#or it's a doctors trip woo-

[palettepainter]

Oh-ho blocked ear canal baby, the next following days are gunna be great-

[spdrslayr]

001. atsv headcanons ! ★ jonathon ohnn & miguel o’hara both falling for the reader…

⁀➷ srcs... masterlist . rules . intro .

| synopsis, ୨♡୧ for the sake of this scenario, miguel and johnathon are working for alchemax in the same universe at the same time. miguel is a geneticist and johnathon is a physicist. you, my dear reader, are the cute receptionist!🥺

★ tags -> gender neutral reader; au; miguel o'hara; spider-man 2099; johnathon ohnn; the spot; love triangle; jealousy; fluff; etc...

★ warnings -> jealousy, slightly implied age gap, cursing

★ w.c -> 1,028

| xox, mei! ୨♡୧ -> woo my first post yay!! anyways requests are open for johnathon ohnn, miguel o'hara, and hobie brown if y'all are interested <3 my masterlist n rules are still a wip so stay tuned for that!

both men love their work but it still stresses the hell out of them. they’d enter and leave work exhausted. but then you started working at alchemax. you - with your bright smile and glittering eyes. most of the scientists and associates were drawn to you, but miguel and johnathon were on a whole nother level.

johnathon definitely fell first. it was daunting when someone he found attractive was being so sweet to him. jonathon’s usually too stuck in his own little world to care about such frivolities, so you were something special.  

★ he’s been late so many times because he’d chat with you for too long at your desk. at first he stumbled on his words with you, struggling to maintain eye contact while simultaneously trying not to stare too hard. now you’re one of the few people he feels comforting rambling to, because he knows you’re listening ★ johnathon loves it when you’d call him “doctor,” despite him insisting on his first name. sensing that air of respect from you makes him feel good about himself. ★ he takes great pride in making you laugh and smile with every chance he gets. this physicist has a vast arsenal of cheesy jokes, bad puns, and cute pick-up lines.  ★ he visits you throughout the day whenever he can, and tries to muster up the courage to have lunch with you. you’re young and gorgeous and out of his league but he’d be damned if he didn’t try. and then miguel o'hara came back from his business trip.

miguel didn’t care for the last receptionist. she was rude and lazy and got his name wrong. so it was a pleasant surprise when he was greeted by you instead. 

★ at first, your peppiness was too much for him, especially in the morning. he’d brush off your attempts at conversation and only mumble back to you when needed. such is the way of the resident grump at alchemax. but eventually, you wormed your way into his heart by remembering how he likes his coffee and staying up to help him on late nights in the lab. ★ miguel had to admit, you were a joy to have around. …and very very nice to look at. miguel's had a few serious relationships in the past, but they never ended well. since then he’s only indulged in one-night stands and temporary hook-ups. but he refused to look at you so fleetingly.  ★ miguel started bringing you expensive bouquets of flowers for your desk, along with sweet little notes. he’s obsessed with the scent of your vanilla perfume. he wants to be your hero, there to open every door, pull out every chair, and drive away any creep. for him, creeps include johnathon.

johnathon wasn’t concerned when he’d see other scientists and workers flirt with you. he wholeheartedly believed you two had a special connection that couldn’t be replicated. but seeing miguel turn you into a blushing stuttering mess proved him wrong. there was competition closer than he thought, and if he didn’t act quickly, he’d lose you for good.

★ johnathon felt deeply insecure in comparison to miguel. dr. o’hara’s movie star face & dreamy hair made him feel like crap.  ★ miguel clearly had way more experience in dating, always flirting with you so smoothly. johnathon on the other hand, is pretty sure he’s stuck in the friendzone with you. so he decided to experiment with bolder methods of winning your heart. ★ jonathon’s been more direct, showering you with compliments and buying you lunch whenever he could. he made it abundantly clear that he was single and that he liked you very much. you were his favorite person at alchemax, and for good reason.

miguel honestly thinks johnathon’s annoying as fuck. once john accidentally spilled hot coffee onto miguel on a very bad day, and he’s been bitter ever since. in the past johnathon would be friendly, but miguel would brush him off. who the hell is this lanky ass nerd and why is he hovering over him in HIS lab? 

★ now he’s wondering why the geek is messing with his love now. it pisses him off, not just because johnathon knows he feels the same about you, but how john makes you happier than he’s ever seen you be. miguel’s flirty, and funny in his own, stubborn way, but he lacked johnathon’s endearing dorky nature that had you hooked. ★ miguel is soooo grumpy lmao ★ really johnny is such a silly sweet guy while miguel, mr. give everything 1000% over here is fighting for his life. it took miguel a whole ass week to come up with a joke as good as johnathon’s that made you laugh your ass off. my guy is trying waaay too hard.

at first, miguel confronts johnathon kindly. he’s sympathetic and straight to the point - they both hold the same intentions towards you, but only one of them can win. he can tell that johnathon’s a good guy, with a big heart, so he’d understand… right?

★ “i’m in love with them, dr. ohnn. this isn’t just a silly crush. so either help me, or please refrain from getting in my way.” ★ “no, i’m good.” ★ “...you’re WHAT?”

war!!!!! miguel is a bitch to johnathon. dr. octavius has to give johnathon advice on how to win you over and how to fend off miguel. he’s gotten a lot better at brushing off miguel’s judgemental comments and acting unbothered by them.

although it’s not like johnathon isn’t cunty either. when he makes you laugh sometimes it’s because he’s making fun of miguel behind his back. he has a killer miguel impression that puts the original to shame.

★ “ugh, my shoulders are too broad and muscular. it’s so hard being so fit.” ★ “johnny!! he’s coming this way!” ★ “i work out every single part of my body at the gym. i do forehead pushups to keep my hairline in check.” ★ “JOHNNY-”

as long as a certain collider project goes swimmingly, and a radioactive spider stays in it’s fucking lane,  you’ll end up with one of them.

…unless…? ;)

[yanyanderes]

i write tfa now bc i said so. here’s some yandere scenarios of the autobots with a human (y/n).

optimus prime being all overprotective, being sweet towards them during the day but using intimidation when the sun sets to drive away people he thinks might be a bad influence on them. insists that either he or one of the other autobots escort them wherever they go, stating that their affiliation with them could put a target on their back.

bumblebee being clingy and insisting on going everywhere with them. easily jealous, and sure, sometimes it can be a bit silly, but it quickly escalates to him wanting them to put his wants as a priority above their studies, work, other loved ones, etc.. if left alone for too long, isn’t afraid of guilt-tripping to get them to spend time with him.

bulkhead being the usual gentle giant he is. he cherishes every second (y/n) spends with him, loves it when they introduce him to new hobbies, adores when they show interest in his. but that sweetness can quickly be replaced with bitterness the second someone tries to take their attention from him. he understands they have a life to live with other people, but with all his autobot work, the times he gets with them can be few and far in between, so please forgive him if he loses his temper and ends up breaking a lamppost or two.

ratchet learning human anatomy and how the human body works just so he can treat (y/n) whenever they need checkups. humans are fragile, so every time (y/n) brings up their doctors, no matter how skilled or experienced they might be, he always distrusts them. gets visibly annoyed and even offended if they reject his offer and insists on going to their usual doctor. but woo boy, if they ever do so much as catch a cold or god forbid break a bone, there’s no way he’s letting them out of his sight. time to show them how a real doctor treats a patient.

prowl is seemingly the most normal of the autobots. when the others are too overbearing, he offers to sneak them away to relax in a peaceful park. whenever they’re stressed, he gives them good advice on how to deal with their issues. he’s often the voice of reason and tell the others not to go too overboard as to not drive (y/n) away. he’s so kind and patient, and they always know how to cheer them up. he knows so much about (y/n)… almost too much… too bad, if they had just turned their head fast enough, they might have seen the silhouette of a motorcycle in the darkness.

[aboutkiyoomi]

nights like this ⋆ timeskip!iwaizumi x f!reader

part 2 from THISS iwaizumi oneshot !

⋆ synopsis: who knew that an airport crush would ever develop into the. best years of your life. falling in love with iwaizumi was easy and simple, especially with nights like this.

⋆ warnings : tooth rotting fluff, some language and down bad iwaizumi.

a/n: i didnt even realize the traction that pt. 1 recieved. i wrote this purely because of my infatuation with late night drives in the hills of california.

"here...it's my number." sounded like a distant memory. it had been exactly three years since you met iwaizumi in the hastle of the LAX airport. never in a million years did you think that you would be in this situation, cuddled up in the passenger seat of your glc coupe with the windows down, wind blowing throughout the car. moonlight spilling in through every inch of glass, the led lights illuminating the car a soft pink.

"can you please tell me where we're going?" you grumbled, splaying your legs messily on the dashboard.

"would it be a surprise if i did...oh ok." he answered, eyes shooting you a goofy smile.

"what surprise is an almost 3 hour drive." you giggle, grabbing his phone from the cup holder to play music.

sparks will fly by jhené aiko began playing, the car was calm and your breath was even, it truly felt like you had acheived the greatest state of peace.

in the 3 years, iwaizumi had managed to woo you into a relationship. you had recently moved in with each other and he decided to stay in california just a bit longer to get his doctorate in physical therapy while you finished law school, becoming an accomplished and esteemed attorney. to everyone else, it could seem like the two of you moved fast but no one would understand the love that you and iwaizumi had with each other.

recently, the two of you had a discussion about life and your goals in the future. iwaizumi knew that with his own, personal goals in mind, he wanted you by his side and he was willing to make sacrifices in order for that to happen. you admitted the same, which eventually led to iwaizumi planning this elaborate trip.

the music played, not obscurely loud but at the perfect volume. the led lights in the car shone on the best angles of iwaizumi possible. his left hand on the steering wheel, right hand firmly placed in yours and rubbing gentle circles. eyes forward, alert at the road for any possible dangers and the stubble that he refused to cut off gracing his perfectly, chiseled jawline.

"you're so handsome, haji." you muttered, eyes full of adoration for the man.

"and you're beautiful, love." he smiled, his eyes focused on the road but crinkling gently at the edges, signalling his content. "if you're tired, you can sleep. your blanket is right under the seat." squeezing your hand gently, he noticed the tiredness floating around in your eyes. you mumbled a quick thanks before pulling his wrist up to gently press a kiss on it and covering yourself with the fluffy blanket.

"i love you...so much." you whispered, before fading off into a comfortable sleep.

iwaizumi smiled deeper, only solidifying his decision as you slept peacefully next to him. the ride continued like that, the windows now rolled up, the music reverberating gently throughout the vehicle and the lights now set unto a soft blue tone. your hand wrapped in his as you slept comfortably. when you arrived at your destination, you were softly shaken awake, eyes blinking back tiredness when you saw the beautiful scenery that greeted you from the open car door.

the pine trees with light snow sprinkled atop their leaves, the driveway that looked freshly shoveled and the beautiful cabin that laid in wait of your arrival. your loving boyfriend, with bags and suitcases in hand, holding your door.

a little slice of paradise.

***

the night had ended quickly as you left the car, the two of you shared a quick meal of fast food that iwaizumi picked up right before you arrived before washing up and falling asleep quickly. iwaizumi had a day full of activities planned, as a kickstart for your sporadic vacation.

it was nearing the last day of your trip and iwaizumi had some elaborate surprise acitvity that he felt the need to disappear all day for.

"just relax for a bit and then be ready by 8, trust me." was all he said before disappearing out the door of the cabin. as it neared 8, you began to grow anxious. you hadn't seen iwaizumi all day and it was unlike him to leave you alone for this long, especially in an unfamiliar area. your mind was silenced when you heard the door to the cabin open and his soft footsteps padding into the room.

you emerged from the bathroom, earrings in your hand as you hobble into your shoes. his eyes blown with love as he takes in your appearance, absolutely gone for you. he kisses you on your forehead quickly.

"you look...unreal, baby. like, wow." his eyes bright as he wraps his arms around your waist gently.

***

the car rolled up to a secluded area, a clearing in the forest with a beautiful view of the frozen over expanse of big bear lake. the trees were sparsely decorated with fairy lights, a blanket spread neatly on the floor and decorative flowers spread across the blanket. candles illuminating the area with their warm light and two empty plates rested in the center.

"oh...wow. haji, this is-" you started, your eyes wide and your heart pounding in gratitutde. absolute thankfulness for the man that is hajime iwaizumi.

"wait. compliment me after this." he smiles and sends a playful wink, a hint of nervousness leaking through his words before he pulls out the bouquet of assorted flowers. ranging from babys breath to your most favorite flowers.

"wow...haji this is. it's perfect. thank you." you smile before grabbing the flowers and kissing him softly.

"sit..." he mumbles, motioning towards the set up. you hobble over, sitting cross legged on the blanket, smile absolutely radiating in the warm lights of candles and cheap string lights.

"you know...3 years ago, i don't think i would ever imagine myself being in this position. i never thought a simple airport crush would ever turn into this....such a deep feeling and experiences i couldn't ever fathom." iwaizumi starts, he's walking towards you slowly before he pauses in front of the blanket.

"y/n, i love you and i know i tell you everyday but i truly and genuinely feel so deeply for you. i care about you and i want to give you everything. you deserve the world and absolutely everything in between. i may not have definite plans for the future but i know whatever opportunities i'm given, i want you. i want you by my side for all of it. i'd be so lucky to experience that...which is why, i have to ask." he pauses before reaching into the pocket of his straight legged pants and kneeling quickly.

"yn ln, would you please do me the absolute honor of spending the rest of our lives together." the ring is suddenly brandished in front of you, iwaizumi's face positively tearing up, the sheer adrenaline of the situation flowing through his body.

your eyes prick with tears, hands shaking as you reach out to touch the ring, pleading for tangible proof that this was real. the moment you had been begging to happen, that you had waited for was finally here. before your words could register, tears were falling as you nodded rapidly. hands reaching out to throw yourself onto iwaizumi before whispering in his ear.

"yes. in every universe, i would say yes." you mumble, head buried in the crook of his neck.

a/n: i want you all to be aware the proposal bit was soooo impromptu and i never planned for it to exist but, alas. it did and im glad it did. i teared up writing it bcs my favorite love song of all time began playing and it tore my heart up. anyways timeskip iwa ily.

[insipid-drivel]

Endometriosis, Fat Doctors, And Bellybuttons: What They Don't Teach You In Health Class

Woo another rambling TED talk, but I just got home from a meeting with a doctor specializing in wound care that I really feel a lot of you should hear:

Firstly, I've been having mysterious pains in my bellybutton area since... probably last Autumn? But I've had menorrhagia (extremely heavy, painful, and even dangerous periods that can cause spontaneous hemorrhaging) since I was 13 years old. Since my menorrhagia became active, I've been begging for a hysterectomy. I'm moving into my 20 year anniversary of Living With A Uterus That Hates Me As Much As I Hate It.

Being trans (agender) also really incentivizes the whole "yeet the uterus" thing, too, but that doesn't really have anything to do with why I wanna talk to y'all about endometriosis and bellybuttons.

Anyway, as of this year, I've had a lot of issues with my bellybutton region. Random infections, inflammation, pain, trips in and out of the ER; the works. My doctor has been so confused by my bizarre constellation of symptoms that he hasn't been sure of what's going on or what the best course of action is, aside from referring me for more tests and prescribing comfort measures in the meantime.

Until today. My desperate track for a diagnosis began over a week ago when my symptoms became alarmingly sepsis-like, but my test results came back with nothing but signs of an elevated white blood cell count. My doctor has been rushing me from specialist to specialist, and today was a wound care doctor that specializes in treating bariatric, hospice, and disabled patients that can't necessarily follow conventional wound-care advice meant for young, abled, and thin people.

I didn't expect much. Maybe some magnifiers, swabs, and a biopsy at worst, followed by antibiotics and whatever else, but definitely nothing that would help me solve this latest scary health mystery. While the worst of the pain I had that landed me in the ER went away on its own enough that I can get by with mobility aids, I still haven't had a diagnosis.

Until Awesome Fat Doctor.

Awesome Fat Doctor I celebrate. I live for this man. He literally gave me a reason to keep on trying and not give up. I was so scared of the appointment I'd gone nonverbal (not weird for me these days), but I got my voice back after I spent a while with him and his nurse (who was also fantastic). Even though I only met him for a few minutes and he forgot to introduce himself so I can't remember his name right now, Awesome Fat Doctor was a rock star. He was in his later middle age, scruffy, unshaven, and fat - enough that I could imagine the reason he specializes as a wound care doctor is because he may have gotten fed up of other doctors blaming his own health problems on his weight and life choices.

AFD gave no fucks. Along with being a big guy, he carried himself with the gruff no-nonsense of a man that's probably beaten up his ableist colleagues overdiagnosing fibromyalgia in the back of a Wendy's parking lot. He had been informed of my autism and my own needs for a wheelchair due to my own long-term chronic pain and other health issues, as well as my troubles speaking, and treated me like a little cousin that was having a rough go of things like he'd had.

He was compassionate and a straight-shooter with me. He was respectful of my boundaries, talked to me as casually as if I could respond like anybody else with working vocal cords (which I was eventually able to), and generally had all the bedside manner of someone that has worked with patients with special needs of all kinds. He looked at the trouble area and my records and history, told me that he was gonna do his best to get things straightened out, and then went quiet as he studied the timeline of my issues.

"Do you have endometriosis?" he asked, while studying a photo my mom had taken of a... skin infection over my lower abdomen, which had spread from my bellybutton.

I was confused.

"Not that I know of," I answered. I'd found my voice already when he and his nurse both helped put me at ease and showed me I was respected, safe, and seen. I've been tested a few times in my life for endometriosis and had my fair share of ultrasounds (the most common way to diagnose endo), and nobody had found anything unusual. But I have menorrhagia, am always in pain from my reproductive organs, and am desperate to get them removed. I'm on a 24/7 regimen of 2x normal birth control pills just to keep me from menstruating for my own safety. It sucks.

"My wife once had to get emergency surgery for what we thought was appendicitis. Do you know what it turned out she had?" he asked me, very suddenly, and like he had an idea.

"Ectopic pregnancy?" was my first guess, because women have died in the past to ectopic pregnancies that were mistaken for appendicitis.

AFD shook his head. "It was her menstrual cycle, and she had endometrial tissue bleeding into the space beside her appendix. I think you may have endometrial tissue in your bellybutton, and every time your hormones try to cycle in spite of your birth control pills, it bleeds and infects."

I was gobsmacked. Endometriosis and PCOS run in my family as reliably as eye and hair color, but I'd never really thought of how pernicious endometrial tissue could actually be. When I picture endometrial tissue, I picture overgrowths inside of reproductive tissue, or clinging to the outside; not growing randomly within the abdominal cavity or emerging out of my fucking skin like a turkey pop-up timer of doom.

AFD slowly nodded. "And the only way we'd be able to see the endometrial tissue is if you had it tested while you were menstruating and the tissue itself was inflamed and bleeding. Otherwise, it won't show up as anything different to the normal, healthy tissues surrounding it. A biopsy isn't reliable, either, because we have to know exactly where the tissue is before we test it. You have to have your hormones triggering the tissue to inflame and behave differently so it can be diagnosed if there are no big deposits of tissue to see."

After a long time of my ears ringing, I asked him, "Do you think it's possible that the ultrasounds were showing false negatives? Like, I have endometriosis and had it all along, but the tissue is too small to see or were being looked at at the wrong time?"

As it turns out, that's exactly what may be going on.

I see my doctor tomorrow, and meet with my surgeon at the beginning of next month.

Listen to your bodies, y'all. I am so thankful to that doctor, who wound up diverting into a very colorfully-worded rant about how much he hates the American medical system immediately after that. He gave me hope that I was just having new issues with old problems and was right all along about what my body really needed, and that my symptoms now are just showing what happens when doctors neglect their patients' needs.

I did wind up asking if he specialized with wound care because of how other doctors responded to his weight, and he said that it was a mix of reasons beginning with Yes: Both so he could have a safe space from fatphobia and ableism for himself and his patients, but also so his wife - who, while I hadn't seen her, he explained was about as big as he was - would have her own pain taken more seriously, being both fat and female. As he'd already explained, she hadn't been successfully diagnosed with endometriosis until she was symptomatic of full-blown appendicitis-levels of pain as an adult and her doctors were forced to stop blaming her pain on her weight.

Now, as I sit here reflecting... It's hard to believe that, thanks to this doctor's theory, I may finally be free from pain and dysphoria sooner than I imagined. It just took a doctor who could empathize with me to see me, and choose to take the scarier hill to fight on with me.

[saythenametotheworld]

You Will Find Me | jjh

Genre: strangers to lovers; destiny; one shot Synopsis: Less than a month before your wedding, you answered a call from someone who introduced himself as Johnny Suh—the exact name of the man you believed to be your soulmate. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, you embark on a trip to Italy to meet him, believing that it is fate's way of telling you to fulfill your destiny. Pairing: Jung Jaehyun x Female Reader Warnings: lying, mild stalker-y behavior, explicit sexual content (18+), this is not proofread ily Notes: 20k words, song prompt was You Will Find Me by Alex and Sierra, loosely based on the movie Only You (1994)

You were a corporate employee, working a 9 to 5 job as an accountant in a big magazine company in your city. You've lived a comfortable life; with a decent job, a nice home, great friendships, and a great boyfriend who popped the question a year into your relationship. Eunwoo is a nice guy—a good doctor, gentlemanly, kind, and well-mannered. Your family adored him and your friends admired him. You met through an acquaintance and after a month of talking, you decided to date. You were happy for the most part. He was everything a girl could ask for and he treated you right. But it felt too easy, redundant sometimes.

After the proposal, you confided in your bestfriend Jihyo that you felt like the whole thing was moving too fast. In a reluctant confession, you revealed that you aren't in love with him enough to imagine getting married and settling down.

"I don't want to jump into this only to end up getting divorced at one point," you had told your friend.

Jihyo told you to follow your heart but she also said Eunwoo was a great guy who loves you. You loved him too and you would have loved to get married but with him, it just felt wrong and it was weird because you have no idea why you felt that way. Jihyo told you to figure it out and talk to him before you make a mistake. But she strongly suggested you work it out with Eunwoo and let him know.

You couldn't bring it up to him, of course. But you were glad he hasn't gone around talking about your engagement yet. You haven't exactly accepted it. You just told him you would think about it. As you laid down on his bed, wrapped snugly in his embrace, you thought about spending the rest of your life with him. The idea seemed nice but a part of you was terrified that you may be making wrong decisions.

"You're awake," Eunwoo asks, nuzzling his nose on your neck.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking about us."

"I know it's so sudden. I'd understand if you're not ready yet."

Feeling guilty upon hearing the fall in his voice, you jolted and briskly said, "No, no. I'm fine. Let's do it."

He hummed. "Are you sure? I don't want you to be forced into something you don't want."

"There's no reason not to do it, Woo. And I'm not being forced."

"Really?"

"Sure. Let's get married."

The days have never passed as fast as they did. Suddenly, it was twenty days before your wedding. Most of the preparations were ready. From the venue to the guest list. All there's left to do is send out invitations and pick a dress. Your mother has insisted on a custom-made dress, but you opted for one that is RTW and won your case by insisting that you'll follow your personal preferences in your own personal wedding.

At the salon, Jihyo and your sister came with you to help you pick the dress. You went through arrays of dresses which all looked great. You liked dressing up and so did your friends so you enjoyed the whole thing. But the feeling in the pit of your stomach grew stronger the more clothes you tried on.

"Okay. The tenth dress. Come on out, my sweet. Let's see it," your older sister called out and you stepped out from behind the thick red curtains. Gasps filled the salon, not only from Jihyo and your sister but from the staff as well.

"What? Is it good?" you asked curiously, turning to the mirror to see for yourself. Sure enough, even you ended up gasping at the beautiful image reflected back to you. The dress was breathtaking, looking regal on its own while hugging your figure in the right places. This is it, the Dress.

"My baby sister is getting married!" your sister exclaimed, hugging you from behind as emotions overwhelmed her. "You look amazing, sweetheart."

"She's right, y/n. You're breathtaking! This is it! This is the dress!" Jihyo affirmed, also joining you in front of the mirror.

The compliments may have been great, but you felt your stomach turn the longer you stared at yourself in the mirror. Your breath hitched and you were sure you were about to hyperventilate so you gently pushed them away from you. "Excuse me."

You ran to the bathroom adjacent to the dressing room and started throwing up on the sink. Your girls followed you, as well as a staff who hurriedly offered tissue papers.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" Jihyo asked.

Your sister followed up with another question that made you shake your head. "You're not pregnant, are you?"

"No. Heavens, no," you denied. Your birth control never once failed but you touched the part of your arm where the implant was just to make sure that it's still there. "No. No, I'm not."

"Oh, y/n," your sister sighed, holding you as you walked out of the restroom. "You must be so stressed."

She may be right. Stress gets through to you so badly that you'd throw up. But they didn't ask about it until you had left the dress shop and taken a break at a nearby coffee shop.

"You're still second-guessing?" Jihyo questioned while you weakly sipped on some citrusy drink that your sister said would alleviate your nausea.

"Wait, you're not sure about this wedding?"

You shook your head at her and she heaved a deep sigh. "Then why didn't you say so? You should have talked to Eunwoo about it. I'm sure he'll understand."

"I know but," you pushed your drink away and sighed. "I'm not sure if it's because I don't want it or if I'm just overthinking things."

"What's bothering you?"

"I feel like this isn't the right direction to take. I mean, I love Eunwoo but I never really thought this far ahead in our relationship. It seemed so soon and I don't think I'm ready."

Your sister nodded. "Being unprepared is normal. Marriage is a big deal. You can always cancel while it's still early. You're already engaged anyway. The wedding can wait."

You shook your head. "No. It's not the marriage I'm uncertain about. What I meant was that... I don't think I'm ready to marry Eunwoo."

"What?" Your sister gawked at you and then at Jihyo as if to ask if she knew about this.

Jihyo just shrugged and you went on to explain how you feel about the whole thing. You explained how you're not seeing yourself in a family with Eunwoo and how misplaced everything seems to be. "I don't think I even felt like we belonged in the first place. It's awful, I know, considering how we dated until now."

"Baby, I want you to be happy more than anything so whatever this is, talk to Eunwoo about it. I'm sure you'll figure things out. Don't throw it all away yet. If you need time, have some."

"I agree. And whatever happens, you do what makes you happy. Even if it does not include Eunwoo."

At the office the next day, you were in your boss's office to have him sign some paperwork when the secretary's phone started ringing. You left it to keep ringing, knowing you're not supposed to take the calls unless you're the secretary. But it rang again and again for the third time so you decided to pick it up in case it was important.

"Mr. Lee Taeyong's office. How can I help you?"

"Hi. Is Taeyong there right now? He's not picking up his cell and I need to talk to him urgently," replied a deep, manly voice.

You grabbed a pen and a pad of paper from the desk to write with. "He's out for lunch at the moment and he probably left his phone but I can let him know."

"I see. That's fine too. Thank you."

"No problem. Now if you could just give me your name please so I can let him know who called and what for?"

"Johnny Suh. I'm calling for a chat." Your mind went blank upon hearing his name. Suddenly, all your senses were heightened and you could feel goosebumps all over your body.

"I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch your name. Come again?"

"It's Johnny. Johnny Suh."

You swallowed so hard that your throat hurt. "Your name is Johnny Suh?"

"Yes. We were supposed to meet earlier today but I woke up late and now I have a plane to catch. You know what nice lady, just tell him my name and he'll know to call me back."

"Where are you?" you asked in a high-pitched voice of panic.

"I'm at the airport. Heading to Venice."

"Venice?!" you exclaimed, wondering how far that was from where you are right now.

You heard the man chuckle. "I know. It was unavoidable. But I hope Taeyong understands. Anyway, I got to go. Can I count on you?"

"Yeah! I mean, yes. Yes. I'll... I'll let him know."

"Cool. Thank you so much. Goodbye."

"No, wait wait wait..." but all that ever made it back to you was the beeping tone of the call being hung up.

You placed it carefully back on the desk and took a deep breath. Then you placed your folder of papers on the same desk before you sprinted out of the office back into your own.

You grabbed your phone first and called Jihyo. Luckily she picked up quickly. "I found him!"

"Found who?" she asked from the other line. "I'm sorry but I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"I found Johnny Suh!"

"Remind me how I know a Johnny Suh?"

"Johnny Suh! The guy from the Ouija board!"

"Oh that Johnny Suh! I'm sorry you said you found him?" she asked, now equally excited.

"Yes! He's friends with my boss and he's heading to Italy, right now!"

"Italy? Why Italy?"

"I don't know!" you screamed, the rush of emotions filling you to the brim. You let out a huge sigh and take a quick breathing exercise to calm down. More calmly, you told your friend, "I think this is it. The sign that I'm in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Y/n, no."

"Yes. I'm doing it."

"Y/n, this is madness!"

You hung up the phone and started looking through your office computer for plane tickets to Italy.

When you were 12, you were playing Ouija board with your sister and Jihyo during a blackout. You asked it about your soul mate and the board responded with the name Johnny. You thought it was bull at first because it happened to be one of the most common names on Earth. But then the board gave you its last name too, Suh. Johnny Suh. You knew how to narrow down your search and the bigger part of your teenage years was spent searching through the internet for someone named Johnny Suh. There were plenty of them and you were too shy to message them because what would you say? Some batshit tale about how you knew his name from an Ouija board?

Jihyo managed to convince you that if it was fate, you need not look for him because he would come to you at one point in your life.

"This is the point of my life that you were talking about. For years I forgot about the whole thing and now he came to me right when I was having doubts about getting married."

"Hon, this is madness. You know better than to chase after some complete stranger."

"I know. It's a shot in the dark but I'll take it anyway. I have a feeling that I would regret it if I didn't. So, I'm going to Venice."

"Okay, but I'm coming with you. I don't want something bad happening to you in Europe."

"Good! Great! Let's go there together!"

After a crazed meet-up with Jihyo, you went home to your shared apartment and found Eunwoo resting in front of the TV. He spotted you and invited you over to sit next to him, snuggling you close and kissing your temple.

"How was your day?" he asked.

"Crazy. How was yours?"

He shrugged. "Well, first I had to perform a seven-hour surgery with the head neurosurgeon, who lectured me the whole time about suturing the brain and whatnot. Second, I had a class with some third-year med students at the university, and guess what I lectured them about?"

You chuckled. "Suturing the brain?"

"Yes, but the topic was about renal failure during brain death."

You giggled, humored. "That's crazy."

"Not crazier than yours, I suppose," he chimed, moving his body to an angle where he could see your face. "What happened?"

You bit your lip nervously, but you knew you had to let him know and he deserved a proper explanation about the whole thing. So you sat up, turned off the TV, and looked at him seriously.

"Listen, I don't want to hurt you or anything. And I certainly don't think you deserved to be treated badly by someone, even if it's me but..." you paused, recognizing the hint of confusion on his face. "I don't think I can marry you, Eunwoo."

You had expected him to pry more, but he just reached for your cheek and gently stroked it. "I know."

"You know?"

"Yes," he nodded, pulling you back into his embrace. "I've known from the beginning."

"How?"

"Don't feel bad, baby. It's not just you. I've had this feeling for a while now too, the feeling that something is misplaced. I can't explain what it was, but it bugged me. At one point, I thought it was just me but I noticed the signs that you were uncertain too. Then I thought that maybe, despite how perfect our relationship seemed to be, everything is just... wrong."

"Eunwoo..."

"I love you. I know that for sure, but I feel unsure. It was weird. I asked you to marry me because I thought that if I did, the weird feeling would go away."

"Did it?" you questioned, feeling your heart break when you found out how you both felt the same way.

"It didn't. It got worse."

"I know. It was awful," you agreed, sighing as you wrapped your arms around his torso. "But I love you. I know I do."

"Just not enough to spend the rest of your life with me right?" he asked and you shyly nodded, not meeting his gaze. "Yeah, I feel the same way. I'm sorry."

"Don't be, silly," you chided, sitting up to hit his chest. He just laughed and stroked the part that you hit.

"I love you too, babe. Just not enough for marriage. I'm sorry I even asked you to. It would have been a disaster if you had wanted it while I didn't."

You reached for his cheek and kissed his lips. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied and said I wanted it. I would have dragged you into an unhappy marriage."

He scowled and pursed his lips. "I don't think I would be unhappy with you. I think it has something to do with um, discontent?"

"Yeah, discontent."

He smiled, kissing your forehead. "So, what are we gonna do?"

You told him you were going to Italy with Jihyo for some soul-searching, leaving out the part where the soul you were looking for was your soulmate. He told you to have fun after you both decided to not call off the engagement yet and instead just cancel the wedding date. A part of you felt sad after the confessions between you, but the other part of you felt relieved to know you were right about being in the wrong place. So you held on to him through the night, whispering sweet nothings to each other until morning came.

The next day he drove you and Jihyo to the airport and promised not to bother you while you were gone. You said he didn't have to do that and you would love to have him check on you often.

"Nope, I'd love to give you your space and I kinda need my own space to think and figure things out too."

"Alright. Have fun getting lectured by your superior."

Eunwoo laughed heartily, hugging you tightly. "Call me if you need anything, alright?"

"I will. Thanks, babe."

"I love you."

"I love you."

The flight to Italy was long but you didn't feel tired at all. You were giddy, excited to start your search for your soulmate. Your boss thought your story was mental, but he gave you Johnny's Instagram anyway, warning you that Johnny mostly kept to himself and rarely used his electronics.

"Why do you think he likes Italy? Because of the old vintage feel. He goes there every year."

You thanked him for helping you out but he said it was fine because you get to have your very first vacation after you joined the company three years ago. You had asked him to send you a photo but he couldn't find one and Johnny only had Instagram which mostly had a bunch of photography in it. His hobby was being a photographer, as you have been told and he had been contributing to your magazine ever since its establishment.

"Shouldn't you have known if a Johnny Suh was a contributor in your magazine?"

"Jihyo, I'm an accountant. I have no idea about magazine production and stuff."

When you landed, you found that Johnny had posted his story about a certain hotel in Venice and hurried to show it to Jihyo. You both headed there in a rush, but there was no way to rush in the boats that were taking you to the hotel by the canal. So you both opted to take nice pictures of the place.

"Whatever happens in this search, you and I better go sightseeing around town. It's so beautiful I could literally pass out. Look at that gargoyle sculpture thing!"

You just giggled at her, finding it cute how she's easily impressed by everything. A few more minutes later, you arrived at the hotel and had the man at the port help you off the boat. He even carried your luggage for you, politely asking where you were headed.

When you got to the front desk of the hotel from Johnny's story, Jihyo immediately asked about Johnny Suh, which surprised you a little.

"Johnny Suh?" the male elderly receptionist asked. In heavily accented and broken English, he said he does not give out information about their guests.

"Look, sir. We came here for him so if you could just let us know if he's here, that would be nice. You don't have to tell us his room or where he is. Just tell us if he's here," Jihyo tried again, but the elder man just shook his head.

You tugged on her sleeves and shook your head to discourage her. "Let's just check in. I'm sure he'd still be around. The post was just an hour ago."

"Okay," she agreed but when she faced the receptionist, she went on about Johnny Suh again. "This woman is here is my best friend and she's looking for this man because he might be her soulmate. Could you please just tell us if he's here?"

"Jihyo!"

"Stop. The boatman said there are five branches of the same hotel. We need to know if this is the right one!" she chided softly and that's when a handsome Italian man came to intervene.

He had a respectable air to him but he also exuded quite the charisma. "Sorry, ladies. If I may, I'd like to help."

You both glanced back at him and Jihyo sighed in relief. "Yes. Thank goodness. If you could just tell this nice old man that my best friend's soulmate is Johnny Suh and she needs to know if he's here."

The Italian went on to translate what Jihyo said while the two of you stood there gawking cluelessly. If he was translating for real or talking crap about you in Italian, you wouldn't have known. You just trusted this stranger to do your work for you.

"Ladies," he turned to you after a while. "I'm afraid your friend Mr. Suh has left the building."

"Left? He was here just an hour ago," Jihyo questioned.

"Yes, he was indeed in this building but he left just a few minutes ago. I'm afraid you missed him."

The receptionist said something in Italian that your nice stranger translated. "He stayed the night but he left right after breakfast."

Then the elder showed a key with his room number in it and said something else. "He also said your friend is heading to Rome."

"Rome?"

"Yes, Rome," the receptionist confirmed before he turned to put the key back. You thanked them both and got ready to leave, pulling up your phone to see if Johnny had a new update.

"Ladies!"

You stopped to see the nice Italian following you out of the door. Jihyo beamed at him.

"I am under the impression that you require lodging for tonight."

"Thank you but we really need to look for this guy."

He looked around and opened his arms wide, "It's Venice. Wouldn't you hate to just leave without seeing its beauty?"

"He's right," Jihyo agreed, walking towards him. "We could use a tour and a nice guy to show us around."

The man beamed at her and you recognized the flirtatious looks they gave each other. You sighed and gave in. You wanted to do that too and you're pretty tired anyway.

The man who introduced himself as Andre, took you on a small motorboat all the way to a different hotel. The ride wasn't long. In no time, your stuff is being hauled out of the boat and brought into a fancy-looking hotel. You booked a single suite with a Queen-sized bed that you would share with Jihyo. She told you to go up first which you did, stepping inside the bathroom the moment you were alone. After a quick shower, you came out to Jihyo, giggling on her phone.

"Where's Andre?" you teased, assuming it was his texts that were making her giddy.

"Oh, he left. He says he needs to take care of some stuff at his store."

"He has a store?"

"Yes, a dress shop. And he must be well-off because he paid for this room."

"He did?" you questioned, confused. "Why would you let him do that?"

"It's fine because he likes me," she grinned. "A girl shouldn't buy her own drinks at the bar and a lady should never pay for her own room in Italy."

"Sounds like a pretty privilege to me," you snorted, pushing her foot away when she placed it on your lap.

"He said it, not me," she replied, sticking her tongue out at you.

You let your damp hair fall down as you walked towards the dresser where the hairdryer was. "Has Mr. Andre invited you to dinner yet?"

"No, but he said he'll be back later at 7pm tonight to take us to an opera house."

"An opera house? Sounds like a fancy night out."

Jihyo wiggled her eyebrows. "You bet."

You and Jihyo agreed to go sightseeing for the rest of the day, visiting landmarks and taking pictures. You also tried a variety of food that filled you to the point of almost bursting, all the whole happily walking around the nostalgic city. Came nightfall, Jihyo dressed in a pretty black bodycon dress for the opera. You clapped at her excellent choice and even snapped pictures for her Instagram.

"Are you sure you don't want to come? It might be fun! You'll never know!"

"I'm fine, Jihyo. I'm tired of all the walking earlier. And I'm sure Andre would love to have you all to himself too."

She giggled. "You're right. But I'd hate to leave you alone."

"Just go, hun. And make sure he's not a creep."

"If he was, would you come with me?"

You stood up from your position on the bed and headed to your luggage. "I'm gonna get ready. Can you wait?"

"No! No, you don't have to. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

You scoffed. "Looks like you want to be alone with him tonight too."

Jihyo giggled. "He's cute."

You shook your head, sitting back on the bed and wishing her a good night. You pulled up the hotel's TV to watch a movie and pass the time. It was a cheesy romcom but you enjoyed it anyway and made it halfway through. As you were feeling drowsy, you received a notification on your phone.

Johnny just posted a photo!

You sat up immediately, tossing the remote to the side to grab your phone. You opened it up to see a single photo with the caption: 'Two'. You wondered what it was for and examined the picture. It was an array of dresses in different shades of pastel. When you tapped the tagged location, you saw that it was a dress shop in Rome.

"He really is in Rome," you sighed, standing up to pack your stuff quickly. As soon as the day breaks, it's GO time for you and Jihyo.

What are the odds that the dress shop Johnny went to was owned by Andre? 0.10% unless he owns all the dress shops all over Italy. But he does own that specific dress shop so he is now driving you to Rome in his fancy convertible. You sat in the backseat while they were blatantly flirting right in front of you. You weren't paying attention though because you were scrolling through your phone for any updates.

"How long till we get there?" you asked. You had been sitting for two hours so you stopped by the road to rest. The road was long and barely any cars passed by. But the scenery around you leaves you in awe of its beauty.

"Just thirty more minutes, my lady," Andre replied and pointed at the crossroad up ahead. "If we take this route, we should arrive in lesser time."

Jihyo suddenly stood up from the grass. "How much lesser?"

"Say, twenty or fifteen minutes?"

"Good, we should go now," she declared. "Our mystery man is in this church."

Jihyo borrowed your phone to inspect Johnny's feed and found that he recently posted a photo of a church. You grabbed the phone to see it clearly.

"This is two minutes ago."

"It is! Let's go!"

You appreciated Jihyo's enthusiasm and also felt bad for dragging her all the way here. Sure she came willingly, but it's not a secret to say she came for you, to support you, and to make sure you'll be fine. Then again, she had always been there for you. She was there every step of the way from when you were kids until now. Even with your obsession over destiny and love, she listened intently despite having different ideas. When you took leaps, she was there to encourage you regardless of the outcomes. With Jihyo, you've come to know how love in friendships is powerful and strong.

"Is this it?" Jihyo asked Andre as the three of you stood in front of a majestic church.

"Yes. Basilica of St. Agnes, the exact one in the picture."

You compared the two and found that is indeed, the same one. You looked around and saw a few tourists, taking pictures and walking around.

"Quite strange," said Andre, making you look at him.

"What is?" asked Jihyo.

He pointed at the entrance of the church. "It's closed. No visitors are allowed in."

"Why do you think so?"

"I will go find out."

You sighed, eyes roving the surroundings for any signs of Johnny Suh. You don't even know what he looks like but you reckon you'd be able to narrow it down to Asian tourists. Weirdly enough, you can't seem to even guess if any of these were Johnny. Not even a wild guess.

"If it's closed, does that mean he wasn't able to go inside?" you asked Jihyo who was also looking around.

"For all we know he must have left a long time ago."

Andre came back to say that the church was under renovation. While you wished to take a rest, Jihyo said you should try to look around first. You did that, even going as far as asking random Asian men if their name was Johnny Suh, to no avail. It was lunchtime when you gave up your search and went to a restaurant for food. Pasta used to cheer you up, but you're starting to feel like coming here was a bad idea. A part of you is still giddy for the adventure but seeing Jihyo made you feel like you're bothering people for something ridiculous. Even Andre--who is a complete stranger was dragged into a blind chase motivated only by a childish belief.

You shook your head, trying to get the thoughts away. Instead of feeling bad, you told yourself to feel grateful instead. These people were willing to stick with you in the name of friendship, although you know Andre just liked hanging around Jihyo.

You ate quietly, scrolling through Johnny's feed again. His photographs were beautiful and you can see the expert part of it. You wonder if he was as beautiful as these photos, if he was as delicate as the subjects on his feed, and if he took these photos at random or if he took them for a reason. As your mind wandered in that direction, you noticed a photo taken in Italy from last year. You've scrolled so far that you reached the ones from last year.

So it's true he comes every year.

Then you saw the very first picture from that trip. It was the hotel in Venice, captioned '1'. After that, he was in a dress shop in Rome as '2'. Then the church from a while ago. Next, he's in a restaurant, still tagged in Rome. You scrolled past his feed two years before and saw the same pattern. Different pictures of the same places.

"He comes here and travels in a pattern," you blurted, making Jihyo and Andre stop flirting and look at you.

"Who?"

"Johnny. Look at this," you exclaimed and showed Jihyo your phone. You explained the pattern and she saw it instantly.

"So if you're right, he'll be at this restaurant next?" she asked and you nodded confidently. She took your phone and showed it to Andre. "Do you know this restaurant?"

Andre read the tagged location and nodded. "I do. It's a local favorite. It's in the downtown area. Thirty minutes from here."

It was already an hour after lunch and the restaurant was far so you all assumed Johnny would be there for dinner. Andre supported this by saying the restaurant opens at 3 in the afternoon so it's basically a dinner place. You checked into a hotel in the downtown area and stayed there to rest, except for you who decided to walk around and sightsee by yourself. Jihyo wanted to come but you told her to rest too. Seeing how she agreed easily, you understood that she wanted to hang out with Andre too.

The city was beautiful and busy, with streets full of people and vehicles. There are plenty of establishments and shops that you visited, mostly to look around but you also bought a few stuff. Andre was adamant that you visit his dress shop and told you its location. He said he'd call them to let them know you were coming. You were grateful enough for his help so you went there for a visit.

The lady that asked for your name immediately ordered a few staff to help you. It turns out Andre has told them to take care of you and let you pick a nice dress for tonight. It was daunting to accept something from someone you just met but you were grateful anyway. The staff had you pick your favorites and you tried all of them on, all the whole feeling giddy at the prospect of finally meeting Johnny Suh.

An hour of looking around had you going back to the hotel room with a box of a nice red dress. You were pouting as you entered your room, eyeing Andre and Jihyo who both look cozy on the second bed of your suite.

"I appreciate this so much Andre but why did you have me go through all that fashion show if you'd end up picking the dress for me anyway?" you complained shyly but Andre gave you an innocent look while pointing at Jihyo.

"It was me," she grinned. "To be fair, you still got the dress you chose."

"Yes but not the color. I almost freaked when they insisted that I take this one."

Jihyo rose from the bed and walked towards you to open the box—a red satin dress lay delicately over white feathers. It was a delicate dress that looked elegantly minimalistic in white, your original choice. But red made it bolder and vivid. Dinnertime soon came and Jihyo helped you dress up for the night. You felt daunted to wear the dress. It was beautiful but the delicateness of your makeup did not match the fierceness of the dress at all.

"What are you talking about? You look great!" Jihyo convinced you. "The goal is to get noticed, y/n. Red will give you the attention you need. So unless Johnny Suh is blind, you'll be a star wherever you go tonight."

You sat by the window of the restaurant, curiously looking around the quiet place. You are now convinced of Andre's influence, getting you a table easily even with the long queue outside. You wondered if Johnny was already here or if he was outside queueing. You know you can just try to message him and arrange to meet him. But the idea of messaging a stranger felt too scary for you. It was ridiculous to feel so because you literally traveled across the world to find him. But you already felt stupid doing that so you don't really want to go messaging him that, "Hey. I followed you all the way from Korea to Italy because I think you're my soul mate." That's just nuts. Right now, you are content with just a glimpse of him. And then from that, you will decide what to do. Surely you'll know if he was the one, right? You won't be able to explain it, but it should feel right.

"Now where are you, Mr. Suh..." you muttered as you refreshed his feed and found his most recent upload. It was of a table of food, the same table you are sitting on. He is here! At the corner of the picture, you could see what looked like a navy blue sleeve. You wondered if that was him or if he had company. You looked around, trying your best to be discreet about it, and found a few men with the same colored jacket. Then you looked at the picture again and wondered if instead of him, maybe it was whoever he was with at this moment. Maybe he wasn't alone.

You sighed. "I'm a creepy stalker," you muttered to yourself, shaking your head.

The waiter soon arrived with your orders and you took the initiative to ask him if a certain Johnny Suh is dining there tonight.

"Johnny Suh? Ah, Mr. Suh! Yes, he's here tonight."

"Are you sure it's him?"

The waiter chuckled confidently. "Madam, Mr. Johnny Suh always makes his reservations one year in advance. He is here tonight. Right there." You followed the direction he was pointing to and found two Asian men on a table halfway across the room. Both of them were in navy blue clothing, one in a suit and the other in a button-down shirt. How were you supposed to know which one was Johnny?

You turned to ask the waiter again, but he was already walking far away. You decided to just observe for the meantime, trying to eat in peace despite being giddy in your seat. You watched discreetly while they conversed through their food. You can faintly see their faces but you obviously can't hear them. The one in the sleek coat had jet-black and slicked-back medium-length hair that went neatly right down his nape. The other had shorter brown hair styled in a comma hairstyle that was popular in your country today. In physique, the black-haired man was larger but the other was considerably muscular too even under his button-down shirt. They stayed for a while and you stayed too, mostly because you don't know where to go and you were hoping they'd somehow glance your way and you'd take a better look at their faces. But since you only stole glances instead of flat-out staring at them the whole time, you wouldn't have known if either of them noticed you at all.

Slightly drunk due to having about five glasses of wine, you answered Jihyo's chats asking if you were all right. You asked for the bill as you typed in your reply: I'll take a picture of them.

When the bill arrived, you took out your card but the waiter said it had been paid for you by a certain Johnny Suh. Your head automatically spun to their table and saw that they had already left. You panicked and ran out to find them. How can he pay for your food and NOT even talk to you at all? It was ridiculous. You kept running, trying to make out someone with a navy-colored shirt but you couldn't quite tell under the night lights. When you saw the figure of the black-haired man, you called out to him but he was too far to hear you over the crowds of people.

As you struggled to chase him, one of your shoe's heels got stuck in the pavement and you struggled to get it off while the man continued walking further away.

"Fuck it," you grunted, taking off the shoe and leaving it there to continue chasing after him. But after a few minutes of running, you found no trace of him and realized you were in an unfamiliar place. You felt like breaking down, thinking everything you've done just to be here was pointless. Your feet were sore and you're missing the shoe your sister gifted you. And to top it all, you're heartbroken over someone you've never met before. Shoulders sagging in defeat, you called for Jihyo to pick you up.

You sat down at a fountain where Jihyo found you immediately. "We were close by. What happened? Where's your shoe?"

"He's gone."

"Johnny? Did you meet him?" she asked and you shook your head, staring into space, looking distraught.

That was when a man approached you, asking in Italian if you were alright. He was carrying your shoe and somewhere in his expertly enunciated Italian, you could make out that he just called you Cinderella.

"Oh, thank you, sir! Thank you!" Jihyo told the guy but you were still dazed.

"Oh, English! Finally, some friendly faces!" said the guy. He knelt down by your feet. "Allow me?"

"Thank you," you muttered, not sparing a glance at the nice gentleman. He took out a handkerchief to clean your foot with. You had been running barefooted so your foot was soiled.

"You look gorgeous, by the way. Mind giving me your name?" he asked but you ignored him and looked at Jihyo.

"Should I just DM him?"

"Honestly, I was wondering what's taking you so long to do just that," Jihyo smarted

"You're right. That would have saved us a lot of trouble," you sighed.

"Do it. It won't hurt you to just try," Jihyo encouraged, thanking your Prince Charming after he was done with your foot.

"What am I gonna say to him anyway?" you sighed taking your phone out and staring at it.

"What happened at the restaurant?"

"Well, he paid for my meal. That means he noticed me right? But if he paid for my meal, why didn't he talk to me? Was he there paying for everybody's meal tonight?"

"Hey, I don't mean to cut in, but may I ask how long you're staying in the city for?" Prince Charming asked but you were too focused on your phone. Jihyo ended up answering for you.

"Not long. We're here looking for someone."

"Would you tell me his name? Maybe I know him. The Asian community is small in places like this."

"I don't know. He's a tourist, not a resident as far as I know."

"Oh, I'm a tourist myself so–" he stopped when you suddenly stood up.

"I did it. Let's go. I can't wait for his reply while I'm here. I'd freak," you blurted, pulling Jihyo in the direction of Andre's car. "Oh, thanks again!"

"Hey, wait!" he followed you to the car, standing right at the door to stop you from getting in. "I didn't catch your name."

"I didn't say it," you retorted, trying to open the door but he held the handle.

"Well, I'd love to know it."

"Thanks, sir. But I really have to go. You're wasting my time."

"Who is it, then? The guy you're looking for? I'll take that if you can't tell me yours," he insisted so you sighed in frustration, staring straight at him. You gasped when you realized he was the brown-haired guy from the restaurant.

"It's you."

"You know me?"

"No but... at the restaurant. I saw you there."

He smiled, two dimples showing on his cheeks. "Yeah, I saw you there too."

You exhaled, feeling exhilarated. "I'm actually looking for Johnny Suh. Maybe you know him? He paid for my dinner."

His jaw dropped and gaped open for a bit before he closed it again. "That's funny because... I'm Johnny Suh."

Jaehyun panicked as you lost your balance due to weakened knees caused by shock. He caught you in his arms, eyes widening as he asked if you were alright. You got up, trying to calm down as you stared at him more closely.

"Yeah. It's just... I've been looking for you since I got here. Matter of fact, I've been searching for you way longer than that."

Jaehyun felt guilty for lying, but it was the only way you wouldn't get in that car and disappear from his life forever, so he decided to just ride with it. He can worry about telling you the truth later.

"Well, I guess you found me."

Rome at night was magnificent, as you're now finding out while you walked the cobblestone streets with Jaehyun who you now believe to be Johnny. You had no idea about his pretense, but you were on cloud nine, thinking you've found what you came here for and he's everything you dreamed he would be. Considering how it was he who found you while you were chasing a different person, you strongly believed fate was behind the whole thing.

"Accountant? That's great. I work for a fashion brand."

You hummed. "Let me guess, shoes?"

"Was it that obvious?" he asked, smiling shyly and showing more of his dimples that you can't get enough of.

You shrugged. "Not really but you were pretty delicate with my foot tonight and you even told me it wasn't the right fit. That was true, by the way. These are gifts that are a size too small."

"It looks beautiful on you either way," he chimed and you scowled even though you were smiling at the compliment. "And I'm a photographer for the brand. Not like a designer or something."

"Photographer. Yeah, I heard you were."

Jaehyun goes over a short fence where a neatly trimmed lawn is enclosed. Then he takes your hands to help you jump in.

"Please tell me you don't have this weird fixation on..." you paused, pursing your lips before saying, "feet."

Jaehyun threw his head back laughing. "No. God, no. I mean, some feet are pretty, but no. I'm not into that kind of thing."

"I see. Good to know," you replied, sitting on the lawn when he did it first.

He propped himself up with his hands, beckoning for you to lean in. You did so, leaning on his shoulder and staring into the night sky. The stars weren't visible but the moon shone brightly with sparse clouds painting the sky.

"That's pretty," you commented, staring at the waning moon.

"It is. But it's prettier in Positano. By the beach, with the stars and the sea breeze."

"You've been there?"

"Yes, once. It was a long time ago on a short break when I was in college. I've been here several times after that but I never really went back there. I was mostly just here for work."

"You don't live here?"

He chuckled, looking down at you so you met his gaze. "No. What made you think so?"

"You're Italian is good."

"Ah, well, I come here on the regular. One of our designers lives here in Rome. He holds a showcase every year and I always come to take the photos."

"So, you're busy?"

"Not anymore. The show was earlier today. I'm officially not working from today onwards."

You hummed, staring back at the sky and quietly thinking. Jaehyun relaxed right next to you, resting his cheek on your head.

"Take me to Positano," you asked, trying to be confident despite being shy.

"Sure," he hummed, sniffing your hair before nuzzling his cheek on it. "I'll take you tonight if you want me to."

You scoffed. "Tomorrow maybe?"

"Tomorrow then."

You smiled to yourself but then you remembered the restaurant so you sat up to face him properly. "Right. Earlier tonight at the restaurant..."

"Why?"

"You paid for my food. Does that mean you noticed me?'

"Yeah. I did notice you. Ever since you walked in, actually. You were so beautiful, I barely managed to keep my eyes off of you."

"Then why didn't you talk to me? I had been eyeing you all night."

He exhaled. "How was I to know? Besides, I was with a friend and I didn't want to leave him as much as I'd hate to disturb you."

"Very well then, we should be glad you picked up my shoe."

"I know. I was actually on my way back to the restaurant to talk to you, but I found you running around like Cinderella instead. It's a funny story."

You giggled. "One for the books, if I do say so myself."

He smiled, staring at you with his dreamy eyes. You stared right back, both self-conscious and feeling appreciated under his gaze. It was like he could stare at you forever and you felt so loved like that, so beautiful, and so delighted. "Do you believe in fate?" He asked so you snorted.

"Are you really asking me that? Me, who came all the way here because I believed in fate... maybe a little too much?" You had told him about the Ouija board, the search, and how you followed him just because you answered a call that wasn't for you.

"Hmm. Touche." His lips looked so full and plump and pink even under the moonshine. You stared at them for a while, wondering if they were as soft as they looked. "Would you like to try and see?"

"Hmmh?" you inquired, flushing on the cheeks by his indirect invitation for a kiss.

He tapped his bottom lip and you stared back at it, biting your own to mask your shyness but it only showed how unsure you were.

He took the initiative to lean forward, setting your lips as his goal. You can tell him 'no' or you can dodge and even make a move to refuse, but you didn't. Instead, you leaned forward too, meeting him halfway where your lips found each other. Soft, just like you imagined they'd be. Firm, especially when he started to move them, claiming yours in a long, passionate kiss. The sensation made you warm and euphoric, instinctively reaching for his neck and closing your eyes to take in more of him. When pulled away, you opened your eyes and were met with beautiful brown ones and a smile.

"Hi," you blurted out, unable to think of anything else to say. He just laughed, stealing a brief kiss before pulling you back in his arms.

It was past midnight when you parted, not even wanting to let go of each other's hands even while you were literally standing in front of your door. He kept telling you about tomorrow and you kept saying 'yes' to going to Positano. If it wasn't for Jihyo who scolded you for keeping the door wide open, you would spend the entire night staring into each other's eyes.

"See you in the morning," he said for the final time, kissing your forehead when you pressed it on his chin.

"See you in the morning, Johnny," you replied. You saw him do a double take but he just sighed and didn't say anything else, just a wave before leaving.

You closed the door and did a twirl as you walked further into the room. Jihyo chuckled teasingly. "You look obscenely happy."

"Thanks. I am," you replied proudly before stepping into the bathroom for a quick wash.

The morning was beautiful from your window, but sadly, you are set to leave Rome today for the beaches of Positano. You were excited to leave and it seems like Jihyo was too because she was the first to drag her stuff out of the room. A hotel attendant helped you with your luggage and brought them down to the parking area where two cars and two gorgeous men were waiting for you.

"Good morning," Jaehyun greeted as you ran towards him with open arms. "Are you ready to go?"

"Can't wait."

He chuckled and tapped your nose affectionately. Glancing over at the other car, Jaehyun asked if they were ready too. Andre raised a thumb in response.

"We'll follow right behind you," he told Jaehyun, who waved and beckoned for you to get into the car.

The ride was fun. Music filled your ears and the air blew your hair beautifully. Jaehyun's camera sat on the compartment between your seats and you asked if you could use it. He agreed and cited instructions on how to operate it. When you got the gist of it, you started snapping pictures of him driving. He noticed this and started posing for the camera, earning a giggle from you.

"You look great in these, John," you commented as you browsed through your snaps.

"I'll take pretty ones of you later," he promised, taking one of your hands and kissing it.

Positano was beautiful too, much greener and much more provincial than the first two cities you've visited. You could the sea beyond the cliffs and Jaehyun said you'll be staying in a hotel by the beach. A few more minutes of traveling and you finally reached the said hotel, its driveway was expertly lined with tall trees on each side, giving it a majestic entrance.

"Food! Great because I'm starving," Jihyo announced as soon as she spotted the hotel restaurant. She dragged you there, leaving the men to take care of the luggage and the check-in.

You ordered a feast and soon Andre and Jaehyun joined you without your bags.

"Y/n, dearie," Andre began, sitting next to Jihyo. "I hope you don't mind. I booked a room for me and Jihyo to share."

You cocked an eyebrow at Jihyo, who smiled sheepishly. "Ah, come on. You have Johnny. You won't be alone," she pouted.

You exchanged looks with Jaehyun who just nodded encouragingly. "If you want, I can get a different room."

"No. It's fine."

"Are you sure?" he asked, reaching for your hand that was on your thigh.

You held his arm with your free hand and beamed at him. "Yes. I don't mind."

"Alright."

The food was great, as you had expected. Jihyo chose the restaurant's best-selling sets so the men ended up praising her choice, even encouraging you to try specific things. You were impressed at Jaehyun being well-versed in both the language and the food. It seems he really liked Italy despite saying he only ever comes here for work. Even when you went out for a walk by the beach, he kept telling you about the seashells you would pick up while taking random shots of you at the same time. You enjoyed his trivia so much that you purposely picked up different shells and rocks to ask him about.

"That one's different," he commented, taking the shell from your hand to get a better look at it. "This one is not usually found here, but it's still pretty. Probably washed over by the current."

"It looks like you," you quipped, taking it back and putting side by side his face to better compare it.

"How do you say so?" he grinned.

"See. Your hair is the same color, golden brownish. This shell is you, Johnny!"

Jaehyun laughed taking the shell again and chucking it in his pocket. "I'll keep it then. Souvenir from the best vacation of my life."

"You're a flirt, Mr. Suh."

"That's because you're pretty, Ms. Y/N," he retorted, pulling you flush on his side.

You giggled, wrapping your arm around his waist as you continued walking. At one point, you were able to take his camera and snap pictures of him. He looked regal on the camera but it was nothing compared to what you're seeing in real time. He's breathtaking, like the sea breeze and the view right before you. He's gorgeous and golden, like the sun that's setting down the horizon.

You leaned on Jaehyun's chest, staring at the sunset with dreamy eyes. None of you were talking, tired from goofing around all afternoon and just utterly speechless by the beauty before you. It felt right to be here, perfect even. But at the back of your head, there's a fear of this moment coming to an end. You don't want it to, and you wish you could stay there forever, flush in his embrace, engulfed in his warmth and staring into the beautiful sunset until time passes by so long that the sun begins to rise again.

"Would you be surprised to hear that I might be falling in love with you?" asked Jaehyun, unaware of the way he's willingly being vulnerable in front of you.

"Yes, but it would make me happy to know that too," you confessed, closing your eyes to focus on his heartbeat. "I like being here, right by your side. It feels right. It feels good. I don't think I'm gonna let anyone take this away."

You felt him kiss your head so you looked up, reaching up to kiss his lips. "Would you stay?" you asked.

He lifted your chin so your lips could touch properly. "I'll be wherever you are and wherever you want me to be."

With that, you kissed again, the sunset witnessing the birth of love that was meant to be. A kiss that was fated to happen. Two people meant to meet and be together.

Days with Jaehyun were filled with new experiences. You went boating, scuba diving, hiking, and cruising around in a small yacht owned by Andre. If you weren't taking each other's pictures, you were making out somewhere cozy. On the times when you were cooped up in your suite, you're both tangled limb by limb, content with sharing each other's warmth and getting to know more of each other's strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and even hopes and dreams. You bonded over photography, him as the photographer and you as his subject. You talked about the future like you both belonged in each other's versions of it. Five days in Positano had you realizing you had never told so much about yourself to anyone until Jaehyun, who you still cluelessly believed to be Johnny.

Jaehyun on the other hand was getting anxious about the lie. The closer you got, the more he feared losing you once you found out that he lied. It shouldn't be a big deal, but he knows it was given how passionate you get when talking about destiny and fate and the universe putting you in the world to be with that one person. You still believed that that one person was Johnny Suh, but Jaehyun would rather believe that it was him. He wanted to believe that it was fate that brought you together, you were fated and he just happened to have a different name. It shouldn't matter, right?

"Where are we going?" you asked as you let Jaehyun guide you through the bushes.

"You'll see."

You started to hear faint orchestra music and make out bright lights beyond the tall bushes. When you finally reached a clearing, you saw a huge house in front of you, almost like an actual palace. The music grew louder and you could see people dressed beautifully walking around the garden while most of them were gathered inside.

"Please tell me we have an invitation for this thing," you pleaded, holding Jaehyun,'s hand tighter.

He glanced briefly at you and chuckled. "Of course we don't. We're not elite Italian socialites."

You gasped. "Are we gate crashing?"

He pressed a finger on his lips and shushed you. "We're foreigners who made a wrong turn while looking for the bathroom."

As you neared the entrance, you nervously bit your lip. "I have a feeling you've done this plenty of times."

He chuckled. "Well, for once, your assumption was wrong. I haven't. This is my first time."

"Are you kidding me? So you don't have an exit plan?"

"Have you heard about spontaneity? You should try some."

You scoffed mockingly. How dare he say that to you. You literally flew all the way to Italy on a whim.

He straightened up, patting his suit and tie. You did the same, thanking the fact that you were both out for a fancy dinner tonight and your nice clothes are helping you blend in easily with the crowd.

"Welcome to the Baron's ball, Madam," Jaehyun greeted with a bow then he offered his arm for you to hold on to. "Shall we?"

You giggled, hooking your hand on his arm. "Lead the way, Mr. Suh."

He grinned at you before he led you inside the venue. People are dressed in fancy-looking dresses and suits, most of them shimmering under the massive chandelier's light, giving you anxiety and fear of getting caught for being underdressed. An actual orchestra was playing the music and while some were chatting on the sides, others were at the center of the hall, dancing in pairs. Nerves started creeping up on you when Jaehyun guided you all the way to the dance floor.

"What are you doing?" you scolded in a whisper but he just shushed you gently, squeezing your hand in assurance.

"We can't pass up on a chance to dance at a swanky party," he whispered in your ear, kissing the side of your head right after and leaving you warm and nervous.

"Good evening," one man greeted and Jaehyun was quick to give him an acknowledging nod.

"Good evening," he replied. Now that you're noticing it, he had been making greetings all night, nodding and smiling at the people who happened to look your way. It makes you look less conspicuous and more like you actually knew people there.

You soon reached the dance floor and you let him pull you in a dancing stance similar to everyone else there, one hand pulling your waist gently and the other delicately holding your hand. You placed your hand on his shoulder, stroking his neck with your thumb as you both swayed to the music.

"Relax, love," he smiled, leaning closer to your ear. "You got me. We'll be fine."

You couldn't help smiling and relaxing into his voice—a baritone melody of your own. You close the gap between you, pressing your ear on his chest while you continue to dance. Your heart was at ease and just like how it had always been ever since you met him, you felt the fulfillment of belonging to something, to someone. You were glad you booked that flight and fate was amazing for letting you pick up that call. Finally, you feel like you found what you came here for. Everything might have gone too fast, but it didn't feel that way at all. Rather, it feels more like things have started falling into place, right where they're supposed to be. Including you who's supposed to be in his arms, just like right now.

"Is this destiny?" he asked and you smiled, lifting your head to peek at his face. He was smiling down at you too, eyes crinkling and dimples showing.

"It is. Because if it isn't then it shouldn't feel this right, John."

He had a sad smile that he quickly masked by kissing your forehead. "I'm just asking because I'm not big on destiny and soulmates and all that stuff. But a friend told me that everything you do, everywhere you go, everyone you meet, you meet them for a reason. The reason was destiny. Do you think so too?"

You nodded. "I've been a firm believer of destiny since I was little. I like to believe that destiny governs our lives, especially with meeting people. Every friend we unfriended, every enemy we hated, everyone we loved and stopped loving, even the passing older woman in the grocery store or the student looking down at his phone on the train. We met them because we were meant to meet them. To some we play a role in their lives, others we don't even care about, but it was all meant to be. And we begin in a random place, navigating through people and relationships and places until we find where we belong."

"That's beautiful."

You smiled at him, tiptoeing to peck on his lips. "It's even more beautiful now that I found you. This, I feel, is where I belong."

"I feel so too," he replied, leaning down low for a longer kiss. "I feel like after this, wherever you are or wherever I go, I will find you."

You gasped, grinning upon remembering something. "You know that song that goes, anytime, every time I get lost you will find me."

Jaehyun's eyebrows knitted. "No, but I like it already."

You rolled your eyes. "I'll have you listen to it later."

The music changed at that moment, into something more energetic and fun. People started cheering and heading for the dance floor, cramping the space. You held on to Jaehyun when you lost your balance and he held you right up until people stopped coming in and finished adjusting the spaces. You looked around anxiously and found that everybody was in coordinated places, except for the two of you.

"I have a bad feeling about this," you told Jaehyun, the music has halted and everyone in their pairs and places seemed to be waiting for it to play again. "Should we leave?"

"Just relax. It's a cotillion. Let's just blend in."

The music started playing and the dancers started dancing in eerily coordinated movements and uniform dance steps. Jaehyun was swaying you around, laughing at the ridiculousness of being at the center of this beautiful dance.

"Dance, love. Dance like this is your last night in Italy," he beamed at you and you started copying his silly dance moves, all the while laughing and giggling your embarrassment away. It wasn't long until other people started noticing you.

"The guy in the red suit, I think he's a guard or a butler or something," he told you. "When he comes this way, we run to that door, okay?"

"What?" The panic in your voice was loud, following the direction he was pointing to. "Wait, that wasn't where we came from!"

"Yes, but it would be easier to escape through there!"

"Oh, god no. Is that a guest list he's checking?" you questioned, observing the man going through a book? When he looked at you sternly, you held your breath and grabbed Jaehyun's hand before you started bolting for the door.

"Oi! Hey!" came the voice of some guy.

Jaehyun stopped you from running and knelt to take your shoes off of your feet. You kicked them hastily and as soon as he picked them up, you ran out of the main entrance right outside a long garden. Jaehyun spared no second and went for the huge gates. The man chasing after you started shouting in Italian but you were already past the gates with the clueless guards scowling at the unusual occurence.

You didn't stop running until you were far from the venue, laughing and giggling all the while until you both stopped to catch your breath by the seawall. Jaehyun sat on the ledge, tapping the space next to him to invite you over. You sat there panting, leaning on him for support.

"You good?" he questioned, wrapping an arm around you and massaging your shoulder.

"Yes. Are you?"

"Better than ever," he replied and you both laughed heartily, breathless and euphoric. You sat up after a while and stared at his face.

"You're a bad influence."

He grinned proudly. "I know. Can I kiss you?"

"I might if you don't," you replied bravely, looking at his lips. And he did, he kissed you long and sweet, until you were both breathless on that ledge, until you were both overcome by more than just the adrenaline from the recent run.

When you arrived at the hotel, the receptionist greeted him as Mr. Jung, which made you wonder. So when the elder man turned around, you asked, "Mr. Jung? I thought you were Mr. Suh?"

"He's probably another Asian guest. To these people, all Asians look the same."

You laughed because he was right. You've had similar experiences before. Besides, you were so drunk on his scent and his warmth that you forgot about everything else as you rushed to his suite. As soon as the doors closed, you jumped into one another, kissing and nipping your skins in a spur of lust. You knew where this was heading. You knew you would end up sleeping with him so you slipped away from his arm even as he chased after you.

"There's something you should know. It's gonna surprise you and might have you rethinking this whole thing," you said, looking into his half-lidded eyes. He smiled and rested his forehead on yours.

"I don't think anything you say can change how I feel about you."

The statement made your heart swell so you hugged him again, kissing him on the lips before he parted with you to nip on your jaw and neck. You tilted your head to the side to give him better access, letting out a faint moan as his lips brushed your skin. "The truth is..."

"Hmm?" He inquired, sending vibrations to your skin. He nibbled on your ear before adding, "What is it?"

"I'm actually..." you began, taking his face so you could see his eyes. "...engaged."

He makes a full stop, half-lidded eyes now wide open in shock. "You're what?"

"I'm engaged. I'm supposed to get married in like, a week or something."

He backed away just enough so your chest would stop touching. He was still holding your arm when he asked, "Then why are you a thousand miles from home looking for a soulmate in a complete stranger?"

"I... well, I happened to have answered your call for my boss, Taeyong Lee. And at the time I was very very conflicted about getting married and spending the rest of my life with someone I'm not sure about. And then you called and it happened to be me who answered. I..." you paused, reaching for his cheek and stroking it. "I had reason to believe it was fate telling me to find you."

He kissed you again, pulling you even closer this time then carrying you onto his bed. He climbed on top of you, kissing, sucking, and nipping at every exposed skin. "Well, I kinda have a little something to say too... It might be a big deal."

You sat up, unbuttoning his shirt as you shook your head. "It doesn't matter."

"Are you sure?"

You smiled, reaching in to touch his chest. "We found each other, didn't we? That's all that matters. I mean, what could be worse than me being an engaged woman?"

He smiled, revealing his dimples as he dived in to lay you down again. He showered your skin with kisses again while you led his hand to palm your breast. "I don't know... maybe the fact that my name is not Johnny Suh."

In a daze from the sensation of his kisses and his touches, you couldn't quite process what he just said. "You're not?"

"No."

Your brows knitted, eyes half-closed as you felt arousal clouding your head even darker under his hands. "Then, who are you?"

"I'm Jung Jaehyun."

Your eyes fluttered open, suddenly feeling wide awake. "What?!" you hollered, pushing him off of you but he was heavy so you were only able to move him a little.

He pouted, "You said none of it matters."

"Yes, except for that!" you bellowed, pushing him with your legs that sent him flying off the bed and onto the floor.

"Hey, it's just a name!"

You stood up angrily, picking up your purse, your shoes, and your coat from where they were scattered in the room. "You are a liar! You're a jerk and a horrible, horrible person!"

"Hey, calm down." He attempted to calm you, holding your flailing arms that were hitting his chest, but you yanked your arms away from his grasp.

"Don't touch me!"

Jaehyun raised his arms in surrender. "Okay. Okay. I lied. But only about my name. The rest of it was true. All of it. My dreams, my hopes, how I felt about you... all of it. I like books, I'm a photographer. I didn't lie about any of that!"

"Except the most important thing to me!"

Jaehyun sighed, shoulders sagging and head tilting in defeat. "Come on, love."

"Don't call me that."

"I thought you liked it?"

"I did when I thought you were Johnny."

Jaehyun exhaled sharply, getting frustrated as he followed you through the door to the hallway. "Hey, Johnny isn't even the kind of guy you think he is. Be real. He's a stranger. You don't know him."

"You would be very much a stranger to me too if you hadn't lied about being him. Honestly, that's a terrible thing to do. Have you no conscience?"

He called your name just as you had pressed the elevator button. "Please. Give me a chance. How would you even know he was the man you were looking for?"

"I will figure that out myself," you declared, getting into the lift and facing him. You shut the steel gate so he couldn't follow you inside. "Why did you even do that?"

"Because I'm in love with you!"

You rolled your eyes, scoffing. "You've outdone yourself."

You knock on Jihyo's room with your eyes full of tears, weeping as you pounded nonstop. When the door opened, you saw Jihyo looking like she had been disrupted from sleep. Andre was right behind her and you didn't even care to think they might have been doing something else entirely when you pushed through the door. You sat on the couch by the window and started crying uncontrollably. Jihyo rushed to you, stroking your back and shushing you.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Let's go home, Jihyo. You were right. This was madness. Coming here, chasing after some ghost. Believing in stupid fate. All of this. This is the worst trip of my life!" you ranted, covering your face with your hands.

Jihyo asked Andre to give you both the space and the latter was understanding enough to leave. She let you cry your heart out and offered you a glass of water as soon as you calmed down.

"What happened? Where's Johnny?"

"He's not Johnny, Jihyo. He lied about being Johnny. His name was Jung Jaehyun."

"What? Why would he?"

You scoffed and gave her an incredulous look. Standing up, you started ranting, "Because he's a horrible person, why else? He probably thought this whole thing was a joke and that he could get into my pants if he lied about who he was. Well, guess what? His honesty was five days too late! He has wasted my time and all the effort it took me to come here. I will never believe in fate or destiny or love or any of that crap ever again!"

Jihyo sighed, taking the glass from your hand. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" you snapped.

"Really? You won't believe in fate or destiny? And love too?"

You recognized the worry in her voice and then realized everything you just said. You sat back down and buried your face in your hands. Your whole life, you believed in love and destinies. Everything good that happened to you, you thanked destiny. For everything bad, you believed destiny had something better in store. You believed in love because your parents never stopped loving each other. You believed in love because you grew up in a home where love was the main foundation. Now, just because a random tourist broke your heart, you're throwing everything you believed in out of the window? That doesn't sound like you at all.

"Y/n," Jihyo chanted, hugging your curled up figure. "Maybe this is destiny too. Getting hurt is part of everyone's growth. What he did was wrong and he was indeed a horrible person for doing that but don't let him be the reason you forget everything you believed in, okay?"

You nodded, sniffing the tears away. "Let's go home, Jihyo."

"Okay. We will. We'll go home."

Jihyo was alone in her hotel room, packing up both yours and her bag so you could go home the next day. She was the one who took all your stuff from the room you shared with Jaehyun and found no one there so she just took everything she believed was yours. You were out early to book tickets with Andre so Jihyo was left to clean up.

She was almost done when she heard knocks on the door. At first, she thought it was you or Andre but when she opened up, she was greeted by a huge bouquet of flowers. Jihyo sighed and swatted it away, knowing the tall guy behind it was none other than Jaehyun.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Not Johnny Suh?"

"Oh, Jihyo. Is she here?" he asked, peering inside.

"She's not."

Jaehyun took a sharp exhale. "Would you tell me where she is?"

Jihyo scoffed mockingly. "She's booking tickets for our flight back home."

"You're leaving already?"

"Yes. Early tomorrow. But if she finds a flight for tonight, I'm sure she'll take it. The sooner we leave, the faster she forgets about the jerk she met in Italy."

"Come on, Jihyo. Not you too," he begged. Jihyo just scoffed louder and attempted to close the door but Jaehyun was quick to stop her. "Okay, I know. I know I messed up but can you please hear me out?"

"You're not worth my time, Jaehyun."

"I understand," he sighed, pushing himself inside the room. "But I beg you to hear me out because she wouldn't."

Jihyo crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay. Three minutes."

"Great, well. The thing is," Jaehyun began, placing the bouquet on the table. "I am in love with her."

Jihyo laughed mockingly. "Are all guys the same? Willing to say just anything to get laid?"

"Hey, for the record, I have no problem getting laid."

"You're admitting that you go around sleeping? Gross."

"No. Wait, listen to me..." he took Jihyo to sit down on the chair and crouched on the floor to meet her height. "I never believed in fate as much as she did. I think it's crap."

"Is that why you fooled her? Because you think she believes in crap?"

"Wait. You're not letting me talk."

"Okay. Do it fast."

Jaehyun motioned for her to be quiet. "So, I never believed in that, right? But I wasn't supposed to be here. I wasn't supposed to be in Italy at all! I was supposed to be home taking care of my dog because, for the first time since I started working, I have earned a vacation leave. But what happened? The photographer who was supposed to come here canceled and I was called in to fly at the last minute. And so here I was, tired of always coming back here every year only to take pictures of that old grumpy Marchetti's shoes which are nice by the way but not nice enough for him to earn my respect."

"You're blabbering, Jaehyun."

"Sorry, okay." He paused, took a deep breath, and nodded his head. "So here I am in Italy, in Rome, happy that the show was over and I can finally go back home. But then I met my old friend, Johnny Suh. He invited me out to dinner and I accepted because I wanted to catch up with him. And then in comes this gorgeous gorgeous lady in a beautiful red dress. It's like the world was shifting out of focus and all I could see was... her, looking around curiously before sitting on a table by herself."

"She was there for Johnny."

"I know! I mean, no, I didn't at the time but I know now. I wanted to talk to her but I had a friend with me and I'd hate to leave him alone, so I didn't. I was under the impression that she was waiting for someone. I mean, she wouldn't be dressed up so gorgeously if she was alone, right? So I just stole glances and Johnny noticed and he told me to approach her. I said I'd pay for her food instead but he was adamant that I talk to her and then he paid for her bill too."

"I see, so that's what happened."

"Yes, and then my friend left and I was there watching her drink wine after her meal, waiting for a chance. But then I chickened out, so I left."

Jihyo cocked an eyebrow at him, telling him to continue. Jaehyun stood up and started pacing around.

"So I was walking the streets, thinking about her and then suddenly, this girl bumped into me. She was wearing the same dress and the same hairstyle and I knew it was her. I followed her because I'd regret it if I didn't but your friend is a fast runner, did you know that?"

"She did track and field in high school."

Jaehyun clicked his fingers. "I see, that's why. And so I found her shoe, stuck in the cobblestone. I picked it up and started looking for her. She was easy to find in that gorgeous red dress. And so we met and she was visibly upset and then suddenly, you guys were leaving. I knew I had to stop her, I knew I had to at least get her name because I'd regret it if I didn't. I'd regret it if she got into that car and disappeared forever. And then she said she saw me too and told me she was looking for Johnny. I thought it would be easy to make her stay if I said I was Johnny."

"Or you could have just said you know who Johnny Suh is."

"I know! But hey, I panicked, okay? I was... desperate. I guess. I have never felt this way before. Ever. My mum told me to hop on this plane. To go on this trip even when I had to work while I was here. She told me something great might happen to me here and honestly, I know this is it. Finding her was the 'something great' my mom told me about. I just know. I don't know how I knew, I just do. And now I messed it all up. I can't let her leave, Jihyo. Not when I just got to know her."

Jihyo sighed. "That's actually very romantic, but it was wrong from the get-go. This was a big deal for her, she left home to pursue this. She left her fiancée. You lied to her and she's mad at you right now and if you ask me, I would be too."

"Is there any way I can make it up to her?"

"Bring her to your friend, Jaehyun. She just needs a look, a confirmation that she won't be making the wrong decision."

"What? About her marriage?"

"Yes. It's not my place to tell, but she's conflicted."

"Yeah, she mentioned."

"You know about it? Then good. You also know how much this means to her."

The door suddenly opened, revealing Andre who looked surprised to see Jaehyun. "Buddy, you messed up."

"I know," Jaehyun sighed, standing up from the floor and grabbing the bouquet. To Jihyo, he said, "Thanks, Jihyo."

"Good luck, Jaehyun."

The tickets were already booked and you were set to leave in the morning. You checked your bags for a final inspection of your stuff. "We have to leave super early, Jihyo. The flight is early and we don't want to miss it."

"I know. Andre and I will just drive around and stuff. It won't take long."

"Just have fun, okay? You don't have to rush. We just need to be there on time. We have to leave before that jerk comes looking for me."

"You like him, don't you?" Jihyo teased while hooking an earring on her ear. "You're crazy for him."

"I am not. I may like him but it was because he made me believe he was someone else. I thought he was my soulmate."

Jihyo pursed her lips. "You liked him just because you thought he was your soulmate, now that you found out he was someone else, your feelings just disappeared? That doesn't really sound like fate to me."

You scoffed. "You don't believe in fate."

"I don't believe in chasing fate. I believe that it comes to you when it's time."

You sighed in exasperation. "Whose side are you on?"

"No one's," she replied. "So tell me, you're not in love with him?"

"I hate him," you said with utter disgust.

"Good, because that's what I told him when he came to drop flowers for you."

Your ears rang bells in your head along with the pounding of your chest. "He came here?"

"While you were out to book tickets."

"And you told him I hated him?"

Jihyo gave you a playful grin. "You don't?"

You paused and looked away, continuing to pack your things. "None of that changes the fact that he lied about who he is."

Jihyo smiled knowingly. "Good, then we can go home without regrets. I'll go sightseeing with Andre today and you can stay here and... I don't know, weep?"

"You're mean."

"Maybe," she giggled, heading for the door. "Call Eunwoo. Tell him to send out the invitations because you are totally ready to get married to him."

"Park Jihyo!"

"Bye," she chanted, slipping out of the door.

The night came and went. Soon, the birds were chirping outside your window. You didn't even sleep a wink and instead of feeling glad to be going home after over a week of being here, you feel rather heavy. Part of you doesn't want to leave but your mind just wants to get out of there fast.

"Ready?" Jihyo asked after you've buckled your seatbelt in the backseat of Andre's car.

"Ready," you exhaled, forcing out a smile.

Andre turned on the engine and was about to drive when a loud thud made all of you halt. You spotted Jaehyun in front of the car, his large hands pressed on the hood.

"Wait. Don't go yet," he breathed and it seemed to you that he had been running.

You got out of the car to confront him, thinking he was there to argue his case.

"What are you doing?"

Jaehyun inhaled deeply and held your shoulders. "Don't leave yet. Let me make it up to you."

"Nothing you do will ever change my mind, Jaehyun," you belted, putting a clear emphasis on his real name.

Jaehyun bit his lip, looking frustrated. "You're so beautiful."

You turned to go back to the car so Jaehyun stopped you. "No wait, please. I messed up, okay? I understand that you're mad, that's why I'm here now. I want to apologize and make it up to you."

"How? By sweet-talking me?"

Jaehyun shook his head. "No, Johnny. Johnny. I know where Johnny is."

You stopped trying to get in the car and turned to face him. "You're not lying?"

"No. I'm not. Uh, I know he comes here every year and I remembered in Rome he told me he'd be in Amalfi on the 5th. Today is the 5th. He will be there for a while."

"Amalfi? Isn't that just around here?" you asked, turning to Jihyo and Andre.

"It is, and it's worth a shot. Also," he fumbled in his pockets to fish out his phone. "Here, I have his hotel number. You can contact him through that."

"How did you get it?"

"I pulled some strings. But I'm sure that will work. That is if you really changed your mind about finding him."

You paused to think, glancing over at Jihyo for her opinion. She just nodded and you let out a sigh.

Looks like Destiny doesn't want you to leave just yet.

You changed your route from the airport to Amalfi. It wasn't a long trip, just less than an hour and you are already at the hotel Jaehyun mentioned. He followed you there too but you refused to ride with him and settled in the backseat of Andre's convertible. You feel a little stupid for pursuing this again after you went on about how this is all a sham. But you came all the way here, a glimpse of Johnny Suh should be enough. You're not even trying to see if he was your soulmate anymore. You just want to fulfill the goal that brought you here in the first place.

"Can I use your phone?" you asked the receptionist after you checked in. He showed you to the phone and left you there. Your friends went on their ways too. You were nervous to dial his room number and stared at the white telephone for a while.

"Gosh, you can't back out now," you told yourself but just as you were about to grab the receiver, your phone buzzed so you checked it first. Seeing the notification made your jaw drop.

By some miracle, one week since you sent him a message, user johnnyjsuh finally got back to you!

You successfully contacted Johnny through Instagram and he apologized for seeing your message so late. After a quick chat, you asked if you two could have dinner together and told him you were in the area. He accepted and set the time for it, promising to treat you to some great food.

You got ready for said dinner, picking out a demure white dress that you had in your luggage. Jihyo was excited for you too and she was going for a dinner date with Andre so she was getting ready with you. You were in the middle of getting dressed when Andre arrived, Jaehyun in tow with a box. You escaped into the bathroom since you were still half naked.

"I'm gonna go," Jihyo said holding on to Andre's arm. "See you later, okay?"

"See you!" you called out from inside the bathroom.

"See you later, Jaehyun," Jihyo told Jaehyun before closing the door.

Jaehyun knocked on the bathroom door. "I got something for you."

"Maybe later, Jae. I'm kind of naked right now," you chided and Jaehyun gulped at the idea of you naked in there.

"Just take it. I won't look. You're gonna need it."

You peeked through the door and Jaehyun handed the box to you. You took it and then found that it was a pair of white shoes. "Thanks! But how do you know my size?"

"Um, intuition?" he chuckled, looking around your room and spotting the dress hanging in the closet. He grabbed it and stood outside the bathroom door.

"Good guess. It fits perfectly," you called back out. Jaehyun flashed a proud smile. You opened the door slightly and poked your hand out. "Hey, Jaehyun, do you mind handing me my dress. It's the white one in the—"

You couldn't finish your sentence because he had already hung the hanger on your finger. You pulled it inside and thanked him. Jaehyun then went over to the dresser and picked up a set of earrings and a bracelet.

"Oh, and I also need my earrings—" you stopped when Jaehyun placed the pair in your hand the moment you pushed it out of the door. "And my silver bracelet—" Again, Jaehyun placed the jewellery on your palm.

Quite impressed, you popped your head out of the gap to see him. He was standing right outside and he smiled when he saw you. "What?"

You shook your head. "Nothing. Thanks."

After getting dressed, you opened the bathroom door and found him sitting on the couch with an Italian magazine. You shyly asked him to button your dress for you.

"Usually, I can do it myself but with zippers."

"Yeah, no problem," he lilted, touching you exposed shoulder and turning you so you were facing the mirror.

You could see him from the reflection, looking as handsome as when you first met him. The air of elegance, his beautiful skin, and plump lips. You remembered kissing him and found your hand touching your lower lip. When he couldn't button you up with one hand, the other hand left your shoulder to fiddle with the locks. His face contorted in concentration and you felt a rush in your veins when his fingers brushed the bare skin of your spine.

"Damn buttons," he muttered as soon as he buttoned you up. He met your gaze in the mirror and smiled at you. "You look great."

"Thank you," you breathed, still locked in his gaze. You saw his jaw clench and noticed how he tucked his hands in his back pocket.

"You should go. Johnny's probably waiting."

You sighed. "Thanks for taking me here, Jae."

His face darkened as he clenched his jaw again. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Don't call me Jae." He closed the gap between you until you can feel his warmth from behind you.

"But... isn't that your name?"

"Yes," he muttered, resting his head on your shoulder. "And it sounds so good when you say it. It was meant for your lips, for your voice..."

"Don't do this, Jaehyun..."

He let out a sigh that made you hold your breath. He just told you not to say his name but you did.

"Go to Johnny. Go see if he really is your soulmate."

You chuckled bitterly, turning to face him. "Are you mocking me?"

But the look on his face was anything but mockery. Instead, he looked frustrated and defeated. "I'm asking you to go. Maybe if he makes you happy, I'll move on."

You touched his face and he nuzzled on the warmth of your hand. When you were about to let go, he held your hand in place, the other finding your waist and pulling you close. You don't know what it was that was drawing you to Jaehyun. Is it because he was handsome? But you met countless handsome guys. Heck, your boyfriend was literally the most handsome man you laid eyes on. Is it his charm? Or the way he makes you feel like you're all he wants? Whatever it was, it was drawing you again, making you reach to hold onto his neck while he pulled you into a soft kiss.

"Don't go," he pleaded with eyes closed, pressing his forehead on yours after the kiss. "Stay."

"This is what I came here for, Jae," you insisted, watching his pained expression. "I must do this."

You let go of him and took your purse. Jaehyun turned his back, not giving you a look even as you bade him good night. The night was young and the breeze blew cold. Somehow, you regretted wearing this dress and not bringing a coat. You were being irresponsible. But as you descended down the lower floor where the restaurant sat, you felt warmer. The man at the entrance greeted you and you gave him the name on the reservation. He called for another man to escort you to your table.

Johnny was sitting at the table. Your intuition was right that night in Rome. You followed the dark-haired man at that time and he turned out to be the real Johnny Suh.

"Hi. You must be, y/n," he greeted, standing up to shake your hands. You accepted it and felt how small your palm was compared to his.

"Thanks for accepting my invitation," you began, sitting down after the waiter pulled out the chair for you.

"Thanks for asking me," he chimed.

You ordered food and chatted for a bit. He talks a lot while you observe him quietly. He was a bit different from what you thought he would be. You had based his being on the quality of his photography. They were taken with delicate care and attention, but the man before you seemed to be a little on the manlier side; macho, buff, and aloof. His build, his voice, and even his mannerisms. But then again, you know you shouldn't judge someone by their appearance.

"Thanks by the way. That night at the restaurant in Rome. You paid for my dinner."

He appeared to think but it didn't take him long. "Oh, the girl in the red dress? That was you?"

"Yes."

"I remember. I was with a friend, Jung Jaehyun. We met by chance in Rome so I told him I'd treat him dinner. Then he saw you there. You looked immaculate, by the way. That dress sure made heads turn. Mine included."

"Is that why you paid for my meal? You could have talked to me, then," you beamed.

"Well, not really. It was Jaehyun who liked you and he wanted to talk to you but he couldn't leave me so he decided to pay for you instead. I said I'd pay and that he should go talk to you."

"Oh, so that's what happened," you said, looking down at your food. You don't feel fulfilled or satisfied. In fact, you feel forced to be here, like you were complying with something even when this dinner was your idea in the first place.

"Did he?"

You were prompted from your thoughts. "What?"

"Did he talk to you at all?"

"Yeah. We talked. Actually, he brought me here. I really wanted to meet you."

"Really? I'm flattered. But what for?"

You didn't want to reveal more about the crazy soulmate thing to him so you cooked up an excuse. "I'm a fan of your work. I follow you on Instagram and I saw that you were here so I thought I'd meet you since I also happened to be around."

"Thanks, I really appreciate that. Although I mainly do photography as a hobby. My wife liked looking at pictures."

Your heart rate picked up pace. Weirdly though, you didn't feel any hint of sadness, rather, you were relieved to know he was unavailable. "You are married?"

"Were. She passed away a few years back." He saw your face turn pale. "Don't be sorry, I'm fine. I've moved on. However, I'm not in a position where I can entertain the possibility of a relationship. So, it might sound a bit obnoxious, but I hope you didn't find me for that."

"That's okay. I really just wanted to get to know you. My boss, Taeyong Lee, you know him right?"

"Right, Taeyong. Of course. You work for him?"

"Yes. I saw some of your pieces in our magazine. That's where I knew you from." You couldn't believe how you tormented Jaehyun for lying while here you are spouting lies to avoid embarrassing yourself. The situation may be minor on your part, but lying is still lying.

No, it was completely different. Johnny didn't need to know you obsess over his name through your teens. You needed to know if the person you almost hooked up with and threw your relationship with Eunwoo for was really Johnny. It was different and whatever Jaehyun's excuse was, he still did a terrible thing to you.

The dinner was nice. Despite the uncertainty you felt in the first part, he turned out to be fun to talk to. You agreed to take a walk by the beach, talking and laughing here and there while wrapped in his coat. He was mostly making jokes about crazy encounters overseas every year. He would ask about you too and you told him a few interesting things about you. He also discussed how he met his wife in Italy. Since then, they always visited the country. They both liked the sea at Amalfi and would always spend most of their vacation days here.

"Must be nice to be in love like that," you commented, just as you spotted the restaurant on your way back.

"It is. I was lucky to have experienced that kind of love."

"I know it's not my place to comment but I think you should try again. You know, maybe you'll find another woman who'd make you happy. Maybe you'll get to experience beautiful love again."

He chuckled. "You know sometimes I think she's up there saying the exact same thing."

"Really?"

"Yes. That's the kind of person she is. She wouldn't want me to be lonely because she's gone. That's why instead of grieving, I tried to live on. Now I am still reliving the times I spent with her, but, I'm doing it with a happy heart. If someone else comes to change my life forever the way she did, then, I'll welcome her with open arms."

You just smiled, nodding your head as you reached the stairs to the seawall. He offered his hand for you to hold on to and you gladly took it. When you reached the platform, you took off his coat and handed it back to him.

"I think we both know that someone is not me," you quipped and he tilted his head uncertainly.

"Well, you're a lovely woman and I would have fallen for you in no time but, nah. I don't think so," he said and you both laughed. "I'm big on soulmates and destiny. I like to believe that if she's the one, I would know. There has to be some sign or a feeling. I'm not sure, but I just know."

"You know that's funny because I actually came here to fulfill my destiny," you confessed, giggling at how ridiculous you sounded.

"You did?"

"Yeah, I was looking for my soulmate. I got his name when I was twelve and since then, I believed he's the one for me."

Johnny stops walking and stares at you. "Wait, don't tell me..."

You winced and gave him an embarrassed look. "Yeah. The Ouija board gave me your name."

His eyes widened and he covered his mouth with one hand, looking shocked but you knew he was just trying not to laugh.

"Don't laugh. I'm embarrassed enough."

He pursed his lips but you can still see the smile he was holding in. "I'm not judging."

You threw your head back to laugh. "It's ridiculous, isn't it? Now that I'm looking back on it, I think my friend or my sister might have been behind the whole thing."

"Hey, who knows? Maybe you were right to come here."

"No, Johnny. No offense, but I don't want to fill in for your great love."

Johnny laughed. "That's not what I was gonna say."

"Okay then sorry, go on."

"I'm saying, you came here looking for something. Now, it might have been me at first but the truth may be that you were chasing for your destiny. Maybe if you stuck around a bit longer, you'll find what you're looking for."

You caught a glimpse of Jaehyun on the restaurant's veranda, a glass of wine in his hand that he drank quickly when you caught him looking. He turned his back on you and pretended to talk to Andre and Jihyo. Not even a few seconds later, you caught him sneaking another peek and then looking away immediately.

"How do I say this, um... It was fate that brought you here, y/n. I'm sure she has big plans for you."

"Yes, I agree," you muttered, still watching Jaehyun from afar. You turned to Johnny. "Hey, listen."

"Hmmh?"

"Are you sure you're not just saying that to be a wingman for your friend?" you asked pointedly, a bit accusing but you were determined to know the truth.

"No. Which friend?" he asked. "I haven't met a friend who knows you."

"Jaehyun."

"Ah, Jaehyun? No. The last time I saw him was in Rome," he replied and then paused to think. "Didn't you say he was here too?"

"Yes."

Johnny perked up. "Great. We should meet for a drink."

"No need to call him. He's right there," you said, pointing at the restaurant. "Would you like to join us? We're here together with some friends."

"I would love to."

You climbed back up the restaurant to join your friends. You introduced Johnny to Jihyo and Andre, making sure to remind Jihyo not to act weird around him. You had drinks by the bar, chatting and laughing through the night. Jaehyun barely looked at you, his attention taken by Johnny and Andre who kept chatting him up about random things. All the while, you stood by, quietly joining in and laughing along while thinking hard about the Johnny Suh that you obsessed over, Jaehyun who you thought was Johnny, and the fate that brought the three of you here in the beautiful Amalfi.

"Are you okay?" Jihyo asked, noticing your silence.

"Yeah, I'm just tired," you replied. It wasn't even an excuse. You really were tired and hoped the night would end quickly.

"We can go back now if you want," Jihyo offered but you knew it was only because she was worried about you. While you appreciate that so much, you also don't want to ruin her night, especially after seeing how cozy she was with Andre.

"I'll be fine. I can go back by myself. Have fun though," you assured her and it took a bit of convincing before she agreed.

You slipped away quietly, not even bidding them goodbye and telling Jihyo to let them know instead. The stairs were winding and you felt dizzy as you walked up. You're not drunk yet, just a little tipsy from the wine. You huffed when you reached the second-floor landing. One more set of stairs and you'd reach your suite, so you inhaled and took another step. But you ended up losing balance on your heels and falling over. Your butt landed on the floor with a thud. It didn't hurt much though but you felt frustrated.

"Hey," came a voice from below, followed by rushed footsteps ascending the stairs. Jaehyun helped you up, looking worried. "What happened to you?"

"Your shoes are stupid," you grumbled, taking the shoes off and standing up with his help. "Why would you even give them to me?"

Jaehyun chuckled awkwardly. "I don't know. I saw them and thought you'd look great in them."

"Well, I did but they're crap," you huffed angrily.

Jaehyun just sighed as he walked up the stairs with you. "Was the date bad? You seem to be in a bad mood."

"No. The date was great. Johnny was a great guy. He's funny, he's nice, and he's honest," you ranted, emphasizing the honest part.

"I'm sorry, y/n. I really am. I brought you here to hopefully make it up with you. But seeing that you're still mad, I guess it didn't work."

You stopped in front of your room's door and faced him with a stern expression. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Like I said, I wanted to apologize."

You sighed. "By setting me up with your friend? I thought you're in love with me?"

"I am! But you're mad and it's because I messed up," he confessed, sighing in defeat. "So to apologize for wasting your time, here's Johnny Suh."

"But you're in love with me."

"That's true."

You sighed and dropped your purse to clutch his collar. Close to tears and frustrated, you asked, "Why would you set me up with him if you're in love with me?"

Jaehyun seemed taken aback as he held your elbows, confused by your actions and words. "Y/n, I..."

"You even bought me shoes," you spat. "What if we ended up liking each other? What if he really was my soulmate? Were you just gonna let me go?"

"Fuck, no! I'd fight him for you, y/n. I'd keep trying until you tell me to get lost. Hell, I'd even follow you back to Seoul and stop your wedding. If I lost you here, if I missed this chance, I would... I would..." he sighed, pulling you into a hug and burying his face in the crook of your neck. "I would never forgive myself."

You let him stay there, feeling the warmth from his body and his breath.

"I know how stupid it sounds to fall in love with someone so quickly, but I did. I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. I knew you were the one for me, I knew you're everything that was meant to be. And I'm sorry I lied but I did that because I was scared I'd lose you forever without even knowing your name. I'm sorry."

You pushed him away, gazing into his eyes and seeing sincerity there, mixed with emotion you couldn't fathom. You reached for his cheek, stepping closer to plant a kiss on his lips.

"Y/n..." he croaked but you silenced him by kissing him again. This time, when you were about to let go, he held your waist flush against him, making sure you didn't leave. He deepened the kiss, reeling you into a surge of sensations and emotions that clouded your head. When he pulled away for a brief moment to look into your eyes, you wanted to reach for him again, to feel him and be engulfed in his warmth again.

"Take me, Jaehyun," you pleaded and that made Jaehyun exhale sharply before holding your hand firmly and pulling you into his room.

Jaehyun basically kicked the door closed as soon as you were both inside, hands firm on your back and lips pressed onto yours. Your hands were busy unbuttoning his shirt, fumbling but succeeding when you had the entire shirt tossed on the floor. Jaehyun had struggled with the buttons on your back earlier and the sound of your dress being ripped made you pull away from him and gasp.

"Jaehyun!"

"Sorry, love. I'll get you a new one," he promised, pulling you back to his embrace to continue ravaging your lips. The back of his knees hit the bed so he sat down, pulling your leg up to make you straddle his lap. The kiss was intense, tongues clashing and teeth nipping on each other. His hand was firm on your back, unclasping your bra expertly and throwing it across the room. You then tilted your head when his kisses trailed down your neck until they reached your bosom. Moans escaped your lips as he suckled your breasts, playing with the other. The neediness started getting into your head so you bucked your hips on his erection, sending a surge of pleasure for the both of you. He let you do that for a moment while his mouth left bruises on your skin. You knew how it would look in the morning and you knew everyone would see it but you didn't mind. Your head started spinning at the mere thought of people finding out that Jaehyun had marked your body as his own.

With a swift movement, he pinned you on the bed, getting rid of your dress so you were naked underneath him. Then he muttered your name, stroking your cheek with the back of his hand. "You're so beautiful, it hurts."

You desperately took his hand and placed it on your bare breast. "Touch me, Jaehyun."

He palmed your breast, kneading firmly before diving in to suck your nipples. You moaned loudly, sending Jaehyun into a spiral that made him bite your bud. His hand then moved down from your boob, mouth still attached to it. He pulled your underwear down to touch your pussy, massaging the wetness that pooled there.

"Haven't we both been waiting for this?" he asked but you just whimpered under his touch. "Why did we even hold ourselves back?"

"Jaehyun!" you chided him for taking his time but it came out as a raspy moan, making his dick twitch in his boxers.

He cursed you as he reached for a pouch on his bedside table then pulled out a strip of condoms. You could hardly wait for him to tear open the packet so you sat up and pulled his boxers down, putting his dick in your mouth the moment it sprang free. Jaehyun let out a loud moan, surprised at your eagerness. He let you suck him for a while holding your head in place until you had your fill and stopped. He then pumped his cock a few times before encasing it in the condom.

"How are you so hot?"

"How are you still talking?" you retorted, falling back on the bed with a light bounce.

He prodded your entrance and slowly pushed inside. His length and girth made you moan as he adjusted in your clasp and you on his size. After a few slow movements to make sure he was positioned perfectly, he started thrusting at a steady pace, getting faster and faster as he went.

When you came here, you never imagined having sex with someone, not even the soulmate that you were desperately searching for. And Jaehyun, he's a stranger and even the way he makes you feel is new to you. You've always been the sensual kind, taking things slow and steady. Jaehyun was steady but strong. The force can be felt by your entire body and each thrust brings pain that is not doing anything to actually hurt you, instead, you crave more of it. You screamed for more of it, letting him break through you and use you to satiate his lust. The way he hits the tight spot drives you crazy and the way he's stretching you open feels elaborate and perfect.

"Oh my god, Jaehyun!" you screamed, feeling the familiar knot in your stomach. The clenching of your pussy made it known to him that you're close and your louder and more eager moaning is driving him to the edge too. His thrusts became harder and more erratic as he gripped your waist, chasing his orgasm until he bucked one hard thrust into you and kept it there. He groaned in satisfaction, arching his back with his eyes closed and mouth open.

"Fuck," he blurted, looking down at your fucked out expression and grinning. He leaned to kiss your forehead so you smiled.

"Hey," you said weakly, out of breath and out of energy.

You chased your breath some more as he thrust a few more times before he pulled out and collapsed next to you. The sound of panting filled the room as the air of lust dissipated. He glanced at you and you glanced back, laughing at each other, both drunk on orgasm.

Two years later, you were standing in front of a podium, facing the person who would be officiating your wedding. After simple vows thanking fate for bringing you together, you stamped your seals on a piece of paper and sealed it with a kiss. Both of your friends and family were present to share this beautiful day with you. Even Andre Marchetti, who turned out to be the son of the Italian shoemaker who was Jaehyun's nemesis. He and Jihyo ended their fling right before you left Italy two years ago but he still got invited for playing a huge part in your crazy love story. Cha Eunwoo was present too, with his wife and beautiful baby girl. You became good friends after the amicable breakup and he even got married before you. Everything is in its rightful place, as you like to put it. After everything, you still held on to the destiny that governed your life. Wherever or whenever you get lost, you believe you and Jaehyun will find each other, as destiny willed it.

"Oh, it's Johnny Suh. The soulmate she was raving about for years," said Jihyo, pointing at you across the hall, talking to Johnny. "Looks like he played a completely different role in her destiny."

"Johnny Suh? Why does that name sound familiar?" Your sister wondered, tapping her glass as she too stared at the guy greeting you and Jaehyun.

"The soulmate from the Ouija board? Remember?"

Your sister gasped. "Oh, yeah. The one I made up!" she snorted.

"What?" Jihyo questioned, confused.

"Johnny Suh. I made it up. I didn't even think hard about it, I just randomly came up with that name."

"No. You couldn't have. I was there too."

"Yeah and you were both dumb enough to freak out over moving glass so I kept messing with you all," she laughed, taking a sip from her glass.

"Do you have any idea how she held on to that name her whole life? She even looked up every single Johnny Suh on the internet believing he was her soulmate!"

"Of course I have! I've seen it and at the time, it was so funny. She stopped doing it though so I thought she was over all that."

Jihyo sighed in exasperation. "Eonnie, we literally flew to Italy for that. That's how she met Jaehyun."

"No, you did not!"

"We did. Now she believes that the Ouija board told her to meet Johnny so he could bring her to Jaehyun, her real soulmate."

"Oh my poor sister," she winced. "Who's gonna tell her?"

"Don't tell her," Jihyo chided, shaking her head. "She'd freak and she might hate you forever. I've seen something quite similar."

You may have been oblivious to this conversation between your sister and your bestfriend, but who's to say your sister's innocent little prank wasn't destiny's design as well?

[fin]

[simply-whump]

The Story of Park's Marriage Contract (열녀 박씨 계약 결혼뎐) - Whump List

Whumpee : Kang Tae Ha played by Bae In Hyuk

Synopsis : In the 19th century, on the night of her wedding day, Park Yeon Woo's husband died after revealing that he had suffered from a heart condition for a long time. She is devastated, but before she can even mourn her husband, a man kidnaps her and throws her in a well. She is now in present-day Seoul, South Korea, and the man who saves her from the swimming pool is Kang Tae Ha, who looks a lot like her dead husband from the 19th century. He is the successor of SH Seoul Corporation. He does not like opening himself up to others due to his heart disease and the trauma that he endured in his childhood. (MDL)

Genres : Historical, Mystery, Romance, Fantasy

Warning! Possible spoilers below!

Kang Tae Ha

Ep 1 : (Past Life) Suddenly in pain, holding his chest, coughing up blood, collapses, concern for him, dies

Ep 2 : (Present Life) (42:00) Wakes up from a nightmare (comedic) — (48:52) Headbutted, puts some ice on his chin — (58:18) Scared, passes out, concern for him, slapped (comedic) — (01:06:18) Something in his car breaks, has a car accident

Ep 3 : (00:38) Ha a car accident, bleeding slightly from his forehead, stumbling — (14:40) Pushed down underwater (comedic) — (25:22) Taking pills — (27:34) Getting tested at the hospital, scar on his chest — (36:01) Trips, falls to the floor (comedic) — (01:03:40) Falls to the ground, wincing

Ep 4 : (16:20) Remembering traumatic memories, panic attack, heavy breathing, concern for him, slides down to the ground — (23:16) Having a nightmare, sweating, calmed down — (01:01:45) Worried for someone, holding his chest, falls down a hill, unconscious

Ep 5 : (01:25) Wakes up, wincing in pain, worried for someone, small cut on his face — (07:30) Cut treated — (25:49) Falls — (01:02:20) Heart condition acting up, in pain, holding his chest, collapses

Ep 6 : (04:01) Repeat of the previous scene, in pain, has to pretend he is okay, collapses, concern for him, heavy breathing — (01:04:37) Going to a place linked to his trauma, anxious, worried for someone, holding his chest, heavy breathing, panic attack, concern for him, scar on his chest revealed

Ep 7 : (Previous scene continues) (01:33) Panic attack, heavy breathing, scar reveal — (02:26) Sleeping in bed — (04:35) Teary-eyed, hugged, crying — (58:55) Heart disease acting up, holding his chest, groaning in pain — (19:52) Heart disease acting up, groaning in pain, holding his chest, taking medication — (23:02) Distancing himself from his loved one because of his heart condition, crying — (25:04) Told his pacemaker is not working and that he will experience heart failure 

Ep 8 : None

Ep 9 : (18:34) Hit with a cane — (01:01:08) Learns a shocking truth, remembering painful memories, crying

Ep 10 : (03:28) Shocked, panicked, crying, heavy breathing, held — (22:36) Slapped, crying — (23:52) Heart disease acting up, holding his chest, concern for him, heavy breathing — (24:56) Sleeping, examined — (01:04:56) In a dangerous situation, pushed

Ep 11 : (01:43) Pushed out of harms way, worried for someone, emotional, crying, hugged — (24:45) Teary-eyed — (27:15) Begging the doctor to fix his heart, emotional — (01:07:29) (Past life) Suddenly in pain, holding his chest, coughing up blood, collapses, concern for him, dies

Ep 12 : (Repeat of previous scene) — (Present Life) (03:10) Crying — (Past Life) (43:29) Heart condition acting up, in pain, concern for him, in bed, pulse taken

>> More Whump List

>> Another Whump List with Bae In Hyuk

[nortism]

Nor's Les Mis Fic Recommendations

I've been scouring les mis ao3 for a few months now so here are my fav fics I've found. I've tried my best to tag tumblrs where I can but let me know if you are the author of any of these and I'll tag you!

Three Days (or The One Where Javert and Valjean Take a Road Trip Through France and Raise a Child) by zamwessel

Rating: E

Ships: Javert/Jean Valjean

Summary:

Javert calls what he thinks is Valjean's bluff about needing three days to find the child Cosette and intercede for her. The Inspector comes along for the ride -- and gets much more than he bargained for, in the process.

Notes: First Les Mis fic I ever read and its an absolute banger. It's pretty much exactly what it says on the tin and I'm a sucker for a kid fic so I absolutely adored it.

A Change of Bizarre Kind by M_Moonshade

Rating: E

Ships: Javert/Jean Valjean

Summary:

Six months ago, Doctor Henry Jekyll sought to escape the dramatics of London by coming to M-sur-M. Tonight his murderer pays a visit to the Mayor Madeline. (Being the Curious Case of Inspector Javert and Mister Hyde)

Notes: Criminally underrated. Jekyll and Hyde AU but I went in knowing very little about that book and I could understand what was going on. Each chapter contains bits from the past and present day until the timelines eventually add up which makes the main mystery all the more compelling. Also Fantine is alive and well which is always nice.

Our Souls Still in Fetters by Cinaed

Rating: E

Ships: Javert/Jean Valjean

Summary:

After Javert is assigned to discover a blackmailer within a public-house that caters to men who prefer other men, Valjean is unexpectedly drawn into the case. Together they must stop the blackmailer before any lives can be ruined...including their own.

Notes: This author has so many great Valvert fics but this one is probably my favourite. There's the classic "undercover as a couple" trope as well as old timey gay bars. Also a huge fan of how this author portrays Cosette and Valjean's relationship.

In Defiance of all Geometry by idiopathicsmile

Rating: T

Ships: Combeferre/Enjolras/Grantaire

Summary:

Amis House might not be the biggest student co-op, or the fanciest, but it's got something all its own. Specifically, smoke damage on the kitchen ceiling from that time Courfeyrac lit a political pamphlet on fire. In which there are secrets, pining, pancakes, and revelations, and sometimes the shortest distance between three points is not a triangle but a circle.

Notes: I love a good poly fic and this is one of the best. Also just a generally fun and wholesome friendship fic. Definitely a nice comforting read after all the old man angst I've got on here.

Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) by Need_To_Comment_Rising (@aromantic-enjolras)

Rating: T

Ships: Courfeyrac/Enjolras, Combeferre/Courfeyrac (Its complicated)

Summary:

Enjolras takes a swig of his drink with everyone else, and then smirks at Courfeyrac over the rim of his glass. "You didn't seem to mind much me being bossy yesterday night when I had you in my bed..." At his side, Grantaire chokes on his drink and starts coughing. But how did we get here, you might ask? Well, let’s rewind. ------- Enjolras and Courfeyrac have had a friends with benefits arrangement for a while. But when Coureyrac starts dating Combeferre, Enjolras is left with the question of where he fits in the new status quo...

Notes: Another poly fic with aromantic!Enjolras. I love fics with unconventional relationship dynamics as well as people actually communciating with each other (though not before there's been some hijinks ofc). Criminally underrated.

How Marius (Painstakingly) Won the Hand of Mlle. Fauchelevent by writingsyrup (@syrupsyche)

Rating: G

Ships: Cosette/Marius

Summary:

When setting out to woo his beloved Cosette, Marius had never imagined that it would bring him to this: sitting at a dining table next to her grim-faced father, and staring at the marble that was Enjolras picking at his peas. Or; Enjolras and Cosette are siblings in 19th century France. Marius has to deal with the consequences of this.

Notes: Probably the best Marius characterisation I've ever read, he's just so awkward and weird bless him. I love a good awkward "meeting the parents" and this filled that hole in my heart. Is part of a wider series but can be read as a standalone.

Omnia mutantur, nihil interit by Apathy and saltedpin

Rating: M

Ships: Javert/Jean Valjean, Cosette/Marius Pontmercy

Summary:

Valjean's panting breath does not belong to him. He scrambles out of the bed and stumbles on too-light feet to the mirror in the corner, although he already knows what he will see. Peering back at him from behind a curtain of dark hair, wide-eyed, is Éponine Thénardier. Jean Valjean awakens one morning from uneasy dreams to find that something quite unexpected has happened during the night.

Notes: Cosette and Javert get bodyswapped and Marius is weirdly into it, if that's not enough to convince you to read this fic then idk how to help you. Not normally a huge body swap fan but this was absolutely hilarious as well as having some genuinely sweet moments. Also Theodule is there which means something to some people.

It's Not the Same Anymore by ShameDumpster (@shamedumpster)

Rating: T

Ships: Enjolras/Grantaire

Summary:

Grantaire is a bookstore clerk in his late twenties, and to everyone’s eternal disbelief, a father. It’s been years since he’s seen anyone from his former group of friends, after a falling out cleaved him from the ABC, but everything changes when Enjolras walks into his bookstore. Can they rekindle their friendship, or something more, while they both come to terms with how their lives have changed over the past decade?

Notes: SO SO GOODDD!! Top tier slowburn kid fic, I could wax poetic about it for days. Had me gripped from start to finish.

Acts of Mercy by cruisedirector and Dementordelta

Rating: M

Ships: Javert/Jean Valjean

Summary:

After witnessing and reporting a murder, Javert is dismissed from the police and takes a job protecting the women in a brothel, where many of his long-held ideas about justice are challenged.

Notes: Breaking, man from the 1800s finds out that life for women is hard. Such a solid redemption arc fic with some really memorable ocs.

Lynx's Claws and Wolf's Mane by Kaleran

Rating: T

Ships: None

Summary:

When he is older, when he is a prison guard, he thinks back to his childhood and realizes he had been considerably fortunate. "Prison is no place for a girl like you," his mother told him often, usually fussing with what rags they could use for clothing. "Forgive me for this, draga mea." And so, instead of a daughter, she pretended to have a son.

Notes: Completely canon compliant except Javert is trans and the impact that has on the story really adds an extra layer to his character that I find really compelling. Warning, it is very depressing bc canon.

[callmearcturus]

okay so PC Gamer just scattered a bunch of catnip for me with an article about What If Each Fallout Game Were A Movie, Who Would Direct It and I am going to read this live and judge it

because I'm having a relapse, we all understand this

A focused, mature, pressure cooker of a movie that is short and stylishly violent? Better call the director of John Wick to take the directorial reigns. Personally, I find Leitch's movies tend to have rather underwhelming final acts, too, and also have a penchant for ending abruptly when you feel more could have followed, so he's the perfect fit for a game that's incredible until it very quickly ends without much fanfare. John Wick movies don't tend to be very wacky either, often depicting the hero's world as very serious (despite the ludicrous premise of the fiction), so again this feels a strong and apt choice for the OG Fallout. A Friday night action movie.

HMMMMMM. I feel like I disagree on the mode I would want FO1 to be in. Like, yes, you can play it that way, but FO1 is famously one of the first games to make Speech arguably the most important skill to have in a video game, so I dunno. I love Leitch and feel like while his sense of realistic-yet-stunning action is a trademark, I think the use of locations is even more of his thing, and when I think about memorable locations, I think more of FO2 than FO1.

I feel like I would give FO1 to some hyper-realistic scumbag who is more obsessed with Process than Enterta-- oh. Nolan. gdi I'd give FO1 to Chris fucking Nolan, him whomst I loathe.

Who better to direct this expansive and often wacky depiction of the Fallout universe than the director responsible for epics such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 12 Monkeys, Brazil, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and The Man Who Killed Don Quixote? Gilliam loves a good road trip in his work, too, which fits with Fallout 2's Highwayman-based exploration, and his penchant for vast vistas with wacky and absurd details feels perfect. The combat scenes wouldn't be as slick as Leitch's Fallout movie, but characterisation and a more rambling, philosophical, off-beat narrative would deliver. Plus, Fallout 2 even has a Bridge Keeper encounter that directly references Monty Python and the Holy Grail, in which Gilliam starred. Watch on a Saturday night for a bit of everything.

......... I straight up cannot argue with that. No notes.

For a movie based on a game that is focussed almost entirely on squad-based combat in urban environments, combat where soldiers die in terrible ways and the horrors of war are all too apparent, I feel the director of The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow is perfect for this. Fallout: Tactics would be a war movie with a very tight focus and strong characterisation for just a handul of lead characters. Tense and at times adrenaline-inducing due to the flashes of extreme violence, but interspersed with soul-searching dialogue from its grizzled, war-scarred leads, this would be an erudite and focused Fallout war movie. Watch on a Monday or Tuesday night.

Looking at Bigelow's list of works is how I just now learned she also did Strange Days, so I think it's fair to say that this is giving her way too small of a pick. Give her FO1 and give Leitch FOT.

It would be so bad. Forget about A-bombs, everyone in the movie would drop an F-bomb every other line. Don't watch on any night.

Fucking weak-ass pick. Think about the history of how FO:BoS happened, i.e. they were trying to slap the Fallout license onto a completely different style of game without any respect for the source material. They swapped out Nuka Cola for Bawls product placement.

Give it to Zack Synder.

As the game that properly introduced V.A.T.S. system slow-mo to the Fallout universe, with kill shots shown off in glorious bullet time, there can be only one director for a film version of Fallout 3: the master himself, John Woo. Woo's stellar action movie work in titles such as Hard Boiled, Broken Arrow, Face/Off and Mission Impossible 2, among others, means the action in this game is off the charts. Slow-mo radiated doves and all! Woo handles the post-apocalypse war vibes well, too, thanks to his work on Windtalkers, while he communicates the hero's awakening into the future thanks to previous on Paycheck. A good fit for Friday night, thanks to the action, or midday during the weekend due to a longish, war movie-style runtime.

.....................

holy shit i cannot argue with that, that's genius. absolutely fucking yes. i think that's a perfect fit.

also, like, FO3 and Woo have the same "problem" for me, in that they know exactly what they are doing, it's just not my cup of tea, but there is a solid identity there.

yeah, fucking do it, give FO3 to John Woo.

SHUT THE FUCK UP

WHO WROTE THIS ARTICLE, AND DID THEY WRITE IT FROM MY FUCKING ATTIC?!

Casinos, gritty environments, extreme violence and heist movie vibes mean I think of Guy Ritchie for this film adaptation. Ritchie's also a fan of slow-mo combat shots, too, so we've got the game's V.A.T.S. system represented well, too, while the game's macho factional warfare as undertaken by factions like Caesar's Legion and the NCR, is right in keeping with Ritchie's love of gang-based conflict. There's not much romance in New Vegas, either, which is a weak spot for Ritchie, but as shown in movies like Sherlock Holmes, Snatch, The Gentleman, and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, he's good at holding together movies with various interconnecting narratives. His work on Aladdin also shows he can handle the comedic and wacky aspects of New Vegas, too. A mid-week action-comedy treat.

/rubs face

I am unfortunately a massive fucking fan of Ritchie movies. this is so powerful.

i think........... Ritchie is so thoroughly uninterested in saying anything philosophically profound, you cannot give him The Most Profound Fallout Game. like, I want to love this idea, I really do, but no.

....................... You need someone with snappy dialogue that actually means something, who is willing to veer into borderline magical realism, who loves an overdressed set, and who can manage a lot of different characters with well-reasoned motivations.

I think you need Rian Johnson.

OR DO I JUST WANT RIAN JOHNSON TO MAKE A VERSION OF "DEAD MONEY" THAT DOESN'T SUCK? WHO COULD SAY.

I feel Ang Lee is a good choice for a Fallout 4 movie adaptation, having good form in handling large and sprawling fictions with plenty of characters and side-stories. Just look at films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Life of Pi as an example of this. He's got some form with action, too, thanks to his work on Hulk. There's probably more romance/relationship offering in Fallout 4 than in any other Fallout, and Ang Lee has form here too. The result, though, is a movie that ends up being a bit flabby and unfocussed at times, despite technically bringing more to the table than Fallout 3, and being funnier and lighter overall. Watch on a day off due to a chonky runtime.

what are you fucking talking about, Ang Lee's best movies are Brokeback and Sense & Sensibility, and his worst are probably Hulk and Gemini Man. Fallout 4 is the one where Bethesda just stopped pretending to give a shit about story and roleplaying, instead pivoting the game into a skinner box of tightly-honed but ultimately soulless mechanics.

I'm not even trying to mock Marvel, but I feel like the MCU's Design-By-Producer-And-Executive-Oversight is actually the answer here. It doesn't matter who directs it because the main voice will be a board room.

oh shut upppppp

Fallout Shelter would in some ways be the most obvious setup for a movie: the self-contained story of a vault-dwelling society, interspersed with the surface adventures of random dwellers. Sounds a bit like the TV show when you put it like that, which is why there's only one Nolan for the job: Christopher! Yes, fresh off Oppenheimer it is time for Oppenheimer 2, focusing on the aftermath of all-out nuclear war (hell, Cillian Murphy can even have a cameo as a brain in a jar, I'm that generous). Moody, intense, riven with twists you didn't see coming, and with all special effects done for realsies, this movie could only ever be rad. The only downside is that, like the TV show Silo, you'd spend an awful lot of time indoors.

absolutely fucking not. the thing about Nolan is that his shit is so meticulous, it like.... pitches past hyper-realism and lands in this weird uncanny valley of "he wouldn't fucking say that" but it's for a character you've only known for ten minutes.

FO: Shelter is about emergent storytelling that feels almost accidental rather than arranged or scripted. you need someone who is hands-off the script but can capture a.... good moment..............

oh god, it's JJ Abrams, isn't it? god dammit. or, frankly? Spielberg. so I'm saying no to the director i hate and offering instead two other directors i dislike, but for different reasons.

yeah. yep. that's what i'm doing.

SPITTAKE

As an MMO that takes many aspects of the Fallout universe to the extreme, it feels a movie version of Fallout 76 would be akin to a huge-budget, climatic MCU movie where it really helps if you've had previous with the series to get most enjoyment. As such, I feel the Russo brothers would take the reigns for Fallout 76. The result would be a jack-of-all-trades action-adventure that borrows bits of every previous Fallout to make something that appeals to a lot of people but, after watching, doesn't go down as something you'd rewatch for most all of them. Big, bright, wacky and action-filled, there's no doubting though that you get a spectacle and fun, though. Watch in two sittings over two nights (as the movie's runtime is 3 hours 47 minutes).

no. fuck you. i reject your premise. the Fallout game that shipped with no NPCs and expected the story to be entirely conveyed by set-pieces, environmental design, and audiologs?

resurrect Tarkovsky and give us FO76, desolate and beautiful with environmental shots that last seven minutes without a cut. because the only good thing about FO76 is the setting, the amount of effort put into building the actual space, so I want 90 minutes of film and seven pages of script.

Russo Brothers, get tf out of here

[mi-rae07]

Jung Wooyoung : As Good As You Were (Part 3/4)

Pairing : Jung Woo-Young (Ateez) and named character (Shin Naeun)

__________________________

Wooyoung was now helping the workers wheel naeun to the ICU, a doctor emerging from a room as she looked at naeun worriedly before muttering

??? : naeun.

Wooyoung looked at the unknown doctor in part shock as he asked

Wooyoung : how do you know my wife?

??? : she's my patient.

Wooyoung paused on his tracks as naeun was wheeled into the room, the nurses shutting the ICU doors in wooyoung's face as he let out a shaky breath. He felt tears in his eyes as he fell back against a nearby chair, his hands shaking in fear and worry. Her patient? Patient for what? Why hadn't naeun told wooyoung anything about this?

Wooyoung hoped it was just a minor inconvenience that could be solved quickly so they could go back to normal. It had to, right? The world couldn't be so cruel to wooyoung so as to take naeun away from him?

___________________________

The world was cruel after all.

??? : your wife has brain tumor, and it was already too late to be removed completely from her brain by the time we figured it out. That was probably why she didn't want to tell you, there was nothing anyone could do except wallow in their own despair from this news. Naeun-shi has maybe, another month or so left to live. After that the tumor would affect her brain activity, and that in turn will inevitably lead to death. I am so sorry, sir.

Wooyoung stared at naeun who was now sleeping on the hospital bed, an IV attatched to her wrist as the heart monitor beeped in regular intervals of time. Her heart, that beep, wooyoung couldn't believe it would last only for a month now. And naeun had known, she'd known all of this and she hadn't told him. He had dreamed of an entire life with her and now, now it was all gone.

Wooyoung still had tears streaming down his eyes, he just couldn't bother enough to wipe it away. He felt naeun shuffling against the sheets as she slowly opened her eyes, looking up at wooyoung as she whispered groggily

Naeun : w-woo?

Wooyoung : I hate you, you know that? I hate you so much I wish-I wish I could burn the entire world down.

Naeun looked around the room as her eyes widened, finally getting what had happened as she quickly sat up on the bed. Wooyoung sniffled, his shoulders trembling as he asked

Wooyoung : when did you know?

Naeun : wooyoung please-

Wooyoung : no more lies, naeun.

Naeun : the day before we went on that trip.

Wooyoung's face contorted as he tried his best to not let out a sob, shaking his head as he asked

Wooyoung : is that why you rushed the trip? And…and momo, that was…is that why you wanted to take her home so bad?

Naeun lowered her eyes as she felt the tears well up in them before saying shakily

Naeun : you said you wanted a family with me, and kids I cannot give you. So I thought-

Wooyoung : naeun do you think that a cat, or even a mere-a mere child can replace what you are to me? The…part that you hold in my life?

Naeun : wooyoung I have no choice.

Wooyoung : this is all my fault, I should've known-

Wooyoung cut himself off with a sob as he rested his forehead against naeun's lap. She could do nothing but cry in silence as wooyoung said

Wooyoung : all that while in the-in the trip I was doing everything with you thinking we could do this again one day when we…when we got older. And you, you were doing it all knowing it would be your last.

Naeun shut her eyes tightly as wooyoung cried against her lap desperately, shaking his head as he said

Wooyoung : you never should've married me, you should've married someone who could've treated you with love and care from the very beginning. Not four months before you…god!

Naeun : wooyoung don't say that, you've made me happy-

Wooyoung : happy for what, 3 months? After you spent 3 years being alone despite having a husband, despite having saved my family? I should be the one dying! I should've been the one on that bed not you! You've done nothing wrong-

Wooyoung cut himself off as the door opened, revealing wooyoung's mom with tears in her eyes as she said

Mrs jung : naeun-ah.

Naeun : e-eomma.

Wooyoung quickly stood up as he walked past his mother, heading out the room as he heard naeun call his name out. But he didn't respond back, how could he? How could he when his entire world was being taken away from him only a few months after he'd gotten it.

How could he when he never treated her right and now she was dying, and they had too less time.

__________________________

Wonjeong knew her son, she knew he would never forgive himself for this. Especially after what naeun had told him, that wooyoung had finally started treating her right. She knew this would happen someday, she just didn't think it would be too soon.

Wonjeong was now walking through the hospital gardens, hoping to find wooyoung somewhere. And soon she heard the desperate cries and wails of a man, knowing it was her son's as she walked towards it. She saw wooyoung crouched down on the grass, his head on his hands and his cries filling the garden. It hurt her soul, hearing her son cry like this.

Wonjeong : wooyoung-ah.

Wooyoung turned to look at his mother, his face red and damp with all the tears. He looked horrible, god wonjeong wished she could help her son.

Wooyoung : e-eomma. Eomma naeun she-she said she's going to leave me.

Wooyoung let out a sob as wonjeong shook her head, rushing up to wooyoung before hugging him. Wooyoung cried against her shoulder, wonjeong feeling her eyes tear up at how hurt wooyoung sounded. He'd never cried like this, not even when his father had forbidden him to continue his dreams.

His life had always been so unfair.

Wooyoung : this is all my fault eomma, it is all my fault I'm so sorry. I should've listened, I should've loved her when I could. And now…now I can't.

Wooyoung weeped harder against his mother's shoulder as he remembered what she'd told him months ago.

"One day, you'll lose her and you'll regret everything. And then you'll come to me, crying and begging for the forgiveness that is not mine to give"

Wooyoung shut his eyes tightly as his mother said

Wonjeong : sometimes life is unfair to us, wooyoung-ah. Naeun might…she might have to go soon but she'll never leave you, son. She loves you, even after she's gone she'll stay in your heart and your memories, forever.

Wooyoung : I don't want a life without her, eomma. I…I don't know how I could live without her.

Wonjeong closed her eyes, her owns tears sliding past her cheeks as she whispered

Wonjeong : you'll have to learn, my son.

___________________________

Naeun had been sitting against the hospital bed for some time now, wooyoung's mother already having said her goodbyes for the night. And yet wooyoung was nowhere to be found. She was just about to get up from her bed when the door opened, a drenched wooyoung stepping inside the room as naeun's eyes widened

Naeun : were you out in the rain?

Wooyoung said nothing as he closed the door behind him, sitting on the chair beside naeun as she said

Naeun : god, I'll go grab a towel for you. You're going to catch a cold otherwise.

Naeun quickly got off the bed before finding a towel nearby and going up to wooyoung, wiping his wet hair hastily as wooyoung whispered

Wooyoung : would this be the first and last time you ever dry my hair, naeun?

Naeun closed her eyes as she removed the towel from his hair, throwing it on the bed before saying

Naeun : wooyoung, we still have a month left.

Wooyoung scoffed as he said

Wooyoung : a month, 30 days? I wanted 30 years with you, naeun, not 30 fucking days.

Naeun : I'm sorry.

Wooyoung : what if I die with you?

Naeun's heart froze at those words

Naeun : what?

Wooyoung : what if I kill myself the day you die, hmm? Then we can be together again-

Wooyoung cut himself off as naeun slapped him, his head tilting to the side as she said in a shaky voice

Naeun : don't you dare. For all that you have done in the past I have forgiven you, wooyoung. But if you do this, then I will never forgive you. In this world, or the next, if you do anything to harm yourself after I'm gone, I'll never forgive you.

Wooyoung closed his eyes, lowering his head as he said nothing to that. Naeun stared at wooyoung for a while, not knowing what to say either. Then she held his cheeks, lifting his head up to face hers as she said

Naeun : I love you, wooyoung, I love you so much I cannot imagine if something would happen to you even after I'm gone. I can't bear the thought of you being hurt-

Wooyoung : and yet I have to see you hurt, see you die, see all my dreams with you get destroyed within barely a month. If you cannot bear the thought of seeing me hurt…

Wooyoung looked up at naeun with his teary eyes, the look on his face making naeun want to do anything to live, anything to stay. But she knew she couldn't. tears streamed down wooyoung's cheek as he said in an utterly broken voice

Wooyoung : then how can I see you die, naeun.

____________________

Wooyoung was now driving back to their penthouse with naeun just staring at him from the passenger's, not having said a word after they entered the car. Wooyoung had woke up today pretending as if yesterday hadn't happened. The doctors had told them there was nothing they could do so it would be better if naeun got discharged and spent the last few weeks of her life doing things she wanted to do. Wooyoung had just signed the papers and gotten naeun to leave.

He had smiled at her, smiled as if she wasn't sick and going to die. Naeun couldn't say that she didn't like it, it felt better when wooyoung didn't treat her as a patient.

Wooyoung : we're going to the beach today after this. So once we reach home and have breakfast, we'll go there.

Naeun : okay.

Wooyoung turned to look at naeun due to the one word answer as he asked

Wooyoung : why, do you not want to go?

Naeun : no no. Of course I do, anywhere I go with you is fine for me.

Wooyoung smiled as he turned back to face the road, one of his free hand coming up to coil around naeun's as she smiled, holding her husband's hand with both of hers. She liked this, and she wanted to feel this as much as possible. It could be her last time feeling it after all.

______________________________

Naeun was now smiling as she felt the waves crash against her feet, the sky above her slightly cloudy and not too sunny. Perfect for a beach date. Wooyoung was just watching her from the side, a smile on his face as naeun picked up water with her hands and threw it up.

She looked so beautiful, wooyoung had thought, and so he'd taken a million pictures of her within the past few minutes, the wind blowing her hair back and the light making her skin glow. She looked like an angel, the kind that made you forget about all your sins.

And then wooyoung remembered, it had been his passion to take photos, and yet he'd taken none of his wives. He had taken a lot when they'd gone out for the trip but now he was going to take it every time naeun did something, special or not.

Naeun : young-ah! Aren't you coming!

Wooyoung smiled and nodded before putting the phone back in his pocket, walking up to naeun as she held his hands before dragging him into the water as well. Wooyoung grimaced as he felt the waves crash against his feet, filling it with mud instantly.

Naeun : isn't it so much fun!

Wooyoung : ew, the sand's making me feel kinda thrown off.

Naeun : really?

Wooyoung : mhmm.

Naeun let out a mischievous smile as she suddenly threw beach water at wooyoung's face, making him scream as she ran away from him as fast as she could.

Wooyoung : MY FLAWLESS SKIN NO!

Naeun laughed as wooyoung started running after her, the water splashing against their feets as he caught up to her and picked her up. Naeun squealed as wooyoung rubbed his nose against her, smearing the beach water on her face as well as naeun rolled her eyes before saying

Naeun : you're stupid.

Wooyoung : but you love this stupid man.

Naeun giggled as she leaned forward, kissing wooyoung as she rested her palm against his damp cheek. And to the onlookers they looked like the most carefree couple ever, not a single problem plaguing their relationship.

Only they knew that this was another one of their lasts too.

_______________________________

A week later :

Naeun was now sitting with her head rested against the penthouse glass window that overlooked the city below them, wooyoung humming some music as he cooked dinner for them a few meters away from naeun. This entire week they had spent going around Seoul, even having gone to Jeju for a few days as a trip. Naeun had only ever visited that place for office deals, but wooyoung had shown her around the entire place within the span of 5 days, and he had booked another trip to Daegu for day after.

Naeun's eyes widened as a raindrop fell against the window, followed by another raindrop as the city soon disappeared under her due to the rain. She stood up from her seat, an excited smile on her face as she called out to wooyoung

Naeun : woo!

Wooyoung : yes I know it's raining. And momo get off the damned counter, you brat!

Naeun giggled as she said

Naeun : I'm going to the balcony.

Wooyoung : what!

Naeun didn't wait for a response as she rushed towards the nearby balcony, stepping outside as the cold rain suddenly hit her, drenching her hair and clothes. Naeun smiled as she closed her eyes, feeling the rain on her body. She had always loved the rain, and that was because of her parents. Because they'd bring her out with them when it rained and would play some nice music, the three of them dancing until they got tired and cold. It had been decades since she'd danced in the rain with anyone, and she missed it.

Naeun opened her eyes as she heard her favorite jazz music being played from inside the penthouse, the sound loud enough for her to hear clearly despite the rain. Was she dreaming this?

Naeun looked to the door as she saw wooyoung stepping into the balcony with a smile, walking closer to naeun as he bowed before holding his hand out for her to hold

Wooyoung : may I have this dance with you, my lady?

Naeun chuckled in disbelief, holding wooyoung's hand as she said

Naeun : but you hate the rain.

Wooyoung : but you love it, and I love you.

Naeun smiled as wooyoung stepped backward before stepping back in, holding his palm against naeun's as he walked in a circle around naeun who giggled before asking

Naeun : you know how to dance?

Wooyoung : I am a man of many talents, mrs shin.

Naeun giggled as wooyoung twirled her around, holding her by the waist right after before bringing her close again, their bodies following the romantic rhythm of the music.

Naeun : how did you know I liked this song?

Wooyoung : I heard you listening to it a year ago. And, you had this specifically be played at our wedding. This was the song we danced to on our wedding for the first time, remember?

Naeun remembered, and for them to be doing this again for the last time, the rain pouring down on them, naeun wouldn't have given this up for the world.

Wooyoung : I never told you then, but I thought you looked beautiful in that wedding dress.

Naeun felt tears prick her eyes as wooyoung twirled her around again, bringing them farther away from each other as naeun quickly blinked her tears away. As the music got faster wooyoung brought her closer to him again, whispering to her

Wooyoung : I wish we could do that all over again, marry each other again, so I could treat you as the bride you deserved to be treated as.

Naeun closed her eyes in pain as wooyoung lifted her up, spinning her around in his arms just the way he had done at their wedding 3 years ago. Except now he was looking up at her with love, so much love that it made naeun's heart well up in joy and pain. Joy of having found someone like him, and pain of having to leave someone like him behind.

The music slowly faded as wooyoung brought her slightly down, still looking up at her as he whispered

Wooyoung : let me do what I should've done years ago.

Naeun closed her eyes as wooyoung kissed her, their tears mixing with each other and the rain as naeun wrapped her arms around wooyoung's neck. And they soon felt desperation and need take over them, wooyoung carrying naeun to their bedroom as her hands worked on wooyoung's shirt buttons to remove them hastily.

And just like that, as the rain drops fell against the frosted glass windows of the couple's penthouse, their bodies joined to become one. As it was meant to be.

_______________________________

A week later :

Naeun was now playing around with momo as wooyoung set up the picnic mat at the park, the puppy running to get the ball naeun had just thrown before rushing back to her with it in momo's mouth as she chuckled and patted her head.

Wooyoung eyed them as he said

Wooyoung : she seems to like you. Whenever I come close to her she just bites me.

Naeun giggled as she picked momo up, her licking naeun's face making wooyoung rolled his eyes before saying

Wooyoung : only I'm allowed to do that though.

Naeun gasped as she whacked wooyoung's arm, making him giggle as he finally sat on the mat before putting out all the food for lunch in front of him. Naeun hummed as she sat beside him, momo cuddled up in her arms as she said

Naeun : ooh it looks very yummy.

Wooyoung : yes obviously, I made it after all.

Naeun : it suddenly looks very disgusting.

Wooyoung : okay then don't eat.

Naeun : actually nevermind I'll have it cuz you made it and I love you.

Wooyoung : totally not cuz it's delicious.

Naeun : definitely not.

Wooyoung smiled as he picked up a piece of sushi before feeding it to naeun, her humming as she mumbled

Naeun : heavenly.

Wooyoung : thank you, finally the appreciation I deserve!

Naeun giggled as momo opened her mouth as well, staring at wooyoung with eyes that said 'feed me too' as he sighed and gave the puppy a sushi as well. She seemed to like it as much as naeun.

Naeun let out a satisfied breath as she rested her head against wooyoung's shoulder, smiling as she patted momo before saying

Naeun : I wanted to come here one day with you and our kids.

Wooyoung pressed his lips together, naeun eyeing the family that was having another picnic a few meters away from them, the kids running around their parents as they laughed at their children's smiles.

Wooyoung : naeun-ah.

Naeun : I'm sorry I can't give that to you. If only I had more than a year left to live, I could've at least given you a child, an heir-

Wooyoung : I don't care about any of that. I'd rather not raise a child without it's mother to love them, it would be torture to have someone that keeps reminding me that if you were here, we could've brought them up together. It's either with you, or nothing darling.

Naeun smiled as she looked up at wooyoung, him kissing her forehead as he whispered

Wooyoung : you're all I need and want.

_____________________________

1 week later :

Today was naeun's last day at work, except no one other than naeun and wooyoung knew it. Naeun got sicker as days passed, and she knew that the rest of her last week in this world would have to be spent at her penthouse. And that was where she preffered to spend it, she'd rather she spent her last few days with her husband than at work.

She just wanted to feel all this one last time, this company that had been passed onto her by her parents, something that had been in her family for years. The work that accompanied her when she had no one, what helped her drown her feelings in. It had been the second most rewarding thing in her life, apart from wooyoung.

Mina : boss? You called me?

Naeun : oh, yes. I have something for you.

Mina frowned as she closed the door behind her, walking towards naeun as she stood up before handing over a bunch of keys to mina. Mina eyed it in confusion before asking

Mina : do you…do you want me to send your cars for cleaning, boss?

Naeun chuckled, shaking her head as she said

Naeun : those are the keys to a new house, a house that I have bought for you near the Han river. It'll make a beautiful home for your husband and you, and your newborn soon.

Mina's hands instinctively went to her stomach, her eyes widening as she asked

Mina : ma'am…how-how did you know?

Naeun smiled, patting mina's shoulder as she said

Naeun : consider it a gift from me for your services this past decade. And the other key, is for your new car. It's a Range Rover, I heard it was your favorite car.

Mina sobbed in gratitude as she hugged naeun, making her smile as she wrapped her arm around her secretary

Mina : thank you so much boss! I don't know…I don't know how I could repay you for all this.

Naeun : you don't have to, it's my gift mina.

Mina : you can be my son's godmother then, would you mind that? Being the first one to hold my baby after my husband and I?

Naeun bit her lips to prevent her tears, wishing she could do that. If only she lived long enough. Naeun pulled back as she smiled and said to mina

Naeun : of course. It's just that, if for some reason I am not able to attend it, would you let wooyoung be his godfather instead? Let him hold your son in my stead?

Mina : of course! I'm sure you'll be there but if by any case you aren't, then I wouldn't mind sir doing it either.

Naeun smiled and nodded, patting mina's back one last time before saying

Naeun : thank you, mina, for everything.

_________________________

Wonjeong : naeun-ah! I didn't expect you to come today. Is wooyoung not with you?

Naeun : he isn't, I just wanted to talk to you alone for some time.

Wonjeong : sure sure. Come in, the maids have made lunch. You can have that and go as well.

Naeun smiled and nodded as she stepped in, following her mother-in-law to the living room as she sat down on the sofa opposite wonjeong's.

Wonjeong : what did you want to tell me then, naeun-ah?

Naeun : it's about…wooyoung. As you know, eomma, I only have a week left to live. And after that, my company has to go to someone. And I wish for that someone to be wooyoung.

Wonjeong : oh, naeun-ah.

Naeun : I have written a will, it's in my office desk. If I told wooyoung this I know he would never let anyone take it, he finds himself unworthy to take my company as his. But it is my wish that he has it, as he is the man I love, and my husband. So after I'm gone, if you can, I want you to take the will and bring it to action. Wooyoung will only ever listen to you in this matter, eomma.

Wonjeong stood up as she sat next to naeun, taking her hand in hers as she smiled and said

Wonjeong : I will do that for you, I promise.

Naeun smiled and nodded before continuing with a shaky voice

Naeun : and um, after I'm gone, there would be no one left to really take care of wooyoung. I know it is too much to ask of you but if you could just make sure he's healthy, and happy. I just love him so much and I wish I could stay and take care of him but I can't…

Naeun trailed off as she shut her eyes, tears flowing down as wonjeong shook her head and hugged naeun. Naeun sobbed against her mother-in-law's shoulder as she said in a broken voice

Naeun : please take care of him for me eomma, please.

Wonjeong : of course I will take care of him for you, naeun-ah. I'll make sure he always remembers that you loved him, and always will even if it's not from this world.

Naeun nodded, knowing this would be the last time she'd get to hug her mother-in-law as she sniffled before whispering

Naeun : thank you so much, eomma.

Wonjeong smiled, wiping her own tears as she pulled back and held naeun's cheek before saying

Wonjeong : you're the best thing that's ever happened to my son, naeun, I hope you'll always remember that.

______________________________

[laughroditee]

Your Ghost | a COD fanfic - Part 1 - Knight of Swords

CW: this story takes place after Soap's death and contains supernatural elements, tarot, mentions of death and blood

I didn't want to make the chapters too long (I'm unsure what the proper netiquette is for word count), so it will continue in subsequent posts.

Summary: An American tarot reader finds herself inextricably linked to John MacTavish, whose ghost needs a favor from her before he can rest.

Mood Music:

The first time I knew something was wrong was a few months ago when, out of nowhere, an excruciating pain shot through my head, causing me to scream and promptly pass out.  The dreams that followed in my unconsciousness were heavy and sad: bagpipes at a funeral playing their mournful melody for a person I didn’t know.  I had been at work that day, like any other day, but when I woke up, I was in the hospital.  Doctors ran so many tests on me, thinking perhaps I’d had a brain aneurysm, but scans of my brain were clear, and subsequent tests showed that I was right as rain.  Totally healthy.  I returned to my everyday life, with the only complication being the inexplicable migraines that continued to plague me.

Then came the wanderlust.  The nasal sound of bagpipes continued to wheedle their way into my dreams, and pretty soon, I became possessed with the need to go to the UK.  It became a matter of life and death.  I didn’t even have a passport, but knew I had to go.  Where exactly, I wasn’t even sure.  Scotland would make sense, considering the bagpipes, but my gut said no.  No, that’s not right.

So I did what any good woo-woo witchy person would do: I pulled out a map of the UK and my pendulum and asked for assistance narrowing down my intended destination.  Stilling my mind, I took a deep breath, focusing on the amethyst pendulum dangling from my hand.  The crystal twitched and spun before swinging slightly right, south on the map.  I followed the pendulum south over Scotland, past Northern England, toward London, but the crystal had other ideas, sending me back north.  It spun in circles around a location: Manchester.

That’s how, months later (had to wait for my passport), I found myself at the Brittania Hotel in Manchester, in one of their “standard twin rooms without a window.”  I never really knew how much I liked windows until I didn’t have one, but that’s beside the point.  At least I got a private bathroom, a coffee maker, and a TV, so I can’t complain too much for $44 per night.  Besides, this entire trip was an exercise in insanity, so why not add in some sensory deprivation while we’re at it?

As soon as I stood on UK soil, I knew this was the right place; that intuitive nudge felt like a soothing affirmation.  And that’s a great thing because simply being up in the air triggered another migraine, and I was afraid I’d puke on the guy next to me.  After unpacking my bag in the hotel room, I flipped a card from my tarot deck: The Knight of Swords.

The Knight of Swords talks about action, as all Knight cards do.  There’s a sense of motion, movement, and moving forward inherent there, with The Knight of Swords having the connotation of almost overwhelmingly swift movement; in fact, you can interpret it as needing to take heed that you’re not leaping before you’re looking.  (What irony.)  But that’s only one part of the story as the suit of the card will tell you what’s moving.  Swords in the tarot represent the element of air, so all things related to logic, ideas, communication, words, writing, and thoughts.  Holistically, you can interpret The Knight of Swords as needing to make sure you check your words before you say things so that you become aware of any potential obstacles on this path that you’re charging down. But, ultimately, you have the clarity of mind to overcome any challenges.  Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

However, the court cards in tarot can also signify people: kings as men or masculine energy, queens as women or feminine energy, and pages as children or youthful energy.  Knights, though, are tricky.  They can symbolize people of any gender, anywhere from age twenty-five up to forty, people who move in and out of our lives, physical travel, change, or pure energy and where you’re focusing it.  It can be hard to know what the “correct” interpretation is in any given reading, with so many meanings to consider, but I usually just go with my gut or pull some more cards for context.  In this case, why not both?

Pulling two more cards from the deck, I laid them out on the bed next to the first one: Death and the Three of Swords.  Contrary to popular belief, the Death card doesn’t usually mean death or foretell of someone dying.  It means change and transformation, the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one.  The Three of Swords features an illustration with three swords stabbing through a bleeding heart: heartbreak, but sometimes literal heart health problems.

"Wow, bad day," I said as I looked over the cards.

I suddenly felt a presence in the room that wasn’t there a minute ago, the hairs on the back of my neck and my arms standing on end.

"Ye finally made it, lass."

My head whirled around so fast that the ends of my bobbed hair stabbed me in the eye.  I shot to my feet, spilling the rest of my cards to the floor.  “Fuck!” I whined, cradling my stinging, watering eye as I stumbled backward. 

Deep, apparently very amused laughter rang out in the room, and I was astonished to see a man there, wearing some kind of military getup, a mohawk cut into his dark brown hair. Oh, and he was semi-transparent.

I backed away slowly, my hand clapped over my eye.  There is no way in Hell.  “What the fuck, are you a ghost?” 

His expression sobered as he nodded his spectral head.  “Unfortunately.”  

“What do you want?” I asked, my voice a couple of octaves higher than it would typically be.  The urge to scream was overwhelming, and he put his hands out placatingly. 

”Easy, love,” he cooed, keeping his voice as soothing as possible so as not to spook me further.  “We have a blood tie.”

“What?”  The man — ghost? ghost man? — could tell me he was king of Scotland, and I don’t think that would change my hesitation or the level of existential panic I felt at that moment.

“We’re kin,” he said with a little more force, trying to reach me through my brain-melting anxiety.  “Family.  Somewhere along the line, we share blood.  Is it so hard to imagine?  Big world like this?”

“I’m literally talking to a dead man,” I say as my inner thoughts bleed out of my mouth.  Either my imagination is amazing, or I’m having a breakdown.  Maybe there really was something wrong with my brain, and they just couldn’t find it.  Maybe the migraines were making me hallucinate.

“Evangeline!” 

That caught my attention, my blue eyes snapping to his in shocked confusion.  “How do you know my name?”

He had the audacity to sound frustrated.  “Like I said, we share a blood tie.”

"Oh, of course.  That obviously explains everything.  I’m so relieved."

He smirked.  “Yer a wisearse ye are.”

Well, he did get one thing right anyway.  “How come I don’t know your name then?”

”Because I’m dead, and ye’re not.  It’s John, by the way.  John MacTavish.”

Examining him warily, I ask, “So we’re, like, cousins or some shit, John MacTavish?”

He shrugged, pushing his long sleeves up his forearms, which is such a mind-boggling thing to think about a ghost doing — like, what’s the purpose of that? Is he too warm?  “I dunnae know exactly, lass; I just know that I was pulled to ye.  And ye answered.”  It was then that I noticed the ghostly blood on the side of his head, his presumably fatal bullet wound in the exact place where I felt my migraines.

My stomach dropped into what felt like a vat of ice.  “Oh… Oh no. I’m not a medium!  I don’t see dead people!” I desperately pleaded with him, trying to convince him he'd gotten the wrong girl. “I just sling cards; I don’t do any of that other stuff!”

”And yet, here I am.  Here ye are.”  He put his hand on his hip.

“Yes, but… Why?  Why are you here?  What do you want from me?”  Then I saw his tattoo.  With a sudden motion, I moved quickly forward — I think I actually startled him — and I bent my head down to look at his forearm.  Nested inside of laurels was a sword with wings, topped by a knight’s helm and crown.

”Knight of Swords,” I breathed, astonished.  Rushing back, I grab my card from the bed, brandishing it as I return to where he stands.  “This is you?  You did this?”

The ghost of John MacTavish looked down at me with a serious expression.  “I did.  I need yer help, Evangeline.  Yer the only one who can do it.”

Part 2

[vuliyshenanigans]

Sten'auga, a troll from my Pathfinder setting played by my partner. She's a druid with a boar companion. She's trying very hard to prove herself cool and mysterious and wise.

So far she has: - Yelled at everyone over the landshark being fat. - Begrudgingly accepted that the landshark is fat because she's spoiled, which she has damn well earned. The bandit gang got her from a black market auction where she was treated horribly. - Called the horse-boy a fantasy slur to his face. He kicked her so hard that she nearly died on the spot. - Winged making a familiar then proceeded to follow it on a wild goose chase for at least an hour in the middle of the night, trying to find the OTHER familiar that snooped around the party's tent. It took a trip around camp to figure out that the 'familiar' she made mostly wanted to eat stuff, call it a day, then pass on like a spent tissue. - Created a one-sided rivalry with the catfolk chef regarding his ability to cook good food. He knows his food is good. Her angerly downing 3 bowls of his lasagna was more than enough proof. - Tricked the goblin doctor into thinking the woman that ran into the dungeon and died didn't actually die (her body got taken over by isekai-thaumaturge) but is now going by a different name and doesn't know shit about the world. She might have died for a little bit actually. But she got better. The goblin doesn't know how magic works and has just accepted that whatever the druid says must be true. - Lost a battle of dominance where Tamayo wanted to give her and Igis (the thaumaturge) some sweets for helping her chase away those pesky fox spirits. Auga ended up accepting the sweets, thus submitting to grandmama Tamayo's might as the resident old wise woman. - Attempted to woo the horse man. He has yet to swoon. Surely if she keeps acting aloof and cool he will swoon eventually.

[manawari]

Man. . . Or a monster?

Sung Jin-woo believed he was cursed.

When he was born, the doctors had freaked out because his cells were different from what they were supposed to be. They said that several of his cells were black. Frightened, Kyung-hye held her son close to her chest and pleaded for the doctors to not take her child away from her if they wished to study him. The doctors respected her wish and hoped that everything would turn out fine, especially for her baby.

. . . But it did not.

As Jin-woo grew, he had these. . . Powers. Black smoke, or aura, always overflowed from his hands and other times his eyes would glow purple in the middle of darkness, but returned to their original color when there was light. Kyung-hye and Ill-hwang even caught his shadow moving by itself when he was immobile. Their son's inhumane condition worried them terribly. Jin-woo had to stay indoors and was forbidden to play with other kids and must stay close to his parents. They had to explain everything to their son to make him understand and little three-year-old Jin-woo nodded, already knowing that it was for his own good.

Countless of supposed childhood moments were torn away from him.

Jin-woo found joy through the stories his father told him after coming back from raiding a dungeon, his own toys, and spent time with his parents to fill the gaps in his heart. Then, he would lean on the window of his room to stare at the clouds, wondering what it could've been if he was 'normal' and his parents wouldn't have to worry about anything.

When his sister was born, Jin-woo was happy. He was no longer alone. He finally got someone to play with and look after. So when Kyung-hye got home from the hospital and hunkered down to her son's height, Jin-woo had the brightest smile on his face as he made his way closer, he reached his hand out to touch Jin-ah's cheek, but then—

She cried.

Jin-woo flinched and instantly took a step back. He looked over to his hand and he saw his shadowy aura flushing out from his palm. He turned back to his sister, who was now being comforted by Kyung-hye. Ill-hwang rubbed his back and reassured him that it was not his fault, though Jin-woo utterly felt like he was responsible for his sister's frightened tears. . . He blamed himself.

He tried not to approach his sister no matter how badly he wanted to. He wanted to hold her the same way his parents did. He wanted to make her laugh just like any big brother would. In the end, it was only up to Jin-ah to go to him and it took every ounce of his willpower to keep his hands to himself, in fear that he might hurt her if he lay even a tip of his finger.

"Here, wear these, son." Ill-hwang handed him a pair of black leather gloves. "I asked a mage I know to make these for you. They are enchanted with a very strong mana to shield your shadows."

Jin-woo took the gloves and tugged them to his wrist. His eyes widened. His hands, which always radiated darkness, were now gone. For the first time in his life, his joy was beyond everything he had ever felt, he no longer had the fear of hurting his sister and that he could now play with her.

"Jin-ah!" Jin-woo called his sister and crouched down on his knees and extended his arms out. "Come here!"

Kyung-hye had an awaiting hand in case her daughter trip on her feet. Jin-ah toddled with her small arms sprawled out as she made her way toward her brother, her mouth was stretched into a broad smile that showed bits of her teeth, but due to her excitement, she had gone off balance.

Jin-woo caught her just in time.

Jin-ah giggled and raised her hands on the boy who was holding her. "Oppa!"

Ill-hwang looked at his wife, whose eyes were glistening with tears. He went over her and pulled her to his chest, allowing her to sniffle while wrapping her arms around him. Kyung-hye kissed his cheek in gratitude for giving such a wonderful gift to their son.

Jin-woo and Jin-ah had become inseparable. They would play around in the house and Jin-woo would be the one to tuck his sister to bed. His days grew happier. Even though he hadn't gotten the kind of childhood most kids would have, Jin-woo was content that he was able to live without being afraid of his powers and act like he didn't have one at all.

He tried to ignore it. He tried to be a normal boy and resisted every affect it did to him for neglecting the overwhelming sensations in his veins.

And that was until something happened.

A piercing scream made Ill-hwang and Kyung-hye burst out their bedroom and frantically opened their son's room. In there, Jin-woo was standing on his bed, panic-stricken written over his face as tears incessantly flushed down from his eyes, and his hands had gone bare. On the other side of his room was an accumulation of shadows moving in a circle. Ominous sounds of wind whispered from the darkness.

Ill-hwang immediately rushed toward his son and gathered him in his arms while Kyung-hye picked up the discarded gloves from the floor to put them back in Jin-woo's hands. The magic of the fabric kicked in and the large shadow disappeared. Ill-hwang sighed, and all that was left was his child's aching cry as he gripped on his shirt.

"I didn't take them off on purpose! My hands were getting itchy and I couldn't sleep!" Jin-woo sobbed. "I'm so sorry, dad!"

"Shhh. . . " Ill-hwang brushed his son's hair with his hand and wiped away the tears streaming on Jin-woo's cheeks. "It's okay, son. Your mother and I forgive you. You just lost control and we will figure it out, okay?"

"We love you, sweetie," Kyung-hye whispered and planted a kiss on his forehead. "So much."

Jin-woo learned two things: his mother said the truth and his father lied.

They didn't figure it out. Jin-woo remained under his roof and had ended up being homeschooled via virtual call with his tutor to keep him safe from the outside world and that he would not be harmed by the obstacles. He was hidden from the true reality and was forced to live in his version of reality. Secluded, succumbed with fear, and endured his powers— no, curse.

Jin-woo was cursed since the day he was born and if he was staying true to himself, not even the affection from his parents or even his sister were enough to reassure him that he was not worthless.

He cried himself to sleep once.

However, he could not help but feel like someone was comforting him in the middle of his darkened room. It was almost as if it was the shadows that were soothing him. Their touch was cold like the breezy air and they were whispering words he could not discern, rather it seemed they were just ghosts, but deep inside of his heart, he understood.

Could he be a child born out of darkness?

Was he truly even a human?

Jin-woo hated his curse so much that he didn't realize he had become one. He was a shadow of the outside world. Time moved in silence for him, like yesterday he was that young boy struggling to grasp on the threads of his children, but now, he grew into his teenage years nary a single memory of being with his peers to cherish.

Jin-ah always entertained the dinner table with her stories that had happened in her school. She rambled on doing various of fun activities with her friends and her upcoming plans with them. Jin-woo could only listen, as he couldn't relate and didn't have stories of his own to share to his family. He maintained a neutral expression and forced a smile to mask his pain at the fact that he never got to have a life as happy as Jin-ah's.

In this world, humans could awaken as hunters to fight in dungeons. They were known as heroes of humanity who protected the innocents from monsters who were lurking behind the gates. So when Jin-woo got his awakening. . . That was how his life took the biggest twist.

"Jin-ah! Did you pack all of your things? Here, give me your uniform. I'll iron them so they'll be good as new tomorrow."

"Okay, mom!"

"Be sure to stay safe out there, okay? If something bad happens on the field trip, run away from it as much as you can and stay with the adults."

"I'm not a baby anymore, mom. I know what I should do or what I should not do."

"I know. But I am your mother, and I will never stop worrying about you—"

*clatter*

Kyung-hye and Jin-ah both whipped their heads and saw pieces of shattered plates and thrown tablespoons across the grown. They gasped. Jin-woo had his knees on the ground and his hands were clutching on his hair, gritting his teeth to conceal his voice, his whole body was quivering while a purple aura surrounded him, and shadows were crumpling beneath him.

"Jin-woo!"

"Oppa!"

The mother and daughter rushed toward him, but Jin-woo held out his gloved hand to stop them. He grunted.

"No. . . D— don't— don't come any closer!" He let out, shutting his eyes in pain. "Please! Get. . . Get out of here!"

"Oppa, what is happening?" Jin-ah clutched on her mother's arm, widening her eyes in panic.

"I'm— I'm alright! Just get out of here and— GAH!" Jin-woo screamed in agony. He slammed his fist on the floor and everything shook.

Kyung-hye began tearing up. "Jin-woo. . . Son, please tell me what is going on. Should I call your father to hurry?"

"I can't take it anymore!"

And just like that, everything changed. His eyes lost their color and was replaced with blackness and his pupils lit in purple. The shadow underneath him scattered throughout the house and the lights began to flicker in disruption. Kyung-hye held her daughter to her chest as they watched the chaos unfold. Part of Kyung-hye wanted to run, but she couldn't bear to leave her eldest child alone.

A large part of the ceiling collapsed next to them. Jin-ah shrieked. Kyung-hye took a few steps back and heard the door burst open. It was her husband. She stared at Ill-hwang with tearful eyes and the hunter rushed to his family's side, only to witness that the situation had gotten worse.

Jin-woo had got his awakening earlier, which was something that must not be ignored, so Ill-hwang had had taken another hour to come home just to prepare some things for his son if he had to become a hunter. But he did not anticipated that this would be the scene he would come home to. Ill-hwang made his way closer to his son and reached out his hand.

"Son—"

Something grabbed his neck. Kyung-hye and Jin-ah shrieked together. Jin-woo got up and turned around, eyes glowing amidst the darkness exuding from his body, utterly losing control of himself and his curse taking over ever inch of him. He— was no longer himself. No speck of emotion was traced in his eyes, only darkness that took in a form of a human, stealing his soul to posses the body itself.

"Jin-woo, stop!"

"Let go of our dad, please!"

"Dear!"

Ill-hwang croaked, facing his son, who had a tight grip on his neck from his shadows. He couldn't stand a chance against him. His strength as a hunter were not enough to escape from the powerful forces that had been engraved on his son since the beginning.

"I'm very sorry, my son. . . " His voice strangled as his lungs slowly stopped producing oxygen. "My Jin-woo."

Was Jin-woo still able to hear his father? Well. . .

No, he wasn't.

Jin-woo felt like he was floating in a sea of black. He couldn't see a single thing. But all he knew was that he had never felt so much power in his veins, it was the strong urge that he had the world in his hands — to crush, to destroy, to swallow in darkness.

However, he couldn't move his body. It was like he was frozen in abyss. He could not tell if he was floating or sinking deeper, and deeper, to an endless hole that he had fallen into after collapsing on his knees. He remembered his mother and younger sister staring at him in shock, holding each other close, and him screaming for them to—

Mom! Jin-ah! His eyes snap wide.

Jin-woo forced his body to move, but everything stayed immobile, so it took all of his willpower to break the invincible barrier and he squeezed his eyes shut to let out a scream.

Finally, he regained his control over his body.

However, the next time he opened his eyes, he saw the entire house had crumbled. Smoke wafted from the debris of his home. Jin-woo looked down and saw the body of his father, laying on the ground in front of him, his eyes widened and his heart raced before he cupped his hands around Ill-hwang's head, trying to shake him awake.

"D— dad!" He screamed.

Jin-woo pressed two fingers on a certain spot on his father's neck. There was no pulse. His breath hyperventilated and placed his ear on where the heart was located — there was no heartbeat. Tears quickly beaded on his eyes. Jin-woo looked up and caught two bodies underneath of a thick rubble, he gently lowered his father down then rushed toward them.

No. . .

His mother had his sister wrapped in her embrace and her chin on top of Jin-ah's head. There were dried tears staining his sister's cheek. The hand that was supposed to reach out for them began to shake at the sight. Just like his family, Jin-woo felt like he couldn't breathe, his world was shrinking and spinning, his weight brought him on the ground.

His father. His mother. His little sister. . .

They were dead.

It's all my fault. . . Jin-woo gritted his teeth as more tears came out at the crushing pain that was about to burst his heart into pieces, like a stone shattering all glass walls at once. He screamed so loud that he had grown deaf of his own voice.

Look, oppa! I made you a drawing!

You have my genes, son, therefore you aren't weak.

You make me proud every day, Jin-woo.

I have the best brother ever! Just don't tell him that I said that—

Cursed or not, your mother and I will never stop loving you, Jin-woo.

I can't ask for a better son. . .

The most important people in his life had been ripped away in one night.

Sirens soon arrived in the scene and people rushed out of their vehicles to inspect the situation. Jin-woo sat immobile on his knees as lights flashed around the damaged area, grazing over every rubble, but he didn't bat an eye. He had his eyes glued on the ground next to the lifeless bodies of his family.

"Sir? Can I ask you a question?"

"Just take me," he said, surrendering himself in a heartbeat. "Lock me up."

The officer said nothing.

Jin-woo knew he deserved to pay for his actions. Not only did he destroyed the home that protected him, he also killed the people he loved with all his heart.

He must pay for the cost of his sins and let himself rot in sorrow.

So, he was cuffed around his wrists and got sent to prison. He was the only person in the scene, therefore it was obvious who was behind everything, and he even admitted that he killed his family after awakening. He was a murderer. A monster. His family died because of him.

And happiness had died along with them.

News spread fast and stretched throughout the world. News of a new hunter who killed his own family in cold blood and wrecked his whole house. People gasped in horror. The deceased members were a highschool student, a formidable hunter, and a sweet woman, and their killer was their eldest son.

Jin-woo spent two years in prison. Two years of loneliness because all the other criminals had become terrified and didn't wish to share a cell with him. And in those two years, he missed a lot of important holidays, but he didn't think there was any use of celebrating them. He had no reason to smile or appreciate anything in his life, not when he ruined everything.

Several more months passed, someone came to visit him for the first time since he had been locked behind the bars. The guards brought him to the visiting area where a man was waiting for him in one of the available desks; Jin-woo flashed a puzzled look and had to be nudged to take a seat in front of the visitor.

"Hello, Mr. Sung. I am Woo Jin-chul of the Korean Hunters Association." The man introduced himself. "Your father spoke a lot about you when he said that you've received your awakening."

"My father's dead. There is nothing I can do for you." Jin-woo answered bluntly.

"Is that how you treat your visitor after two years of not speaking to anyone?"

"They are all afraid of me," said Jin-woo. "Get out."

"I am here to get you out. Although, I was supposed to meet you two years back, but I thought you might need some time to grieve." Jin-chul explained. He continued talking when Jin-woo growled at him. "Your father told me that you had potential of becoming a great hunter, and since that was the last words he had spoken to me, I decided to honor him by allowing you to live your life."

"Don't make me laugh!" Jin-woo glared. "Live my life? I stopped living my life and had no desires to keep on going!"

Jin-chul sighed and remove his sunglasses. "Mr. Sung, are you going to stay like this because you've lost everything?"

"Why should I? I'm a—"

"Murderer, I know. I can tell that Hunter Ill-hwang loved his son so much, and I don't quite understand why you had done such a thing, but call it as a second chance." Jin-chul said. "I've already prepared a guild for you to work with, so just wait for your release in some day of this week."

Jin-woo was silent.

Not once he imagined seeing the outside world because he had long accepted that he would spend the rest of his life in prison until his last breath. He was no worthy being to keep on existing under the sun. But here he was, someone who knew his father decided to emancipate him to honor the deceased hunter.

But what else could he do? He had no options to refuse.

Three days later, a police officer came and announced that he was being released. Jin-woo was escorted outside of the establishment and was given a duffle bag with a note on top — it was an address to an apartment and some important contact numbers listed in. He sighed and went to his new accomodation.

Jin-woo wore a black mask on his face and a cap to conceal his identity from the public. Fortunately, the apartment the association had prepared for him didn't include many residents, so entering felt like he was walking inside of an old building. But that was better than to have people look at him like a murderer he was.

When he got settled and set his new clothes on the cabinet, Jin-woo found something on the bottom of the duffle bag. It was a dagger. Another note was attached on it on the back that said it was a weapon Ill-hwang had asked for the blacksmith just for him. Something pinched his heart. His chest ached upon what he just discovered.

"I'm sorry. . . " Jin-woo sobbed and tucked the dagger close to his chest. "I'm so sorry, dad—"

Mom, Jin-ah. . . His heart throbbed.

He was alone. He had nobody.

The following day came and he was standing in the vicinity of a gate the association had sent him to, and it was also where he would meet his guild master. The Hunters Guild. He knew it was one of the most famous hunting guilds in the country. Jin-woo didn't know if the association had chosen that guild out of pity for him or that no other parties would accept him.

Someone cleared his throat from behind. Jin-woo turned around and saw a hunter.

"Are you perhaps Sung Jin-woo?" He asked.

Jin-woo pulled off his mask and cap. "Yes."

"Good. I am Choi Jong-in, the guild master of the Hunters Guild." The hunter said. "Do you have a weapon?"

Jin-woo nodded and brought his backpack to his front and pulled the zipper open to grab his dagger, wrapped in a thick covering, and presented it to his guild master. Jong-in nodded.

"I hope you know how to use it. If you are not sure, just stay in the back. And one more thing— masks and hats are not allowed in the gate." Jong-in walked past him and made his way to the portal. "Good luck, Mr. Sung."

Jin-woo knew how to fight with a bladed weapon. He had watched tutorials and read books from the ancient times that featured fearsome warriors wielding their sharp weapons at their enemies. But to hold an actual weapon itself felt strange and anew — it did put a quite a weight on his hand, yet seemed easy to swing.

So, he headed inside of the gate and was greeted by the sight of hunters clashing against the vicious wolves. There were mages, healers, tanks, and hunters with different weapons. He could see Jong-in through the crowd, whirling his flames at the larger canines, burning them into ashes.

Then, something appeared from the corner of his eye. A wolf was about to pounce on him when the next thing he knew, his hand had whipped the dagger against the monster, thus spilling its blood on the ground and he thrusted his blade forward to finish its life. Yes, he knew that the neck had vital parts for a quick death, he learned that from one of the books he read.

Another one lunged forward, but Jin-woo immediately stabbed his dagger through its skull. His heart pounded in the adrenaline rush. He was really a hunter now. . . How it could've been if his family was still alive to this day?

But then, he had been engrossed to fighting that he had somewhat forgotten there were people who knew him.

"Is that the man who once appeared in the TV?"

"Who? You mean the awakened hunter who killed his whole family?"

"Wait— did Guild Master Choi really recruited him?"

"I heard that his father was a good hunter. How can he kill such a man?"

"I can't believe a murderer is working with us. . . "

Their words had punctured holes into Jin-woo's soul. So much that his focus had dwindled away and didn't notice a monster was charging at him, only then to latch its razor fangs on his arm before he could even realize.

"Ack!" Jin-woo yelped in pain and still managed to plunge his dagger into the wolf to kill it in retaliation.

He got through the whole fight with a bleeding arm. Not a single healer had dared to come to his aid. Regardless, he kept on fighting and stabbing his dagger against the creatures attacking him. He still had the enchanted gloves on his hands to conceal his cursed powers, he had never taken them off even when he was alone.

He kept going.

Being a hunter meant fighting for his life.

It was never the easiest job.

Afterward, the dungeon was finally cleared. When Jong-in found the blood oozing from his arm, he immediately called for a healer to tend it, making a remark that the newbie hadn't been too careful in his first day. The healer that was assigned to him looked quite wary as she placed her hands over the wound to stop the blood from flushing out of his skin, but Jin-woo just didn't flash her a glance, putting on a void expression as he stared across the vicinity.

"He managed to kill his whole family, but he doesn't know how to be careful. Such an idiot." He heard one of the hunters say while they were passing by.

Jin-woo scratched his nails against his lap. Seemed like there were people who condemned him so much. No, he should not be affected by it, they were not wrong and he deserved those words to hear anyway.

When the healer was done, she practically scrambled away from him. Jin-woo got up and reached to his backpack to pull out the thick wrap to cover his dagger after wiping the blood off with the fabric. He saw his reflection on the steel edge, the lifeless trace of the person he used to be and now had become someone so foreign to him.

"Uh, hi there?" A feminine voice approached him.

Jin-woo turned over and saw a woman, clad in a red armor and short blonde hair. Her sword clung on the side of her hip by a holster. He just blinked at her.

"You're the new hunter, right?" She said and offered her hand. "I'm Cha Hae-in! The vice master of this guild."

Jin-woo looked away and threw his backpack over his shoulder, holding it by the handle loop. He began to walk away from the hunter.

"Eh? I'm just trying to welcome you!" Hae-in called out.

"Ignore him, Ms. Cha. Don't you know who he is? He won't talk to people unless he's going to kill them."

Damn right, I am. Jin-woo thought and briefly shut his eyes, penting up his anger. I'm a murderer.

He didn't care if the hunter was being genuine. He didn't have time to make new connections because of who he was. His sister was the closest person he had to a friend. But she was gone now. . . Thanks to him. Jin-ah could've been in college, finishing her teen years happy and entering the world of being a young adult full of hope.

If Jin-woo would've just learned how to control of his curse. . . The present would've been different.

But how? There hadn't been a single existing hunter who had skills of darkness like his. Jin-woo had to spend his whole life hidden behind the walls where he was protected and so did the rest of the people who were not ready to face the power of shadows from a mere child.

Jin-woo kept a single lampshade on to light up his whole apartment as he made himself coffee from the small amount of products he had purchased as his first salary as a hunter. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough for him to get through the day until he received his next paycheck. He leaned on the window and stared at the starless sky, empty of everything he usually see back then, only dark blue and vague misty clouds that floated softly above.

"I miss you," he said in an airy whisper that was like an echo from his mind, "and I'm sorry."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Is everyone ready?"

"Yes, guild master!"

"Good then," Jong-in nodded his head. "Let's— oh, there is the newbie!"

Everyone turned their eyes to him.

"I apologize for being late, Mr. Choi," said Jin-woo and set his bag on a safe place before bringing up his dagger.

Jong-in sighed and nudged his glasses up. "Just don't do it again. The next time this happens, I'll decrease your paycheck by ten percent."

"Will do."

Jin-woo walked behind the group of hunters, keeping a meager distance between them because they knew they would get uncomfortable and he would hear another round of mutters directed to him.

"Hey!"

Well maybe except for this one.

Jin-woo turned his head and met Hae-in, who was heading to his side. Just like yesterday, he ignored her.

"How have you been?"

"Focus on the hunt, with all due respect, Ms. Cha. There is no time for chatting." Jin-woo said to her.

"Are you always this cold? I'm just trying to set some good connections in the guild." Hae-in replied. "I was quite surprised when Jong-in said that the association will recommend us to recruit you."

"Surprised to work with a murderer?"

She widened her eyes. "What? That's not—"

"The monsters are coming. The tanks might be needing you to be on their side, Ms. Cha." Jin-woo reminded her and walked to the other side of the dungeon near the darkest spot, checking if there might be monsters lurking. But another thing as to why he moved positions, to avoid the vice master.

Cha Hae-in was rather. . . Too bright for him.

One thing Jin-woo knew was that she was a formidable hunter. She knew her sword like it was part of herself. Her aura would glow yellow once she summoned her powers. He'd seen some hunters in awe of her as they fought monsters, and besides Jong-in, Hae-in was confident in her strength that she was able to take down larger beasts on her own.

And another thing he knew about her was how constant she kept approaching him and trying to make a conversation, which he immensely avoided her whenever he saw her heading toward him. Hae-in was friendly, kind, and cared for her fellow hunters. But he refused to let her be close to him. If anything, he found her annoying as she never stopped saying a word to him.

"Hey, Jin-woo!"

"No."

"Are you hurt? Want me to call a healer for you?"

"Nevermind."

"You've been fighting well. Do you want to fight behind the tanks this time?"

"I'm already good with my position."

"Are you heading home? Some of the hunters are having dinner together. You should come with them!"

Every. Single. Day.

Jin-woo didn't come to raid a dungeon because he needed a 'friend'. He just needed something to live now that he was out of prison. He didn't care if Hae-in was being genuine or just acting out of pity for him, the heart he had had been buried alongside his family, forever shattered and enveloped with darkness.

He was unworthy to be loved.

As soon as the raid was over, Jin-woo shoved his dagger into his backpack and sling it over his shoulders. He didn't flash anyone in his guild a glance as he quickly walked away from the area, trying to get far as he could to get back to his apartment or else—

"Hunter Sung! You—"

"Which part of 'leave me alone' do you not understand?!" Jin-woo yelled as he whirled around to face her. "Whatever you are about to say, I don't care, so just shut up!"

Hae-in fell silent. Then, her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pressed tightly before shoving something to his chest, enough to cause him to abruptly step back. It was his jacket.

"You left it because you were in such a hurry," she glared. "Sorry, I didn't know that friendliness is annoying for you, Jin-woo. I understand that you are being like that because you've been behind the bars for two years, but that doesn't mean you can be a jerk around people who try to say hi to you. If that's the case, I won't bother you next time."

With that, she stalked away.

Jin-woo was left astounded on the spot. But then, he sighed and turned around to continue walking.

True to her word, Hae-in didn't dare to step close to him. Whenever Jin-woo arrived, she would treat him as if he was a mere ghost and walked past him without a word, only an empty expression which was a stark contrast to the face he was used to seeing. Part of him started to feel bad. But could he do? Jin-woo got what he wanted and that was being left alone.

Until one time, he had some food with him on his way to work. He had forgotten to restock his cupboards since he had headed straight to bed after coming home. He took a sip on his coffee while he held a pork gimbap on his free hand, the other hunters were gearing for conquering the blue gate in the construction site they had been called upon, then he spotted a sword propped against the empty bench. He knew who was exactly it belonged to.

He left the gimbap next to it.

Hopefully, she would accept his indirect apology even though she had no idea to whom it was from.

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"Brother!"

He turned around and saw Jin-ah, waving her hand at him. She wore the widest smile on her face. Jin-woo felt his mouth stretch into a smile of its own and rushed across the place to crash her into a hug, her laughter sang on his ears.

"Jin-ah. . . " He murmured. "You're still bere."

"Of course! I'm always here." Jin-ah said. "Always haunting you for the rest of your life."

Jin-woo widened his eyes. "W— what?"

Suddenly, everything turned into black. Jin-woo turned his head to both sides and looked back to his sister, who had also changed. Instead of the joyful girl he knew and cared for, blood was streaming down from Jin-ah's head, streaking past the scars in her cheeks, and her whole body was covered in ashes. Her eyes became dark.

"Monster!" She yelled. "How could you do this, Jin-woo?! I was supposed to have a field trip! Why did you take my life?!"

"J— Jin-ah. . . " He fell speechless.

"Son. . . " A new voice appeared. It was his mother, looking pained and had the same situation as his sister. "Where did I go wrong? I raised you well, took care of you, and protected you. Why did you have to kill your own mother?"

"M— mom. . . I— I didn't mean—"

"MONSTER!"

"I should've just given you up!"

"You've destroyed my future!"

"What kind of son are you?!"

Jin-woo backed away, but Kyung-hye and Jin-ah kept nearing him. His heart raced rapidly. He couldn't turn his body around, as if he had been blocked by an invincible barrier that forced him to only face his mother and sister.

Then, he bumped against something.

"Son?" It was his father. Jin-woo managed to turn around and was met with the kind smile on Ill-hwang's face. "Are you okay?"

For once, he felt relieved. "Dad! I—"

*kieuk!*

Jin-woo was suddenly brought on the ground on his knees. An inky black hand grasped on his neck tightly, preventing him from uttering another word, then he parted his mouth in a silent strangled plea.

Ill-hwang stared viciously at him and watched him suffer under his hand. "Do you feel it? That was how you killed me when I was trying to help you. You are useless. Why do you even have powers when you can't even control it by yourself?"

Jin-woo let out a single tear from his eye.

"Die, Jin-woo. You are supposed to be the one who died. Not us."

"I wish I shouldn't have been born so I won't have you as a brother!"

"Ungrateful demon!"

"You are not my child!"

"JUST DIE!"

"NOBODY WILL LOVE YOU BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU ARE!"

"NO!" Jin-woo bolted up straight from his bed. His hand latched up to his chest, grasping on his shirt, and could almost hear his heart beating into echoes. He looked over to his lamp, which had been kept on all night. His whole face was drenched with sweat.

He rushed to the bathroom to rinse his face with the cold and running water on the sink. He scrubbed his palms against his face and splattered some more water before turning up to the mirror. His eyes were slightly stained in red and he could make out the remnants of his nightmare; the faces of his dead family, their agony, and the words that were ten times sharper than swords.

It took a single sob from him to break down once again. He relied his weight on the sink as he wept.

It was the worst nightmare he ever had. When he was incarcerated, he had seen his family's dead bodies in front of him and how he must've killed them. But now. . . It was them, yelling and blaming him for murdering them in cold blood.

He was a monster.

His mother had given birth to a good-for-nothing.

They would never forgive him. . .

Jin-woo found himself in the convenience store, scrolling through the fridge in search of a drink that might soothe him. He still had his mask and cap on. It had been an instinct of his to secure his facial identity when heading outside. People still talked about him in the streets. And as for the hunters, they avoided him like a plague and whispered nasty words about him amongst themselves.

Sometimes, he wondered. . . What was even the use of living for him anyway?

He reached his hand inside to grab a can of beer from the shelf, he could never get drunk anyway, and closed the shelf to make his journey to the cashier, but only then to face someone who was very familiar.

"Hae-in?" He spoke.

The hunter blinked. "Jin-woo?"

" . . . "

A few moments later, they sat on an empty bench. Jin-woo sipped on his beer while Hae-in had her iced coffee. He almost couldn't remember what he said to her after hearing his name from her mouth, all he knew was that he offered to buy her drink and Hae-in hadn't left his side as he looked for somewhere to sit.

"I'm sorry," he began. "I shouldn't have been so rude to you when all you did was to be kind to me unlike everyone else."

"It's okay. There's no use if I hold it as a grudge against you." Hae-in said.

"But. . . Aren't you afraid?"

"Of what?"

"That I'm a murderer. The man who ruthlessly killed his own family." Jin-woo said. "Haven't you thought of anything that I might hurt you?"

"Well. . . Can you?"

Jin-woo didn't answer. He looked down on his drink. "I. . . I don't know. To be honest— I didn't mean to kill my family. I've lost control and the next thing I knew, all of them were dead and I was the only one standing. My mom, dad, and my little sister. . . I didn't mean to kill them." A teardrop touched his lap.

"Jin-woo. . . " Hae-in frowned. She reached her hand out to his shoulder, but hesitated. "If you didn't mean to kill them, then why did you admit to the police that you murdered your family ruthlessly?"

"I said it to atone for what I have done. And even if I lived my days in prison for two years, and some more if the association hadn't come for me, it wouldn't be enough." Jin-woo wiped his tears with his sleeve. "Am I that damaged of a person?"

Hae-in's bottom lip quivered. "I don't believe you are damaged. You just need to be healed, Jin-woo."

"How? Every night in my dreams, I see their faces. Looking at them made me feel like I won't die from a beast or old age, but regrets."

"Hearing your words, I know you didn't mean to kill them. You loved your family so much. And I'm sure they forgive you." She told him.

Jin-woo hung his head low. This time, he felt her touch on his shoulder. He resisted every urge to sob as he continued talking. "I never stopped imagining what it could've been if they were still alive. I— I couldn't remember what was it like to see my mother's smile, or hear my sister's laugh, and the face of my own father."

"It's okay, Jin-woo. . . " Hae-in murmured and scooted closer. "It takes time, but I hope you won't be afraid to let new people in. I'm sure your family wouldn't like it to see you alone."

"Nobody likes to have a monster in their life, Hae-in."

"I don't think you are a monster. You may be cold, but you are not a monster." She said. "You're just broken and had stayed like that for a long time, and I can see there is still that speck of hope in you, Jin-woo. Don't be afraid to smile and be happy."

Jin-woo glanced at her. "You think so? But everyone—"

"No, I don't care," Hae-in shook her head and looked at him in determination. "I don't care of what people think about you and that will not affect me either. They don't know how you truly feel. You need someone by your side — someone who will be there for you and not let you suffer alone."

"Will you?" Jin-woo spoke without a thought. But, he did not regret it. His heart wanted her to be that 'someone'.

The corners of Hae-in's mouth tugged into a soft smile. "Of course."

And since that moment, the gradual change in Jin-woo's life began.

Back then, Jin-woo thought she was an annoying who liked to pester him. But now, Jin-woo was starting to see her in a new light.

Once he arrived in his guild, he would catch her glance across the hunters. Hae-in waved at him with that bright smile of hers. Jin-woo paused, it took a few seconds for him to let out a smile, and once he did, he was actually smiling. Hae-in chuckled and went back to reading the papers in her hand. Meanwhile, Jin-woo took a moment to register what he had done. . . For the first time since forever, he smiled and it felt different when he practiced it in front of the mirror.

Perhaps he was just forcing himself to smile, but upon seeing Hae-in, he let his smile come naturally.

Hae-in would approach him and strike a conversation, and this time, Jin-woo would respond to her kindly and answered her questions instead of driving her away. They shared a small talk before heading inside of the gate and after conquering the dungeon, they would take a moment to converse with each other.

Other hunters gave them side-glances and whispered something to the rest. Why was the vice master with the murderer? Why was the monster smiling? Why were they talking to each other as if they were friends?

Why?

Jin-woo hadn't met anyone outside of his family, let alone having a friend for himself. He had built so many walls around him and Hae-in managed to break each of them down slowly. She would text him when he was in his apartment, and those messages taking the rest of the night until one of them fell asleep, and other times, she'd buy him a drink if they were meeting up.

He found himself being fond of her smile.

Her sweet laugh. Her flustered expressions. The way her eyes glisten whenever she saw something she liked. Jin-woo was fond of it all.

Having Hae-in around had been the best thing ever to occur in his life. His nightmares slowly stopped, thus leaving him with empty swevens, and that was enough for him. He would close his eyes and the next thing he woke up to was the sunshine from his window. He wondered if this was what it felt being alive for real, not sinking into melancholy; although there were times he still got haunted, he had something to hold on to.

Cha Hae-in.

The strongest hunter he had ever met, the kindest heart he had ever known, he pondered if it was normal to wish for someone to stay forever.

With her, he had forgotten about his curse. And with her, he could be a normal human who was not tainted by his past and demons.

"I've never realized how big the moon is now. It's beautiful." Hae-in mused, staring at the heavenly sphere across thousands of miles away from the ground.

Jin-woo hadn't seen anything like it. The night was indeed alive and full of wonders. Everything was at peace. He was in the park, sitting on the same bench as Hae-in, and was staring at the sky, glimpsing at the countless of stars that glimmered the night's serene beauty. Since nobody else was around, due to the time being close to midnight, Jin-woo thought he should remove his disguise and let the light wind caress his face.

"I used to see these things in images when I was a kid. It felt surreal to see them for real." Jin-woo said.

Hae-in raised an insiqutive eyebrow. "Why so?"

"Let's just say that I had to be kept indoors to keep myself safe. I wasn't allowed to meet my own peers and spent my education through online. I haven't seen the sun all the time, let alone the moon itself." Jin-woo let out a sigh. "It. . . It has something to do with the incident too."

"I still won't judge you for it, you know?" Hae-in reminded him.

He nodded. "I know. It's just that I'm not ready to tell you everything. Sorry."

"I understand. Take all the time you need and when you do, I'll listen with all ears and heart." Hae-in smiled. "Opening up isn't the easiest task, especially for you, so it takes patience."

He smiled back. "Thank you, Hae-in." So much.

They fell in silence after that. Jin-woo realized how big the world was, and that he was just a tiny human in the eyes of the stars. His mother once told him that the stars were also the human souls who had passed away and that they would appear in the night to watch over their loved ones, he wondered if his family was among the stars right now, watching him over even though he felt he did not deserve to.

He never stopped apologizing to them.

Their answers were the words he would never get, so he had no clue if he was forgive for his actions. Ill-hwang, Kyung-hye, and Jin-ah — the names he would always remember.

He was snapped out of his daze when he felt a weight on his shoulder. It was Hae-in, who had leaned her head on him, and she had her eyes on their hands, she raised hers and lightly traced his gloved hand with her fingertips.

"Can I hold your hand, Jin-woo?" She asked.

"Okay," he flipped his hand and welcomed her touch. He intertwined their fingers together. He noticed how slender her hand was compared to him, it made him become afraid of hurting her even more.

"Sometimes, I wonder what it feels like to truly hold your hands," spoke Hae-in. "Are they warm? Are they rough? Or are they smooth? Do you hide scars beneath your gloves? I wish to feel them."

One day, Hae-in. He promised to her. I will tell you everything.

In the middle of his chaos, in the middle of his black and white of a world, there was Hae-in. To be willing to open his heart out to her and reveal his true soul without contemplating if she would accept him for who he was or not, Jin-woo wondered what kind of deity to send her to a monster such as him.

Cursed. Miserable. Lonely.

He did not deserve her.

What was that feeling? Love? The kind of one he saw in his parents, how he would catch them embracing each other, those exchanged smiles, the laughter, and the way his father planted his kisses on his mother's forehead. . . He would like to experience it too.

To love, to cherish, and to hold. He was a broken man wanting to love.

Fate had never been in his favor, but would it give him a chance? Just this once, he'd ask for something and never again, let him heal and mend himself to be the person who had lost all hope, but now found anew and he would not waste it.

. . . Fate said no.

If Jin-woo had the worst mistake in his life, it wasn't killing his family, rather— it was underestimating his curse.

He had relied on his gloves for too long and too much that his powers would soon beg for release and since he wasn't giving it, the most horrible moment in his life had repeated.

He lost control.

The upper section of the apartment exploded vastly. There was no need to call for the association to send help when the whole city had felt the ominous wave and the slight earthquake. Hunters of all guilds had rushed to the location and rescuers had attended for the residents who had managed to get out safely.

Large clouds clustered into one. Darkness spread throughout them and the sky had turned dim. Hunters raced inside and creatures pounced at them, but these were not the usual ones they saw in dungeon, the creatures were dark and shone in purple and red tones. There were knights and even large ants. They managed to slaughter the shadow-like beasts, but some seemed to regenerate after a few minutes.

In the top of the damaged building, a hunter was possessed by his own powers. His eyes were glowing purple than ever. Due to such a long time of confinement and resisting, the shadows were endlessly storming out of his body as if he was a container they had been kept for too long.

Was he still aware of what was going on? Would he be able to snap out of being possessed?

Then, someone finally came.

It was Hae-in, who had made her way through all the shadow monsters that were attacking in the stairs and floors. Her sword was right on her grip. But her eyes, which were in aghast to what she was seeing in front of her.

"Jin-woo!" She called for his name. It was futile. But, she must save him from the abyss that was shrouding his whole body.

Unfortunately, something came out and Hae-in managed to catch it and drew her sword just before the weapon could touch her. The knight, whose sword was bigger than hers and hoarded a power that was superior to her own, deepened its weight on the weapon to try to push her down. But Hae-in was not giving up. She dragged her sword aside to bring along with it and was about to lunge another attack when a lightning strike of pain flamed out a strong agony.

Hae-in yelped at the pain in her shoulder, who was bleeding down her arm. She stared at the knight and glared. There was no way that she would back down, not when she needed to save someone before it was too late.

"Stop!" Jin-woo finally burst a yell. He continued to force himself to move his body to regain control over his consciousness.

He must not let the same thing happen twice. His family died because of him, and he wouldn't allow himself take another person's life. Not Hae-in.

After fighting against the powerful force, Jin-woo finally broke out and felt the shadows were in his hands for control. He looked up and saw the shadow knight, who was still fighting the hunter. He reached his hand out and the knight's sword paused in the air.

"Don't. Touch. HER!" He seethed and curled his hand into a tight fist.

The shadow knight disappeared.

Jin-woo got down and rushed toward Hae-in. Even if he could control his body once again, the curse was still raging. However, he chose to check on the most important person in his life, so he pulled her into his arms and buried his face on her neck while his hand cradled the back of her head.

"I'm so sorry, Hae-in, I'm so sorry!" He practically begged.

Hae-in wrapped her arms around him, evading her wound. "It's okay, Jin-woo. I forgive you."

"I'm sorry you had to find everything out like this. . . "

"We'll talk about this later, okay? We must focus on putting an end to this first." Hae-in said and looked at the thick cloud. "You know how to do it, right?"

Jin-woo turned over his shoulder to the cloud his powers had created upon. Now that he has gained control, he felt a plethora of sensations throughout his veins, and he exactly knew what each meant. The shadow monsters were still infesting the whole building, he could sense all of them being alive, clashing with the hunters.

If he did not make a move in any moment, everything would turn into ruins. Hundreds of people would die in his hand. During his incarceration, he asked himself— am I a human or a monster?

The answer was that he had a soul for a monster and a heart for a human.

It had taken him so long to gain control. . .

"I. . . I think I know." Jin-woo said. He looked behind and saw Hae-in's hopeful face. His heart ached at the decision that he was about to make. "But I won't make it to another day."

Hae-in's face fell and she looked at him in shock. "Don't tell me. . . "

"I'm not going to die. I just think that this is something I must do, and if I stay longer, I will just keep destroying everything." The Earth's mana would not be able to hold his. Jin-woo realized what he needed to know just now. He was too powerful to be in a place like Earth, considering how unable he was. "My family died because of me, the darkness inside of me since the day I was born, and I was too weak. And I still am. At least, this is something I can do to atone for the mess I've caused."

If he could not erase the conflict, then he must disappear with the conflict.

Tears began to glimmer in Hae-in's eyes. She stepped closer to him. As always, she was not afraid, even after finding out who he truly was. Jin-woo let her hand move to his neck, a vague memory of a nightmare appeared in the back of his mind, but her touch was tender.

"What are you going to do, Jin-woo?" She asked him.

"Go to some place I should've gone to a long time ago, just like in my dreams. All this time, I treated these things as a curse, not knowing how capable I would be if I paid attention rather than be an ignorant. I wasn't cursed, I was born with powers." Jin-woo said. He looked down on his hands, seeing how torn his gloves had become, so he removed them to let them drop on the ground and offered them to her. "Give me your hands."

Hae-in did what she was told. Her hands met his bare ones. Her skin felt even softer.

"How do you feel? Are my hands warm? Are they rough? Or are they smooth?" He smiled at her.

"They. . . " Hae-in dipped her head and let out a sob. She pressed herself to his chest, clutching on his shirt as she drenched the fabric with her tears.

Jin-woo wrapped his arms around her. He caught the wound in her arm that was still bleeding, so he placed his hand over it and shone over the wound to heal it. Hae-in was vulnerable in his embrace, crying that made his heart shatter.

"Please tell me this isn't goodbye," she murmured.

His throat clogged. Jin-woo had to swallow to keep his voice intact. "We'll meet again. I promise you that. You mean so much to me that it makes it hard for me to let you go — you are the only one I ever have."

Hae-in pulled away, facing him with eyes stained with tears. Jin-woo cupped his hands around her face, smiling amidst his crushing heart.

"I wish I should've been a normal person so I can love you the way you deserve," he said, wiping her tears with his thumb.

Hae-in sniffled. "Normal or not, I still accept you regardless, Jin-woo."

"Thank you," his eyes could no longer hold his tears as they began to pour down, "for being with me, no matter how damaged I am, and being the one who showed me that it's not too late for me to smile. You are my speck of hope, Hae-in."

"I love you," Hae-in sobbed as Jin-woo inched his face closer, bumping their noses.

"You are the closest thing I have to home," he murmured and raised his head to press his lips on her forehead. "I hope to return the love you've given me one day."

He wanted to tell her he loved her. He wanted to say those three words as well. But he knew it was not the right time to reciprocate.

Jin-woo pulled away and took a few steps back, stretching his arms a little, then summoned all the shadows back to him. The ground rumbled. His eyes glowed in its purple color and soon, he was lifted in the air in his powers, heading toward the giant cloud of darkness.

His dark pupils appeared, eyeing Hae-in, who never left her spot as tears continued to streak her eyes. His lips curled into a small smile. No matter how much he wanted to remain and allow himself to love her completely, he didn't think he was enough to do such a thing. She found him when he was in his colorless world, she gave him a new light to hold on and proved that he could be better, so that was what he about to do.

Learn to control his powers, get stronger, and most of all, heal from the mistakes he had done — for Hae-in, his father, his mother, and his sister.

I promise, Hae-in. He promised. I will become a better person once we meet again.

Sung Jin-woo disappeared from the surface of the earth without a single trace.

[heich0e]

liv…. i eat up your dialogue EVERY TIME like a crazy person.. if you post smth for someone i dont go here for, i read it just because 🤍 i 🤍 love 🤍 your 🤍 writing 🤍 but that being said……. i must know the details of the canonverse levi wip you posted. what did erwin do! what was levi and r’s relationship! how!!!!

if you're genuinely interested, i really don't mind telling u what the plot is because i will quite literally never post it. it was the first fic i ever wrote for any anime, and i hadn't even gotten very far into the actual show at the point of writing—so while some aspects are (tenuously) canon-compliant, there are also many very clear ways in which it is not.

so, to reduce that terrible levi x reader fic (it's so bad and i MEAN that!!) down to its barest bones, start to finish:

[WARNING: THERE IS AN ENTIRE FIC SUMMARIZED UNDER THIS READ MORE AND IT IS MULTIPLE THOUSANDS OF WORDS LONG. THEMES INCLUDE: DUBCON, CANON CHARACTER DEATH, VAGUELY MISOGYNISTIC TONES, AND EVERY SINGLE CRINGE-Y FANFIC CLICHE U CAN IMAGINE. BYE.]

at the point where the fic opens, reader is a young, low-ranking soldier in the survey corps on her way to mitras with levi and erwin to attend a small gala being hosted by a very wealthy family that they're petitioning (effectively wooing) to provide funding for the corps

the reason reader is asked to come along is because she comes from a very good family in mitras and is connected to the "high society" folk—though never explicitly stated, erwin very much intends to use her and her social graces as a sort of poster child and mouthpiece for the corps, in hopes that she can charm ppl and help them gain favour to accomplish their goal

all things considered, reader was very privileged growing up and had as comfortable/luxurious of a life as anyone (at least anyone in paradis) could possibly hope to have. her family is aristocracy/noble and comes from a long line of "wealth." her father is a doctor who consults with the military in a high ranking capacity—though he's never actively been a soldier, and it's largely just a cushy job where he doesn't do much actual grunt work, just gets consulted on things and sits on boards or whatever

reader graduated from school and enlisted in the military when she came of age—to the shock and horror of her family (especially her mother) and their noble peers. but she felt an impetus to do something with her life that wasn't just sit around docilely and look pretty until eventually her father handed her over to an advantageous husband and she went from daughter to wife and surely then eventually mother—while never actually having any agency or choice for herself

because reader was well-educated from childhood, she did well academically at the cadet academy, and because she grew up in a comfortable home she is physically very competent as well (though truthfully her skill as a soldier is often very OP and cringey to read back now... but it was my first fic! sue me!)

levi and reader don't interact much in the corps (as he's not her squad leader) but when they do they're constantly at odds—he thinks less of her as a result of her silver spoon upbringing, and while she doesn't dislike him, per se, she definitely resents his treatment of her

on the trip to mitras (alongside a very uncomfortable homecoming to her estranged family's home with two men who are effectively her bosses) they attend the gala/banquet and it's revealed that the family hosting it is the most wealthy in mitras (save for the royal family, though they're sort of unofficially considered the second-in-command) who reader is very familiar with—they have a son her age, and a few daughters slightly younger, who she grew up close to (i made all these characters up btw.... first fic liv was rly going wild)

the son from this family was always sort of sweet on reader growing up, and they have a vaguely romantic history in their teens (before reader enlisted.) reader very quickly surmises that she was brought along (or at the very least is able) to possibly sway the son in their favour, as the eldest and heir to this family's fortune, who would in turn convince the father to support the corps

the son (his name is adam btw. if anyone cares? lmao) is actually very sweet, and earnestly cares for her. he's just blinded by his own affluence to a lot of realities—like most extremely wealthy people are

reader is a good soldier and she's cunning, and she knows that what she's doing is ethically/morally questionable but in the interest of the greater good she goes along with some flirtation/manipulation for the cause

the story progresses and reader continues her work in the military, but the heir from this family is clearly infatuated with her and he (and his father/family by extension) begin implicating themselves more heavily with the military as an excuse to see her/spend time with her/etc though of course it's all under the guise of official business

so it's like the life she fled is bleeding into the one she built for herself, and it's stark juxtaposition becomes very clear in those instances where they overlap and she's forced to juggle them both

she just wants to be a soldier and do good. erwin is (in so many words) pressuring her to do her part and keep up the charade. levi is watching this all unfold from the wings and starts to feel some genuine sympathy for her

lots of very dramatic things happen, yadda yadda yadda. levi grows less hostile over time, and reader becomes closer to him. she's always respected him and that grows into something mutual. there's a lot of unspoken tension brewing between them

it's revealed that reader threw her cadet exam results so that she wouldn't be in the top of her class, and therefore couldn't become an MP and had to join either the garrison or the scouts. she did it intentionally (erwin knew and used this to his advantage) so that her family wouldn't be able to force her back to mitras. when levi realizes what erwin did/knew and how he used it to his own advantage it really upsets him, because he's basically pimping reader out for the betterment of the survey corps. this is the first time you really see levi get angry about the way she's being used (and you can infer in this moment that he maybe cares about her a bit)

more dramatic stuff happens!

the story culminates in the reveal that the son is planning to ask for reader's hand in marriage. her own family has already agreed. part of the financial agreement the powerful family has made with the survey corps is that reader will effectively be retired once she marries (and transferred to a clerical role with the MPs. desk work, basically. fake work, for all intents and purposes, because the position was made up just for her)

reader goes to erwin, understandably extremely distraught when she finds out, and begs him to stop it from happening. she doesn't really care about getting married, but she doesn't want to leave the scouts. he effectively (though not explicitly/in these particular words) implies that maybe if she fucks her "fiance" he'll be more open to compromise and let her stay in the corps

she does it, but unsurprisingly loverboy is not about to let the woman he's obsessed with (who he has now officially boned lmao) go back to risking her life every day in the military, and it's almost immediately revealed that her plan didn't work at all

(erwin pretty much knew the whole time it wasn't going to work. bastard.)

reader feels betrayed and helpless. she goes to levi the night before she's set to leave—who basically is like "uhhhh i told you so??" upon finding out what's happened—and they end up sleeping together anyway in a very emotionally fraught and vulnerable moment

she leaves the next day

a timeskip happens. turns out that the ENTIRETY of the wealthy family was killed in the attack in mitras (like between annie and eren's titans i think? don't remember what season that is. a lot of ppl get smooshed in a church. they were there.)

but reader had already been married into the family. she wasn't in the church and inherited the entirety of their wealth as the sole surviving family member.

she was also.... pregnant :) (of course she was! this fic hits every trope and bad fanfic cliche! maybe it's twins!)

levi is back in mitras years (??) later (listen.... i didn't know where the hell the canon storyline of this manga was going at the time so FORGIVE ME for the fact that obviously this is not canon compliant l m a o)

reader has become sort of a recluse since everything happened in mitras, but having inherited the wealth she's become a key figure politically and particularly with respect to the military because of her influence as a donor.

levi tracks her down to this surprisingly humble property on the outskirts of town.

there's a little boy playing in the yard. no more than four or five. he has dark hair and slate grey eyes. levi looks at this child and sees his mother's face.

the little boy speaks to him but levi is (understandably) very confused and disoriented. reader comes outside and is shocked to see levi there. like she's seeing a ghost.

reader tells the little boy to come to her and scoops him up in her arms, and she quietly reminds him (his name is Teddy btw... short for Theodore) that he's not supposed to talk to strangers.

and Teddy leans in real close and says "but mama... he has your wings" because Levi is wearing his survey corps uniform with the insignia on them. you've kept your own patch (a parting gift from erwin when he sold you off... how thoughtful) and treasure it.

all of which is to say that basically Levi is the kid's father, but because reader was already married when her pregnancy was discovered and the timeline still checked out—so no one ever questioned the paternity (especially because she was a WIDOW by the time she gave birth.)

teddy is now the "legitimate" heir to the entire fortune that was left by reader's husband/his family, but until he comes of age it's reader's to manage, so she can provide a safe home for him to grow up in—though notably removed from the society that she was raised in.

it's heavily implied (though not actually confessed) that reader and levi have been in love with each other for all these years, and there's a kind of optimism about what future is ahead for them now that their paths have crossed again. (present day canon-knowing liv is laughing at this part in particular.)

the end.

[chemistryread]

washing machine heart

robert 'bob' floyd

summary: a regular night turns into an opportunity during a game of truth or dare, thanks to jake.

disclaimers/tags: minors dni. female reader. no Y/N.

a/n: ok so while i finish right cowboy, wrong time’s last chapter, have a short bob one shot! i wanted to turn the ending into smut but maybe next time. the title is just because i was listening to the song while writing this, and thinking about how reader wants bob. lmk your thoughts :)

The book you had promised to yourself that you'd read at least one chapter of now sits untouched on your lap, as you type away on your phone.

You're occupying the entire loveseat, stretched legs, arms above your head, screen shining brightly over your face. Everyone else sits on the armchairs or the floor, since you refused to give away any space.

"Jesus, you're not even reading, go be on your phone somewhere else."

"I was here first, Jake. Stop stressing, you're gonna get wrinkly."

The Dagger Squad fills the base's 'peace room'. That's how you all decided to call it after you agreed you'd not bring any training tensions into it, but it became a very ironic name given that Bradshaw and Seresin were constantly working to shred any semblance of peace in the area. And so it stuck.

It was supposed to be a very boring Tuesday night. If only you knew.

Coyote and Hangman peer pressure a group of Navy pilots into playing truth or dare, spinning an empty Gatorade bottle.

A middle-school energy fills the room quickly.

Phoenix is dared to poke her tongue up Fanboy's nose. Payback gets Hangman to tell the story of his first blackout, and how he embarrassed himself in front of a pretty nurse and her doctor husband. Nat asks Rooster if his mustache is real, which turns into daring him to let her and Fanboy pull on it at the same time. Brown eyes fill with tears, but he swears it only hurt a little.

You're too lost in your texting to really pay attention, until Seresin calls your name.

Head turning, the group seems to remember you are there.

"What?"

"Care to participate for once?"

It's not that you dislike fun, you love it, it just so happens that what Hangman considers fun tends to make you roll your eyes. When you told him as much, he obnoxiously read it as you being too no-nonsense. Now, he takes every possible opportunity to fuck with you.

To see the fire in his eyes, you decide to play along. Sitting up and cracking your neck.

"Sure. Dare."

Six people woo. Your expression remains unamused, communicating to the main instigator that you're not scared of his antics.

"I don't know why you decided to grace me with this tonight, God, but thank you-"

"Get to it, airhead."

"I dare you to take a trip down memory lane and stop at Seven Minutes in Heaven." Some scoff, you only chuckle. Predictable. "Me, Rooster or Bob. What's your pick?"

Phoenix smirks your way.

"I get to choose? Uncharacteristically nice of you."

"So?"

This will be good.

"Bob."

Spines straigthen and heads snap up, glancing between you and the mousy young man hugging his knees up to his chest in the corner.

Jake looks utterly confused.

"What?"

"Contrary to your delusions, Bagman, not everyone is invested in your dick measuring contest with Rooster. Just because you're the loudest doesn't mean you've caught my eye."

"But baby on board?"

Shrugging, you manage to mask your excitement pretty well, you hope. Truth be told, reserved and kind was always your type.

Big, round eyes. Lightly curled hair. Neat look, with an effort. You know it takes confidence to be unapologetically modest in a testosterone exhibit such as the Navy. Bob doesn't care, and that is very attractive. The day he told Seresin he always manages to offend, calling out his bullshit, you had stifled a satisfied laugh behind your fist, clicking your pen. He glanced back at you, and the proud albeit flustered smile has been seared into your brain ever since.

You like to believe the two of you get each other. Maybe you lean into the jokes a little more, but your words have similar bites, carrying the same goal of taking these raging overinflated egos down a notch.

"Your roster. Plus, I'm curious." Usually, you don't target him, spare him of the teasing. He gets enough. But now, you lean on the edge of the loveseat, biting your lip when you look his way, finally noticing the book balancing on his knees. "Are you even playing?"

"No, I said I wasn't. At the beginning."

Jake's lips start to move, probably to say you'd have no choice but to go for him or one of your oldest friends who you had said you'd never swap spit with because of how weird it would feel. So him.

You cut him off, still watching Bob. "You are now."

The group laughs, you stand up, smoothing down inappropriate short pijama shorts, and he burns up.

Natasha, the only person who has caught on to your crush on her backseater, clears her throat. "Pantry? We can lock the door with one of the stools from the kitchen."

"A-are we actually doing this?"

He finally gets up, mimicking your actions and nervously straightening his shirt.

"Do you have somewhere to be in the next seven minutes?"

Rooster interrups your flirting with a belly laugh. "Relax, baby Bob, she's never kissed anyone during that game. I would be more worried she might punch you. That happened once, ninth grade."

In your mighty defense, you said no and the boy still made a move. Your hand happened to come up at the same time. With a lot of force. Into his nose.

"No distractions!"

Payback rips your book and phone from your hands. You chuckle at how unaware they are, you're not planning on cowering from this one.

When the two of you reach the door, you turn back to Bob, setting a timer on his wristwatch. You feel his arm hair stand up as your fingers work the band, undoing the strap and chucking it to Phoenix.

The last thing you see is Hangman's furrowed brow and crossed arms. "I can't believe this."

It's very dark, once the door is closed.

"Lights on or off?" You joke.

"Up to you." His voice is shaky, swallowing dry. Butterflies flutter in your stomach at the idea that you make him feel like this.

Blue eyes shine, and you can make out the silhouette of his face, a bit of a pink tinge to his cheeks. Scared the brightness would give your own anxiousness away, you opt to stay hidden, lights off.

He jumps when you thump heavily on the door, hearing Fanboy gasp. "Back to your game, you nosy kids. We'll be out in seven."

You stay close to it, making sure that you've been left alone for real this time.

"That was smart."

Nice, you're definitely blushing now. Thinking of a 'good girl' in his voice being added to that sentence.

"Thanks, Floyd. Means a lot coming from you."

"Oh, right. Sorry, didn't mean to sound condescending."

Curse your sarcastic nature. You're so used to it, to biting back, that sometimes it comes out when you don't mean to.

"No, no." You take a step forward, still unsure. "I meant it. I think you're probably the smartest out of all of us, and we have similar- Okay, now that sounded bitchy and narcissistic. Everyone in there is obviously very intelligent, I genuinely think so, I just meant- Uhm, what I meant was-"

"Wait," He breathes out your name. "Are you nervous?"

Bob is leaning on one of the shelves, practically sitting on it, across the room. Arms behind his back, one shoe propped up, in a way that highlights defined biceps and thick thighs. You audibly swallow.

Your eyes trace his crooked goggles, quickly fall to his lips, then snap back up to him.

"Floyd, have you noticed I didn't say 'don't try anything'?"

He smiles, and you shrink, feeling small under the shy teasing coming from him. This is new. Usually, you act as equals, like-minded partners in social situations. Now, he's turning the game on you.

"Do you want to kiss me?"

Another step forward, hands behind your back, like his, and a small tug of your lips.

"Like I said, I'm curious."

"Curious?"

His arms cross in front of his chest now, legs spreading, looking even more appetizing.

A sheepish smile covers your features, eyes effortlessly dragging over his body, head to toe. You hope he is seeing this.

"Just, uhm," You chuckle. "I don't know. Every time we hang out, there are these little moments, fleeting, that I think- I think there's something there. A pull. When your jokes fly over Hangman and Coyote's heads, when you basically only speak to back up Natasha no matter what, when you let them mock your game just to pocket three in a row. I see all of that, and I think you see me seeing it. And you like it. But maybe I'm being conceited."

"You're not."

His voice goes somehow lower, soft twang to his accent bleeding out more, even with two simple words. You're quickly crumbling under his stare, transfixed on the way his teeth trap the bottom lip, pink turning redder.

He has built the same walls you have that aren't easy to break down. Different from the others. Uncharted territory, and you're fumbling big time.

"Mhm." Cracking your knuckles behind your back, looking at his shoes. "But we don't have to, if you don't want to. I hope I'm not being pushy, really, I've just thought about this before and it's like scratching an itch inside of my brain. Phoenix knows, by the way, so she's probably gonna tease the hell out of both of us when we-"

Large hands pull you by the waist, foreheads bumping very lightly before his lips are tugging on yours.

Bob tastes amazing, like the hibiscus tea he was just having. His hands are calloused but not rough, or maybe that's just the way he's using them.

It takes you a second to react, so he moves back, preparing to mutter an apology between your parted lips. But, with your eyes still closed, your hands finally revive and wrap around his neck, pulling him to you again.

You're stuck together, as if by a gravitational pull, legs trapped inside of his spread, in a way that you have to bend your neck down to meet him.

Fingertips slide an inch down his waistband and you realize he skipped the underwear.

You open up for his tongue to swipe under yours, and it's a divine feeling. Your heads move back and forth naturally, chasing each other. Scratching his neck, his throat, clinging to the collar of his shirt.

It happens fast.

A desperate bite to your lip and you forget to contain your moan, totally mindless of where you are and grinding down on him. You feel him buckle, his groan so breathy and restrained swallowed down your throat, and he changes your position. So now he's pressing you against the shelf, crotch fitting perfectly against your hips, one hand coming up to pull on your hair, grazing your breast on the way, while the other grabs your ass like he depends on it to breathe. Funny, since you're not doing much of that anyway.

You probably waste three minutes doing that.

It would be so easy. Your shorts are thin and, well, lacking length. He's wearing sweatpants. So, so easy to just…

A loud knock. Rooster. Thirty seconds left, and then the stool goes back to its original place.

Bob sighs, lifiting your chin with his index, thumb running across your bottom lip delicately, setting you up for another kiss. Reluctantly, you stop him.

"Should take those thirty seconds to sort that out."

He follows your gaze, down to his erection pushing against the fabric.

"Oh." At last, his hands leave you, fast and sorely missed. He steps back, blushing furiously in the dark.

"Take a seat, breathe. We'll stall."

He does, sitting on the floor of the pantry as you turn the lights on. You don't regret the inital decision to leave them off, the brightness makes both of you wince.

It's definitely awkward to watch him try to concentrate and will his hard-on away, but it would be worse to help and have him walk out of your little game with an unmistakable stain in his pants.

You pick a jar of cherries, popping one into your mouth and crouching next to him, hand soothing his shoulder. He jumps.

"Don't do that!"

An apology is spat out amidst unstoppable laughter. Another right after when he glares at you. Yeah, you can't do much here.

You're laying on the floor, opposite to him, chewing cherries and silently laughing at his state.

"At least they're black. It's not as easy to see."

"It's not gonna go away."

"Just say you're going to the bathroom."

"That's too obvious."

"Fine, bedroom then. I bored you to death and you're sleepy."

"Hardly true." He blushes again and you grin, toothy and proud. "Stop! You're not helping. This is your fault, telling me you've thought about me, talked to Phoenix about it. A girl like you…What did you think was gonna happen?"

He's more helpless, than angry. A self-satisfied grin blossoms on your face. Simply knowing you think and talk about him got him hard. You bite the inside of your cheek to avoid making things worse again. Sitting up, you breathe in, working on how to make sure you come across as genuine as possible.

"Bob, I'm not just fucking around." His eyes squint behind the goggles. Your hand slides on the carpet, pinky curling around his. "I really like you."

His eyes roam your face, smile lines strengthened, and he's going to say something when Phoenix opens the door.

You retrieve your hand.

"It's been eight minutes. You're up."

Her dark eyes investigate everything in the room, including the both of you.

"Oh, we got lost talking about our books, sorry."

You throw her a very suspicious smile, bumping her shoulder lightly on your way out. She chuckles under her breath.

Jake and Javy took over the loveseat and you're arguing with them when Bob announces he's turning in.

He walks with the book in front of his crotch, and Nat nearly chokes on her water. After he leaves, she's quickly pulling on your elbow.

"We're gonna go too, goodnight!"

Thankfully, your and Bob's rooms are on separate ways, passing by a very impatient Hangman.

"You guys suck."

You bend down to whisper in his ear. "You're just moody because you got no action tonight."

His blond head whips around, yelling for you as Natasha drags you along.

"Did he? DID HE?"

[casasupernovas]

so you know when it leaked that a possible plot twist for series 1 was that the doctor grew rose in a lab or some sh*t to create the perfect companion? in series 3, the doctor does something similiar, in that he tries to curate the perfect companion in martha. one that is smart, quick thinking, and importantly - thinks the world of him but simultaneously - does not love him. because the last time that happened and he dared to love her back it went horrendously. but whoops - martha is leaning towards that inclinatiom. but let's ignore that. we can curb it soon.

in smith and jones he constantly tests her - "we might die...we might not...good." she does exceptionally well, even gives her life. so he's smitten, she's the ideal companion, so he follows her to her brother's birthday party, waits until she notices him. woos her with the appeal of him, the unknown, the impossible turned to possible. and look, she's still quick witted "not pompous at all," oh he could have a laugh with her. but oh - she doesn't believe in time travel? oh perfect, a time to flex, it was just a cheap trick but it worked a treat. and -

oh it was going so well. too observant for her own good, it's bigger on the inside, so big that it can't just be the doctor in here. and now he is snapping, closing off, screw what donna said he doesn't want to move on just yet, or acknowledge he needs anyone actually. in fact, he's only doing this to repay a debt - she saved him, he gives her a trip, now they're even. see. but she needs to still be the right companion, so best do away with those pesky emotions - where did she ever get an idea like that anyway? it was just a genetic transfer. and yes i do look quite good in this suit and i did just follow her here to ask her to travel with me but no no. we aren't doing that. if she can curb this, we'll be all set.

oh and look at that, she just said she's not interested. "good." great, she can switch off her emotions, focus on what is at hand, which is being a good companion, and looking in awe and being excited about what he can show her. but no, too many questions, not that question - this question. oh maybe it doesn't matter, he'll take her home soon and - wait no, witchcraft? how could you possibly think that? i didn't say it because it was true, duh. and why won't you come to bed, surely humans still need to sleep don't they? i can't help feeling like i'm missing something staring me directly in the face, lying across from me in fact and why aren't you getting my pop culture references quick enough.

i can keep going but you get the picture.