#oh yeah and I forgot to mention

[hedgionary]

So I had one person tell me to write it, even for my own enjoyment. Why not write it here? I took a dive into the Narnia hole, all while being unable to leave the hole known as Fullmetal Alchemist. My head decided to combine them creating an AU. Instead of in WW1 Germany, Edward and Hohenheim end up in pre-WW2 London. Lots happens, Ed ends up getting sent to the house of one professor Diggory Kirke, someone who'd previously talked to Hohenheim about the theories of parallel universes. Not two months go by, Diggory sits Edward down and tells him there's going to be a bunch of children living with them. Edward is Not Happy, but what can he do? He's now tasked with Making Friends and Being Nice. Apparently, Kirke doesn't realise how much of a difference the four years between Edward and Peter make, let alone the seven between Ed and Lucy. All of this not taking into account how Ed was shaped by his experiences.

Still, he can't help but find Lucy's story of the wardrobe endearing after she returns the first time. A bit sad, but adorable. When there was a storm one evening, he sat down with her and told her a story from his home. Susan rolled her eyes in the other bed, but to Lucy, the story of alchemists who could make thinsg seemingly out of nothing, spark flames and so much more! He didn't mention the darker side of alchemy. He was a telling a bedtime story, not discussing possibilities with proffessor Kirke. It was still raining the next morning, and Edward got roped into playing with the Pevensies. He's with them when they land in Narnia, yet he can't believe it. He's torn between the "Not again" energy and the "what if i'm somehow closer to home" energy.

People thinking Edward is a star, or at least the son of one, due to him not being referred to as a Son of Adam or even Daughter of Eve. He's the blood of Adam, but not his son. Edward rediscovering his alchemy after he is attacked by wolves and instinctively claps his hands.

He gets a dwarven equivalent of automail. The job was already halfway done, but the dwarves excell at working thier forge nonetheless.

Edward never returning to England with the Pevensies, not ageing, receding into legend and then resurfacing during the events of Prince Caspian. Same age as when the siblings first saw him. Just more… Tired. He just wants to talk to Aslan.

And talk he deos. What he hears does not, however, help him, for he learns that even through the Country of Aslan he will not go home. (There's no Gate through Aslan's land to Amestris)

(That's the part I feel like burning myself at stake for, because why shouldn't God be able to do something, catholic guilt am i right?)

Aslan tells Edward to live on. To find peace and a home in Narnia. Edward cannot. He has tried. He misses his family too much, Narnia is too similar yet too different from Amestris. It hurts even more than England did, somehow.

He receeds quietly to the court of King Caspian. When the young king decides to go searching for the barons aboard the Dwan Treader, Edward fights tooth and nail against coming along. But his knowledge on all things Narnian (and not only) proves too be too valuable.

One day, he finds his way home. Rumours circulate that he truly was a Star, or at least close enough for Ramandu to be able to help him home in a way known only to the Stars. Others say he found peace on one of the islands they passed. Yet others say he died. Only a select few know the truth, and those are the ones who promised Edward they wouldn't tell.

Edward is home. But to everyone else, he's a different person. For everyone else, it's been four years. For Edward? A thousand. And Edward has learned so much.

He's got Mustang's Edmund's cold calculations in politics, handling anything in a delicate, yet clear manner. He does not lie. He's as straightforward as he ever was, but he's able to dress it in pretty words now. He's got more of an edge to him.

He's learnt authority from Peter. He's dangerous when he has a sword, no longer relying only on a knife, a polearm or transmuted arm. His movements are clear, elegant even. Not brash and jagged like the Fullmetal Alchemist's had always been. Fullmetal used his weapons as weapons - brutal, yet effective. Edward has a captivating elegance to his movements, leading a spar like a dance.

He's learnt to use a bow of all things. His automail is unlike anything anyone had ever seen. Edward knows it's Dwarven work and wears it proudly. He even uses his charm sometimes, but he's not a fan of it. Susuan insisted he learn though, and who was he to disobey a High Queen? Yes, it's still the Fullmetal Alchemist. But it's not the one the people of Amestris know anymore. He does not tell them any of the tales of Cair Paravel, or the diplomatic diplomatic journeys to Calormen that later come in handy when they talk to the people of Xing. (He's also fairly proficient with the weapons of the country. And doesn't that raise a few eyebrows?) Even Lucy's kindness rubbed off on him. He treats everyone he meets as a person who deserves kindness until blatantly proven otherwise. The fact Dante was gone when he retuned helped.

The first time someone calls him a dwarf, he smiles as if that were a compliment. He does not look for fights, but that does not mean he won't finish them. That temper of his never quite left. When he finally sees Al again, he's struck by the age difference. But then he smiles and takes his brother as he is. It is, after all, not the first time he's ever encountered someone he knew for years returned to a younger age. This does not mean it's not hard for him; it's just a little easier than it would've been otherwise. He knows neither of them are going to leave now, they've got each other's backs forever. He grows barely a centimetre and is ecstatic. This means he's truly home, ageing alongside his friends again. He wants to see the ocean, to show Al the ocean. This bewilders everyone, because he'd never cared for it. He's taken to drawing (he'd had no artistic skills before). For a while, he's convinced the world is flat like a table.

[inkskinned]

you're in the habit of denying yourself things.

if someone asked you directly, you would say that you love a little treat. you like iced coffee and getting the cookie. you drink juice out of a fancy cup sometimes, and often do use your candles until they gutter out helplessly.

but you hesitate about buying the 20 dollar hand mixer because, like. you could just use your arms. you weren't raised rich. you don't get to just spend the 20 dollars (remember when that could cover lunch?), at least - you don't spend that without agonizing over it first, trying to figure out the cost-benefits like you are defending yourself in front of a jury. yes, this rice cooker could seriously help you. but you do know how to make stovetop rice and it really isn't that hard. how many pies or brownies would you actually make, in order to make that hand mixer worthwhile?

what's wild is that if the money was for a friend, it would already be spent. you'd fork over 40 without blinking an eye, just to make them happy. the difference is that it's for you, so you need to justify it.

and it sneaks in. you ration yourself without meaning to - you don't finish the pint of ice cream, even though you want to. the next time you go to the store, you say ah, i really shouldn't, and then you walk away. you save little bits of your precious things - just in case. sometimes you even go so far as putting that one thing in your shopping cart. and then just leaving it there, because maybe-one-day, but not right now, there's other stuff going on.

you do self-care, of course. but you don't do it more than like, 3 days in a row. after that it just feels a little bit over-the-edge. like. you can't live in decadence, the economy is so bad right now, kid.

so you don't buy the rice cooker. you can-and-will spend the time over the stove. you can withstand the little sorrows. denial and discipline are practically synonyms. and you're not spoiled.

it's just - it's not always a rice cooker. sometimes it is a person or a job or a hug. sometimes it is asking for help. sometimes it is the summer and your college degree. sometimes it is looking down at scabbed knees and feeling a strange kind of falling, like you can't even recognize the girl you used to be. sometimes it is your handprint looking unsteady.

sometimes it is tuesday, and you didn't get fired, and you want to celebrate. but what is it you like, even? you search around your little heart and come up empty. you're so used to denying that all your desires draw a blank.

oh fuck. see, this is the perfect opportunity. if you had a mixer, you'd make a cake.

[mspaint-flower]

hi everyone my living situation has only been degrading the past months and now i'm not going to describe everything (cause most of it is described in the link anyway) but if you want to support me, you can do so here or comm me (although my motivation to do anything has severely degraded but i'll still do it no matter how long it takes me)

if you can't then it would be nice if you could share really, i just wanna live a normal life again

thank you

[spirkbitch]

movie based on a book: “hey here’s a 2-3 hour rendition of that book you read, we had to cut some stuff for time but we tried to get the important stuff in to convey the point the same”

novelization of a movie: “hey remember that movie? well here’s 300 pages of stuff that i forgot to tell you in the movie, stuff that happened in between the scenes, really important stuff, stuff that you’re confused about and now you’re wondering why it wasn’t in the movie.”

[papyrusgayfont]

Ace Attorney Investigations 3 but it’s just about whatever the fuck happened to Gumshoe when he was 16

[i-demand-a-good-username]

Uh, anyway, Shane is actually besties with Sam (he'd rather die than admit it though) and they constantly do things to spite Joja and Sam can actually get a good reaction from Shane with some of his jokes. Sam and him were kind of awkward at first, but after a while Sam saw him at the saloon one day and went "HEY!! MY BUDDY SHANE!! COME PLAY POOL WITH US!!" so loudly across the building that everyone turned to stare and Shane almost sped-walked out of the place out of embarrassment (he def stayed and played pool but kept his head down to avoid stares).

Sam constantly talks about funny things Shane does and Abigail and Sebastian are like, "??? The quiet, grumpy town drunk??" But after Sam dragged Shane into so many pool games, Shane loosened up and started a tournament with the old arcade games between the four of them (he kicks everyone's asses at it) and now Seb and Abbi are starting to get it.

There's a competition between him and Sam on who can steal the largest item at Joja without getting caught (Shane has the lead with the pizza he gave farmer)

After Shane stops drinking, Sam is adamant on getting Shane to like joja-cola with him (he's not winning, unfortunately)

One time, Sam bet Shane that he could drink a 12-pack of Joja-cola during one break at work and threw up everywhere from the crazy amount of carbination it has (Even though Shane cried actual tears from laughter, Sam still owed him a pizza because Morris made Shane clean it 😭)

Shane will leave Sam maple bars in his work locker when Sam is having a hard time with his family and denies that it was him (Sam knows) His excuse when caught is that he and Jaz prefer the other donuts in the pack

Shane SUCKS at comforting others, but Sam appreciates the awkward conversation because it just means his buddy is trying to be a good friend.

They both run a secret page that basically makes fun of Morris by posting bad photos or just making a meme out of him

Uh, yeah, anyway. Sam and Shane are besties

[electoons]

I love the college of winterhold. everyone there is casually deranged and there's like an alarming number of students and staff who threaten you immediately when they meet you. it's always one of the first questlines I do. which makes it even funnier when you get made the arch-mage of the college. I'm level 12 and got through this questline knowing exactly 3 spells. what do you mean you want me to lead the college. this school CANNOT be an accredited institution

[lilacs-stash]

Can we get a paper design with hcs from you! Paper is my second favorite character next to baseball

Didnt notice the HC thing till now so I'll just add em here, he's a polyam pan trans guy. Don't really have anything outside of that I don't think (grand slams blogger after all), besides him and OJ getting married after S1.

[apocalypse-sans-aus]

Survivor (Passive or Uncorrupted) Nightmare!

I know that this canonically(?) can't be possible for Passive to survive if uncorrupted, considering that he's already long gone but.. PLEASE... Passive deserves better.

Nightmare belongs to Jokublog

In order for Nightmare to take control of Passives body, there needs to be a lot of negativity surrounding the area, unless it wont last more than a second. When Passive gets too overwhelmed or is unable to fight anymore, Nightmare will take over and finish the battle, not for Passives safety but for his own.

"Somethings absorbing our magic."

"You think that I don't know?"

[bepoucorp]

some quick refs I made of Scarecrow and Harley for my universe/headcannons!

[captain-dville]

*So they were doing this.*

*There was no way around it: Jonny was terrified as he sat on the side of the wheel-out medical bed, watching @scientist-cognizi potter around getting set up. They'd done what they could to make the medical bay look less like a lab, though Jonny had been unhelpful in explaining why exactly - he'd thrown a bedsheet over the equipment they weren't using, and refused a medical gown in favour of just stripping down to his trousers.*

*He could hear the irregular tick - czztick - tick of his mechanical heart all too loudly in the quiet room. He squeezed @everybodys-favourite-gunner 's hand reflexively, hoping it wasn't too obvious how quiet he was being, or how his shoulders were trembling. Then he did the same to @drumbbot-brian's hand on his other side.*

*He saw Raphaella reach for a screwdriver, and tensed up - then he let his gaze flick over to Nastya where she was leaning against the wall, watching over everything, and felt his breathing steady just a little.*

[kandigored]

the mirror pool

so ive been thinking about this au ive wanted to make inspired by the incredible pogd au by @beluvbug for a while !!

this is a very self indulgent au based on pinkie dealing with the conflict of wanting to be taken seriously while also playing themselves down constantly as a way to please others, especially when it come to their identity as nonbinary and their disabilities

i was going to make the first post about this au a little comic but ironically the disabilities have made that a bit hard and i wanted to post something for it

[wayfinderships]

💙 3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!! 💙

Ramblings below + divider can be found here

HAPPY (belated) THREE YEARS TO SNOW AND I 💙💙💙 Afjsnfksnfkd hard to believe it's been that long since we got married <3 I remember being so flustered calling him my husband back in the day and now I say it so naturally- He's been there for me through thick and thin! I love and adore him so much that words can't even begin to describe it! He means so much to me!

On a funnier note, drawing him without his beanie was a funny challenge-fksnfkdnf I'm so used to drawing him with it. Same with him in any formal wear, it's not his thing usually so it feels odd drawing him in it.

It's silly to imagine Panchi being the one suggesting they dress up all fancy, even helping Snow with his tie and all that, only for Snow to loosen his tie throughout the day (an action which makes Panchi distracted from whatever is going on bc they think it's attractive) till he eventually takes it off and unbuttons his shirt a bit. Panchi doesn't mind but does end up sneaking glances at his unbuttoned shirt bc they are not immune to husband's chest-

[azoosepted]

its so fucking funny to me how once i realized i could make sinner ocs based off of video games ive just been doing that and only that ever since. like i realized that was a thing i could do and as a result i have ended up with. [checks notes.] at least 9 sinner ocs based on games i like and i feel so free…

[lalune9x]

SCTIR Translation - Chapter 469: Selfish

One of my favorite chapters in the entire novel.

"What does that Sung Hyunje dislike so much about me?" I asked. "…Excuse me?" "Every time I start getting attached, it’s like he’s been waiting and he suddenly—" I quickly covered Han Gyeol’s ears. "—pulls some crap like this!"

Chapter translation under the cut.

---

Anyway, this made it clear. I turned away from Sung Hyunje and pushed the glass door open. I needed to tell Director Song about Chloe’s rank and stop her. There was no reason to just let her go with a simple goodbye. If we held onto Chloe, her side would probably contact us. Regardless of their good intentions or whatever, at the very least, they needed to release the skill Park Hayul had cast on me. You can’t use someone like that and walk away pretending nothing happened.

I walked along the quiet hallway. Sung Hyunje didn’t follow. My stomach churned, and I stopped walking.

“…Gyeol-ah, do you want to go ahead first?”

— 'No.'

I couldn’t smoke in front of the kid. Instead, I leaned against the wall and stood still for a moment.

‘I’m much better now than I was before.’

But what if it had been the me from before the regression? If I were still just the F-rank Han Yoojin, Chloe wouldn’t have said she disliked me. On the contrary, instead of paying attention to the rumors swirling around me, she might have taken notice of the F-rank hunter struggling to survive.

‘…In the end, all I accomplished was hearing things I was better off not knowing.’

She said she’d planned to tell me everything. Actually no, she said she’d tell me before leaving the country. If I’d heard it then, it would have been harder for me to react. So why did she confess now? Ah, did she realize during my conversation with Sung Hyunje that I was onto her? Maybe because I’d been questioning if he’d joined forces with the other side.

‘Then I should act quickly now.’

She said she would resist. Didn’t that mean she planned to run away? What was Chloe’s skill again? Since her broadcasts were focused on low- to mid-level dungeons, her abilities hadn’t been properly revealed. The content mainly focused on survival or raiding strategy, minimizing reliance on her higher-ranked hunter skills as much as possible.

I started walking again. The lounge was still a ways off, but someone was standing in the hallway.

"…Director Song."

It was Song Taewon. Did he come because he was worried? After all, I was an F-rank and Chloe was a high-rank Hunter. Suddenly, I remembered what Sung Hyunje said about trusting me or whatever. Maybe it wasn’t me he trusted, but Director Song.

"Han Yoojin-ssi."

“I got rejected, just as expected.”

Director Song’s expression faltered at my words. Or no, he seemed startled by the look on my face.

“…I apologize. I’m not very good at comforting people in these matters,” he said.

"No, I’m fine."

He didn’t seem to believe me.

"More importantly, did Chloe-ssi return to the lounge?" I asked.

"She didn’t come this way."

"What?"

"She took a different hallway. Since she was alone, I didn’t stop her. Is there a problem?" Director Song asked.

I froze for a moment, then ran a hand down my face. Of course. Why would she stick around when she wasn’t even a member of the Burn Cave Guild? She would have tried to hide as soon as she realized she was exposed. Why had I just stood there watching her walk away? Damn it, I was really…

"I’ll go call the others,” Director Song said.

I grabbed his sleeve as he hurriedly turned around, probably misunderstanding my expression.

"No, that’s not it. It’s not that. I just… feel like I’ve been acting foolishly. And now isn’t the time for me to be doing that.”

“…I think it’s fine for you to focus on dating.”

"…Pardon?"

"I think it’s alright to allow yourself that much freedom,” Director Song said seriously.

“I don’t think you’re the right person to say that, Director Song.”

"I am a public official."

"Just because you’ve got a rock-steady government job doesn’t mean your body’s made of steel too, you know?"

"I am also an S-rank,” he pointed out.

“In any case, I never dreamed I’d hear you give advice about having the freedom to date, Director Song.”

For some reason, I couldn’t help but laugh. I slid down the wall and sat on the floor. There was little chance of catching Chloe now, even if I chased her. It would be better to wait until she came to receive Sung Hyunje’s reply. Assuming Sung Hyunje would cooperate, of course.

“Didn’t you used to dislike me, Director Song?” I asked.

"I was only worried."

“Then please sit down. My neck is going to cramp up.”

I patted the carpeted floor beside me. After a moment’s hesitation, Song Taewon sat down next to me. Freedom, huh? Sure, freedom is good. Though now wasn’t really the time to indulge in it.

"I can’t figure out what Sung Hyunje is thinking,” I said.

"I’ve watched him for nearly four years, and I still don’t know,’ Director Song replied.

"If I were an S-rank, I’d have grabbed him by the collar and shaken him a hundred times by now.”

"If I may offer advice, think of him as a natural disaster. Like being unlucky enough to be struck by lightning."

“…In that case, you’re like a lightning rod, Director Song.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t act as a proper lightning rod for you, Han Yoojin-ssi," he replied politely but seriously. Why was he apologizing?

“When you think about it, I was the one who ran into the storm holding an umbrella high,” I admitted.

"I wish you wouldn’t do that. Also, please try not to worry so much."

"How can I not worry?"

Director Song fell silent. The crease between his brows deepened. “Even so, I don’t think you need to worry about taking cues from the Sesung Guild Leader’s feelings. Ignore him like you did at the banquet,” he suggested.

"...What?"

Ignore him? But at that time, Sung Hyunje was the one who first… 

“I’m not sure if I can do that, though…” I said.

"He’s not someone you can avoid, no matter how hard you try," Director Song said. "I’m forced to deal with him because of my position, but Han Yoojin-ssi can just let him be."

"What if he loses interest and leaves for good?"

"Things would be very peaceful."

He wasn’t wrong, but… um.

"The Sesung Guild Leader is very capable, and we do need him,” I pointed out.

“You’re just as capable, Han Yoojin-ssi.”

"Huh? No, I— Well, I suppose if we include Haeyeon Guild, we might manage in terms of combat power. And we do have international connections…"

“You have the Amaterasu Guild and the Murim Alliance, not to mention the Rearing Facility and Hunter Yoo Myungwoo. Expanding your influence won’t be difficult. Of course, relying on the already established Sesung Guild might be more convenient, but I wouldn’t say you’re lacking compared to them.”

He was being generous in his assessment… Or maybe I’ve been underestimating those around me too much. That wasn’t good.

"Listen, Director Song,” I began.

"Yes?"

"Chloe-ssi is connected to the people who kidnapped me—wait, no!” I quickly grabbed Director Song as he stood up. “She’s already gone! It’s too late."

He looked down at me with a stiff expression and said, "Please don’t tell me you met her knowing that." 

"No, I was just a little suspicious. I’m sorry. But I told Sung Hyunje and Hyuna-ssi about it. Also, she said kidnapping me wasn’t done with bad intentions. You know the Dokkaebi King, right? They were trying to prevent him from falling completely into the military’s hands because it would have been dangerous.”

"Regardless of the reason, a crime is still a crime,” Director Song said firmly.

"But what if sacrificing one or two people could save many others?"

"I would step forward first."

“…Are you saying it’s okay for you to sacrifice yourself, Director Song? Because it’s your own life?”

"You might find my words and actions contradictory, but I don’t think sacrificing oneself is the right thing to do.”

That was unexpected. Then did Director Song not particularly like himself? Maybe because he felt so alien from others, he believed it was fine to sacrifice himself for them.

"I like you, Director Song."

"...."

“I think you’re a genuinely good person,” I affirmed.

"...Nevertheless, I cannot stop someone if they’ve made their decision after due consideration. Persuasion might be possible. However, one should never sacrifice others in place of oneself, unwillingly or not.”

"Well, you could always just stand by and let it slide, couldn’t you?"

"I, at the very least, cannot. And due to my position, I cannot overlook a high-ranking Hunter involved in serious crime. So, I’m sorry, but I will have to issue a warrant for Hunter Chloe.”

"Please wait,” I said. “She said she would return to get the Sesung Guild Leader’s reply. If he cooperates with us, it would be better than blindly chasing her down. If you issue a warrant, she’ll only go deeper into hiding."

Director Song nodded in agreement, falling silent for a moment again. Gyeol rubbed his head against my neck as if to comfort me.

My muddled thoughts began to clear. However, as usual, I still couldn’t understand Sung Hyunje. Act selfishly? Was he really going to betray me? And what did he mean by saying he thought I would catch him?[1] Was he saying he wouldn’t leave if I clung on to him? That just made me more annoyed.

"…I want to grab Sung Hyunje by the collar,” I said.

“If it’s you, Han Yoojin-ssi, he would let you do it.”

"Because I’m F-rank and not a threat."

"Rank is irrelevant. If he didn't want it, he wouldn’t allow even an unawakened person to lay a finger on him."

"That’s... well…"

"The same goes for Hunter Han Yoohyun, Hunter Park Yerim, Hunter Noah, and Hunter Moon Hyuna." Director Song’s voice was calm, as though he was simply stating facts. And well… he wasn’t wrong. Yeah, I already knew that.

I let out a sigh.

"…By the way." Director Song hesitated before continuing. "Is it possible that Hunter Chloe has feelings for the Sesung Guild Leader—"

"No."

“My apologies. It does happen sometimes, so I had to ask.”

Did he think Chloe-ssi rejected me and ran straight to Sung Hyunje? I did suddenly mention wanting to grab his collar.

"Sung Hyunje told me to act selfishly. What do you think he meant by that?"

“I think that is one thing he’s right about.”

"Wow… But I kind of want to tell you to act selfishly too, Director Song."

I mean, I probably wasn’t as bad as Director Song. I took care of what I needed to and voiced my complaints when necessary. If I were to act even more selfishly than this, what would that mean? Was he telling me to take over Sesung or something? Was it a signal that he was going off to join Park Hayul’s group or Chatterbox’s faction, and that I should take over what’s left behind?

As if Sesung without him was more valuable than him without Sesung. If he was going to give me something, he should give me both.

"What does that Sung Hyunje dislike so much about me?" I asked.

"…Excuse me?"

"Every time I start getting attached, it’s like he’s been waiting and he suddenly—"

I quickly covered Han Gyeol’s ears.

"—pulls some crap like this! If he’s going to treat me well, then he should just treat me well. If not, then stick to treating me poorly! He’s so inconsistent. It’s like a bumper crop of crap, all year round. How long has it been since Chuseok? Will he keep this shit up in the dead of winter too? He might as well plant rice and barley at this point. I mean, he’s got a greenhouse at home, it’ll be green all year round. If he’s going to be like this, why cultivate flowers when he could be farming rice?"

"…I see."

"For his birthday next year, I’m getting him a tractor. If he shows up in another car, I’ll plow right through it. If I get hospitalized with stress, the culprit is Sung Hyunje. Please arrest him."

"That would be difficult. And you shouldn’t destroy vehicles for no reason. Besides, I think the Sesung Guild Leader is exceedingly fond of you, Han Yoojin-ssi. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t show any interest in you at all."

…I did know that, but still. Even so, honestly. I handed Gyeol over to Director Song and stood up suddenly.

— ‘Dad!’

"I’m just going to grab him by the collar."

I was going to yell at him to explain himself clearly. And… whatever. I’d figure it out once I saw him face-to-face.

The thin blue panel glowed softly. The writing etched on it was not from this world, but its owner understood its meaning. The panel hovering above his palm disappeared in an instant. Immediately afterward, a cool breeze brushed the back of Sung Hyunje’s neck, and a thin red line appeared, a few droplets of blood beading along it.

"I guess you do feel guilty, huh? You didn’t even try to dodge."

Moon Hyuna, standing on the terrace railing, withdrew her spear. She then brushed off the last of the spider web-like threads clinging to her body.

“I thought it was odd that she let me go so easily,” she said. “You had something strange set up. It’s my first time seeing that item.”

"It was a birthday gift.”

"Yeah? Ah, from Hunter Yoo Myungwoo? It works well. Even a mid-rank Hunter would take half a day to escape it,” she said. “So, Hyung-nim?"

The terrace garden was already empty. Moon Hyuna sat on the railing and scowled at the back of Sung Hyunje’s head.

"Judging by how quiet it is, it seems nothing serious happened. But what are you plotting, huh?"

“Let’s just say I wanted you and Hunter Miller to make up. You might be seeing each other more often in the future.”

"Seeing each other more often? Even Guild leaders barely meet once a month."

Meeting once a month was actually quite frequent. Guild leaders, especially S-rank hunters, rarely had personal interactions. Once they entered an S-rank dungeon, they could stay inside for several weeks, and if a conflict arose outside the dungeon, it was impossible for them to manage it. Moon Hyuna was an exception, as she tended to have a wider social network, but most S-rank hunters kept to their own guilds.

Recently, though, they’d been seeing each other often because of Han Yoojin.

"If she takes over as the acting guild leader of Sesung, you would see her more often.”

“…What?” Moon Hyuna’s eyebrows shot up. "You’re going overseas? Like, for good?"

"Soyoung is still young, so I’ll entrust things to Hunter Miller for a while."

"Director Han will be disappointed. Don’t tell me you dragged me aside just to tell him that? You could have just told me, and I would’ve stayed out of the way."

At Moon Hyuna’s suspicious gaze, the corners of Sung Hyunje’s mouth turned up slightly.

"I introduced Vantes to Han Yoojin-gun,” he said.

“…What are you scheming?"

“Team Manager Seok is competent, but he is someone who would gladly sacrifice Han Yoojin for the sake of the Haeyeon Guild.”

“I don’t know what you’re intending, but…" Moon Hyuna narrowed her eyes as she continued. "When you offered to help me back then, though there were other reasons, I mainly turned you down because of the way you operate. Sung Hyunje, you don’t simply help people—you nudge them around, driving them into a corner.”

He didn’t stop at giving scholarships or covering living expenses. He would carefully shape their surroundings, like laying out a long path for them to follow, from the school they would attend, to their major, to the job they’d get after graduation. All without directly leading or forcing them into it. Rather, he subtly manipulated the surrounding environment so that the person in question would think they were naturally choosing their own way.

"The young master might not have noticed, but Seok Shimyung caught on and absolutely hated it. Do you think he dislikes you for no reason? It’s honestly a relief that your interest doesn’t last long. You’re not some god playing with people’s fates. It’s gross."

"I had only pure goodwill. And I’m restraining myself a lot these days."

"You’re obviously up to something suspicious. Hey, if you keep shaking the candy jar, all the pieces inside are going to break."

"I'm aware,” Sung Hyunje said. “But if you see it rolling towards a cliff, shouldn’t you push it in a different direction, even if you break a few pieces?”

At his words, Moon Hyuna scratched the back of her head. "You’re not wrong. So, are you trying to help Hyung-nim stand on his own or something? He relies on you a lot, Sesung Guild Leader, but I doubt things would drastically change if you were gone."

At most, he would feel a bit sad.

"Don’t go bothering random people out of boredom, just because Han Yoojin and Director Song aren’t around,” she said. “Though it does seem like Director Song will be going on more frequent business trips."

"It might get lonely. That’s why I’ve been waiting."

"What, for Hyung-nim to let go of you and send you off?"[2]

Instead of answering, Sung Hyunje smiled silently. There were still a few days left. Knowing Han Yoojin’s personality, he would agonize over everything alone instead of confiding in others. He might try to hold on to him or he might just give up. He might even try to clumsily persuade him, fail, and end up raising a weapon against him.

Either way, with a word like “partner” carrying so much weight, he was bound to feel a sense of betrayal.

"I’m not used to being hated,” Sung Hyunje said.

"What the hell are you talking about? I could bring you a truckload of people who hate you."

"Those people don’t matter. What do I care what the pebbles in the flowerbed think?"

"…God, you’re insufferable. I miss Dal. At least he was cute, unlike a conniving snake like you. And if you don’t want to be hated, just behave yourself."

"I suppose that’s an option.”

Perhaps his interest in Han Yoojin wouldn’t even last five years. Maybe it would fade in a year or two. If that happened, it wouldn’t matter anymore. But staying quietly in place hoping for an uncertain future didn’t suit Sung Hyunje’s nature.

"But I still think I'd enjoy him getting angry at me,” he said.

"Director Song, at least, is an S-rank. Hyung-nim, on the other hand…"

Moon Hyuna’s voice suddenly trailed off. Moments later, the glass door swung open. Han Yoojin entered the terrace garden with large strides.

"…Hyuna-ssi?" he said.

"Got rejected safely, Hyung-nim?"

"…Yes." Han Yoojin nodded and approached Sung Hyunje.

Behind him, Song Taewon entered, holding the fairy dragon, and stood by the glass door.

"Sung Hyunje-ssi,” Han Yoojin said.

Sung Hyunje looked down at him. He hadn’t expected to hear from him for at least a day. Han Yoojin’s narrowed eyes were full of frustration—resentment, anger, and annoyance.

"I didn’t expect you to come back right away," Sung Hyunje said.

"Shut up. Now that I think about it, you said you would be my decoration today, didn’t you? Accessories don’t have mouths."

"That’s true." Sung Hyunje tilted his head slightly, smiling. "Yes, master." His long index finger rose to lightly touch his lips before falling back down.

Han Yoojin took a deep breath, his shoulders slightly rising and falling.

"I was just going to curse you out, but then…"

He exhaled deeply again.

"You told me to act selfishly? Doesn’t that just mean I should do whatever I want? Fine, Sung Hyunje-ssi, since you told me to do so, I will. I don’t care what you do."

Han Yoojin met his gaze directly as he spoke.

"I just—damn it. I hope Sung Hyunje will be the last. Just live in this world, doing whatever selfish, reckless things you want. I want that for you, and I’ll make it happen. Whatever your plans are, I don’t care. That’s how I want it to be.”

He grit his teeth, declaring that he wouldn’t bother with him anymore.

"And you too, Director Song!"

Song Taewon, standing a bit further back, flinched reflexively.

"Just live a long life, okay? I want to see you live well, Director Song. That’s all I want. And Hyuna-ssi, I’m sure you’ll live well on your own, but I still hope you’ll be happy."

"Oh, thanks,��� Moon Hyuna replied.

Han Yoojin smiled at her words. Then, his gaze turned sharp again as he glared at Sung Hyunje.

"I’m going to do whatever I want. You’re the one who started this. So if you’re going to cooperate, then cooperate. If not, get lost. Of course, if you disappear on your own, I’ll make sure to find you, grab you by the collar, and drag you back.”

No matter what it took.

"I’ll give you a day to run, too." After saying that, Han Yoojin’s neck reddened slightly, perhaps out of embarrassment. "Damn it. Anyway, that’s that. Hyuna-ssi, is there more to drink?"

"Of course. You can take whatever’s left in the lounge’s open kitchen,” she replied.

"Thank you,” Han Yoojin said. Avoiding Sung Hyunje’s gaze, he pulled out his phone. "Hey, Yoohyun. There’s more wine in the open kitchen. It’s from Hyuna-ssi. Bring it all. I need to get drunk tonight. What? Of course, I got rejected! I’m fine, but what about you?"

While talking to his younger brother, Han Yoojin glanced over at Song Taewon. "Director Song, can S-rank hunters drink and drive?"

"…There are no specific regulations yet, but no, it’s not allowed."

"Then it’ll have to be Yerim. She does have a license."

"I’d prefer it if you stayed at the hotel tonight,” Director Song replied.

"Oh right, we’re at a hotel. Yoohyun, let’s head up to our room. Grab the wine and take the elevator. Yeah, come comfort your hyung."

Han Yoojin left, and Song Taewon followed after him.

Moon Hyuna shrugged and looked at Sung Hyunje. "So, that’s how it is. Looks like things aren’t going the way you planned, huh?"

Sung Hyunje’s hand rose to cover his face.

"…It’s driving me crazy."

---

Footnotes:

[1] Sung Hyunje said “잡아 줄 줄 알았는데” which means literally “I thought you’d catch (me),” but also has the meaning of holding/supporting someone or stopping them from leaving. Not really sure how best to translate it because they do also kind of use it in the sense of “catching”. I previously translated Yoojin’s inner monologue about the Crescent Moon possession as Yoojin thinking “역시 확실하게 잡기 위해서는 (In order for me to ensnare him properly)” but I corrected “ensnare” to “catch” to make the callback to Hyunje’s line clearer.

[2] Hyuna says “안 잡아 주고 (Not hold on/catch you, i.e., let go of you)”, same word as the “catch” above.

[cindersashess]

Marsh was never seen again after that

Inspired by this trend !!!