#ray x violet

[theselfshippingwitch]

JanAUary - Fake Dating AU

(Divider by @saradika)

Ship: Ray x Violet Word Count: 3088 Summary: Ray and Violet are going to Ray's hometown for his high school reunion, and Violet thought her worst problem would be figuring out how to pretend to be his girlfriend until she got there Rating: General Audiences Notes: For JanAUary run by @bioexorcizm and @eternally-smitten - Thanks for the prompt! Yeah this one got way away from me, it's super long whoops

(Divider by @cafekitsune)

Violet stepped out of the inn wearing jeans and a blouse. It was dinner time, and she and Ray were meeting up with his high school classmates for dinner before the high school reunion party the next night. They walked side by side to the restaurant. He seemed distracted, watching the ground with a pensive expression on his face. “Nervous?” Violet asked.

She didn’t blame him. The plan was ridiculous. When Peter suggested it, her first instinct was to flat out refuse. It took coaxing from both him and her personal assistant, Steffi, to get her to agree to pretend to be Ray’s girlfriend at his high school reunion. There was no way she would be able to keep up that kind of ruse. Her fame and success had come from writing, not acting. Not that she wouldn’t be able to convince people she liked Ray as more than a friend. That part came easy to her. But how was she supposed to act like a girlfriend when she had never been anyone’s girlfriend before? 

While waiting in the line to get into the restaurant, the first person to greet them was what looked like to Violet to be some washed up high school football star. “Ray, old pal!” He slapped Ray on the shoulder just a little too hard, making him flinch and rub the spot where he hit after. “Hey, no hard feelings about last time, right, old buddy? Just a bit of dark magic between old friends!”

“Hi, Alan.” Ray sounded mostly annoyed. 

“Yeah, I mean it was just like old times, right? Remember in high school when I used to steal your bike and not give it back to you for weeks at a time…”

“The last time, you never gave it back.”

“...Or that one time I moved that carjack in shop class while you were still under the car?”

“I had to get stitches.”

“Boys will be boys, right?” 

“That’s what the cops told me.”

“And who is this gorgeous creature?” Alan moved past Ray, sliding in between him and Violet in line and leaning against the wall in front of her. 

“This is Violet. Violet, this is Alan.”

“Alan Favish, Head Quarterback for the Morrisville High Eagles, Class of ‘76. So, he guilt tripped you into tagging along, did he?” He jerked his head towards Ray as if he wasn’t still standing right next to them and hearing all of this. “Well, It’s not a total loss. I can make sure you still have a good time…”

“Actually, I’m his girlfriend.”

Alan raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “You’re dating him? Ha! I guess I’m not the only one who’s using dark magic around here. What kind of love potion did you have to use to convince her to date you, huh, Ray? Must have been some powerful stuff!” 

Violet sneered.

“Hey, I’m just joking! Meet you inside, buddy!” Alan punched Ray in the forearm, again just a little too hard, as he left them in the line. 

The second person to approach them was an older gentleman in a rather loud suit and a sash that said “MAYOR” in big red letters. Violet wondered if he wore it all the time. “Roy Stantz!” He greeted Ray.

“It’s Ray… again…” Ray reminded him. 

“When I heard our hometown hero was coming back for the high school reunion, I had to come say hello! And I also heard a rumor that you were bringing a famous celebrity author…” He turned his full attention to Violet, ignoring that Ray looked ready to say something. “Violet Bellamy, I presume? I recognize you from all those magazine covers! I’d just like to tell you what an honor it is to have you in our little town!”

“Um, Thank you.” Violet said as the mayor grabbed her hand and shook it all too eagerly. 

“The town council would love to have you do a speech at the town hall, Miss Bellamy. Maybe take a few photos to put in the newspaper and hang on the walls of my office. How about the morning after the reunion?” 

“Uh… sure.” They were taking the train at noon the day after the reunion anyway. Although Violet kind of hated the way this guy brushed over Ray for her. She wouldn’t have been as successful as she was if it wasn’t for his expertise in the paranormal. And something about the way the people in this town treated him…

They finally made it inside, and after they got partway through their dinner, a pretty girl interrupted them, smiling wide as she pulled up a chair in between the two of them and faced Ray. “Ray, it’s so good to see you again!”

“Hi, Elaine.” Ray said.

“I’m so sorry I haven't called since the last time we saw each other. I know I said I would, but I’ve just been so busy fixing up the house I inherited that you messed up while you were trying to catch the ghosts that were haunting the place, and it just kinda slipped my mind until this reunion!” She said, upbeat.

“Oh, that’s okay, it’s only been… a few months.”

“I knew you’d understand! Hey, why don’t you come over tomorrow before the reunion and help me out? I remember you being real handy back in high school. I have a few walls that still need repairing, and some electrical work, and maybe a bit of the plumbing. I know it’s a lot, but you were such a good friend back in the day, I remember how you used to always jump start my old car whenever my boyfriend couldn’t because he was at basketball practice, even when it was raining out! So, what do you say?”

“Well, I kind of already had plans…”

She laid her hand on his arm and batted her eyelashes. “Please, Ray?”

Ray sighed. “Well, maybe I can swing by really quick and take a look at the place.”

“You’re so good to me, Ray! You know, I’ve still been reading all the newspaper articles with you in them. Your success has been very interesting to me.” She winked, and left without even acknowledging Violet. 

Ray shot her an apologetic look. “I’m sorry…” he whispered to her. 

Violet didn’t respond. In fact, she didn’t say much of anything until they were back in the room at the inn. But, then she just had to ask. “Why do you let these people treat you this way?”

Ray sighed. “I don’t know. Coming back here has always felt… wrong, somehow. High school was honestly the most difficult time of my life. When I moved here, my parents had just died, and I wasn’t getting along with my siblings, and I felt so small and helpless and alone. It wasn’t until I left for college in the big city that I stopped being so shy, and when I’m in this town again, I feel like that sad little teenager again.” 

“So, why do you come back?”

“Because, for some inexplicable reason, I feel like I have something to prove to these people. Like, no matter what I do, how successful I get, I’m always gonna be that weird kid who’s going nowhere in life to them! I know it’s pathetic, but I’ve felt that way ever since I left this town.”

“Ray…” Violet wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry these people make you feel that way. And I’m sorry I got upset with you. I didn’t know…”

Late that night, as Ray slept on the cot in the corner of the room, Violet slipped out of the bed and opened her suitcase. She dug through the clothes she had packed until she found the outfits Steffi had slipped into her suitcase, despite her protesting. She looked over at Ray, who was snoring lightly. She laid the outfit neatly on the top of the pile of clothes, and then shut it again.

-

Violet stepped out of the inn wearing a halter top romper in deep red with matching red chunky heels with an ankle strap. Her short brown hair fell in a perfect wave down to just below her jawline and was piled to one side. Her red lips curled into a smile when she saw Ray waiting for her outside. His mouth fell open when he saw her. She put her finger under his chin and shut his open mouth gently “C’mon, babe. Let’s go see a girl about a house.” He couldn’t help but stare at the way the thin silk fabric of her shorts wrapped around her curves as she walked ahead of him, leading him by the hand to the old mansion on the outskirts of town. 

As they walked down the street in the middle of town, every man who passed them turned their heads to stare at Violet as long as they could. Some literally stopped dead in their tracks when they spotted her. A couple teenagers walked up to them. “Hey, are you Violet Bellamy?”

“Yeah, I am!” Violet smiled.

“No way! I can’t believe it’s really you! I loved your last book. Scariest thing I’ve ever read, it gave me nightmares for days!”

“Thanks!” 

“Hey, could I, like, get your autograph?”

At the mansion, Violet wrapped herself around Ray as Elaine approached, taking his arm in hers while the other one rested on his chest. The other girl faltered in her gait as she took in the sight of Violet, before bringing herself the rest of the way down the dirt path. “Hi, Ray! Glad you could make it!” 

“Uh…” Ray’s voice shook. He forgot what exactly he was supposed to say in response, nor could he remember to take his eyes off of Violet as she rubbed the center of his chest in a slow, steady rhythm. “Yeah, sure, Elaine.” He finally squeaked out. Violet smiled at him, pleased with his response. 

She turned that smug smile to the shocked girl in front of them. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Violet Bellamy, Ray’s girlfriend.” The hand on his arm slid up to his shoulder as the hand on his chest reached out palm upwards.

“Uh… Hi.” Elaine shook hands briefly, still in disbelief. 

“Ray just came over to see the house, like he said he would last night at dinner. Right, baby?” Violet laid her red fingertips on Ray’s cheek. He swallowed hard. “Uh-huh.” He nodded.

She chuckled. “He is so sweet. It’s one of the things I love about him. Just like an angel, sent down from Heaven just for me…” Violet let her face get closer and closer to Ray’s as she spoke. She took one last look at Elaine’s dumbfounded face before closing the gap between her red lips and Ray’s, initiating their first kiss and her first ever kiss. She hoped it was really as simple as Steffi told her it was, wrapping her lips around Ray’s bottom lip, sucking a little, and moving them slowly against his. She hoped it looked enough like they had done this before, and more importantly, she hoped Ray was enjoying it. When she pulled away, the bright red blush in his cheeks and the blissful expression on his face told her he had, to her ecstatic delight. 

Satisfied, she turned to Elaine again. “Well, we said we’d look at the house.” She looked the house up and down. “You were right. It does need work. See you at the reunion!” She led Ray by the arm away from the house and away from its now fuming mad owner. 

“Violet…?” Ray started.

“What? I’m supposed to be your girlfriend, aren’t I?” She looked up at him. As gratifying as that was, she hoped he didn’t think she had gone too far. He closed his mouth again and only looked at her with sad, pleading eyes. “Are you alright, Ray?”

“I… it’s nothing.” 

-

They spent the rest of the day walking around Ray’s old neighborhood, going by his old house and all his favorite spots where he spent his free time. That night, they went to the high school gym for the reunion party. Violet was sitting at a table covered with a blue tablecloth and gold confetti, sipping on whiskey ginger Ray just brought her before excusing himself to use the restroom. Alan sat down next to Violet and placed his beer on the table. “Hey gorgeous. Do you wanna dance?”

Violet put her head in her hand. “I’d rather die.”

“C’mon, baby, what else are you gonna do? Sit around with Ray all night? I know I could show you a way better time.”

Violet blinked. Without a word, she picked up his beer with her free hand and poured it onto his crotch. She put the cup back on the table, and smiled slightly. 

Alan jumped up from the table. “You little tramp! Who do you think you are?” 

“Well, I’m not an ex-high school quarterback desperately trying to relive the glory days that are far behind me, that’s for sure.” 

“You think that’s funny?”

“I think it’s true. I think you’re pathetic. You’ve been handed everything you’ve ever gotten because of some stupid game, and now that you don’t have that to lean on anymore you’ve realized that you’re nothing but a waste of space, and your life is going nowhere. I think you’re half the man Ray is, and you always have been, and you always will be.” 

He grabbed her by the elbow and lifted her up from the table. “No one talks to me that way, you little-”

Ray came up from behind and ripped Alan’s hand away from Violet’s arm, spinning him to face him before punching him square in the face, knocking him unconscious. He fell to the floor with a loud thud that echoed through the gym, causing everyone to look. “Well, maybe someone should, Al. It’d be the first time anyone’s been honest with you.” He crossed over to Violet, taking her in his arms. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Ray.” She put her hands on his chest. “You were incredible.” She looked over at Alan lying face down on the floor. Ray looked up and saw that the entire gym full of people were now staring at the two of them. Violet kept her eyes on him as she continued. “Ray, you’re so wonderful. You’re sweet, you’re brilliant, you’re so brave, you always do what’s right, even when it’s difficult, even when it’s a detriment to you. I’m so lucky just to know you, to have someone like you in my life. I love you.” Violet wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into the crook of his neck. 

His face heated up, but his movements were stiff as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “Violet…?”

“Yes, Ray?”

“...Can we leave?”

“Yeah. Let’s leave.”

Ray had a strange, almost angry look on his face as he walked, faster than he normally did, with Violet to their room. For the first time since she had known him, she was almost afraid to ask him what was wrong. “Ray…?”

He didn’t respond. He sat on the bed, facing away from her.

“Did I do something wrong today?” 

He stood up. “You’ve been driving me crazy, all day…”

“I’m sorry. I might have laid it on a little too thick, I guess….”

“The way you look, and all the touching, and the compliments, and that kiss…”

“Ray, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable…”

“I want it to be real!” he whirled around to face Violet, tears in his eyes.

“You do?”

“I want it so bad! I’ve wanted you ever since the day we met, but today was just… I couldn’t stand it! I feel like I’ve been losing my mind all day! I need it to be real! I need to know, did you mean any of it?” 

“Ray…” Violet ran to him, wrapping him up tight in a hug. “Yes, sweetheart, I meant it. I meant all of it. You’re the most wonderful, amazing, incredible man in the whole world, and I’ve been madly in love with you from day one. You’re so far beyond anyone in this town, I couldn’t stand the way they treated you. I wanted them to see what I see in you. You deserve someone who adores you, worships you, who would never take you for granted or treat you like you’re beneath them. Ray, I want you to see that in yourself!” Violet kissed him on his lips. “I want you to realize how incredible you are, how much you mean to me!” She kept kissing him, on his cheeks, his nose, his jawline. “And I… I don’t want you to sleep on that cot tonight!” 

“Oh, Violet…” Ray wrapped his arms around her and gently guided her onto the bed, kissing her. 

-

Violet stepped out of the inn wearing a tight black knee-length dress with a square neckline, elbow-length sleeves, and a high slit up her left leg. Her brown hair was smoothed back, the tips just barely covering the top of her neck. She had left Ray lying in bed, still fast asleep. What she has to do this morning wouldn’t take long. She had a speech prepared that this town would never forget. 

When she walked into the crowded town hall, all conversation halted immediately. She stood behind the podium and surveyed the crowd, unsmiling. “Every single one of you is scum  compared to Ray Stantz. Even if he wasn’t a Ghostbuster. Even if he wasn’t famous. Even if he wasn’t anything even close to successful. He will always be twice the person any one of you are. And you’re all going to get what’s coming to you.”

Nobody could say anything. Even the ones that wanted to couldn’t seem to make their mouths move, no matter how hard they tried. “All of you will stay trapped in this town, like rats in a cage, and rot. He and I will have good fortune and happiness, and you will only have despair. I place a curse upon your town now.” She raised her hands, covered to the wrist in gloves of black silk, and whispered. “Acadiona Ludio Impbeo Angarum Noreabus.”

 She left the stage and walked through the silent crowd. She didn’t stop until she reached the room where Ray was just waking up. “I’m sorry I slept through your speech, honey. How did it go?” 

“I think it went very well. Let’s go home now, darling.”

[redroses07]

me

[promised-daisy]

Violet was then interrogated by Norman

[etheral-moon]

Post is from Pinterest not mine ౨ৎ Ghosts shouldn't be affected by the time change tho so maybe we're good.

[iloveacronix]

WHY DID NOBODY TELL ME ACRONIX X ULTRA VIOLET EXISTS??? AS ACRONIX'S #1 FOLLOWER I THINK I DESERVE TO KNOW EVERY SHIP HE IS INVOLVED IN.

[athena-theunicorn]

"I'm in the wind, you're in the water. Nobody's son, nobody's daughter" except its Link and Zelda. It's Percy and Annabeth. Its Sam's band of thieves. Its Celaena and Sam. It's Leo Valdez. It's Katniss and Peetah. It's Adrien Agreste. Its Tohru and Kyo. It's Violet Evergarden. It's the unclaimed kids at camp half-blood.

[selkiemaidenfae]

just finished the fourth wing and like... obviously it's amazing, but i feel very confused because i didn't actually like xaden that much?? like he's okay, i just feel like violet can do better.

like, you know, liam.

[ahslore]

lana winters x fem! reader

— To See That Day Once More

spot journalist! lana winters (word count: 444)

a/n: short lil story. I am not a great writer so beware.. (fic under cut) also me and lana have the last name are we soulmates??

“excuse me, can I get through here?” you hear from behind you, their voice slowly creeping towards you. you barely noticed with all of the other sounds around. there were reporters and photographers all around attempting to get a story out about the bloody face killer. you were specifically assigned this case along with a few other officers and you had finally had it all covered, and your suspect was defined “guilty” by the court. he was now being arrested and taken to briarcliff manor insane asylum where he would do the time, that according to the jury, fit the crime.

you peered over your shoulder to check and make sure that everyone around waiting to catch a story was far enough away from the detained man to avoid conflicts. you noticed a woman on your left holding a pen and a pad as all the other reporters around you had been. but there was much more to this woman than that. she seemed to catch your eye in the process which made a million thoughts race through your mind. she was wearing a mid blue skirt and a matching blazer. you couldn’t make out exactly what she was saying over all of the other journalists and camera crews. maybe it was that you were so focused on her deep brown piercing eyes and the way she spoke that you completely ignored every word. her voice was angelic and breathy. you could listen to her speak for hours and you’d still not quite be bored. she lowered her pen while tilting her head and furrowing her eyebrows slightly as if she were slightly confused by your gaze.

“lana winters” was all you managed to catch from her last sentence as she pushed past another reporter toward the front. “your observance made it clear that you’d like to know. that is my name” she said lightheartedly, following up her last statement. you continued your silent stare, and she extended her hand toward you. you offered her a half smile and accepted the handshake. “y/n, y/l/n” you replied. this was unfortunately the end of your short conversation, and the other officers urged you away from the scene shortly after the reporters had been.

you had another case to cover later after all. even after that day this conversation didn’t leave your mind, and all you could think of was ms winters and the way she looked at you that day. as the days went on, you hoped that on one of them you would be met with her gaze once more, but that day has yet to come.

- lyn w (8/11/24) Idek what this is tbh i got bored thought id write. heavily inspired by dewey and gale from scream (1996)

[fullscoreshenanigans]

Gilda 🤝 Norman 🤝 Ray 🤝 Violet

Emma Crush Club

[theselfshippingwitch]

Here's an amazing commission I got from @hanasinbloom!!! I also made it my icon bc i love it so much :3

[ray-sakura-art]

Ebi used Chilling Water to wake Colress up after he accidentally got kicked off the bed. He was not too happy about that.

[redroses07]

I need more moots!!

I’m gonna list some things I like, and you can follow if we have stuff in common!

Like this post and follow and I’ll moot you!!

♡ American Horror Story

♡ Teen Wolf

♡ Johnnie Guilbert

♡ Star Wars

♡ Agents Of Shield

♡ Supernatural

♡ Taylor Swift

♡ Girlblogging

♡ Nu-Metal

♡ 80s/90s rock

♡ Stranger Things

♡ Writing

♡ Lana Del Ray

Masterlist linked here!!

Evan Peters, Dylan O’brien, and Finn Wolfhard are my husbands

Messages are always open if you need to talk <3

DNI list

- Racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism and any of the other isms will not be tolerated.

- Pro ED blogs, I know that’s popular on this app but I do not agree with people who support that.

- P3dophelia

- Proshippers

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Figure 4.4 shows that the visible spectrum covers the wavelength range from about 380 nm (violet) to 780 nm (red). (...) When electrons are forced to travel in a circular orbit at speeds approaching the speed of light, they emit radiation in the form of photons at various wavelengths, ranging from infrared to hard X-rays (wavelengths of 10^-6 to 10^-11 m, respectively, see figure 4.4).

"Chemistry" 2e - Blackman, A., Bottle, S., Schmid, S., Mocerino, M., Wille, U.

[etheral-moon]

[yandere-writer-momo]

1/2 10k follower special. I just wanted to treat all of you to a taste of what I may or may not continue.

Yandere Batman Shorts: Torn Between Two

Yandere Jason Todd x Fem Reader x Yandere Dick Grayson

TW: light yandere

Jason’s fingers ghosted over the scarred flesh of his face as a low sigh escaped his lips. Why wasn’t (your name) here today? She always swung by at five in the afternoon with a freshly made meal. Right before the sun began to blink its tired eyes and settle in the horizon for the night.

Yet it was now dusk. The pink and orange hues have long faded into violet blankets of color in the sky and the crickets began to create their serenades in the smoggy Gotham air.

Jason knew he often pushed her away, he just wished to keep her safe was all… he didn’t live a very safe or stable life. He was constantly in a deadly dance with danger. He never knew if she’d be swept up in the arms of his enemies and swallowed whole…

Yet his prickly mannerisms didn’t equate to him not caring for her. Jason did care! He just had never been taught how to show it. He’s never felt love all his life, how could he return the warm feelings she made bloom in his chest like the first flowers of spring?

Jason kept watch throughout the night, just in case she’d appear. He didn’t want to miss (your name) for the world…

He would give her two days. If she didn’t come before then, then he’d pursue her.

.

.

.

Dick felt his heart break as (your name) softly cried in his chest. His arms wrapped firmly around her as his fingers ran shapeless, yet soothing, patterns on her back.

“Shh. It’s okay…” He whispered in her ear as she shed a few more tears. Dick had no idea who this man was, but he wanted to beat the snot out of him.

Dick has had a crush on her for years and yet she began to crush on some delinquent? When he was right there?! It wasn’t fair!

(Your name) had been there for him through every failed romantic endeavor he ever had. She always picked him up and wiped away his tears with her thumbs. And somewhere along the way, he fell utterly, and hopelessly in love with her.

She was a perfect woman in his eyes. She was patient, kind, and filled with as much warmth as the first ray of sun in spring. Yet some random man in Gotham was making her cry like this? Unbelievable! How could anyone make her cry and live with themselves?! If he was the man who held her heart, he would cherish her and love her like the princess she was.

“I’m sorry, Dick. I didn’t mean to get your shirt all wet.” Dick didn’t care about the shirt, he would preserve it after this in his collection. He cared more about why she was crying and he wanted to know who made her cry.

“Don’t apologize for this. It barely fits me anyways.” He flexed his bicep which made (your name) explode in a fit of giggles. A big grin spread on his face from her reaction. There she was, there was his happy girl.

(Your name) covered her mouth to try to stop the giggles from their escape as he made his pecs dance for her. “Stop that, you’re so goofy.”

“But you’re smiling, aren’t you? You’re so much prettier when you smile.”

(Your name) rested her head on Dick’s chest as his heart thrummed like a snare drum. Her cheeks rosy from the small fit of laughter he had drawn out from her.

If only the desires of the heart were as simple as breathing… otherwise she would have yearned for a fairytale prince like Dick.

Yet she couldn’t help but be drawn like a moth to a flame to Jason’s story instead.

Jason’s jet black hair with the white streak in the front reminded her of a tuxedo cat at times. Yet he had the prickly mannerisms of a cantankerous stray… a true alley cat.

Jason Todd was a man with physical and mental scars that dug deep into his very soul, he had trauma (your name) could never hope to understand. He had a painful existence, and yet she wished to be a soothing balm to his constant torment.

(Your name) knew he was terrified of vulnerability. Yet she couldn’t help but desire to be the one to get him to open up. To take that violent stray into her warm arms and pepper his head with kisses.

Yet she needed to be patient… she needed to let him come to her this time. And she would give him that space. The final nudge to get him to enter solace for the first time in decades.

(Your name) smiled up at Dick who kissed the crown of her head. He was always so sweet… like a Labrador retriever.

While Jason was apprehensive yet forlorn, Dick was friendly and affectionate. (Your name) had no doubt that Dick would violently wag his tail if he had one. He was such a loving man… she often felt like an awful person whenever he’d comfort all her frustrations away.

“Thank you, Dick. I feel better.” She smiled warmly at her best friend.

(Your name) wasn’t aware that these two men were brothers nor did she know of the frayed and fragile bond they had.

Both Jason and Dick would now stop at nothing to have her to themselves. She was torn between the two in a dangerous game of tug-o-war.

[angelseraphines]

ೃ⁀➷ you can be the boss ˗ˏˋ꒰ 🦢 ꒱

╰┈➤ boss!cho sang-woo x employee!reader imagine

a/n: i would like to give a special thank you to @lumillsie for the layout of this post and for the filter used on the header!

˚ ༘♡ you had started working at joy investments a few months ago, a job you knew from the beginning you weren’t particularly suited for. numbers, spreadsheets, and statistical analysis felt foreign to you, but the evening hours worked well enough while you attended university. the pay was sufficient, and the promise of experience at such a reputable firm was worth the initial discomfort.

˚ ༘♡ getting hired had been a grueling process. three separate visits. a preliminary interview, where they assessed your general competence, followed by a secondary round that tested your ability to handle pressure. the final round had been the most nerve-wracking, a panel interview that felt as though they were peeling back layers of your personality, searching for weaknesses. when you were finally offered the position of secretary in the business investment sector, you accepted without hesitation. the role was simple, answer phones, manage the endless cascade of paperwork, coordinate schedules, and ensure the office ran like a well-oiled machine. simple, but draining.

˚ ༘♡ your department was overseen by cho sang-woo, an investment banker with a reputation that preceded him. you met him on your first day. he was tall, with sharp features softened only by the polished glasses perched on his nose. his ironed grey suit fit him perfectly, a testament to his meticulous nature. he was polite but distant, his words clipped as he showed you to your workspace. his focus shifted elsewhere as quickly as he arrived, consumed by the weight of responsibilities you could only guess at. despite his calm demeanor, there was something captivating about him, his quiet authority, the precision in how he carried himself, the faint traces of fatigue that made him seem more human.

˚ ༘♡ the first few weeks were suffocatingly mundane. you answered endless phone calls, most from irate clients demanding updates on investments you barely understood. your inbox overflowed with documents needing filing, scanning, or distributing. appointments had to be coordinated, schedules revised, and egos soothed. it was work that tested your patience, and yet, you did it without complaint. mr. cho rarely spoke to you beyond pleasantries, his days swallowed by meetings, late-night calculations, and hushed phone calls.

˚ ༘♡ on the rare occasions you stayed late, you noticed he often did too, seated at his desk with his tie loosened and sleeves rolled up, poring over spreadsheets or fielding yet another call. it became an unspoken routine for you to bring him coffee when you saw the office lights still on. he would glance up from his work, his glasses reflecting the faint glow of his computer screen, and offer a quiet, “thank you.” it wasn’t much, but something about those brief exchanges stayed with you during the long walks back to your desolate apartment.

˚ ༘♡ perhaps it was the contrast, how someone so stoic and seemingly untouchable could look so worn under the harsh fluorescent lights. or maybe it was the way he always acknowledged you, even in his busiest moments. either way, his presence made the monotony of the job feel a little less stifling.

˚ ༘♡ one evening, long after most employees had gone home, the office was quiet, the buzz of the city outside muffled by thick glass walls. the sky outside was smeared with hues of deep blue and violet, a harbinger of nightfall. after hours spent rearranging meetings, your eyes burned, and the air inside felt stale. you decided to step out for a moment, seeking the cool relief of the evening breeze.

˚ ༘♡ you pushed open the back door of the building and paused. mr. cho was there, leaning casually against the wall, a cigarette dangling between his fingers. wisps of smoke coiled lazily around him, catching the last rays of light. he looked… wretched. the angular lines of his face made obscure by an expression you couldn’t quite place. the glassy sheen in his dark eyes hinted at something far away, something melancholic.

˚ ༘♡ “i’m sorry,” you murmured, startled. “i didn’t mean to interrupt. i’ll leave you to it.”

˚ ༘♡ he turned his head slowly, shaking it. “no need. stay. i don’t mind.”

˚ ༘♡ his voice was steady, unhurried, like the rest of him. you hesitated, then let the door fall shut behind you. descending the short staircase, you stood a few paces from him. the city sounds, car horns, the hum of distant chatter, filled the silence between you.

˚ ༘♡ without a word, he took out a cigarette and held it toward you. surprised, you accepted, pressing it between your lips. he struck the lighter with a practiced flick, the small flame reflecting briefly in his eyes. leaning in, you felt the scathing heat as the cigarette caught.

˚ ༘♡ “you’re new here, aren’t you?” he asked after a moment, exhaling smoke that curled and dissipated into the night air.

˚ ༘♡ you nodded, drawing in your first hesitant puff. “yes, sir. i have been working at joy investments for about four months now.”

˚ ༘♡ “hmm.” he studied you, his gaze intent but not unkind. “interesting. some of the secretaries here have been around for years, yet you do a better job than most of them.”

˚ ༘♡ his words struck you, unexpected and disarming. “thank you, mr. cho. i try to do my best,” you said softly, your voice almost lost in the city’s backdrop.

˚ ༘♡ you stood there together, the silence stretching long but never uncomfortable. you flicked the ash from your cigarette, watching the tiny embers fall and scatter on the ground. eventually, you put it out against the metal railing and tossed it into a nearby storm drain. mr. cho didn’t move, still leaning against the wall, staring into the distance as you murmured a polite goodnight and slipped back inside.

˚ ༘♡ later, when your shift ended, you gathered your coat and scarf, bracing yourself for the cold walk home. you were buttoning your coat when you spotted mr. cho by the lobby doors, speaking with another member of his team. his presence was magnetic, even in passing.

˚ ༘♡ what surprised you was how he excused himself mid-conversation, turning to approach you.

˚ ༘♡ “are you walking home?” he asked, his tone more direct now. “it’s late, not exactly safe out.”

˚ ༘♡ you mulled over the proposition, your fingers tightening on your scarf. “i don’t mind the walk. it’s peaceful at night. i live in eunpyeong-gu, not too far from here.”

˚ ༘♡ he frowned slightly. “eunpyeong-gu?” he repeated, as though thinking over the distance. “i’m heading to ssangmun-dong. it’s on the way. let me drive you.”

˚ ༘♡ his words were more command than offer, but there was a warmth beneath them. he retrieved his keys from his blazer pocket, the metallic jingle cutting through the stillness.

˚ ༘♡ you nodded, accepting his generous offer graciously. “thank you, sir. i’d appreciate that.”

˚ ༘♡ his car was sleek and black, understated but undeniably expensive. he opened the passenger door for you without a word, the leather seats felt comfortable against your skin, and the faint scent of cologne and tobacco drifting in the air.

˚ ༘♡ the drive was quiet. the city lights of seoul blurred into long streaks through the tinted windows, and for that passage of time, the world outside felt far away. mr. cho said little, his hands steady on the wheel, his dark eyes fixed on the asphalt road ahead.

˚ ༘♡ when he pulled up to your building, he shifted the car into park but kept the engine idling. his eyes flicked to you, dark and unreadable, his usual composure fraying at the edges. “get home safely,” he said, his voice quieter than it had been all evening.

˚ ༘♡ you paused, your hand on the door handle, the chill of the outside air seeping in through the crack you’d opened. the thought of leaving the car, of letting the night end like this, made your heart ache. before you could think twice, the words slipped out. “would you like to come inside for tea? i was planning to brew some.”

˚ ༘♡ his brow lifted slightly, the slightest sliver of surprise crossing his features. he considered your offer for a while, he said nothing, merely staring ahead at the dashboard as if he was working through some internal debate. finally, he exhaled. “tea would be nice,” he murmured, more to himself than to you.

˚ ༘♡ you led him up the narrow staircase to your apartment, the silence between you thick but not awkward. the soft hum of the building’s fluorescent lights filled the lounge area, and you could feel the subtle feeling of his presence behind you. when you unlocked the door and stepped inside, the herbal scent of lavender from an old diffuser greeted you. the space was modest, organized but lived-in, with books stacked haphazardly on a coffee table and a blanket draped over the couch.

˚ ༘♡ “make yourself comfortable,” you said, slipping off your coat and setting it over a chair. he stood just inside the doorway, his tall frame almost too large for the small entryway, his hands shoved into his pockets like he wasn’t sure what to do with them.

˚ ༘♡ “you have a nice place,” he said after a beat, his voice tender but strained.

˚ ༘♡ you offered a small smile, glancing over your shoulder as you moved toward the kitchen. but you didn’t make it there.

˚ ༘♡ when you turned back, he was closer, standing in the dim light of your apartment like he wasn’t entirely sure why he’d followed you in. his eyes caught yours, and the short space between you felt like it dissolved in an instant. neither of you spoke, but the air was charged, something unsaid yet painfully understood passing between you.

˚ ༘♡ his hand reached out first, tentative, brushing against your arm as if testing the waters. when you didn’t move away, his grip tightened, and suddenly his mouth was on yours, fierce and urgent, like he’d been holding back for far too long. the scent of him, tobacco, something woodsy, filled your senses, and your hands moved instinctively, fingers digging into the fabric of his wool blazer.

˚ ༘♡ your back hit the wall softly, and then his hands were at your waist, his body pressed against yours with an intensity that made your breath hitch. it wasn’t careful, and it wasn’t slow, it was messy, a tangle of mouths and hands, you were two people trying to lose themselves in each other for just a little while.

˚ ༘♡ you barely registered how you ended up in your bedroom, your coat and his blazer discarded somewhere along the way. the dim light from the streetlamp outside spilled through the curtains, casting long shadows across the room. the bed was warm, and so was he, but there was an ache beneath it all, an edge of something desperate and passionate.

˚ ༘♡ when you woke the next morning, the light was harsh, spilling through the cracks in the curtains and illuminating the reality of the night before. you stirred first, the weight of him beside you a reminder of everything that had happened in that heated entanglement.

˚ ༘♡ he was awake, lying on his back with an arm draped over his face. his dress shirt was wrinkled, and his tie hung loose around his neck, half-forgotten. there was a tension in his posture, his hands clenched into fists, his lips pressed into a thin line.

˚ ༘♡ “i should go,” he said finally, his voice hoarse, hardly above a whisper. he didn’t look at you as he lifted himself over the edge of the bed, sitting there for a minute, trying to mentally gather the strength to move.

˚ ༘♡ you watched him, your heart sinking deeper with every passing second. “you don’t have to go,” you said delicately, your voice barely above a whisper. you reached out, your fingers brushing against his shoulder, hoping to mend this disaster in a pathetic gesture of affection.

˚ ༘♡ he tensed under your touch but didn’t pull away. “this shouldn’t have happened,” sang-woo muttered, his voice thick with self-reproach. “i’m your superior. i’m over twice your age…” his words trembled as he exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his black hair. the carefully calm demeanor he usually wore at the office was ebbing away, slipping through the gaps. “fuck, where are my glasses?”

˚ ༘♡ his frustration wasn’t directed at you, but it stung all the same. his gaze swept the room until he found them, the frames haphazardly thrown to the floor. he bent down to retrieve them, clutching them tightly in his hand.

˚ ༘♡ standing upright, he looked at you for the first time since he spoke, his expression torn with anguish. “i’m sorry,” he said, and for once, the words that left his lips sounded unpracticed, raw and genuine. “i shouldn’t have done this. i shouldn’t have taken advantage of my position over you.”

˚ ༘♡ you stayed where you were, the blankets tangled around you, half-dressed and vulnerable. his words landed like small cuts, brutal and wounding. “if this is your way of saying it’s the first and last time, just say that,” you said, despite the hurt bled through. “don’t hide behind excuses.”

˚ ༘♡ his eyes glistened with something, regret, guilt, or maybe even longing. “no,” he said, stepping closer, hesitant but determined. his hands reached for your face, his touch warm and grounding. “of course i would love to see you again, but how can we? i’m your boss. you work for me. it’s an abuse of power, and if anyone found out, we’d both be ruined. management at joy investments wouldn’t hesitate to fire us for violating corporate policy.”

˚ ༘♡ “then we keep it a secret,” you replied, your voice laced with desire, your gaze locked with his.

˚ ༘♡ sang-woo let out a dry, humorless laugh, shaking his head slightly. “you think i wouldn’t want that? you think i wouldn’t want to steal moments with you, even if no one could ever know?” his voice dipped lower, almost a plea. “but pretending not to care about you when we’re in public, keeping my distance, watching you from across the room as if you don’t mean more to me than anyone else…” he broke off, rubbing his temple. “it would drive me insane.”

˚ ༘♡ “weren’t you already doing that?” you said, a small grin tugging at the corner of your lips.

˚ ༘♡ he blinked, then chuckled lightly despite himself. “i was maintaining professional boundaries,” he admitted, though the words sounded hollow now. he slipped off his glasses, polishing the lenses absently with the edge of his sleeve. “boundaries i’ve crossed in every possible way last night.”

˚ ༘♡ he paused, his gaze returning to yours, weaker now. “so maybe you’re right,” he added, his lips curving into a wry, self-deprecating smile. “what’s left now for us to ruin?”

˚ ༘♡ the affair continued in shadows, a secret tether binding the two of you as the world moved obliviously around it. at work, everything appeared as it always had, professional, restrained, unassuming. he never lingered too long at your desk, never glanced your way for more than a few fleeting seconds. if anyone noticed anything amiss, they never said a word. yet, behind closed doors, the charade unraveled.

˚ ༘♡ sang-woo would text late at night, asking to see you, his messages never too explicit but unmistakable in their intent. you would find yourself in his car again or at a hotel just out of town, places chosen carefully to avoid recognition. in those moments, he was different, a vulnerable man. his hands would hold you like he couldn’t bear to let go, his lips pressing against yours with a hunger that belied the restraint he showed the rest of the world.

˚ ༘♡ but even as his touch ignited you, doubts began to creep in. at first, they were small, quiet things, easily dismissed when he whispered your name like it was the only word he cared to know. yet over time, the flaws became unfathomable to ignore.

˚ ༘♡ you started to notice how he never stayed too long after. he always had somewhere to be, an early meeting, an obligation with colleagues, an excuse that left you alone in bed, staring at the ceiling. at work, he was cordial but cold, his focus fixed on maintaining appearances.

˚ ༘♡ “we have to be cautious,” he’d say, his tone firm but not unkind. “you know how people talk. one rumor and it’s over for both of us.”

˚ ༘♡ you nodded each time, swallowing your sorrow, pretending it didn’t sting. but it did. the secrecy, the pretending, the constant tug-of-war between what you wanted and what you could have, it wore on you.

˚ ༘♡ weeks turned into months, and though the moments you shared with him were still intense, they began to feel hollow. you weren’t just hiding from the world; you were hiding from yourself.

˚ ༘♡ you started to wonder what you were to him. not a girlfriend, he never called you that. not a partner, because partners didn’t live in secrecy. what was the point of loving someone who couldn’t even say your name without glancing over his shoulder first?

˚ ༘♡ you confronted him one evening, the words spilling out before you could stop them. “what are we doing? what am i to you?”

˚ ༘♡ he froze, the usual calm, calculated expression gone. “you’re everything to me,” he said finally, but the words felt too rehearsed, too easy.

˚ ༘♡ “then why does it feel like i’m nothing?” you asked, your voice cracking.

˚ ༘♡ he rubbed the back of his neck, pacing the room like a man trapped. “it’s not that simple. my position, my reputation, it’s all i have, sweetheart. if people knew about us, it would ruin everything i’ve worked for.”

˚ ༘♡ “and what about me?” you shot back, the heat rising in your chest. “do you think this doesn’t ruin me? hiding, pretending, giving everything to you and getting scraps in return?”

˚ ༘♡ his shoulders slumped, and for a second, you saw something raw in his eyes. “i love you,” he said, and you believed him. but love wasn’t enough, not like this.

˚ ༘♡ “then prove it,” you said bitterly, your voice shaking.

˚ ༘♡ he didn’t answer, and the lack of answer spoke louder than any explanation could. he was a man desperate for respect, for the image he’d spent years crafting and perfecting. and you were an unfortunate deficiency in the foundation, a risk he wasn’t brave enough to take.

˚ ༘♡ as you stood there, the existence of your situation all settled on your shoulders. you realized you were giving pieces of yourself away to someone who could never give you the same in return. and for the first time, you weren’t sure if you could keep doing it.

˚ ༘♡ he reached for you, his touch hesitant, but you stepped back. “sang-woo, i can’t continue being your secret,” you whispered, your voice breaking. “i deserve more than that.”

˚ ༘♡ he didn’t stop you when you left, and that, more than anything, told you everything you needed to know.

˚ ༘♡ he spent the next few weeks trying, in every way he knew how, to reach you. his texts came first, short, imploring messages that grew more desperate with each passing day.

˚ ༘♡ you never responded, deleting them as soon as they appeared. then came the emails, written in his typically formal tone but laced with an underlying urgency that bordered on uncharacteristic. he didn’t beg, but the underlying message was clear, he was losing his sanity over you.

˚ ༘♡ at work, sang-woo started appearing in places he never had reason to be, near your desk, by the break room, even in hallways he had no meetings to attend. every time, his eyes would search for yours, pleading silently for something, acknowledgment, forgiveness, anything to mend the chasm that had opened between you. but you refused to meet his gaze, your resolve hardening even as your heart ached.

˚ ༘♡ eventually, he stopped. no more texts, no more emails, no more waiting outside your office. it was as if he’d resigned himself to your silence, as though he understood you had no intention of reopening the door he’d closed with his hesitation.

˚ ༘♡ but not at heart.

˚ ༘♡ you saw it in the way he carried himself now, his body tensed, his stride slower, his face devoid of the quiet confidence he used to exude. in meetings, he seemed distracted, his eyes landing on you only to dart away when he thought someone might notice.

˚ ༘♡ when you passed each other in the corridors, the pain in his expression was unmistakable. he didn’t try to speak to you anymore, but the way he looked at you, like you were something he’d lost and could never reclaim, was worse than any words he could have said. it was agony, for both of you, and you felt it every time.

˚ ༘♡ you told yourself this was for the best, that you couldn’t live your life tied to someone who wouldn’t fully claim you. you told yourself that his claims of love wasn’t enough when it was buried beneath secrecy and shame. but those rationalizations didn’t stop the hollow ache in your chest every time you caught his reflection in the glass of the office windows or saw his hands fidgeting during a presentation.

˚ ༘♡ he wasn’t just grieving the loss of you, he was punishing himself for it. you saw it in the way he avoided the employee lounge now, where you might be, the way he no longer stayed late after work, perhaps because the silence reminded him of what had once been. he was a man unraveling in slow motion, and though it hurt to watch, you knew you couldn’t be the one to put him back together.

˚ ༘♡ you told yourself you couldn’t think of him forever. and yet, in the quiet hours of the night, when you lay awake in your empty apartment, you found yourself wondering if he was awake too, staring at the ceiling, trying to forget you the way you were trying to forget him.

˚ ༘♡ when he suddenly stopped showing up one day, you told yourself it didn’t matter. you’d spent weeks distancing yourself from him, building walls to protect the fragile peace you were trying to restore in your life. his absence should have been a relief. you should’ve been grateful for the quiet. but instead, it gnawed at you.

˚ ༘♡ you reasoned he might have taken a business trip or been sent to a conference. yet, as the days stretched into weeks, the silence surrounding his disappearance became impossible to ignore. whispers began to circulate in the office, snippets of overheard conversations that sounded too wild to believe.

˚ ༘♡ “forgery,” someone murmured near the coffee machine. “embezzlement,” said another, their tone tinged with disbelief. “siphoning client funds, can you imagine? what an idiot.”

˚ ༘♡ you dismissed it at first, refusing to entertain the thought. rumors spread like wildfire in the corporate world, often fueled by jealousy or boredom. but the uneasy feeling in your chest wouldn’t leave.

˚ ༘♡ unable to bear the uncertainty any longer, you sought out the manager of all investing departments, a stern man known for his no-nonsense approach. he seemed surprised when you asked about cho sang-woo but didn’t wait to provide an answer.

˚ ༘♡ “it’s true,” he said bluntly. “he siphoned money from client accounts to fund personal investments, stocks, futures, the works. lost every cent. he’s disappeared now. hasn’t answered calls or emails. if he shows up again, he’ll be fired on the spot and handed over to the authorities unless he reimburses the clients in full. but, between you and me, i doubt he has the means.”

˚ ༘♡ you stood there, numb, the significance of all that occurred with you ignorant to it all pressing down on your chest. sang-woo, austere, professional, and fiercely intelligent, had done this? the man you thought you knew, who always carried himself with precision and dignity, had thrown everything away on a gamble?

˚ ༘♡ you wanted to be angry, furious that he could have made such reckless choices. but instead, all you felt was an overwhelming wave of worry. where was he now? what was he doing? was he even safe?

˚ ༘♡ you couldn’t stop yourself. you called his number, your fingers quivering as you pressed the digits. it rang and rang, only to cut off. no voicemail. you texted him, pleading for an answer, any sign that he was okay. nothing.

˚ ༘♡ the lack of response was unbearable, so you did the only thing you could think of, you went to his neighborhood. it was an impulsive decision, driven by a pitiful dismay you couldn’t suppress.

˚ ༘♡ you arrived late in the evening, the streets quiet under the dim glow of streetlights. his building loomed ahead, its windows dark and uninviting. you buzzed his unit at the entrance, your heart pounding in your chest.

˚ ༘♡ no response.

˚ ༘♡ you buzzed again, and again, your desperation mounting with each unanswered call. finally, an older tenant passing by offered to let you in, probably mistaking your apprehension for something more passive. you murmured your thanks and slipped inside, the air in the stairwell gloomy and stale.

˚ ༘♡ you reached his door and knocked, the sound echoing in the stillness. “sang-woo?” you called out, your voice exhausted. “are you in there?”

˚ ༘♡ nothing.

˚ ༘♡ pressing your ear to the door, you strained to hear any sign of life, a shuffle, a breath, anything. but the apartment was silent, as if no one had been there for days.

˚ ༘♡ a burdened pang pierced at your chest, and you leaned against the doorframe, fighting the rising surge of fear. what had happened to him? where could he have gone?

˚ ༘♡ you tried to tell yourself he’d resurface eventually, that this wasn’t your responsibility, but it was a hollow comfort. the man you’d loved, the man you may still love, was out there somewhere and you couldn’t bring yourself to let go.

˚ ༘♡ you stayed at the door longer than you should have, staring at the splintered wood as though it might suddenly yield. but it didn’t, and you left with a growing sense of unease. it wasn’t until you stepped onto the street, cold air biting your cheeks, that you caught sight of him.

˚ ༘♡ he was farther down the block, walking briskly, his head low, his shoulders hunched against the evening chill. his clothes were rumpled, his actions were quick and uneasy, like he was trying to outrun something. you stood still, watching him for a few minutes before instinct kicked in.

˚ ༘♡ you followed him at a distance, your heart pounding harder with every step. he didn’t notice you as he turned a corner, heading toward a dingy motel that sat on the edge of the neighborhood. the neon sign buzzed faintly, flickering erratically, casting a sickly green glow on the pavement.

˚ ༘♡ he disappeared inside, and you hesitated for a moment before pushing through the door. the motel’s lobby smelled of stale cigarettes and mildew, its yellowed walls decorated with faded prints of generic landscapes. you saw him again, down the narrow hallway, his motions slower now as he unlocked a door and slipped inside.

˚ ༘♡ you followed, your pulse a chaotic drumbeat in your ears. when you reached the door, you knocked, first lightly, then harder. no response.

˚ ༘♡ “sang-woo,” you called, your voice low but steady. “it’s me. open the door.”

˚ ༘♡ nothing.

˚ ༘♡ your hand hovered over the handle, and when you pressed down, it gave way. the door creaked open, revealing the dim, suffocating space beyond.

˚ ༘♡ the room was barely lit, a single bulb flashing weakly overhead. clothes were draped haphazardly over the back of a chair, and an empty bottle sat tipped over on the nightstand. the air was thick, the scent of alcohol and something that reeked of chemicals clinging to every surface.

˚ ༘♡ then you saw him.

˚ ༘♡ he was in the bathroom, the door half-open, slumped in the narrow, grimy tub. the water was filled to the brim, cloudy and tinged with a faint, sickly hue. an empty soju bottle dangled from his hand, his head tilted back against the tiles. his shirt was half unbuttoned, clinging damply to his skin, his face pale and weary.

˚ ༘♡ you couldn’t move. your breath caught in your throat as you took in what was haopening, the torment of the painful scene before you hitting you all at once.

˚ ༘♡ “sang-woo,” you said, stepping into the bathroom, your voice horrified. “what the hell are you doing?”

˚ ༘♡ his head turned slightly, his gaze unfocused but intense enough to bore into you. his lips twisted into something that might have been a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “what does it look like?” he muttered, his voice slurred and thick.

˚ ༘♡ you crouched beside the tub, grabbing the glass bottle from his hand and setting it aside. “you’re out of your mind,” you said, your tone hard but trembling beneath the surface. “is this your plan? to drown yourself in this… this mess?”

˚ ༘♡ he chuckled, the sound brittle and malicious. “it’s not a plan,” he said. “it’s… it’s only easier. don’t you understand? everything’s gone. the money, the clients, the respect. i lost it all. so what’s the point?”

˚ ༘♡ you wanted to shake him, to drag him out of the water and back into the real world. instead, you stayed where you were, staring at the man who seemed so far removed from the one you thought you knew.

˚ ༘♡ “you think this fixes anything?” you murmured. “you think disappearing into this terrible motel will make it all go away?”

˚ ༘♡ he didn’t respond, just let his eyes drift to the chipped ceiling.

˚ ༘♡ you stood, your hands quivering as you turned off the faucet and grabbed a towel, tossing it at him. “get out of the tub,” you said, your tone leaving no room for argument. “dry off. sober up. and then figure out what the hell you’re going to do. because this?” you gestured around the room, your frustration emerging. “this isn’t an answer. it’s pathetic.”

˚ ༘♡ he flinched at the word, but he slowly began to sit up, the water sloshing over the edge of the tub. droplets clung to his skin, and his movements were sluggish, like he was dragging himself through quicksand. you didn’t offer to help, stepping back instead, arms crossed as the sound of water dripping onto the marble tiled floor.

˚ ༘♡ “oh my gosh, get yourself together,” you muttered, yet you sounded as if you were on the verge of tears.

˚ ༘♡ he didn’t respond, just sat there for a moment, his shoulders slumped, his hair plastered to his forehead. eventually, he grabbed the towel, wrapping it loosely around himself as he climbed out of the tub.

˚ ༘♡ the atmosphere was suffocating, dense with unspoken words and unacknowledged fear. he walked past you without meeting your eyes, water pooling on the floor with every step.

˚ ༘♡ then came the knock.

˚ ༘♡ it wasn’t loud or insistent, only a single, deliberate tap against the door. your eyes snapping toward the sound. for an agonizing instance, neither of you dared to act, the atmosphere shifting into something more solemn, something grave.

˚ ༘♡ “who is that?” you asked, your voice unstable.

˚ ༘♡ he didn’t answer, but his brow lowered, his unease evident. he took an unstable step toward the door, but before he could reach it, a card slid through the slit beneath.

˚ ༘♡ the stark white rectangle lay on the worn carpet, the edges crisp, as though it had been placed with care. you moved first, bending to pick it up, your fingers skimming the surface.

˚ ༘♡ when you flipped it over, you saw on one side there was a simplistic, unsettling design, a circle, a triangle, and a square, printed in bold black ink. the shapes were clean, symmetrical, and yet somehow they carried a dreadful presence.

˚ ༘♡ you turned the card over, the other side detailed a date, stating the twenty-third of june, and a location, which only stated it being as the same one was before, leaving you bewildered beyond comprehension.

˚ ༘♡ “what is it?” he asked, his voice rough, ridden with something between interest and dread.

˚ ༘♡ you held the thin piece of paper out to him, letting him take it from your hands. his expression darkened as he studied it, his fingers constricting around the card.

˚ ༘♡ neither of you spoke. the silence was unbearable, the air electric with implicit perplexity and the creeping realization that whatever this card was, it wasn’t random.

a/n: a little longer than my other works, please let me know your thoughts and if you would like me to turn this into a series. part three of the professor cho-sang woo series is also coming soon!! 🤍