never seen him without a shirt on before so this was entirely new to you. Before he could continue, you sat up and moved your hand to rest against his chest, feeling his heart thump under your splayed fingers. Your hand moved up past his collar to his shoulder before moving down to his bicep, squeezing gently as your hand explored. Hongjoong tried to push you onto your back but you took control instead, forcing him back and climbing onto him.

Your boldness took him by surprise as you straddled his hips, resting your hands against his chest as you continued to explore with your fingers. Your hands wandered lower and lower, stopping by the ties of his trousers. You looked up to meet his gaze, finding his eyes already watching you.

“Go ahead,” he said softly. You lowered your eyes, hands moving to the ties and undoing them with shaky fingers. Hongjoong waited as you took your time, undoing the ties to his pants before looking back up at him briefly. You scooted back, pulling his pants as you did.

You weren’t sure what you were expecting but seeing him completely nude for the first time wasn’t as intimidating or daunting as you were expecting. Your eyes scanned his lean body, taking in his toned abs and thighs. You’d never seen a man naked before so you were unfamiliar with what you were seeing. Hongjoong watched as you reached out carefully, gently placing your hand against his cock as it rested against his stomach.

It was hot against your hand and smooth on the underside. There were a few veins that ran up the sides towards the head, which was darker than the rest. It felt hard and firm in your hand as you wrapped your fingers around it apprehensively. Hongjoong let out a hiss and you started to retract your hand but he stopped you, grabbing your wrist. 

“Don’t,” he said softly. “It feels good, I promise.”

You nodded wordlessly before lowering your eyes to his length. You wrapped your fingers around it with renewed confidence and gently moved your hand up towards the tip before back down. Hongjoong let out a groan, head falling back against the bed as you moved experimentally.

Before he could say anything you leaned over, giving the tip of his cock a shy lick. The moment of your wet tongue made contact, Hongjoong let out a growl, grabbing your wrist and pulling your hand off him before he flipped you onto your back, hovering over you. 

“I’m sorry,” you squeaked out but he shook his head. “Don’t be,” he replied. “I had to stop you. If I didn’t I might have done something that wouldn’t feel good for you. I don’t want to do that for your first time.” You nodded quickly as his hands moved to your waist before starting to gather your chemise in his hands. He finally managed to slide the fabric up and remove it entirely, letting it fall to the side and leaving you completely bare before him.

His eyes scanned your body, taking in every detail and committing it to memory. “You are so beautiful,” he murmured as his hands moved to your knees, pushing your legs apart as he leaned forward. “So, so beautiful,” he continued, pressing a short kiss to your lips before his kisses continued down the side of your neck and to your chest. You let out a gasp as you felt his wet tongue against your nipple, letting out a whine as he suckled softly, his hand moving up to knead your other breast as he flicked his tongue over the pert bud in his mouth.

He let it fall, pressing kisses across your chest before repeating the same motions, swirling his tongue around your nipple and taking it gently into his mouth. You could feel the tip of his cock prod firmly at your thigh, eager to be buried inside you. It was hot and pulsated.

“Hongjoong,” you whimpered, one of your hands moving to comb through his hair as he let your nipple fall from his lips. “Yes, kitten?” he asked softly, looking up to meet your gaze. “Are you going to fuck me?” you asked, uncertain where the confidence came from. Hongjoong drew level with you, taking your chin in his hand firmly.

“Where did you learn such filthy language?” he asked. You let out a gasp as you felt the tip of his cock press against your slit. “And no,” he answered. “I’m not going to fuck you.” He reached between your bodies, taking his length firmly in his grasp and guiding the head to your slit.

“I’m going to make love to you,” he continued, pressing into you, the head of his cock slipping into you without much restraint. “Because you’re mine, starlight. You’re mine and I’m yours,” he added as he slid into you, slowly stretching your walls. It stung only a little as he bottomed out, stilling as he allowed your body to adjust to the intrusion which was significantly more than two of his fingers.

“H-Hongjoong,” you whimpered as your walls contracted rhythmically around his cock. “Yes, my love?” he murmured in your ear, his hot breath hitting your neck. “I’m okay,” you said softly. “You can move.” Hongjoong pressed a few kisses to your neck, ignoring the thin layer of sweat that was starting to cover both of your bodies.

He pulled back slowly, keeping his eyes on your face for any sign of discomfort. He gave you a shallow tentative thrust, his cock filling your walls quickly. The motion had you gasping but you waved him on. It wasn’t painful, just an entirely new experience. Hongjoong set a slow, steady pace, thrusting into you carefully so as not to hurt you.

“Hongjoong,” you whined. “Please don’t hold back. I’m okay,” you encouraged him. He shook his head. “You really don’t want that, sweetheart,” he warned you. “If I don’t hold back, I might hurt you.” You reached up, cupping his cheek. “I want to experience everything you can give me, please, Hongjoong,” you pleaded.

“Please give me everything. Don’t hold back.”

Hongjoong let out a groan, his head dropping into the crook of your neck. “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice muffled. You nodded, your fingers curling into his hair. “Make love to me the only way you know how.”

Hongjoong let out a huff, one of his hands moving to the back of your thigh and pushing it forward against your side, allowing him to sink further into you. You let out a gasp and the new angle and before he really let go, he nuzzled your nose with his. “Hold onto me,” he instructed. You did as he said, wrapping one arm around his neck.

Once he was certain you were secure, he didn’t hold back, his hips thrusting into you hard, making you cry out from the intensity. The sound of his skin hitting yours filled the cabin, drowned out only by your moans and cries of pleasure as he slammed into you, pounding you into the mattress below.

“Oh, g– oh yes. F-feels so good,” you whimpered as his cock hit against the spot that had you seeing stars earlier. “Yeah? You like it? Like it when I fill this sweet little cunt?” he asked in a growl. Your walls fluttered around him, attempting to suck him in and keep him buried inside your warm walls forever.

“Look at your greedy little hole. Trying to suck me in. You want me to bury my cock inside you and never leave, huh?” he asked. You’d never heard such filthy language before but when Hongjoong said it, it only increased the pleasure you were feeling. “Yes,” you gasped. “I love it! I want it all the time!”

Hongjoong let out a low laugh, almost a scoff as he continued to fuck into you, his hips hitting yours. “Such a good girl, letting me fuck her like this in my bed. I wanted to take it slow and make love to you all night but you were just so impatient. Needed me to fuck you like a bitch in heat. Isn’t that right?”

You let out a wanton moan at his words. “Yes. I am!” you cried out.

“What are you?” Hongjoong asked, his thrusts growing more erratic as he neared the edge. “I’m a bitch in heat. I’m your bitch in heat!” you answered. Hongjoong let out a low groan, his hips stilling as he pulled out of you quickly. You barely had time to register what was happening before he had you on your stomach, legs spread, back end propped up as he re-entered you and slammed into you roughly.

You cried into the sheets as he fucked into you harshly, hips slapping against your ass as he burried his cock deep inside you with every thrust. “You’re my bitch? Letting me fuck you like this. I bet you’ll let me fill you up too, right? You gonna let me breed you, darling? Fill you with my seed?” You whimpered into the sheets, unable to speak. You felt Hongjoong’s hand around the front of your throat as he pulled your head up.

“Let me hear you say it. Say you want me to fill you up and breed you,” he repeated. “Say it.”

“P-please Hongjoong,” you gasped. “F-fill me up. Breed me like a bitch in heat. Fill me with your seed-!”

You let out a gasp as you felt Hongjoong’s teeth sink into your shoulder as he came with a groan, burying his cock as deep as he could as his release spilled inside your walls, coating it and filling every crevice with each pump.

“That’s it,” he groaned, his voice hoarse as he pushed your chest against the bed. “Take all of it,” he growled, giving you a thrust. “Be a good girl and take all of it.”

You tried to catch your breath as you both came down from your respective highs. Soon, Hongjoong was pulling out of you and the next few minutes were a blur of him cleaning your skin with a damp cloth, whispering sweet praise in your ear about how well you did and how much he loved you.

Once you managed to calm yourself and regain your breathing, you lay in his bed, covers pulled up as you lay on your side, looking at Hongjoong who stared back at you. “You really are the most beautiful person I think I’ve ever seen,” he said softly, reaching out to caress your cheek. “No prettier than you are,” you answered.

Hongjoong let out a shy chuckle before leaning in to kiss you. Your hands started to wander and he stopped you as you rolled him into his back. “Patience, love,” he said as you pressed kisses against his cheek and neck, kissing down to his collar before he stopped you. “The sun will be rising soon,” he said softly, caressing from your temple to your chin and back, cupping your cheek.

“As much as I would love for you to stay and wake up to this beautiful face in the morning, your parents will not be pleased if they find your bed empty.” You sighed sadly, dropping your head onto his chest. “I don’t want to go back…” you whispered. Hongjoong sat up, propping himself up on his elbows. “I know, love,” he said, lifting your head to look at him.

“But give it a few more months. Let me save up so we can leave this place together. We can find a place to settle down. Maybe near the sea. We can start a life together.” You leaned into his touch, sighing contentedly. “Okay,” you answered finally, leaning in to press a kiss to his lips. “Let’s get you dressed,” he said as he helped you up.

Once your clothes were back on, he quickly and carefully led you out of the cabin and towards the village, stopping at the edge of the forest. He pulled you towards him, hidden behind one of the large trees. “What are you–” he cut you off with a kiss, wrapping his arms around you and holding you close. Breaking the kiss, you looked up into his eyes before taking a deep breath. “I love you,” you whispered. He took your face in his hands. “You mean it, Starlight?” he asked softly.

You nodded, looking up at him, his face partially illuminated by the light of the moon. “Do you love me?” you asked, not caring how naive you sounded. Hongjoong’s lips curved into a smile. “I love you more than the stars love the moon,” he answered. “I love you more than the moon loves the night. You’re my everything,” he continued.

“I meant it earlier when I said give me time to save up so we can leave this place together. I want a life with you,” he added. “I want to marry you, give you a home, and children. I want our happily ever after. I just need time.”

You nodded, trusting him entirely. “I understand. Just a few months and then we can go. Run away and leave this place behind.” Hongjoong pulled you into a kiss. “You need to go before your parents discover you gone,” he said when he pulled back. “Can I come see you tonight?” you asked softly. Hongjoong shook his head, chuckling. “So eager to see me again? Get your chores done, Starlight. Come see me in a few days.”

You nodded, starting to part before rushing back and kissing him again. Hongjoong chuckled softly, pushing you gently in the direction of your house. “Go, my love. Don’t get caught!” he whispered and you reluctantly left him behind and snuck out of the tree line, making a break for your house.

You managed to sneak back to the window you’d used to leave earlier. Once you were back in your room and in bed, you lay awake, reliving the moments of the night. The way Hongjoong touched you, kissed you, and made love to you. You knew that you would never want to be with another soul. Hongjoong was the one.

—————————————————————

Your parents didn’t confront you about your nightly escapade and so you felt as though you might be in the clear. A week passed by during which you continued to sneak out to see Hongjoong. As your love deepened, so did the sexual relationship between you. The second time you found yourselves in his bed, he was much gentler than he had been that first time, wanting to make it up to you though he had nothing to make up for.

Things in the village hadn’t changed much. Folks crops were still going bad before the harvest, livestock was getting sick and dying but your time with Hongjoong just strengthened the claim he was not to blame. How could he when he spent most of his days either tending to his garden, foraging, or hunting?

On the rare occasion that you were allowed to leave the village during the day, you joined him in the forest to forage. He showed you where to collect berries that were safe to eat and sweeter than anything you’d eaten before. He also helped you gather different herbs for cooking but also for healing, showing you how to prepare them into pastes and balms.

Hongjoong had so much knowledge to give and you were eager to learn, something he always appreciated.

You had spent a better part of the afternoon in the forest with Hongjoong and after stealing a few kisses, he sent you on your way back to the village so you wouldn’t get into trouble for being out too long. Upon returning home, you saw your father was not there but your mother was.

She greeted you as you entered, basket in hand. “What’s that?” she asked as you set the basket down and removed your hood. “Berries and a few herbs from the forest,” you said simply as you uncovered your fruits of labor. Your mother walked over to inspect the haul and watched as you picked up a berry and held it up for her.

“It’s sweet, go on, try it,” you encouraged. Your mother took the berry apprehensively and popped it into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully before her eyes widened in shock. “Those are so sweet,” she noted as you smiled widely and started to pull out the herbs to dry.

“Where did you find those?” your mother asked as you moved about the kitchen. “There’s a small clearing not far where the berries grow on bushes in a huge cluster,” you explained. “They’re good for eating and for making jams or pies,” you explained. Your mother watched you before she spoke up.

“And where did you learn this from?” she asked, making you hesitate. Your entire village was aware of Hongjoong’s existence but you weren’t sure if your mother put any stock into what the villagers were saying about him. “A friend,” you said softly, hoping she would drop it.

“A friend?” she asked and you merely nodded as you started to collect the berries in a jar. “Would this friend happen to be the man who lives in the woods?” You froze, setting the jar down to avoid dropping it. “And if it is?” you asked quietly as your mother approached.

“That man is not to be trusted,” your mother started, taking your arm gently but you pulled back, looking at her. “Says who?” you asked, a surge of confidence coursing through you. “Because he is a witch,” your mother answered, looking indignant at your sudden rebellious nature.

“They only call him that because he was raised differently than we were,” you retorted. “Hongjoong is not a bad person, Mother,” you explained. “He just knows more about the forest and natural medicine. That doesn’t make him a witch!” Your mother shook her head. 

“He’s a witch, Y/N,” your mother repeated. “He consorts with demons and devils in the dark of night!”

You shook your head this time. “No he doesn’t, Mother! He doesn’t even believe in demons. He’s just a man who lives a little differently than we do. He’s not evil, he doesn’t make pacts with devils in the dead of night. He studies the stars,” you continued to explain.

Your mother looked absolutely horrified. “Has he been teaching you this devil work?” she demanded and you sighed. “No, Ma,” you answered. “It’s not the devil's work. It’s just the stars. The ancient Greeks and Romans studied the stars and their movements, they weren’t branded as heretics so why is Hongjoong being branded as one?”

Your mother opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by a knock at the door. Your mother threw one last look of concern your way before moving to answer the door. You peered over her shoulder from where you stood to find the visitor on your doorstep was none other than Yeosang.

“Oh, hello Pastor,” your mother greeted. Yeosang smiled warmly at your mother. “Good afternoon, ma’am. I was wondering if I might borrow Miss Y/N for a moment? I have something to discuss with her. It won’t take too much of her time and she’ll be back to her errands as soon as I’m done.” Your mother turned to look at you and nodded.

“The pastor would like to see you, Y/N,” your mother said, making her way back over and taking the jar of berries. “Best go see what he wants. I’ll finish this,” she said as she nudged you gently. You wiped your hands on the cloth and headed for the door where Yeosang stood.

You followed him out of the house, shutting the door behind you as you walked. “Has something happened?” you asked as he led you away from the prying eyes. “No, nothing like that,” he answered, walking out of sight of the market with you following.

“Yeosang, what is–”

“You need to be more careful, Y/N,” he said suddenly, glancing around quickly before looking back at you. “What?” you asked softly. “You need to be more careful. Coming out of the forest at night, anyone could see you and who you’re with.”

Your eyes widened as it dawned on you what he was implying. “Y-you saw me?” you asked. Yeosang nodded, taking a deep breath. “I’m not going to say anything, you know that, but you really need to be more mindful of the fact that anyone could have seen you. You’re lucky it was me and not someone like Jonas or Gideon.”

You nodded silently. “That would not bode well,” you said softly.

“No,” Yeosang answered. “It would not.”

You looked up at him. “Thank you,” you said softly. “For not saying anything.” Yeosang bowed his head. “You know,” you started as he walked you back to your door. “My mother thinks you are interested in me,” you continued. Yeosang looked at you, bewilderment on his face. “Does she?” he asked, fighting the urge to smile.

You nodded. “It’s really thanks to you that I’m not in more trouble. Mama thinks I’m sneaking out at night to see you.” Yeosang fought the urge to laugh. “Well, if it gives you your freedom,” he said as you stopped by the door. “Then I’m happy to help.”

You thanked him again and bid him farewell before heading back into the house, dodging your mother’s questions as you went about your chores.

The following Sunday morning the entire village gathered for Sunday service. You sat between your parents in the back, pretending to listen as Jonas droned on about sin and forgiveness. You often mentally clocked out of these services considering you didn’t really play into this particular branch of faith anymore. Not since meeting Hongjoong.

After Jonas said his bit, Yeosang got up and spoke about the importance of forgiveness but reminded everyone that forgiveness doesn’t come easily. He also added that forgiving someone isn’t for their benefit, it’s for oneself.

When service finally ended, you felt even more drained than you did before attending. As you filed out with your parents, Yeosang stopped you. “How are you holding up?” he asked, ignoring the looks from the other villagers, namely your parents.

“I uh… I’m fine,” you said softly, uncertain as to why he was checking in again, especially in such a public setting. You saw the look of confusion pass over your father’s face as he looked from you to Yeosang curiously but your mother managed to nudge him along.

Yeosang gently pulled you to the side where no one could hear before speaking. “I know we spoke yesterday but I wanted to offer if you ever want to talk to someone, I’m here for you. As a friend,” he continued. “Nothing more.”

You nodded, forcing a smile. “Thank you,” you replied. “I appreciate it.”

You thanked him once more before joining your parents outside for the walk home. “What did he want?” your father asked, eyeing you suspiciously. “Nothing,” you answered. “He just wanted to check in. Make sure I’m okay.” 

Your father fell silent but your mother had a knowing smile on her face.

The rest of the day passed in a blur but without work to do, you felt extremely bored and restless. Getting up, you walked over to the door. “Where are you going?” your father asked loudly. “For a walk,” you replied, grabbing your cloak. “I can’t just sit around. I’m too restless,” you added as you fastened your cloak.

“Stay out of the forest!” your father called as you opened the door and stepped outside.

The village was mostly deserted, no doubt the villagers sitting inside their homes as your family had. You glanced in the direction of the forest but turned and walked in the opposite direction.

Your walk took you around the entire village before you returned home but you weren’t ready to go back inside and just sit so instead you walked towards the forest, stopping at the tree line to look up. The wind blew through the treetops that stretched towards the gray sky.

You closed your eyes, inhaling deeply as the breeze swirled around you, a cold shiver running through your body. The calm was interrupted by a shrill scream and your eyes snapped open, turning your head in the direction of the sound. You looked around but saw no one, not even at the windows.

You heard another shrill scream and sighed, making your way in the direction of the sound. You crossed the village square, passing between two houses to the space behind. You heard a shuffling sound coming from one of the pens behind the house.

You glanced around before making your way over, stepping cautiously.

There was a loud piercing cry ringing out from one of the sheds behind the house closest to the forest. You walked over, leaning over to peer into the darkness of the small pig shed. As you drew closer, you stopped at the fencing.

There was a loud crunching sound and you glanced around once more before pushing open the gate, letting it shut behind you and making your way over to the shed. You took a deep breath and leaned over, peering into the small quarters.

What came into view was nothing short of horror. The pigs in the shed were all dead, slaughtered by some dark creature that sat in the corner munching on what you assumed was another dead pig. You watched in horror as it turned its head, red eyes glowing as it stared, its gaze burning into yours. Before you could scream, your eyes popped open and you sat upright, gasping as you looked around. 

You were in your bed, safe and sound. ‘A dream?’ you wondered as you glanced around. How long had you been asleep? When had you even gone to bed?

You swung your legs over the edge of the bed and got up, walking over to the window that looked out over the back yard, darkness creeping into the space behind your house and between the trees. It was almost night time. You looked towards the sky and a voice came to your mind. Hongjoong’s voice.

‘The new moon is in two weeks. I have something I’d like to show you.’

“The new moon is tonight,” you whispered, scanning the sky. Without another word, you headed for the door, opening and making your way downstairs where your parents were just sitting down for dinner. “Oh,” your mother said, quickly standing up. “You’re awake. Let me get you a bowl.”

You walked over to the kitchen. “I can get it,” you said, urging her to sit down. “We weren’t sure if you were going to wake up,” your father said, a hint of amusement in his voice. Your mother walked over as you filled a bowl with stew from the pot. “Are you feeling well?” she asked, feeling your forehead. You nodded silently. 

“I was just tired after service. I’m fine, really.”

You moved to sit across from your father, setting your bowl down as your mother poured you a cup of cider. Once she was back in her seat, she reached for your hand, taking your fathers and bowed her head. You followed suit but kept your eyes open, staring at the table as your father said grace.

Dinner was a silent affair as you ate with only your mother occasionally asking your father questions. Once dinner ended, you helped clean up before excusing yourself to your room. You sat on your bed for a few minutes before changing into your nightgown. You were still planning on going out after your parents went to bed but you needed to play the part of going to bed. You’d just wear your cloak over your gown.

Before bed, your mother checked in on you once more and only after reassuring her you were okay, just tired, she finally left and went to bed. You waited until you heard them both snoring before you carefully grabbed your boots and snuck downstairs, grabbing your cloak and slipping your boots on.

You opened the door, grabbed one of the lanterns, and headed outside, pulling your cloak on and making your way around to the backside of your house and snuck through the shadows to the edge of the forest where you lit the lantern and kept the light low before making your way into the forest. You weren’t sure if Hongjoong was at the clearing so instead of making your way there, you headed for his cabin, carefully stepping over branches.

You followed the usual path to his cabin and noticed the light coming from the window.

You reached the gate, pushing it open and shutting it behind you so the goats didn’t get out. You were greeted by a chorus of bleating. As you reached the door, it opened and Hongjoong appeared, looking shocked as you reached the threshold, a smile on your face.

“What’re you doing here?” he asked, stepping back to let you in. “It’s the night of the new moon,” you reminded him as you set your lantern down. “You said you had something you wanted to show me tonight.” Hongjoong’s confusion dissipated and he smiled. “The new moon was last night, Starlight,” he said, crossing the distance, taking your face in his hands before kissing you. You pouted into the kiss. “So you can’t show me?” you asked.

Hongjoong chuckled before moving to grab his coat. “I think I can still show you,” he replied. He grabbed your lantern and opened the door. “But we have to hurry,” he added. You grabbed the skirt of your gown and hurried out the door.

Hongjoong led the way, stopping to help you over the fallen trees and branches., offering his hand for the larger logs. After traversing the forest for some time, Hongjoong stopped, turned down the light on the lantern and set it on a tree trunk. “We’ll grab it on our way back,” he said softly, taking your hand and leading you into the clearing.

Your eyes widened at the sight before you. The clearing, which was void of moonlight, was full of thousands of what seemed to be glittering stars that danced and moved about. You turned to look at him. “What are they?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Fireflies,” he answered, wrapping an arm around your waist and resting his chin on your shoulder. “Thousands upon thousands of fireflies.” You reached a hand out as one of the lights floated towards you, a small insect landing on your palm.

“They’re beetles,” he explained. “They create the glow to attract mates.” You felt his hand on your stomach slide down slightly, his other hand resting on the side of your waist. “They glow and fly in a special way that attracts another for the sole purpose of mating.”

You felt his lips on your neck. “So they dance?” you asked softly. Hongjoong let out a chuckle, smiling against your skin. “Yes,” he answered. “They dance.” His hand slid lower and lower until you felt him start to pull the hem of your skirt higher.

“What’re you doing?” you murmured, giggling as his breath tickled your neck. He turned you to face him, cupping your face as he examined your features in the dark. “Loving you,” he said simply, closing the distance and kissing you.

You allowed him to guide you down to the ground, letting out a gasp as his hand slipped under your nightgown, finding your core with ease. You let out a whimper as he dragged his fingers through your folds, finding your clit with precision.

“Just lie back, Starlight,” Hongjoong whispered, drawing circles against the nub before dipping his finger down to your entrance. “Let me make you feel good, yeah?” he whispered. His lips pressed against your as he slid his finger into your wet cunt.

You moaned against his lips, lips parting and allowing his tongue to slip into your mouth. He set a steady rhythm, pumping his finger in and out of you before adding a second, gliding them both into your warm walls.

“I really would love to take you back to the cabin,” he murmured, pressing wet kisses against your cheek towards your ear. “But I’m not a patient man. I want you too bad right now.” You stifled a groan by biting your bottom lip as he curled his fingers, brushing against the soft spongy spot inside you.

“Th-that’s okay,” you managed to breathe out. “I don’t mind.”

Hongjoong chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to your temple. “That’s my girl,” he replied, curling his fingers again, moving faster and bringing you closer to the brink of orgasm.

Just as you were about to fall over the edge, he stopped, abruptly pulling his fingers from you. “Hongjoong, wha–” you started to ask but he pressed a hand over your mouth as he cleaned his fingers. “We’re not alone,” he whispered. “Stay here and stay quiet.”

You nodded as he got to his feet and started to walk a short distance away. You could hear twigs snapping underfoot but knew it wasn’t coming from Hongjoong. After a few moments of footsteps and twig snapping, you finally heard a voice speak. It was Yeosang.

“Oh, Hongjoong,” he said, sounding pleasantly surprised. “I thought I might find you here,” he continued. “What do you want, Yeosang?” Hongjoong asked, cutting straight to the point. “I went to your cabin to find you but it was empty,” Yeosang started.

“I asked what you wanted Yeosang,” Hongjoong interrupted. You could tell by the tone in his voice he wasn’t playing games. You heard Yeosang sigh from where you sat. “Look, I know you aren’t responsible for what’s going on in the village,” Yeosang started. “But you need to stop whatever spells you are doing. At least until this blows over. The villagers are getting restless. They think you’re cursing them.”

Hongjoong scoffed and you could hear him shift his weight. “I really couldn’t care enough about them to curse them, you know that, Yeosang,” he retorted. You could picture the look on Yeosang’s face. The kind smile he always bore.

“I know that,” he replied. “But they don’t. All I’m saying is you need to be careful. If not for my sake or your own, at least for Y/N,” he added. You couldn’t see Hongjoong in the darkness but you could imagine him tensing up.

“What do you know about my relationship with Y/N?” Hongjoong asked. “Only that you’re… friends,” Yeosang answered, using the same emphasis he had with you. “And I know she cares about you. I also care about you. Just… think about it, okay?”

Hongjoong said nothing but you were certain Yeosang didn’t need him to. “Have a good evening,” Yeosang said softly and then a moment later, you could hear his footsteps lead away from the clearing until you could no longer hear him over the sounds of the forest around you.

Moments later, Hongjoong return to you, kneeling down. “We should probably head back to the cabin,” he said softly. You pouted in the darkness. “I wanted to stay here,” you admitted. Hongjoong chuckled, taking your hands and helping you up. 

“So we can draw more attention like that?” he asked softly. “No,” he shook his head as he kept a hold of your hand and led you back towards the trees. “I’ll just be boring and make love to you in the safety of my cabin, in the comfort of my bed.”

You giggled as he led you back, grabbing the lantern as he passed the stump. “It would have been more romantic if we stayed in the clearing,” you mumbled as Hongjoong led the way back. “Another time, my love,” he said softly. “You promise?” you asked.

Hongjoong came to a stop, pulling you closer and taking hold of your chin, tilting your head back. “I promise,” he replied before kissing you. He took your hand and led you through the forest back to his cabin where you knew you’d be safe, warm, and where no one would bother you.

—————————————————————

Your sleep was interrupted the following morning by the sound of your mother opening your door. “Y/N,” she said sternly as you opened your eyes, sitting up and looking around wildly. Did you sleep too late? What was going on?

“Wh-what’s wrong?” you asked as she bustled about, grabbing your clothes. “Get dressed, hurry,” your mother said, setting your clothes on your bed before she exited the room, shutting the door behind her.

You dressed quickly, now aware of the sound of yelling coming from outside your house. You pulled your boots on and hurried down the stairs where your mother stood by the window next to the door, peering outside looking nervous. 

“What’s going on?” you asked, joining her and looking out the window. “I’m not sure,” she replied. “But something bad must have happened.” You watched as a crowd gathered and you could see the familiar outline of Yeosang. You darted for the door, ignoring your mother’s warning hisses of your name and opened it, stepping out into the misty morning.

Outside, you could hear the yelling much more clearly.

“Someone has killed my pig! Gutted her and took her head!”

You froze by the door as you listened to the clear voice of Gideon. 

“My poor Eliza opened the door and found the head sitting there, propped up like some kind of prank!” Just under his voice, you could hear a woman sobbing, no doubt Eliza from finding a decapitated pig head.

“It’s the devil’s work, I tell ya!” another voice said, one you recognized to be Josiah. “Witches!” a woman’s voice rang out. Your heart skipped a beat as more and more villagers chimed in, laying bare their own misfortunes.

“My vegetables have gone bad before even ripening! This isn’t normal!”

“Witches are responsible!”

“They must be!”

“I’ve lost two goats this month alone! Someone’s cursed the village for sure!”

“People please!” another voice rang out. This one you recognized to be Yeosang. “We don’t even know if this is witchcraft!” he continued, ignoring the cries of the villagers. “Hysteria will not help our situation!”

The crowd started to protest, a mixture of angry to panicked cries. The voice of Jonas rang out over the crowd. “Pastor Kang is right. Hysteria will not solve this! The church will conduct an investigation to determine if the source is indeed witchcraft.”

“Investigate the hermit in the woods! He’s probably the culprit!”

You felt anger surge through your body at the mention of Hongjoong. “He’s not a hermit!” another voice rang out. “I’ve seen him at the morning markets trading and selling furs and herbs!”

“He’s a witch!” one voice rang out and you recognized it to be Abel. “His mother was a witch! She probably passed it on to him!”

“Yeah! Witch!”

Your heart rate quickened as the villagers started to shout in the affirmative, calling Hongjoong a witch. Before you could even start towards the crowd. Yeosang spoke up again. “Let’s not point fingers until we know for certain!”

His words fell on deaf ears as more people started to shout. You watched Yeosang turn to Jonas, a pleading look on his face. Jonas finally spoke up. “That’s enough! We will conduct an investigation and if we find evidence of witchcraft, we will question this man but until then, everyone go about your business and leave this matter to the church!”

There was a subtle murmur throughout the crowd as it started to disperse, clearly placated enough to calm down. You watched as everyone went their separate ways until Yeosang appeared.

He met your gaze and immediately started walking in your direction. You glanced around as he approached and gently took your arm, guiding you away from sight before he turned to speak.

“I need you to do something for me,” he said softly. You nodded, watching him as he glanced around once more. “I need you to stay out of the forest,” he explained. You opened your mouth to protest but he held up a hand.

“Not forever,” he added. “I know you won’t stay away from Hongjoong that long. I just need you to stay out of the woods until the investigation concludes and we prove that it’s not witchcraft to be blamed. I really don’t want you getting mixed up in this mess. I know Hongjoong would agree with me,” he added when he noticed you were about to say something.

“Just for a few days,” he continued. “Please, Y/N.”

You sighed heavily and nodded. “Fine,” you answered. “But I still want to warn Hongjoong,” you said quickly. He contemplated for a moment before nodding. “All right,” he said. “I think that would be best.”

You turned to start back towards your house but turned back to face him, taking his hand in yours. “Thank you, Yeosang,” you said before letting go and heading back home.

That night, you did exactly what you said you were going to do. Once night fell and your parents were asleep, you snuck out and made your way to Hongjoong’s cabin without stopping once.

Once you arrived, you shooed the goats out of your way and pounded on the door in quick succession. It only took Hongjoong a moment to reach the door and open it.

“Y/N, what the—” Hongjoong said as he opened the door, looking over your state.

“The villagers are blaming you for their crops,” you explained quickly. Hongjoong took a step back, allowing you inside before he glanced around outside and shut the door, turning to face you. “What’s going on with their crops?” he asked. “They’re going bad before harvest,” you replied.

Hongjoong shook his head, a scoff leaving his lips. “Have they never heard of pests?” he joked as he moved across the cottage to the hearth. “Hongjoong, this is serious!” you said as he started to bustle around. “Take a seat,” he said softly, ignoring your concerns.

“Hongjoong!” you exclaimed. “They think you’re a witch and that you’ve cursed them!”

Hongjoong sighed and turned to face you, a black cast iron kettle in his hand. “They’re going to think what they’re going to think, Starlight,” he replied. “These are uncertain times and people are guided by their fear,” he continued, moving to pour the contents of the kettle into two cups before returning the kettle to the fireplace.

You watched as he picked up both cups and moved to the table, setting them both down. “Have a seat, Y/N,” Hongjoong urged gently, sitting down. You finally relented and moved to sit adjacent to him. “I’ve spent my whole life with these allegations,” Hongjoong continued as you peered into the cup before you. “I’ve been called a witch all my life. This is nothing new,” he added, giving you a warm smile.

“It just scares me that they could retaliate wrongly and you could get hurt,” you said softly. “You mean a lot to me, Hongjoong, and the thought of losing you--” you trailed off, tears starting to form in your eyes. You heard wood against wood as Hongjoong shifted his chair to move closer before he took your hands in his. “I’m so thankful that you care about me so much, Starlight,” he said softly.

“But you needn’t worry,” he continued. “Besides, you know they’re right. I am a witch.” You looked up at him in time to catch a wink he sent your way. “But that hasn’t stopped you from being my friend. It hasn’t deterred you from spending time with me. You don’t think any differently of me.”

You shook your head. “You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met, Hongjoong,” you said softly. “Even more so than my own community. I’ve never met someone like you.”

Hongjoong moved his chair directly across from yours, closing the distance between you. “And that’s all I could ever want. You’re the only person in that entire village whose opinion I care about. The others could continue to spread lies and as long as you don’t believe a word of it, that’s all that matters to me.”

You sighed, taking his hand in yours. “I’m just worried what they might do with the allegations. They might act on them, Hongjoong and if they did, I don’t know what they might do!”

Hongjoong set his mug down and took your chin in his fingers, tilting your head back to press a kiss to your lips. “You worry too much, Starlight,” he said softly once the kiss broke. “The village folk have been calling me a witch for years and nothing has come of it,” he continued. You shook your head.

“Yes, but this time, things are actually happening, Hongjoong! They have real reasons to try to blame you for this!” you said exasperatedly. You didn’t understand why he wasn’t more upset about this. Hongjoong let out a sigh. “Alright,” he said softly. “Will it please you if I promise to be more careful and stay out of the village for a few days? Just until things blow over?”

You nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over you. All you wanted for him to be safe. Hongjoong wasn’t just your friend. You loved him. You wanted him to stay safe. “Drink your tea,” Hongjoong said softly, stroking your cheek before he picked up his mug and downed the rest of his and got up.

“I don’t want you to be caught out late again. You can only lie to your mother so many times,” he added as he moved to rinse out his mug. “It’s still kind of early,” you murmured. “I thought I might stay for a bit. I missed you.”

Hongjoong set his mug aside and walked over to where you sat, taking his seat again and leaning in. “You’re so cute,” he said softly, kissing your cheek before getting up and going about his nightly routine. “You can stay for a bit,” he said as you sipped your tea. “But as soon as that’s empty,” he continued, pointing at the mug. “You have to head home.”

You glanced down at the tea, now half empty. You set the mug down as Hongjoong added another log onto the fire. You got up, walking over to where he knelt and knelt behind him, wrapping your arms around him, resting your head on his shoulder. “I don’t want to leave,” you said softly. Hongjoong took one of your hands in his and kissed the back of it. “I know, love,” he said softly as he pushed the log around to make sure it caught fire.

“But I don’t want you to get in trouble for sneaking out again. Last time you were caught, I didn’t get to see you for two weeks, remember that?” he asked, turning his head to look at you as you raised your head. “Even if it’s just in passing, I prefer seeing you outside the house, not locked up inside.”

You pouted which Hongjoong kissed away. “So go finish your tea and I’ll walk you back.”

You shook your head. “No,” you retorted, holding onto him tighter. Hongjoong chuckled as he set the fire poker aside and stood up, bringing you to a stand as well. “Be a good girl and drink your tea,” he repeated but again you shook your head. “No,” you replied. “I don’t want the tea.”

Hongjoong gently took your wrists as you wrestled him. “If you don’t want tea,” he said, amused at your attempts to fight him. “What do you want?” 

You hugged him tighter. “Just to stay with you a little longer.”

Hongjoong noticed the change in your voice and turned in your arms. “Starlight,” he started but you interrupted him. “Can’t we just run away, Joong?” you asked as he took your face in his hands. “We need time to prepare, sweetheart. I can’t just get up and leave in the middle of the night.”

“Why not?” you asked, pulling back. You couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t just leave. It would be so easy. “Because of everything in here,” he answered, gesturing around. “Everything in this house is all I have. If we were to leave, we would need food, clothes, a cart, hell, possibly even money! Moving across the country isn’t easy!” he snapped, getting up and walking over to the table, placing his hands on the top and leaning against it.

He’d never lost his temper with you so you sat still, uncertain of what to do or say.

You knew moving wasn’t easy. You’d done it more than once.

“I know it’s not easy,” you said, your voice soft and meek.

You heard Hongjoong turn before you felt his hands take yours and guide you to stand. “I’m sorry, Starlight,” he said softly. “I know you know what it’s like to move. To uproot your entire life and take all your possessions. I’ve never done that,” he continued. “I’ve never been away from this forest. I’ve lived here all my life.”

You said nothing, merely nodding along to his words.

He took your face in his hands, forcing you to look up at him. “I’m sorry, Starlight,” he said softly. “I shouldn’t have yelled.” You leaned forward, hugging him and burying your face in his chest. His arms settled around you. “I love you so much,” he murmured.

“I know you’re looking out for me and I can’t express how much I appreciate it but I’ve survived worse than this. I’ll be okay,” he said, resting his cheek on your head. “And tell Yeosang thank you. I know he’s looking out for me as well.”

“He’s asked me to stay out of the woods for a few days while they investigate,” you blurted out. Hongjoong snorted and sighed. “I actually agree with him on that,” he replied, lifting his head as you looked up. “Of course, I’d love for you to come see me but I don’t want you getting mixed up in this either.”

You nodded, letting out an exasperated sigh. “I told him I would but only if I came and warned you first,” you admitted. Hongjoong let out a laugh before kissing your cheek. “Thank you for coming to warn me, Starlight. I appreciate it.”

Despite wanting to spend the night with him one more time, Hongjoong managed to talk you into returning home and walked you to the edge of the forest where you spent far too long saying goodbye with kiss after kiss before finally returning home.

Over the next few days, you kept your promise, only going into the small patch behind your house to forage for mushrooms. The church conducted their investigation and while they did, the villagers grew even more restless, waiting for a result. More crops went bad, another pig was killed in the middle of the night and the villagers were at their breaking point.

You were inside, about a week since you spoke to Yeosang, helping your mother make bread when there was a knock at the door. Your mother moved to answer it and you heard the surprise in her voice. “Oh, Pastor Kang!”

You glanced up as your mother turned to look at you, Yeosang standing in the doorway. “Good ‘morrow, Mrs. Y/L/N,” he said, his tone light and pleasant. “I was wondering if I might have a word with Miss Y/N.”

Your mother turned, waving you over. “I promise not to take up too much of her time,” he added as your mother passed you to return to the bread. “Take as much time as you need!” your mother called, making you stifle a laugh and step out of the house, shutting the door behind you.

“Come,” he said simply, beckoning you to follow him. You did as he asked, following him as villagers walked around, thankfully none of them paying any attention to you as you walked with the young pastor.

As you rounded the corner, Yeosang guided you behind the building, you turned to look at him and noticed he looked very nervous. You’d never seen him like that before and it made you nervous too. 

“Yeosang,” you started as he glanced around, making sure you were alone. “What is going o-”

“The villagers aren’t pleased, Y/N,” he stated plainly. “They’re convinced Hongjoong’s the root cause of the crop and livestock issue. They want his head.” Your stomach sank as Yeosang spoke quickly. “I was at a council meeting and despite my best efforts, they are set on punishing the person they think is the culprit,” he continued.

Your heart raced, palms growing sweaty as you grasped for a solution in your mind. “W-why are you telling me all of this?” you blurted out. Yeosang reached out, placing a hand on your shoulder. “I know you have a special connection with him. He’ll listen to you,” he answered.

“You need to warn him. Maybe it can buy him enough time to gather enough supplies to leave before something terrible happens.” Your heart sank into your stomach. ‘No,’ you thought. ‘It’s too soon.’

You shook your head. “He won’t leave,” you answered firmly. Yeosang stared at you. “His life is in imminent danger. He must leave,” he explained. You shook your head. “He won’t leave,” you repeated. “Not without me.”

Yeosang stared at you wordlessly as the implications of your words sank in. “I see,” he finally said softly. You looked up at him. There was a look on his face you couldn’t place but he quickly changed expressions before speaking again. “Could you be ready to leave tomorrow night?” he asked softly.

You stared up at him, eyes wide. “What?” you whispered. Yeosang glanced over his shoulder as he heard footsteps and children laughing. He gently grabbed your arm and moved you around to the other side of the shed where you would stay hidden. 

“Can you be ready to leave with him tomorrow?” he asked again. “I don’t know when the villagers are going to put their plan into action but it should be at least one more night before they go after him. If you can both be ready to leave tomorrow, I can sneak you out of the village and then the two of you can continue on.”

You stared at him in awe. He was going to help you? Help Hongjoong? “You would do that?” you asked quietly. “You’d help us leave?” Yeosang nodded. “I know Hongjoong isn’t responsible for these misfortunes. It’s someone else, I just don’t know who,” he answered. “And if Hongjoong won’t leave without you, then I’ll make sure he leaves with you.”

You felt your chest tightened, tears threatening to spill as the urge to hug or even kiss the man before you took hold but you resisted it. “Thank you, Yeosang,” you said softly, taking his hand. “Don’t thank me until you’ve spoken to Hongjoong,” he said, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. “Speak to Hongjoong and then come find me tomorrow morning after the services,” he added.

You nodded and thanked him again.

The walk back was short and you thanked him once more as you entered your home, head swimming as you tried to make sense of everything. Your mother came into view, curiosity filling her features. “Well?” she asked expectantly. “What did the pastor want?” You forced a smile but before you could answer, the front door opened and your father entered the house.

“Oh, father,” you said as he shut the door and turned to face the two of you. “Y/N,” he said simply. “Go to your room,” he continued. “I must speak with your mother.” You knew by the tone of his voice he was not in the mood to be trifled with and so you nodded, thankful for his interruption and made your way to the stairs. Once in your room, you sat against the wall by your door and very carefully opened it, allowing the sound from downstairs to carry.

“There’s nothing to be done,” you heard your father say, his voice full of exhaustion. “The villagers have made up their minds. They want his head.” It didn’t take you long to work out that your father was talking about Hongjoong. “They think he’s the cause of their misfortunes and I’m inclined to believe them. He’s a witch and has made some kind of pact to ruin our village. Several of the town girls have claimed to have been approached by him. What he asks of them I dare not repeat. He’s a disgusting, vile, and wicked creature and he must face the consequences of his actions.”

Silence fell downstairs before your mother spoke. “Y/N speaks highly of him,” she said simply. Another beat of silence followed before your father answered. “And what does she know? She’s but a mere lamb. She doesn’t know his true nature. Or perhaps he’s bewitched her just as he’s ensnared the others. Either way, he must be dealt with.”

“Will they kill him?”

Your heart skipped a beat as you held your breath, waiting for your father’s response.

“Aye,” he answered and you felt your heart sink into the pit of your stomach. ‘They’re going to kill Hongjoong?!’

You scrambled up as quietly as you could as you heard shuffling. “I will speak to her,” you heard your father say, followed by the sound of his heavy footsteps heading for the stairs. You shut your door carefully and moved to sit on your bed by the window, looking out at the dark clouds gathering on the horizon.

There were a series of soft knocks at your door. You turned your head as your door opened, your father peering in. “Can I come in?” he asked softly. You nodded silently as he entered and shut the door. He walked over and took a seat beside you, silence falling over the two of you.

“I know you have a fondness for the hermit in the woods,” he started. “Hongjoong,” you whispered, fingers curling into a fist on your thigh. 

“What?” your father asked, turning his head to look in your direction. 

“His name is Hongjoong,” you replied, finally looking up at him. “And he’s not a witch.”

Your father sighed. “I don’t know what he’s been filling your head with,” he started. “But that man is not like us.” You stood up quickly, putting space between you and your father. “He was just raised differently!” you retorted. “He’s a good man! He keeps to himself, doesn’t cause problems, works hard, and just because he doesn’t conform to your standard of living, he must be a witch, right?” you continued, your voice raising.

Your father looked taken aback. You’d never raised your voice at your parents before. “There have been witnesses,” your father finally said, getting to his feet. “Young women who say he approached them, attempted to seduce them,” he continued. “Liars. They’re lying! Hongjoong would never!” you yelled, heat spreading from your face to your chest. You were seething.

“You’re all quick to pin the blame for your misfortunes on someone who you view as an outsider instead of looking inside yourselves and wondering if maybe the problem is your own. One you’ve created. Hongjoong has done nothing wrong! He doesn’t care about the villagers. He doesn’t care whether the village is prosperous or not. He keeps to himself because he knows no one will come to his defense,” you continued.

Your father listened as you unloaded on him. “Well I will advocate for him! Hongjoong is a kind, intelligent, and resourceful man. His soul is pure and he cares about the forest and the animals and plants inside it. He could care about you too if you’d let him. He doesn’t care if we prosper or fail. He cares about the true nature of the soul.”

Your father’s eyes narrowed, brows furrowing. “You speak as if you truly know him,” he started. You hesitated. “I do know him. I love him,” you blurted out. Your father’s confusion was replaced with anger. “Love?” he scoffed. “What do you know about love?”

You glared at him. “I know love because Hongjoong has shown me what true love is. He loves me, father. That is how I know those women are lying. He loves me and only me.”

Your father shook his head. “Has he poisoned you? Filled your head with his nonsense?” he asked before his eyes widened. “Has he put his filthy hands on my daughter?” he asked, his voice rising in volume. “He’s only shown me love and what it means to love someone as deeply as we love each other.”

You watched as your father’s ire only grew. “He dared to put his hands on my child?!” He turned, starting for the door but you stepped forward.

“I’m not a child!” you shouted. Your father turned to look at you. “I am not a child,” you repeated. “I am a woman and I’m Hongjoong’s lover. The only one he has.”

Your words hung in the air as your father stared at you. He crossed the distance and before you could register what was happening, he struck you across the face, a stinging gracing your cheek just under your eye from where he hit you. It was an almost blinding pain and you brought your hand up quickly to cover the spot, tears welling up in your eyes. “Be quiet, whore,” your father hissed.

“He will pay for his crimes and then you will face punishment for your sins,” your father snapped, boots pounding the wooden floor as he crossed the room and exited, slamming the door behind him. You tried to follow but your attempts to open the door were met with nothing.

The door had been barred from the outside. You slammed your fists against the wood, screaming to be let out. You tried again to open the door but to no avail. You turned to look at the window, the gray clouds had rolled in, darkness starting to settle in. You had to get out. You had to warn Hongjoong.

You moved to the window, opening it and looking outside to find the space behind your house vacant. You looked around for something to help you climb out seeing as it was a long fall down. Your eyes landed on the bed and you moved quickly, tearing the linens from the mattress. You grabbed a blade from your sewing kit and nicked the material before starting to tear it apart into strips, working quickly. 

Once you were certain you had enough, you started to tie them together, making the knots secure before tying one end to the leg of your bed and throwing the rest of your makeshift rope out the window. It reached almost to the ground and you carefully started to climb out the window.

The climb down was clumsy but you managed to get to the ground without making too much sound or drawing the attention of your parents. Once on flat ground, you pulled your hood up and took off, making for the forest, ducking behind homes and other buildings until you reached the tree line. As soon as you were in the cover of the forest, you ran, holding your skirts in your hand as to not trip over them as you leapt over branches and stones.

Your lungs burned and your heart pounded but you didn’t dare stop until you saw Hongjoong’s cabin come into view. Smoke rose from the chimney and light emanated from the windows as you approached, pushing open the wooden gate and hurrying past his garden and the goats that bleated at you.

You reached the door, breathless, and raised a fist, beating erratically at the wood. There was a shuffling from inside before the door opened and Hongjoong looked at you, amused until you stepped forward and collapsed. He managed to catch you before you hit the floor and his amusement turned to concern as he helped you inside, shutting the door.

“What on earth is going on?” he asked as he guided you over to the table, helping you sit down. “They villagers!” you gasped, grabbing his hand as he turned to start making tea. “They want your head. They’re still blaming you for their misfortunes!” Hongjoong scoffed, starting to pull from your grasp.

“This again, Y/N? We just talked about this, I don’t care what they-”

“Damn it, Hongjoong, they’re going to kill you!” you shouted.

He froze, kettle in his hands as he stared at you. “They’ve made up their minds. Yeosang told me to warn you!” you continued, trying to get up but Hongjoong moved over, setting the kettle down and kneeling in front of you, taking both of your hands in his. “And you’re certain?” he asked, looking up at you.

You nodded. “I trust Yeosang,” you replied. “He doesn’t want anything to happen to you. He told me to warn you. He said if you can be ready tomorrow night, he’ll help us leave.” Hongjoong ran his fingers through his hair before looking up at you. “Wait. Help us leave?” he asked. You nodded. “I told him I know you wouldn’t leave without me. Not after the plans we made, right?”

Hongjoong’s expression softened. “Oh, Starlight,” he said softly, reaching up to cup your cheek. “Of course I’d never leave without you. But… tomorrow night? I don’t know if that’s enough time…” he trailed off, looking around his cabin. “I would have to leave almost everything behind.”

You glanced around. “I could help you pack,” you offered, drawing his attention. Hongjoong’s lips curled into a smile and he took your face in his hands. “What about you?” he asked. “Don’t you need to pack?” You shook your head. “All I have are the clothes I wear. I don’t need anything from my house. All I need is you,” you replied.

Hongjoong pulled you into a quick kiss. “Okay,” he said softly, getting to his feet. “We’d better get to work,” he added. You removed your cloak and started to help him pack up. He told you which were the most important items as well as what he could spare.

You worked diligently as the sun started to set and packed up what you could. “I’ll have to leave the animals,” he said softly. “Unless there’s space in the cart,” he added, looking around at what you already managed to pack.

You opened your mouth to respond but a sound from outside caught you off guard. You turned to Hongjoong who glanced at you before moving to the window to peer outside. You rushed to his side. “What is it?” you whispered, trying to peer out but he pushed you back.

“You need to hide, now,” he said, grabbing your arm and pulling you towards the back wall. You watched as he shifted a small shelf, exposing a hidden panel that he then pulled open. “Hongjoong? What are you doing?” you asked as he grabbed your hand.

“I need you to hide, Starlight. Don’t argue with me! Just do as I say, please!” he pleaded as he guided you to crouch. You crawled into the hole in the wall and turned as he knelt down. “I’m going to close this door and put the shelf back. Stay here. If I don’t come back in ten minutes, follow this tunnel to the exit and then I want you to go home,” he explained.

You opened your mouth to protest but he spoke over you. “I want you to go home, do you understand?” he asked. You’d never seen him look so serious before. It scared you.

You nodded silently. He cupped your cheek gently, leaning into the small space. “I love you, Starlight.” Before you could answer, he leaned in, pressing a kiss to your lips before he backed up and replaced the panel. You heard the shifting of the shelf and sat in the darkness.

A loud pounding at the front door sounded and you froze as you heard Hongjoong walk calmly over to the door and open it. “Good evening, gentlemen,” you heard him say in a pleasant tone. “How can I help you?”

“Cut the horse shit, witch!” one voice rang out and there were several murmurs of agreement. Hongjoong fell silent before he let out a sigh. “Yeosang,” he said softly and your eyes widened as you heard Yeosang speak. “I am so sorry, Hongjoong,” he started. “I didn’t want it to come to this but I need you to come with us for questioning.”

There was a moment of silence before you heard Hongjoong speak. “Can I at least put the fire out so my home doesn’t catch fire?”

You heard several people protest but they fell silent. “Of course,” Yeosang replied. You watched the back of the panel as the light on the other side was extinguished. You heard footsteps head for the door and then the door shut.

You did as Hongjoong asked, waiting for ten minutes and then an extra five before you finally decided to move, a chill settling in to your hiding place. You followed the tunnel, crawling for what felt like minutes before you finally found a small wooden board blocking your path. It had vines woven into the gaps in the wood. You pushed it aside and pulled yourself out of the hole before replacing it and brushing yourself off.

You looked around and saw you were about thirty meters behind Hongjoong’s cabin, the exit of the tunnel at the base of a tree. You started back towards the cabin, being careful not to make too much sound. You saw and heard nothing so you quickly and quietly made your way back to the village, by passing your home as you headed for the church which is where you were certain they had taken Hongjoong.

Your suspicions were proven true when you arrived and snuck behind the church, avoiding the men who stood out front. You carefully climbed onto one of the posts, holding onto the building for stabilization. You peered through the window where you could see Yeosang, Jonas, and your father speaking with a few other of the villagers.

You lowered your head so as not to be spotted and pressed your ear against the side of the building but couldn’t hear anything other than muffled voices. You carefully climbed down and crawled under the space under the church until you were under where you assumed the group was standing.

“We will hold him here while we question him,” you heard Jonas say though his voice was still muffled. You heard your father speak but were unable to make out what he said. “No,” you heard Jonas reply. “This is a church investigation and he will be held here for the duration of his questioning.”

You heard several voices speak at once but quiet as Yeosang spoke this time. “Trust us to do this. If he is involved, we will find out.”

“And if he’s not involved?” you heard your father ask. “Then he will be released,” Yeosang answered. You heard several voices protest but Jonas interrupted them. “If he be innocent, there be no need to hold him.” You nodded silently to yourself.

As the group started to break up and several footsteps made their way to the door you heard your father speak again. “When you went to his cabin, was she there?” he asked and you assumed he was speaking to Yeosang.

Your suspicion was confirmed when Yeosang answered. “I did not see her inside,” he replied. “I stood in the doorway and I didn’t see any sign of her.”

You started to crawl out, checking the area to make sure it was safe for you to exit. Once you did, you headed back towards the house. Your makeshift rope was still there surprisingly so you carefully and quietly climbed back up into your room and pulled the rope up and shut the window as your door opened.

You turned to find your mother. “Where have you been?” she demanded. You removed your cloak wordlessly and set it aside. “I’m getting ready for bed,” you announced. Your mother moved to grab your arm but you pulled away from her. “I asked you a question, girl,” your mother snapped. “I’m not a girl,” you retorted. “I’m a woman. And I don’t have to tell you where I’ve been but I’m sure you already know.”

Your mother glared at you before letting out a heavy sigh. “Your father is furious. It’s not like you to sneak out like this,” she said, causing you to laugh. “I’ve been sneaking out for years,” you quipped. “I’ve just gotten really good at hiding it.”

Your mother stared at you in shock. As she opened her mouth to reply, the door downstairs opened and she glanced at the door before turning back to you. “Get dressed for bed. I will handle your father.”

She left without another word and you went about your nightly routine. You didn’t hear another peep from downstairs and neither of your parents checked in as you climbed into bed. You tossed and turned, unable to relax until you finally fell into an uneasy slumber.

—————————————————————

The next morning you awoke to the sound of rapid knocking at your door and your eyes opened quickly. As you sat up, the door opened and your mother entered, shutting the door behind her and rushing to your bedside. “Get up,” she whispered, pulling the covers back. “Get dressed.”

You got up and grabbed your clothes from your mother but before you could ask what was going on, there was a heavier knock and the door opened. Your father strode in. You had expected him to look beside himself with anger and while there was still a hint of anger to his expression, there was none in his voice when he spoke.

“Get dressed,” he said sternly. “And meet us downstairs.” He glanced at your mother before looking back at you. “Now,” he snapped and then turned, exiting as your mother rushed after him. Before closing the door, she gave you an apologetic look but what she was sorry for, you didn’t know.

Once you were dressed, you headed down the stairs and upon passing through the door frame into the kitchen, you froze in your tracks, staring at the guest standing in your parents’ home. He looked up to meet your gaze, giving you a warm smile.

“Yeosang,” you said softly as you looked from him to your parents and back. “What’s going o—”

“Get in here and sit down,” your father snapped, cutting you off. You stared at him, anger coursing through your veins at being spoken to like a child. You hesitated, challenging your father’s authority knowing he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on you in front of Yeosang. 

“Y/N,” Yeosang said, his soft voice a drastic contrast from your fathers. “Please, have a seat.”

You glanced at your father, glaring at him before moving to sit in the chair. Yeosang moved to sit across from you while your mother sat next to you, your father on the other side. You could feel the awkward atmosphere, thick with tension as the four of you sat in silence.

“Y/N,” Yeosang started, clearing his throat, drawing your gaze. “Your parents have discussed something they feel is important with me and I want you to know that you’re not in trouble,” he explained, with that same, kind smile on his face.

“Oh she’s in trouble,” your father said and you glared at him, biting your tongue to keep from saying something in retaliation. Yeosang chose to ignore what your father said and continued speaking.

“Your parents’ feel that it’s due time for you to marry,” Yeosang said, skipping straight to the point. You felt your heart skid to a stop. ‘Marriage?’ You turned your head to look at your mother who refused to meet your eye. You didn’t dare look at your father, afraid it might set you off.

“Since evidence of your relationship with Hongjoong—” 

“Don’t say that name in my home!” your father hissed, almost arching his back like a barn cat in the face of fear. It made you feel a little more relieved that your father, and perhaps the whole village, were still scared of Hongjoong. Not that they had anything to fear. Hongjoong would never do anything to cause harm to another soul if it was not warranted.

Again, Yeosang chose to ignore your father, convincing you that he was, indeed, a saint.

“Since it has come to light, your options for marriage are limited,” he continued. You held back the urge to laugh but managed to keep it down. You were planning to marry Hongjoong. And nothing, not even being held for questioning for crimes he did not commit, would stop that.

“It has been proposed—”

“No,” you said, without hearing the rest. You weren’t sure what was going to be said and part of you feared that Nicolas was the only willing soul and you would rather die than marry him. “No?” Yeosang asked, curiously. “You haven’t even heard all of my proposal.”

You shook your head. “No,” you repeated. “I’m already promised to someone.”

Silence fell over the table before your father spoke. “You insolent, ungrateful, wench!”

You turned to look at him and caught the full strike of the back of his hand. The blow caught you off guard, knocking you out of your seat. Your mother let out a cry and got up, moving to try and help you up. “We have a guest!” she shrieked as your father got up, intent on advancing on you.

Before he could land another blow, Yeosang was standing in front of him.

“If you lay one more hand on her, I will have you arrested for assault,” he said, his voice even and calm. Your father took several deep breaths before glaring down at you. “I’ve had enough of your disobedience, girl!” he shouted.

“We’ve raised you, clothed you, fed you, and this is how you repay us? By sneaking around with some backwoods witch?! Parading around like a whore?!”

“That’s enough!” Yeosang said, raising his voice above your father’s, shocking both your parents and yourself. You’d never once heard Yeosang raise his voice in anger. “Do you think insulting her is going to make her listen to you?”

“Even if he was as sweet as pie, I still wouldn’t listen to him,” you hissed, raising your hand to your swollen cheek which was now tender to the touch, making you wince. Yeosang turned to look at you, a pleading look in his eyes. He turned back to your father. “You’ve made your point,” he added.

“Yelling at, insulting, and beating your daughter won’t make her behave the way you want her to. She’s an adult. You can’t treat her like this,” he continued. Your father looked downright angry at Yeosang now. “How dare you tell me what to do in my own home!” he spat.

“Would you like my help or not?” Yeosang asked, raising his voice over your father’s once more. “If you do, I suggest you stop or I will walk out that door right now,” he added, pointing towards the front door. That seemed to shut your father up and he smashed his lips together, murmuring in anger before he moved to sit back down.

Yeosang turned and knelt down, offering his hand. “Are you all right?” he whispered, eyes falling to your cheek. You nodded wordlessly as your mother helped you up. “Just let me handle this, okay?” he added in an undertone. “You trust me, right?”

You looked up at him, eyes searching his for a moment before you nodded. “I trust you.”

You sat back down and Yeosang returned to his seat across from you.

“As I was saying,” he started. “Your options for marriage are limited as the rumors have already spread.”

“Not even Nicolas wants you,” your father interjected and you watched as Yeosang glared at your father. “One more remark like that and I will rescind my offer,” Yeosang said and your father fell silent once more, hopefully for the last time. ‘Offer?’

“In the face of your limited options, I’ve come to offer a solution,” Yeosang explained, lacing his fingers together and resting his hands on the table as he looked at you.

With bated breath, you waited for him to explain his solution.

“I’ve offered to marry you.”

The silence that fell over the table rang in your ears as you processed his words. ‘Marry… Yeosang? Surely, he can’t be serious. He must be jesting!’

Your mother nudged you, stirring you out of your train of thoughts. “M-marry you?” you stammered, pure shock clouding your mind. A million thoughts raced through your mind but there was only one that mattered. ‘What about Hongjoong?’

“I’m sorry,” you said, shaking your head. “I can’t marry you.”

“You will marry him,” your father snapped. “He is the only option to save your reputation. Our reputation.” Yeosang, clearly annoyed by your father’s interruption, turned to your mother, a polite smile on his face and spoke in the sweetest voice possible.

“Could I speak to Y/N, please? Alone.”

Your mother’s eyes widened and she nodded wordlessly, getting up from her seat and moving to where your father sat. She gently pushed him until he got up and the two of them went into the other room where you could hear your father grumbling under his breath as they climbed the stairs.

Once you were alone, you turned back to Yeosang. “What are you doing?” you hissed as he got up, moving to take your father’s seat and taking your hand. “Please,” he said softly. “I need you to play along and trust me. I know you and Hongjoong made promises to marry each other and I fully intend to prolong the marriage as much as possible until his name is cleared and you can leave the village together,” he explained. “I’m doing this to protect you.”

You shook your head. “And if they never clear his name? What then? You can’t put it off forever.”

Yeosang let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his dark locks. “I’ll figure out a secondary plan but I need you to trust me. I’m working to clear his name and if I can’t get it cleared, I will figure out a way to get you two out of here so you can be together. Please, just trust me, okay?”

You stared at him for a few moments before sighing and nodding. “Okay,” you answered. “I’ll play along for now.” Yeosang gave your hand a gentle squeeze before getting up and moving back to his seat. “Is the thought of marrying me really that distasteful?” he asked in a playful tone. You snorted, shaking your head as you heard your parents heading back down the stairs.

“Not at all,” you answered, looking up at him. “And maybe under other circumstances, I’d jump at the chance but—”

“You love Hongjoong. I understand.”

When your parents returned, your mother took her seat beside you, your father back in his place. You cleared your throat before speaking. “We’ve spoken,” you answered, looking at Yeosang before turning to look at your mother. “And I’ve agreed.”

The look of relief that washed over your mother’s face brought a smile to your face. Even if it was a lie, at least she could live without the worry for now.

When you disappeared into the night with Hongjoong, however, she could worry then.

Your parents started the necessary procedures for Yeosang to begin courting you which gave you two the excuse to spend time one on one where he would update you on Hongjoong’s case. The good news, there was no evidence to suggest Hongjoong was responsible. The bad news, the villagers did not seem appeased by this as their misfortunes continued.

“Do you think someone else is causing the problems?” you asked one night while lying in bed, a bundling board separating you. “I think that’s possible,” Yeosang whispered. “Now that I look at it from a different perspective, I can see how a witch might be involved but I know it’s not Hongjoong.”

You turned onto your side, peering over the board at Yeosang. “Let’s say for argument’s sake, there is a witch cursing the village,” you started, drawing his attention and he turned his head to look at you, a smile spreading over his face before he stifled a laugh.

“What’s so funny?” you asked, brows furrowing as he tried to force his laughter to subside. “Lay back,” he said, turning onto his side. You did as he asked and lay back down. You heard him shift on the other side of the board. “Look at me,” he whispered and you glanced up, seeing just his eyes peering down at you.

“This is what you looked like,” he added, another wave of quiet laughter coursing through him. You couldn’t help the giggle that escaped from you as you rolled onto your side, propping yourself up to meet him face to face.

“Okay, I get it now,” you said, your giggles subsiding. “But I’m serious. Let’s say for argument’s sake there is a witch. Who do you think it is?” Yeosang’s laughter also subsided and he regarded you with a serious look. “You’re asking me to accuse someone?” he asked.

“Hypothetically,” you added. Yeosang fell silent before lying back against the mattress. “I do not actually know,” he answered. “I do not think I can safely guess.” You let out a groan and fell back against the mattress, your head hitting the pillow softly.

“You wanna know who I think it is?” you asked. You heard him chuckle. “I have a feeling you’re gonna tell me anyway,” he answered.

“I think it’s the least suspicious person,” you answered. “The least likely candidate. Someone you would never even think to accuse.”

Silence fell over you two for a beat before you heard the sheets rustle and Yeosang’s eyes appeared over the board once more. “You think the witch is Ms. Goode?” A smirk crossed your face. “So you would guess her?” you asked. Yeosang’s eyes narrowed. “Well, who would you guess, then?”

You sat up, turning to look at him, the same smirk on your face as you leaned in. “You.”

Yeosang’s eyes widened. “Me?” he asked incredulously. You nodded as you leaned back. “But it wouldn’t explain why you’re so adamant on helping Hongjoong.” you continued. “Perhaps it’s Jonas!” you whispered. Yeosang sat up, fixing you with a stern look.

“This is what happens when people start throwing around accusations,” he said, all amusement gone from his voice. “It’s only hypothetical, Yeosang. I don’t actually think it’s Jonas.”

—————————————————————

Yeosang continued to keep you informed of the status of the investigation and to postpone the wedding as long as possible. You were getting more and more anxious as you waited for Hongjoong to be cleared. 

You had been confined to the house, unless Yeosang or your mother were accompanying you. It was picking at your sanity and you were slowly losing grip on reality. You had spent all day inside, only being let out to tend to your garden and use the outhouse.

As you were finishing up dinner, your father got up and cleared his throat. “I have to call a meeting,” he announced. You looked up at him and then to your mother. She said nothing as your father stepped away from the table and headed for the door.

Once it shut, you turned to your mother. “Meeting? What about?” you asked. Your mother shook her head as she cleared away your father’s bowl and cup. “Are you finished?” she asked to which you shook your head.

“Mother, what meeting?” you asked. Your mother set the bowl down, a little harder than usual and turned around to meet your gaze. “I did not ask because I do not need to know. And neither do you. Finish your dinner and go about your chores.”

You watched as she turned away and resisted the urge to groan as you turned your gaze down to your bowl and pushed bits of potato around. After a few minutes of this, mind reeling with what your father could possibly be calling a meeting for, you finally stood up, grabbing the bowl and moving to clear your place.

Your mother took the bowl from you without a word and you went about the rest of your chores. As you were wiping down the table, a knock rang out. Your mother wiped her hands and made her way through the kitchen, disappearing into the living room. A moment later you heard the front door open.

“Pastor Kang? Is everything alright?” you heard your mother ask and looked up, trying to peer through the doorway into the vestibule. “Sorry for the late call, Ms. Y/L/N but I was wondering if I could borrow Y/N for a moment?” 

Your heart skipped a beat, hope building in your chest that you might get a moment to step outside, away from the watchful eye of your mother. “Her father just left,” you heard your mother say, sounding apologetic. “She really shouldn’t be going outside.”

“I understand,” you heard Yeosang reply and were about to protest, even though it wouldn’t help your case in the slightest, when you heard him add on. “It would just be for a short while. I’ll have her back before her father even leaves the meeting hall. I promise.”

You could hear your mother sigh and quickly went back to work as footsteps started back towards the kitchen, stopping at the door. “Y/N,” your mother called and you turned to look back at her. “Pastor Kang wants to see you,” she continued. You set the rag in your hand down and wiped your hands before heading for the door.

Your mother caught you, firmly grabbing your arm. “Be sure to be back before your father gets home. Else he will really be mad and you won’t be able to leave until after you are married.” You nodded wordlessly and your mother let go, turning to watch as you walked over to where Yeosang waited. You stepped out of the door and shut it behind you.

“To what do I owe—”

“Hurry,” Yeosang said, taking you by the elbow gently. “We don’t have much time. If I’m to have you back before your father gets home, we’re going to have to make haste.” He started to guide you away from the house and behind the buildings so as not to be seen.

“What? Make haste?” you asked as you grabbed your skirt in your hand and lifted it off the ground to be able to move more freely without risk of tripping over the hem. “With all the men in the meeting, the church is empty,” Yeosang said as you hurried to keep pace.

“What?” you asked, halting in place. Yeosang noticed you weren’t following and turned around to return to your side. “We cannot stop!” he urged, placing a hand on your back. “We must hurry!” He guided you along behind the houses until you reached the church.

Yeosang checked to make sure the coast was clear and led you inside.

You’d never been inside the church at night or when it was this empty before. There was an unsettling and eerie atmosphere about it. The rafters were completely shrouded in darkness and anything could be lurking up there, hiding in the blackness.

“This way,” Yeosang said, pulling you out of your dark thoughts. He led you further into the church towards a door that led to a room off to the side. “I’ve never been back here,” you whispered to him. “There are rooms back here,” he explained, showing you the narrow corridor. “When we have visiting clergy, they stay here,” he added.

Yeosang led you down the hall to the room at the end and unlocked it with a key he produced. “He’s in here,” Yeosang explained. “We keep him locked back here because it’s safer than what the villagers had suggested. Only Jonas and I have a key to get back here.”

Once the door was unlocked, Yeosang called out. “Hongjoong, it’s just me, Yeosang. I have a visitor with me.” He turned to look at you and nodded before turning the knob and pushing open the door. 

Inside was a modest sized room with a single bed, bedside table, and a small wardrobe. A half melted candle sat on the bedside table along with an empty plate and a cup. Sitting on the bed, back against the wall was Hongjoong. He looked up and the relief that passed over his face was the same that you felt upon seeing him.

You rushed into the room, nearly tripping over your skirt as you climbed onto the bed and threw your arms around him. Hongjoong caught you, pulling you tightly against him as you sobbed into his shoulder. “Shh Starlight,” he said, his voice slightly hoarse as he gently rocked you. “It’s alright.”

You heard Yeosang clear his throat from the doorway and turned to look at him. “I can only give you a few minutes,” he explained. “I will go keep watch and come get you when it’s time to go,” he added. You nodded and he shut the door, his footsteps receding.

You turned back to Hongjoong. He had a partially healed cut on his bottom lip and a bruised eye. You took his face gently in your hands. “What have they done to you?” you whispered. He smiled weakly. “Nothing I can’t handle,” he replied, pulling your hands away and placing a kiss on the back of each one.

“What about you?” he asked, looking up at you. “Yeosang told me your parents are keeping you confined in the house?” he asked. You nodded. “They’re trying to force me to marry Yeosang,” you mumbled, settling in his lap.

He reached up, taking your chin in his fingers, and tilted your head back. “Maybe you should,” he said softly. You knocked his hand away and sat up straighter, to look at him, narrowing your eyes. “What are you even saying?” you asked, tears pricking at the corners of your eyes.

“I’m thinking logically Starlight,” he said softly, caressing your cheek. “I know Yeosang is advocating for me but let’s not kid ourselves. The villagers are intent on seeing that I hang for this. They aren’t giving in or listening to reason,” he continued to explain. “I think if you marry Yeosang, it will protect you from their wrath should things go awry.”

You shook your head, almost as if you were shaking his words out of your head. “What about us? What about our future?” you asked, your voice soft. Hongjoong smiled a solemn smile, cupping your cheek. “It was a nice dream, Starlight,” he started. “But I think at this point, that’s all it will ever be: a dream.”

You looked away, blinking back the tears that had been threatening to spill since you entered the room. “Look at me,” Hongjoong said softly. At first, you ignored his request but when he asked again, you couldn’t hold back. You turned to meet his gaze.

“I love you so much,” he said softly, cupping your face and wiping away a few of the stray tears that actually managed to spill. “More than anything, Starlight. More than my own life,” he continued. “And you know nothing will ever change that but you need to marry Yeosang.”

You pulled away from him, moving to get up only for him to gently grab your wrist and prevent you from going any further. “Please, Starlight,” he pleaded. “If not for your own sake, do it for me? So when I leave this world, I know you’ll be okay—”

You pulled your wrist from his grip. “Stop talking like that!” you snapped. “Stop talking like you’re going to die!” You started to walk towards the door. “If you keep talking like that, I will walk out of here and—”

“And what?” Hongjoong interjected, getting up from the bed. “And never come back?” he asked. You turned to look at him, tears flowing freely down your cheeks. “Don’t threaten me, Y/N. That is the cruelest thing you could do to me,” he said as he walked over and took your face in his hands. “You’re not that cruel, Starlight.”

A small sob escaped you, prompting Hongjoong to pull you against him and wrap his arms around you, allowing you to cry against his chest. “I’m only thinking of you, Starlight. If I am convicted of this, I don’t want to take you with me.”

“I do,” you said, your voice cracking. “I don’t want to live without you!”

Hongjoong was about to respond but a soft knock interrupted the both of you. The door cracked open and Yeosang peered in. “I’m sorry,” he started. “But we have to go.” You clung tighter to Hongjoong, pressing your face into his shirt.

“It’s alright, Starlight,” Hongjoong whispered. “Promise me we’re going to leave,” you whispered. “Like we planned. That this is all going to blow over and we’re going to leave like we planned and build a cabin by the sea,” you continued. Hongjoong glanced past you to where Yeosang stood before he finally returned his gaze to you.

“I promise, Starlight.”

You pulled him into a tight hug before he whispered in your ear. “If something happens to me, I need you to find my box and hide it.” You pulled back to look at him, confusion on your face. “What?” you asked softly. “In the crawlspace, the one you hid in, there’s a box buried there. If anything happens to me, I want you to go into the crawlspace, dig it up and take it deep into the woods where no one will ever find it and bury it. Promise me, Y/N.”

“But—” 

“And whatever you do, do not open it. You understand me?”

“Hongjoong, I—”

“Promise me, Y/N!” he cut you off. You stared back at him before nodding slowly. “I promise,” you said softly. Hongjoong pulled you into a quick kiss before Yeosang stepped forward to break your reunion apart.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N,” Yeosang said, gently pulling you towards the door. “We can’t stay here. The meeting will be ending at any moment.” You glanced at him quickly before looking back at Hongjoong. “Wait,” you said, pulling from his grip and rushing back to Hongjoong, pulling him into a kiss.

Hongjoong kissed you back with as much passion as you threw into it. After a moment, he pulled back, cupping your cheek. “I love you,” you whispered, looking into his eyes. “And I love you, Starlight,” he responded. “I’ll always love you.”

Yeosang urged you to move and reluctantly, you pulled away from Hongjoong and allowed the pastor to guide you out of the room, turning to watch as he shut the door, Hongjoong disappearing from sight as he locked the door behind him. He slipped the key into his pocket and guided you back down the hall and into the main room.

“I’m working on securing supplies and a carriage,” Yeosang explained as he led you out of the church and started the trek back to your house. “If I’m able to secure them, I will send you a message when you and Hongjoong will leave,” he continued. “You must be ready to go as soon as I give you that message, am I clear?” he asked.

You nodded wordlessly, staring at the ground as you walked. You felt his hand grab your arm gently and turn you to face him. “Do you understand?” he asked, tipping your head back and forcing you to look at him. “You have to be ready to go before then. Whatever important items you need must be packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice.”

You nodded again. “Yes,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. “I understand, Yeosang.” The two of you stared at one another for a moment longer before Yeosang let go, gesturing in the direction of your house. “Let’s go,” he said softly.

The rest of the walk was made in silence, the cool night air full of the sounds of crickets, punctuated by the occasional hooting of an owl. Once you reached the door, Yeosang stopped you, taking your hand gently.

“Regardless of if the villagers accept Hongjoong’s innocence or not,” he started, his voice low. “I give you my word that I will get you and Hongjoong out of here. That is a promise.” You forced a smile, thanking him as you reached for the doorknob.

Yeosang stopped you once more. “Do not lose hope, Y/N.” 

Once you were back inside, your mother came to check on you and you did your best to convince her you were fine with a fake smile and short but enthusiastic replies but in reality, all you felt was exhausted and more full of despair than you had before visiting Hongjoong.

You asked to be excused early and went up to your room, letting out a sigh as you shut the door and leaned against it. You looked around your room, eyes taking in everything and started over towards the small sewing table where your handicrafts sat, some half finished.

Your fingertips brushed over the embroidery as you looked around at it all. Yeosang’s voice came into your mind. ‘... at a moment’s notice.’ You looked over to your wardrobe, a newfound determination in your chest as you walked over and opened the door.

You rifled through the clothes and found what you were looking for. A linen bag. You packed away one dress and one nightgown, figuring you could always make more clothes once you and Hongjoong got to your destination.

You grabbed a few other sentimental items to pack into the bag. Once you were sure you had everything you wanted or needed, you pulled the drawstrings closed and hid the bag in the back of your wardrobe. You then undressed and pulled on your nightgown as you heard the door downstairs open.

You quickly climbed into bed and pulled the covers up. You could hear your parents downstairs talking but couldn’t make out what they were saying. Rolling onto your side to face the wall, your back to the door, was a good move because a couple moments later, the door opened slowly.

You didn’t move, pretending to be asleep until the door shut quietly with a click. You lay there, waiting for sleep to come as you listened to your parents move around the house until they both entered their bedroom and eventually it fell quiet.

You weren’t sure how long you lay there, staring at the wall but eventually sleep finally took you and you passed into a deep slumber without dreams.

Hours had passed since you left and Hongjoong had picked up the book Yeosang had given him a couple days ago. He had been reading it slowly, to make it last longer not knowing if or when he might get another.

When Yeosang returned, he had brought Hongjoong another candle before retiring to his home for the evening. Hongjoong had lost track of time since then but the current candle was almost completely used up by the time he reached the next chapter of his book.

He had just turned the page when there was a light knock at his door. He looked up as the door opened. He had expected it to be Yeosang but was surprised when he saw that it was Jonas instead. The elder minister almost never visited him unless to question him.

Hongjoong watched as Jonas closed the door and turned to face him, looking around the room. His eyes landed on the book in Hongjoong’s hands. “I see Pastor Kang is keeping you entertained,” he said simply. Hongjoong nodded silently, waiting for the old man to tell him why he’s visiting him.

“Did you have a visitor?” Jonas asked and Hongjoong’s heart sank. ‘Shit.’ Hongjoong said nothing as he watched Jonas who smiled. “I’m not mad,” he said. “It was nice of Yeosang to bring Miss Y/N to come see you.”

Hongjoong closed his book, setting it aside on the bed and shifted to sit up, narrowing his eyes at Jonas. “How did you—?”

“Know?” Jonas asked, finishing his sentence. “This is my church,” Jonas explained. “You really think I wouldn’t know the comings and goings of my own church?” he asked. “I thought you were smarter than that,” Jonas added. “You strike me as a smart man, Hongjoong,” Jonas continued. “Well, not extremely smart,” he added with a chuckle.

“After all, a witch ought to know better.”

Hongjoong watched him carefully. “Know better? Than what?”

“Than to cross an even more powerful witch,” Jonas replied. Hongjoong eyed him suspiciously. “So you know who it is, then?” Hongjoong asked. Jonas let out a chuckle. “Do I know who it is?” he asked, sounding highly amused.

Hongjoong was starting to get annoyed. He wanted to know why the old man was in his room and why they were even having this conversation. “Will you just get to the point?” Hongjoong asked, sounding as every bit annoyed as he felt.

“The point?” Jonas asked, his smile falling. “Of course.”

“Have you been paying any attention to the village?” Jonas asked, suddenly changing the subject again. Hongjoong shook his head. “Why would I?” he asked. Jonas nodded thoughtfully. “Of course,” he said. “Why would a reclusive witch who lives in the woods pay any attention to his only neighbors who live in the village just outside the forest?”

Hongjoong resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “I’m serious, old man,” he growled. “Just get to the point already! I grow tired of this conversation.”

“You really aren’t as observant or as powerful as I thought,” Jonas said with an amused hint to his voice.

Hongjoong narrowed his eyes. “What?” he asked softly. “Aren’t witches supposed to be able to sense these things? Know when another witch is around?” Jonas asked. Hongjoong stared back at him. “Sometimes,” Hongjoong answered. “You have to actually look for it though.”

Jonas nodded, keeping his eyes on Hongjoong. “Well, look for it,” Jonas encouraged. Hongjoong eyed him suspiciously again. ‘Why is he so adamant?’ he wondered to himself. Jonas said nothing else, waiting for Hongjoong to do something.

Reluctantly, Hongjoong let out a sigh and closed his eyes, channeling his own power and testing the area around him, feeling for a change in the air. A shock went up his spine and his eyes snapped open, meeting the dark gaze of Jonas.

“You?” Hongjoong whispered, eyes widening.

“Ah, finally,” Jonas said with a chuckle. “See? I knew you were a smart man.” Jonas started for the door. Hongjoong moved to get to his feet but Jonas turned to face him, eyes completely blacked out. A chill swept over Hongjoong and he was unable to move. It wasn’t due to fear. It was Jonas’ doing. 

“You son of a—” Hongjoong choked out but Jonas waved his hand, forcing Hongjoong’s mouth shut. “Be silent,” Jonas hissed. “I simply wanted you to know who was responsible for your downfall.” He turned to open the door and Hongjoong managed to break some of the control Jonas had over his body.

“Why?”

Jonas stopped, opening the door and peering into the room. “Why?” Jonas asked, mimicking Hongjoong’s question. “Because you were there,” Jonas answered. “That’s all you need to know. The villagers will find you guilty and you will die for it. The why does not matter. Not to you anyway.”

The door shut and Hongjoong finally regained control over his body. He rushed to the door and tried pulling at the knob but it wouldn’t budge. He pounded on the door. “Come back here you son of a bitch!” Hongjoong yelled into the wood.

After trying and failing to open the door, he finally returned to the bed to sit down, covering his face with his hands. He sighed and lifted his head to stare at the wall across from him. He had to get out of this room somehow.

He glanced around at the windowless box he was confined in.

‘But how?’

A few days passed since you’d visited Hongjoong and they were no closer to releasing him. You tried to keep up appearances, pretending to be excited for your wedding to Yeosang but each day that passed without word from your fake betrothed felt like another knife in the chest.

He hadn’t been by since sneaking you out and you were starting to lose hope again.

Your father found out about Yeosang’s visit and he had grown angry that your mother had let you leave without her. Despite agreeing to let you marry Yeosang, he was growing distrustful of the young pastor. Yeosang kept delaying the wedding, citing the case with Hongjoong and that he wants it to be resolved before marrying you.

He also didn’t seem to understand why Yeosang kept advocating for the release of Hongjoong and his claims of the latter’s innocence. The villagers were growing more and more restless, wanting some form of action to be done.

Many were demanding Hongjoong be dealt with swiftly so the curse on the village would end but at every turn, Yeosang was fighting them, demanding patience so justice could be done correctly.

Five days after your visit to Hongjoong, action came but not in the way the village or you expected.

After dinner, you were made to go to bed early and tossed and turned long after your parents went to their room. You had received new blankets for your bed after tearing apart the old ones and had them pulled up to your chin as you turned over onto your side again.

You let out a groan as the urge to urinate hit you and you begrudgingly sat up, pulling your boots on without tying the laces and got out of bed, grabbing your cloak. You carefully opened the door and headed downstairs as you put your cloak on.

Your parents initially had you locked in your room at night but when you mentioned having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and would have to pound on your door until one of them got up to let you out, they stopped locking it so they could get their sleep at night.

Outside was mostly quiet, the sound of crickets filled the air punctuated by the occasional owl hoot. You did your business, letting out a sigh as you sat on the bowl. Sleep had been avoiding you for the last couple days as you spent most nights tossing and turning.

Once you finished your business, you opened the door and stepped out, shutting it softly before turning to head back to the door. As you reached it, you felt a hand cover your mouth and an arm wrap around you, pulling you away from the door and into the shadow of your house. You kicked and struggled against your would-be attacker.

“Y/N it’s me!” a familiar voice hissed. They turned you and removed their hand from your mouth. “Yeosang?!” you whispered. “What the h—”

“I’m sorry!” he said quickly, keeping his voice down. “I tried waving at you but you didn’t see me,” he explained. You placed a hand over your heart and tried to calm your breathing. “What are you doing out here?” you finally asked.

Yeosang straightened up. “I have been waiting outside your house for hours, waiting for you to come out,” he explained. “What? Why?” you whispered. “To give you this,” he said, taking your hand and pressing a folded piece of paper into your palm.

“I don’t have much time. I have to get back,” he said, glancing around. “Wait!” you said, grabbing his arm. “How is Hongjoong?” you asked. Yeosang sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know, truthfully. My key has disappeared and Jonas won’t let me in to see him. He keeps telling me Hongjoong is fine but for some reason…” he trailed off, looking worried.

“You don’t think Jonas has done something to him?” you asked. Yeosang shook his head. “No, he wouldn’t. Anyway, it won’t stop anything. I’ll just have to pick the lock and get in there.” You stared at Yeosang as he mumbled to himself before he looked up to meet your eyes.

“Go inside. I don’t want you to get in trouble,” he urged, gently pushing you towards your door. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Before you could say anything, he turned and headed in the direction of his home, disappearing into the darkness. You contemplated opening the note but decided against it and went back inside, heading up to your room and shutting the door.

Once inside, you removed your cloak and boots and sat on your bed, unfolding the piece of paper to read in the low light of your candle. Written on it in Yeosang’s hastily scribbled handwriting were four simple words.

The next day you went about your chores like normal, tending to the garden, getting eggs, helping your mother around the house. You stayed silent for the most part, only speaking when spoken to, something your mother noticed to be odd.

When she asked about it, you made up an excuse that you were just tired. Your mother fussed, checking for any sign of illness and you reassured her you were fine and that you were having a hard time sleeping at night. “Lots of tossing and turning,” you simply said.

Your father spent most of the day out of the house, helping one of the neighbors with a new pig shed after the last one had been partially destroyed by something in the middle of the night. Surprisingly, the pigs were fine.

You had hoped to see Yeosang at any point that day but you knew he was probably busy arranging yours and Hongjoong’s escape for that night. An excitement had been bubbling up inside you after reading the note last night. It wasn’t until that morning that it hit you. Soon you would be leaving the village and your old life behind and beginning a new one with Hongjoong.

Things were starting to look up.

At dinner, you sat and ate quietly while your mother and father spoke. He went on about the pig shed and the other incidents that had been happening. The villagers, your parents included, still seemed to believe Hongjoong was responsible despite him being confined to the church.

As you were finishing your meal, your exhaustion seemed to catch up to you and you were having a hard time keeping your eyes open. “Y/N?” your mother asked as you almost fell asleep at the table.

“I’m all right,” you said softly. “I’m just really tired.”

Your father exchanged glances with your mother. “You haven’t been sneaking out at night, have you?” he asked sternly. You shook your head. “No,” you answered truthfully. “I just haven’t been sleeping well the last few nights.”

Your father returned his attention to his meal. “Perhaps Yeosang should stop delaying and make good on his promise to marry you. Maybe spending the night in his bed will help you sleep better.” Your mother chastised him and you ignored his words.

“M-may I be ‘scused?” you asked, slurring your words. Your mother nodded, reaching up to cup your cheek. “Of course dear,” she answered. “I’ll take care of your plate. You go on up to bed.”

You struggled to get up, your limbs feeling heavy and a weakness taking over your body. Your mother got up from her seat and helped guide you to the stairs and after a long struggle to climb them, she finally got you into your room where you collapsed onto the bed.

Your mother exited the room, shutting the door carefully and returned downstairs where your father sat. “I think I used too much,” your mother admitted as she looked at your cup. “Just keep an eye on her throughout the night,” he answered as he finished his food.

“I’m off to meet with the others,” he started, getting to his feet. Your mother looked at him apprehensively. “Is this really necessary?” she asked as your father grabbed his coat and pulled it on. “Yes,” he answered.

“The pastors aren’t doing anything about it,” he explained. “It’s up to us to keep our community safe from dangers. I will be back once it is done.”

Your mother watched as your father headed for the door and exited.

Yeosang was sitting by the window, reading from his book, when he heard the sound of shouting. Looking up he glanced out the window and saw a group of men walking towards the front steps of the church. He set the book down and got up, grabbing his coat, and headed for the door.

Once outside, he approached the men quickly.

“Good evening gentlemen,” he said politely. “How can I help you?”

“We’ve no time for your pleasantries,” a man Yeosang recognized to be Abel, said. “We’ve come to enact justice.” There were several murmurs of agreement as Yeosang looked around the group. His eyes landed on your father and a frown grew on his face.

“Y/F/N, what is this about?” he asked. Your father narrowed his eyes. “The villagers are restless, Pastor Kang. Uneasy even. They know the witch is being held in the church, our place of worship. They feel it is being tainted with its presence and that it must answer for crimes committed against our community. We must purge the village of its curses and its filth!”

The others agreed loudly and Yeosang stepped closer. “Is that really why you’re here?” he asked. “Or is it perhaps for another reason? A more… personal one?” A brief look of fear crossed your father’s face before being replaced with anger.

“Step aside, Pastor, and let us handle the heretic.”

Yeosang shook his head. “No,” he replied. “We have not concluded our investigation.”

“Damn your investigation!” another man shouted. “We’re tired of waiting! You have the culprit inside the church! He’s the witch!” Yeosang held his hands up in an attempt to calm the small mob. “Gentlemen, please! Let’s not act rashly.”

His pleas went unheard as the men grew more and more restless. “I’m sorry, Pastor Kang,” your father said. “But you can’t stop us. We’re here to serve justice.”

“This isn’t justice!” Yeosang said loudly. “You’re condemning an innocent man to a painful death!” The men ignored him and pushed past, climbing the steps and pushing open the doors to the church with Yeosang in tow.

“Stop! You cannot do this!”

“Go get him, Pastor Kang,” your father said. “We will wait.” Yeosang hesitated. “I do not have a key,” Yeosang responded. One of the men, who Yeosang recognized as Gideon, pushed him roughly, almost knocking Yeosang to the floor. “Liar!” he spat. Your father stepped in, placing a hand on Gideon’s chest. “Calm yourself, Gideon,” he said.

“He’s protecting the witch!” Gideon spat, pointing at Yeosang. “He should be punished, too!” Your father pushed Gideon back. “Watch your words, Gideon! He is a man of the cloth!” That seemed to snap Gideon out of his momentary lapse in judgment. He turned to Yeosang and bowed his head. “My apologies, Pastor,” he said softly.

“I am not lying,” Yeosang explained. “My key has disappeared.” The men grumbled in annoyance. “What is all this noise?” a voice called from the podium. The men and Yeosang turned to find Jonas standing there. “Sorry for the intrusion, Pastor,” your father started. “We’ve come for Hongjoong.”

Jonas looked from the men to Yeosang. “We just want to talk to him,” Abel said. Yeosang turned to glare at him for lying in a holy place. “Talk? By all means, let them talk to him, Pastor Kang,” Jonas said. Yeosang turned to him.

“I do not have a key,” Yeosang answered. “Mine seems to have been misplaced.”

Jonas reached into his own pocket and produced the key. “Use mine,” he said. Yeosang stared at him with a pleading look. “These men are not here to talk to him,” Yeosang explained. “They’ve come to enact what they feel is justice upon a man we are not even certain is guilty!”

Jonas looked from Yeosang to the men who fell silent. “I see,” Jonas said softly. “In that case…” Jonas said, trailing off as he set the key on the podium. Yeosang’s brow furrowed in confusion but before he could speak, something hard hit the back of his head, white hot pain bursting throughout. He cried out in pain, stars blinding his vision as he fell to his knees.

There was a mad dash, shuffling of feet. He barely heard the sound of your father thanking Jonas before his vision went dark and he slumped to the floor, blacking out.

Hongjoong heard a commotion coming from the main room of the church and looked up as a cry of pain rang out, sounding suspiciously like Yeosang. There was a stampeding of heavy footfalls before he heard the lock to his door being unlocked and the door flew open with a loud bang.

His eyes widened as several of the men of the village entered his room and moved towards him. “What is going on?” Hongjoong demanded as they grabbed him. “Be silent, witch!” one of the men said before stuffing a piece of cloth in Hongjoong’s mouth.

“We’ve come to deliver vengeance and rid our village of your filth!”

“Death to the witch!”

The men dragged him from the bed and started pulling him through the door where Hongjoong was met by the smug expression of your father. ‘Of course.’

“Take him to the tree,” your father stated plainly. Hongjoong tried to pull away but the men had a strong hold on him and dragged him down the hall and into the chapel. Hongjoong noticed Yeosang passed out on the floor before looking up towards the podium where Jonas stood.

Hongjoong tried to fight against the hold the men had on him, screaming against his gag, but it was no use, the men dragged him from the church, despite his kicking and struggling against them. The last thing he saw before being dragged out of the church was the smug expression of Jonas, his eyes blacked out and then the doors swung shut.

Yeosang woke up, his head pounding as he tried to get up. He managed to push himself up to his knees and reached up to the spot where he’d been struck which was tender to the touch. He pulled his hand back, thankful to see he was not bleeding.

He looked around the empty room before he came to his senses.

“Hongjoong!”

He got up, stumbling for a moment. He used the wall as support as he made his way down the hall to the room at the end where he found an empty bed. “No,” he murmured, stumbling back into the chapel and over to the door, throwing it open and ambling down the steps. 

As he reached the ground, a fresh wave of pain coursed through him, strong enough to make him retch. He managed to get a grip on himself and made his way through the village, using what he could to keep himself upright and on his feet.

A flash of lightning illuminated the village briefly, followed by a deep rumble of thunder in the distance. A storm was coming.

Maybe if he hurried, he would be able to stop them.

Consciousness came to you slowly. You woke with a heavy head and your limbs still heavy from sleep. You tried to sit up but found you could barely move. This was not the usual grogginess that followed your sleep.

You forced your eyes open, your vision slowly coming back as the ceiling of your room came into view. You blinked a few times, trying to force the sleepiness from your eyes. As the rafters merged, you tried to pull yourself up into a sitting position.

You turned to look out the window and noticed it was pitch black outside. “How long have I been asleep?” you mumbled. You tried to get up on wobbly legs and stumbled towards the door. You stopped by the wardrobe and opened it, grabbing the sack you’d packed.

You didn’t bother being quiet as you wrenched the door open, a loud clap of thunder sounding in the distance. You descended the steps as quickly as you could and stopped, catching sight of your mother sitting in her rocking chair as she mended one of your father’s coats. She looked up, taking sight of the bag in your hand.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked, looking up at you. Taking a deep breath and tightening your grip on the bag you finally put your foot down. “I’m leaving,” you answered. Your mother stared at you for a moment before going back to her mending. “Nonsense,” she replied. “You’re getting married soon. You can’t leave.”

You stared at her incredulously. “What?” you whispered. “You’re not leaving. That’s final.”

You scoffed and started for the door. “Y/N Y/L/N!” your mother shouted and you turned to face her. “I’m an adult,” you snapped. “You may be my mother but you cannot hold me here against my will. I am leaving!”

The front door opened behind you and your father appeared, clothes covered in dirt. You looked at him, taking in his appearance. He didn’t acknowledge you at first, instead addressing your mother. “It is done,” he said, sounding exhausted.

You turned to your mother who lifted a hand to cover her mouth. “It was for the best,” she said in response. You looked between the two. Your father finally noticed you and looked at the bag in your hand. “Where are you going?” he asked. “I’m leaving,” you answered.

Your father let out a cold laugh as he moved to sit in the chair next to your mother. “No you’re not,” he answered. “There’s nowhere for you to go.” You glared at him. “It doesn’t matter. I’m tired of staying here, listening to your nonsense! I’m leaving!”

“You really are an ungrateful brat,” your father said, shaking his head.

“Excuse me?” you asked, taking a step closer.

“We gave you life, kept a roof over your head, clothed you, fed you, taught you, and this is how you repay us?” your father asked. “With contempt and disobedience?”

“I never asked to be born!” you screamed. “I didn’t ask for any of this! You’re my parents! You’re supposed to do those things! That’s the bare minimum!”

“Do not raise your voice at your father!” your mother snapped.

“Fuck you,” you spat. “Fuck both of you.”

Your father got up and advanced on you but you were ready for him. When he tried to hit you, instead you swung your bag at him, hitting him in the side of the head and making him stagger. “I’m not your property or some beast you can beat into submission!” you shouted. “I am a human! A woman! I deserve respect as such and you will not lay another hand on me!”

“Where do you think you’re going to go!?” your mother shouted. “Your lover is dead!”

You froze as you reached the door, hand on the knob. You turned back to look at your mother who had a hand over her mouth. “What did you just say?” you whispered. “The witch is dead,” your father repeated. “We hung him from a tree and buried his body in the woods.”

Your heart sank, heat rising to your face as you tried to hold back tears.

“You’re lying,” you spat. “Yeosang would never allow you to—”

“Jonas gave us his key,” your father interrupted as he got to his feet, reaching into his pocket and pulling something out. “Here,” he said, his voice void of any emotion as he tossed whatever it was at your feet. “Proof that your precious witch is dead.”

You looked down at your feet, kneeling to pick up the object which turned out to be a necklace, a small gasp escaping you as you recognized the pendant. It was Hongjoong’s. You would know this amulet anywhere.

You looked up at your father who had a smug smile on his face. “Believe it now? Your lover is dead and his soul rotting in Hell where he belongs.”

The anger that had been bubbling inside you reached a boiling point and rage fueled your actions. You dropped the bag and lunged for your father, ducking his attempt to hit you and knocked him to the ground, striking him anywhere you could reach. When your mother tried to stop you, you knocked her aside, grabbed one of her knitting needles and raised it above your head.

“Y/N NO!” your mother screamed. You brought it down, stabbing it into the floor next to your father’s head, panting heavily. You leaned over him. “You try to follow me,” you said in a low tone. “And I won’t hesitate to kill you,” you hissed. “You are not my father. I hope Satan himself rises from Hell and drags you there for what you’ve done.”

You got off him, offering a swift kick to his side before turning to your mother. “And you belong with him. What kind of mother stands aside while her husband beats their child and murders an innocent man. You two deserve each other and I hope you enjoy the fires of Hell.”

Without another word, you headed for the door, stopping to grab your bag, before you wrenched open the door and left, slamming it hard behind you.

©️ kwanisms 2024 | all works on this blog are protected under copyright. Do not repost, continue, or translate my works. All graphics made by me unless stated otherwise.

[discoholicmusic]

🎂 today is the:

- 7th anniversary of Illusion

- 2nd anniversary of Discoholics Anonymous

- 1st anniversary of Remixholics Anonymous!

thought it'd be fun to look back :)

[library-of-illusion]

𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐩

These are the lineups from the original collab. Some of these are finished and some are not. sanjoongie • anyamaris • kwanisms • thelargefrye • kpop-stories-21 • galaxystardragoness

more under the cut!

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════

• commencement || anyamaris • intro || sanjoongie • introduction || kpop-stories-21 • introduction || kwanisms • introduction || thelargefrye • introductory || galaxystardragoness

𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞

• easy mode || anyamaris • honey || sanjoongie • jungle trouble || kpop-stories-21 • the lion's heart || galaxystardragoness • the temple guardian || kwanisms • the twilight princess || thelargefrye

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════

𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞/𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲

• amateur sleuth || kwanisms • beg for your life || kpop-stories-21 • blue blood || sanjoongie • the red and the black || thelargefrye • together || anyamaris

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════

𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐲

• a witch's sabbath || thelargefrye • his beloved beauty || kpop-stories-21 • horns || sanjoongie • morning dew || anyamaris • the woodland guard || kwanisms • wind protector || galaxystardragoness

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════

𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

• pray to me || sanjoongie • strength & love || kpop-stories-21 • the lord of the castle on the hill || kwanisms • under the bluish sun || anyamaris

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════

𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫

• a world turned red || kpop-stories-21 • arachnophobia || kwanisms • better run || sanjoongie • the shadows of despair || anyamaris

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════

𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

• among the stars || kpop-stories-21 • chrome upgrade || sanjoongie • hybrid experiment 1080 || galaxystardragoness • shelter from the storm || kwanisms • subject 1117 || anyamaris • the lost world || thelargefrye

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════

𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐦

• a wild encounter || kpop-stories-21 • intermission || anyamaris • strawberries & cream || sanjoongie • the keeper of keys || kwanisms

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

• an unexpected end || kpop-stories-21 • don't you love me? || sanjoongie • i am eternal || anyamaris • the restricted section || kwanisms