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badomensbaby · 5 months

Text

rules of the road. lrh

pairing: luke hemmings x fem!reader

summary: finally getting your driver's license after moving to the big city for college, you're a bit stunned by your dorky, charming driving instructor.

warnings: 18+ only. minors DNI. flirting/flustering, protected smut, praise kink, mommy kink, car sex, safe sane and consensual, explicit sexual content. (driving instructor! luke, racecar driver! luke)

words: 6,307

a/n: one beautiful evening, as i was driving home with a frosty from wendy's balanced in my lap, i saw a student driver vehicle and i was like! hm! what if... and then this kind of happened. i tried to keep a keen eye while editing but if there's an error, feel free to let me know! <3

feedback and constructive criticism welcome. requests are open!

You weren't a typically nervous person.

Growing up in a town where you practically had to just figure it out on your own, nothing really got under your skin. Not tractor maintenance nor harvest schedules, or that nasty little wasp's nest in the cattle barn in the spring.

But tests, those were a different story.

From college entrance exams to applying for your driver's license, those were the types of tests that made your heart race and your palms clam up. Because it was the unknown that bothered you so much. The unfamiliarity.

And, sprinkle in the fact that you'd left the family farm to pursue a college degree into the mix and every worry's been increased tenfold. As the baby of the family, first daughter behind a handful of rowdy, hard-working boys, being the first of your household to attend college was a serious milestone. You could only hope to make your parents and siblings proud.

But moving to the big city meant learning to drive. Well, legally. You've spent countless hours in your father's farm truck or your grandfather's tractor, you weren't necessarily inexperienced when it came to driving but you've never really been surrounded by other drivers. Just gravel roads and grassy two-tracks and your bothers dirt bikes.

The initial exam, a knowledge test about road signs and rules, wasn't too bad. They'd given you a practice test and a helpful guide booklet when you'd arrived at your appointment. It felt odd, being just barely twenty years old and taking a driver knowledge exam alongside kids barely pushing sixteen. You felt behind but it wasn't your fault.

Nerves didn't erupt in your stomach until the kind lady in the Secretary of State's office informed you that you'd be taking an on-road driver skills test. An instructor will watch you, quiz you, and grade you accordingly and if you fail, you can kiss your ability to drive legally goodbye until you pass.

Now that makes you nervous. Like there's ravenous butterflies swarming your stomach. You're already under a lot of pressure with fall classes starting soon and your part-time job, now you're worried about passing your driver's exam. The lady assured you there's nothing to fret over, that the instructor you've been assigned is well versed in the rules of the road and he's a total sweetheart.

Waiting in the parking lot wasn't the worst part. You were told he'd arrive shortly, a man named Mr. Hemmings, in one of the contracted company's instructing vehicles. Plastered with bright yellow stickers along the back, just shouting to everyone on the road that you're an inexperienced driver so take it easy.

Expecting some middle aged, married, grumpy man with nothing positive to say, the nerves weren't so bad as you basked in the moderate heat of the Michigan summer sun. Your phone pings a few times, a slew of good lucks and you've got this! from your family members. You don't even realize there's a stark white Toyota Camry pulling up to the curb until the scuff of shoes on the asphalt catches your attention.

"Y/N L/N?" A thick, low voice questions. A text message to your eldest brother sits unfinished beneath your thumbs, lips parting with shock. There's no bald patch or flat tire sticking out beneath his shirt, hell it barely looks like he's wearing a shirt at all because the white fabric is so snug and pulled taught over his abdomen and chest and arms that it's absolutely ludicrous. "Y/N?" he repeats.

"Yeah- yeah, that's me," You hesitantly stand, shoving your phone in the pocket of your jeans before brushing your now clammy hands along your thighs. His eyes flicker between the clipboard in his hand and you, shamelessly raking up and down your frame before clearing his throat.

"Great," His lips twist into a wide, toothy smile, shoulders seemingly relaxing at the confirmation. His stance laxes, nodding his head of bouncy, golden curls towards the vehicle that's idling behind him. "Why don't we go ahead and get started?"

You nod, swallowing the thick lump forming in your throat, hardly maintaining eye contact with the instructor as you climb into the driver's seat and watch him awkwardly fit himself into the seat beside you. "Okay," He blows out a breath. "I'm Mr. Hemmings but you can just call me Luke, it's easier and nobody likes saying a long name especially if you're in a panic."

You barely manage a short, clipped laugh. "Rad. Anyway, we're gonna be in here for the next hour or so. I'm mainly here to make sure you understand vehicle safety and that you're prepared to operate this beauty on your own," With a laugh, Mr. Hemmings taps the dashboard with his palm. "Well, not this beauty obviously, but you get my point. Oh! And I have break pedals over here just in case. I haven't used them yet this month so please don't put us in a situation where I might need to."

He's funny, you'll admit. In a dorky, charming kind of way. He hasn't stopped smiling the entire time and you're curious if he's just that way in general or if it's a front because he probably deals with some right idiots when it comes to being an instructor. "You're quiet."

"Sorry," You mumble, hands still folded in your lap. "I'm just a bit nervous."

"There's really no need," he assures you, turning in his seat with an excited smile. "If you've passed your vision and knowledge tests then this is like, a cakewalk. Have you driven before?"

"Yeah, back home," You tell him. "Mostly just old trucks, though. I don't think I've ever driven a proper car."

"Cool, car virgin. I like that," Luke turns his attention back to the clipboard, scribbling something that you're unable to make out because it's complete chicken scratch. "Well, why don't we get going so we can stay on track."

"Okay," You breathe out, clasping the seatbelt over your lap. Under your breath, you rattle off the first steps of safety before your hands ever touch the steering wheel. Seatbelt, check. Rearview mirror, check. Side mirrors, check. When everything seems as it should, you rest one hand on the wheel before shifting the vehicle into drive, peering out of the passenger's side mirror to ensure no cars are coming up behind you in the lot.

Luke stays silent, observing you, pen hovering over his checklist sheet. As you head towards the exit, you realize you have absolutely no clue where you're meant to go. "Uhh-"

"Take a left here," Luke tells you. Signaling, you check both ways for any oncoming traffic before exiting the parking lot, keeping an eye on the speed limit signs posted on the side of the road. "And at the next light, hang a right. We'll follow that through downtown and then get you on the highway for a bit."

Nodding, you try to keep yourself composed and not let the nerves get to you as you follow his instruction. You make sure to slow down appropriately as you cruise through the city's downtown area, briefly taking in the brick buildings and shops as you pass.

The vehicle's air is a little stiff, a little warm underneath the summer sun and you're considering asking Luke if he can turn the air on but he's too busy drumming his fingertips along his bare thigh to really pay you any mind. You'd always heard that driving instructors were very observant, overly cautious and very strict about everything but Luke's so laid back it's slowly beginning to relieve your nerves.

"Would you mind turning on the air?" Luke asks, eyes soft and kind when you glance over at him. You're just trekking along behind other vehicles, following signs for the highway that's still a few miles out. It's probably one of the things on his checklist, for you to tinker with something and hope it doesn't distract you enough to cause any accidents.

Glancing at the various knobs, luckily they're standard and simple, similar to your father's truck so pressing two buttons quickly has cool air flowing into the car. You feel a little more at ease, less of an iron grip on the steering wheel. "You're doing great, by the way." Luke chimes in.

"Thanks," You keep an eye on the Jeep that keeps randomly breaking in front of you, easing off of the accelerator when applicable. You weren't a newbie when it came to driving itself, just following the actual road laws and learning the flow of traffic. "I need to turn right up here?" You ask.

Luke hums with a nod. He's began muttering some tune under his breath along with his finger-drumming, as if he isn't remotely worried about you merging onto the highway. Picking up speed, you join alongside the few cars rumbling along the road. "We'll take this to the next town over, about thirty minutes, then we'll head back and do a few simple maneuvers and that's it."

You nod, fighting the urge to sigh. Who knew your road test would be so boring? There's no music, just the sound of your tires on the asphalt and Luke's low humming. "Why'd you decide to become an instructor? Isn't it- well, boring?"

A slow chuckle slips out of your instructor's mouth, elbow perched on the door, hand clasped against the side of his face. "It's not all boring, I swear. I just like helping people become confident drivers. You'd be surprised how many students I've had that are too terrified to even start the engine."

"You're pretty laid back, it's definitely making me less nervous," You laugh softly, keeping your eyes on the empty road. "Helps that you're not bad looking either."

Shit, you weren't meant to say that.

In your peripheral, you can see Luke squirm slightly in his seat, instantly worrying that you've made him uncomfortable. You're about to retract your statement and apologize but the grin that overtakes his pink lips stops you. "Thank you," he says honestly, his tone a little strained. "So are you. I mean, I wouldn't say not bad looking, you're pretty- like quite pretty- and okay, is it a little warm in here? Jeez."

You stifle a laugh at his nervous rambling. It's cute, kind of refreshing, too. But a weight settles in your stomach because no, you absolutely cannot think your driving instructor is cute. Doesn't that cross some kind of line? Break a rule? It has to. "So- are you uh.. getting your driver's license to.. drive to your boyfriend's house orr.."

Oh god, he's also pretty damn terrible at flirting. Normally, you'd find it cringey and a tad obnoxious but it's cute on him. Adorable, even, because he's definitely a handful of years older than you but he flusters so easily it makes your confidence soar.

There's nothing wrong with indulging in it, is there? It's not like you're gonna fuck him on the side of the highway or anything.

"No boyfriend," You keep a straight face, like you're intently focused on the billboards you pass by. "Or girlfriend." You tack on, just to see him flounder a little more.

"Oh- yeah, rad," Luke nods a few times. "That's- yeah, okay, cool."

God, he's so fucking cute. How'd you get so damn lucky to have him as an instructor?

Luke's tapping the window ledge aimlessly, almost looking uncomfortable but not with you, like something's gnawing at him. "Hey, can you pull off at this rest stop for a minute? I need to- uh- bathroom. Yeah."

"Sure." You signal off, slowing down as you near the small building, only a few cars scattered in the parking lot. Luke quickly unbuckles himself and slips out of the car, almost too fast for you to realize there's a tent in his shorts. Well, fuck.

You've never really been the hook-up type in the past, coming from such a small town there's slim pickings when you know everyone's faults. Only when your family would travel up to Mackinac Island or down to Kalamazoo to visit family would you end up fooling around with some local for an afternoon but that didn't happen very often.

Though the circumstances aren't ideal, there's obviously some kind of attraction on both sides. Probably just some silly short-term infatuation and who knows what's running through Luke's mind. But he's hot, there's no denying that, and guilt tugs at your chest because he's here to do a job and you're just being a massive distraction.

Luke returns about fifteen minutes later, a little flushed in the face but there's this look he's sporting that looks nothing short of pure bliss. You're not stupid, you can recognize a post-orgasm haze from a million miles away.

God, did he really get off in a public rest stop bathroom? What the hell was he so worked up over? You bite back any inappropriate questions lingering on your tongue as he buckles himself in and you merge back onto the highway.

Luke doesn't say a word until it's time to circle back. He's quiet, too quiet, thrumming his fingers against his knee in a rhythm you aren't able to recognize. You decide to go the exact speed limit, setting the cruise control and waiting for Luke to ask why you've done that but no such comment comes.

"You okay?" You finally ask. The two of you are trapped in here for at least another thirty minutes on the highway alone, then likely another twenty or thirty around town after that. The silence isn't deafening but it's making you a little uneasy.

"Me? Yeah- I'm great. Fantastic, actually. Why wouldn't I be? Nothing's wrong. Everything's peachy." The instructor rambles.

Something's definitely wrong. You're not a very confrontational person but you'd rather have whatever issue at hand out in the open than let it linger silently the remainder of your test. "Luke-"

As you're getting his attention, the car begins to splutter. Numerous lights illuminate the dashboard, a loud rumbling sound making the steering wheel shake beneath your hands. Immediately, Luke begins to press on the emergency instructor's breaks and with some guidance, he helps you pull off on the shoulder just as the engine dies.

Not believing the sight before you, you turn to Luke, who's equally as shocked and silent, both of your chests heaving. "What the hell?" You ask aloud.

"I have no clue," Luke says frantically. "The car's been running fine all day. There weren't any warning lights, were there?"

Truthfully, you don't remember. "I don't.. think so? All of them lit up before it crapped out."

"Shit," Luke curses lowly. "Let me see if I can figure out what's going on."

Luke slips out of the Camry, leaving his clipboard behind. You hear him yell, muffled, "Pop the hood!" And you do, after taking a second to find the button with your shaky fingers.

The longer Luke is beneath the hood the longer you worry. It's an early Thursday evening, on a fairly quiet highway, and the likelihood that some passerby is going to offer assistance is slim. Plus, tow trucks in this area only operate within a ten mile radius, so it's unlikely you'll find one for a reasonable price if the car is toast.

This is what you get for thinking he's cute, your brain tosses at you. You know it isn't true but it's kind of ironic, isn't it?

Luke slips back inside the car. "Well, one of the hoses broke," He sighs, digging through the pockets of his shorts in search of his cellphone. "So the car won't start even if we wanted it to. We'll have to call a tow truck."

"Of course this would happen during my driving exam," You sigh, eyes fluttering shut as a low, frustrated groan crawls up your throat. "Just my luck."

"I probably shouldn't include the fact that I have no service then, should I?"

Your eyes pry open. "What?" You ask, finding your phone and sure enough, no fucking signal. "Seriously? We're on the damn highway, not in the middle of the ocean!"

"Hey, we'll be fine," Luke rests his hand momentarily on your shoulder and you try to ignore the goosebumps rising on your skin. Sheepishly, he pulls it away. "I'll see if I can make an emergency call to highway patrol."

"Please do," You mumble weakly.

Your father would have a field day if he could see you. Barely a week into living away from them and you're stranded on the side of the highway with a hot driving instructor. What a joke.

With no luck, Luke groans, tossing his phone onto the dashboard. "My phone died," he says. "Can you call on yours?"

"Yeah," You dial using your phone's emergency function, only to be met with CALL FAILED in big letters. "How the hell can an emergency call fail?"

"Okay, well at least we've both probably eaten recently and I keep snacks in the trunk," You toss a glare towards the blonde, not finding his statement remotely relieving at all. "What? Teenagers get grumpy so I always have granola bars on hand."

"So we're stuck," You sigh softly. Luke nods, hands toying with one another. "Until I get signal or someone passing by takes pity on us."

"I'm sorry Y/N," Luke says quietly. "About- about all of this. I really had no idea, this car's never given me any problems."

"It's not your fault," You glance over at him, noticing his lower lip tucked between his teeth. "I'm gonna walk a bit and see if I can get signal, alright?"

"You shouldn't go alone," Luke says, a bit rushed. "I mean, not that you aren't capable or anything because I'm sure you are - female empowerment and all that I just- uh-"

"Just stay here," You say, a little clipped. You aren't upset with him, just the situation. "I'll be right back."

Luke swallows thickly, blue eyes wide. "Yes m'am."

You slip out of the car and begin walking along the shoulder, grass and gravel crunching beneath your feet, checking your cellphone every few seconds in hopes that a signal will appear. A big fat SOS stares back at you, practically mocking you.

After ten or so minutes, you aren't sure how far you've walked but you can't see the Camry anymore. You know it'll cool off soon as the sun begins to set and it'll be best if you're somewhere safe. Regretfully, you head back to the car to find Luke scribbling on his clipboard in the passenger seat.

"Nothing," You say, checking your phone once more, noticing it's been about thirty minutes since you've pulled off the road. "What're you drawing over there?"

"Just doodling," He says, showing you a mix of scribbles along the bottom of your driving checklist. "What else am I supposed to do? We're stuck for the time being."

"Yeah, you're right."

It's silent for a few minutes, aside from Luke's been inking the checklist. "We could.. play a game, maybe? Something to keep our minds off of.. y'know, the whole car breaking down thing."

"What kind of game?" You ask.

"Oh- uh, twenty questions?" Luke offers.

You snort. Twenty questions is for horny teenagers, not two almost-strangers stuck in a broken down vehicle on the side of the highway. "Guess that's a no."

"What about what are the odds?" You suggest. "I played it all the time with my soccer friends, it's pretty fun."

"Okay," Luke agrees. "You'll have to explain the rules to me, though."

You sit up a little straighter, a smile unknowingly tugging at your lips. Maybe there's an ulterior motive ping-ponging in the back of your mind. Maybe.

"It's really easy. One of us says something like 'what are the odds that you'll make an embarrassing noise', then pick a number in your head, and on the count of three we'll both say a number and if it's the same the other person has to do that thing. Make sense?"

"I think I've got it," Luke nods, turning in his seat with excited eyes. He looks fucking adorable. You shake your head, getting comfortable in the seat. "Okay, can I go first?"

"Go for it."

"Okay- uh, what are the odds that you'll.. you'll- tell me something about yourself?"

That's not quite it but a good start, Luke.

"One through fifteen." You say. "Three.. two... one.."

"Ten."

"Twelve."

"Ah, shit," Luke frowns. "I don't think I'm very good at this."

"You'll get the hang of it," You tap his knee with the back of your hand without a thought, watching his cheeks twinge pink. "I'll go. What are the odds you'll pass me?"

"One in.. ten," Luke says. "Three.. two.. one.."

"Six."

"Aha!" You grin, victoriously. "See, I'm a mindreader."

"As if I'd flunk you," Luke rolls his eyes. "You're a good driver, Y/N. You need to be a little more confident but there's no way I'd fail you."

You need to be a little more confident. Sure, Luke was talking about driving but that doesn't mean you can't apply that statement to anything else, right?

"Alright, my turn," Luke rolls his lips in thought. "What are the odds that.. you'd be my friend on Facebook?"

"Facebook?" You ask, a brow raised. "Nobody uses Facebook anymore, Luke."

"I do," Luke defends softly, shoulders drawing inward. "Just play along, Y/N."

"Okay, fine," You laugh softly. "Uhh, one in ten. Three.. two.. one.."

"Four."

"Eight."

"Damn, looks like we won't be Facebook friends," You tease, the flush still bright and red and pretty on Luke's cheeks. He's so easy to fluster. You almost regret what you're about to say. "What are the odds you'll admit the real reason we stopped at the rest area?"

Luke's face falls. "I.." He glances away from you, clearly caught off guard and there's a stinging in your chest. You should've just kept your mouth shut, he didn't deserve to be called out like that.

"I'm so sorry, that was too far, I-"

"It's..okay," Luke lets out a wavering breath. "I feel really bad about that," Your brows furrow. "Look I- I think you're really pretty and this is so, so unprofessional of me but I uh- you said girlfriend and my mind just- went off on it's own. I'm sorry."

"Oh," Your mouth feels dry all of a sudden. "You were thinking of me with- oh."

Luke looks away, clearly embarrassed, a blush blooming down his neck. "I'm sorry, Y/N. It was really inappropriate and I shouldn't have."

"It's okay," You assure him. Luke looks like a kicked puppy, unsure as his eyes slowly meet yours, not quite believing you. "Seriously, it's fine. I- yeah, I'm also into girls. I don't blame you for your.. thoughts, or whatever."

Luke sucks in a sharp breath, like you've said something sinfully explicit. "I- maybe we should end the game here before I say something really stupid."

He isn't covert about it, covering his growing hard-on, beginning to tent his shorts. Your tongue feels heavy in your mouth, trailing along the inside of your lower lip. Fuck, you have quite the opportunity here and it would be a shame if you let it go to waste. Consensually, of course.

"You're thinking about me with a girl again, aren't you?" You boldly accuse, your eyes narrowing in a teasing manner, watching Luke's gentle blue eyes widen and mouth fall open. "It's okay if you are."

He's so.. submissive. You've never really explored the whole dynamic of positions like that but making your instructor blush and squirm makes you feel.. hot.

"Maybe," Luke's voice is small, soft, and you're loving every second of it. "Y/N, I-"

"What're you thinking about, Luke?" You ask, leaning forward to rest your elbows on the center console, your tone low. "Me kissing another girl, maybe? Getting all hot and bothered and messy and wet?"

A whimper crawls up his throat. "I- fuck."

You trail a finger along his thigh, tracing the leg of his shorts. "Maybe you'd just watch, huh?" You provoke him, watching his Adam's apple bob in his throat. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah- I would.." His voice is weak, lips parting and soft little pants escaping them. He's so easy for it, you love it. The dominance rolling off of you in waves seems to come naturally and who are you to deny it? "Y/N.."

"What, Luke? What do you need?"

Need. Luke keens. "I.. can I.."

"You wanna touch yourself?" You ask.

"No.. you, please."

You hum. How can you say no, when he sounds so wrecked like that? "Think there's enough room for us in the back there?"

"Don't wanna.. move," Luke mumbles, eyes already glazed over. He's so far gone. "My lap?"

You won't toy with him anymore, not when he's offering to get you off. To touch you. God, his fingers are beautiful and long and you're dying to have them buried inside of you. "Yeah, 'kay." You puff out, watching Luke adjust himself properly and helping guide you to sit in his lap, your knees on either side of his hips.

It isn't ideal but it'll work. He works with shaky, excited hands to unfasten the button and zipper of your jean shorts before trailing his fingers along the waistline of your underwear. "Can I?" You nod, teeth sinking into your lower lip in anticipation.

Without hesitance, Luke dips his hand into the waistband, finding your damp heat with ease. His fingers curl around you, whimpering at the warmth before a finger slips inside of you, slick and velvety. "Oh- fuck."

"Luke," You moan out softly, clasping a hand on the instructor's shoulder. He carries a steady pace, sliding a second finger beside the first, brutally hard at the warmth coating his digits. "Fuck, feels so good."

"You're so wet," He mumbles, like he's surprised, peering up at your blissed out features. "Fuck, did I- did I do this to you?"

"Yes," Your hips shift greedily, making his fingers sink deeper into you. "You're just so.."

"So?" You can feel his breath against your collarbone through your shirt.

"So needy," You moan, rotating your hips, effectively riding Luke's fingers, like he's some kind of toy. "It's so hot, how hard you get so easily- I- fuck, there."

"Y/N," Luke pants against you, his free hand trailing up to your hip, holding tightly. "Wanna make you cum, please."

"Yeah?" You breathe out. "Gonna let me ride your fingers? Fuck myself until I cum?"

"Oh god," Luke trembles, his movements faltering but it doesn't matter, you're moving steadily and the more you shift the more his fingers hit that perfect spot. You can feel it in your toes, that you're close, but you need something else to get you there.

"Did you think about me?" You ask, a light sweat forming on your brow. "When you got off in the bathroom? Did you moan for me?"

"Yes," Luke admits in a whine. "Yes- fucking- came so hard, Y/N. Thought of you the whole time."

Just thinking about Luke, working his cock so quickly in his fist thinking about you is enough, warmth flooding your stomach as your orgasm rapidly approaches and you're releasing all over Luke's fingers. Like a fucking floodgate.

"Oh fuck," You hear him moan, fingers slowing as your hips come to a halt. "Fuck, Y/N."

Blissful and warm and flushed, Luke retracts his fingers from you, the digits glistening as he slips them into his mouth with needy, complacent hums. He looks more wrecked than you do.

"Can I- can I ride you?" You blurt.

Luke goes rigid. "What?"

"I wanna ride you," You reiterate. "I wanna fuck you, Luke. Can I?"

"You- yeah, fuck of course," Luke's eyes are blue and glassy and glazed and you aren't even sure how he's functioning right now. He hasn't even cum yet so- wait. "Just give me a minute.."

Curiously, you shift back a bit on his lap to see he's half-hard and there's an obvious damp patch on the front of his shorts. "Did you cum while you were touching me?"

Luke nods. "Sorry."

"Fuck that's so hot," You can't help it, fitting both hands beneath his jaw to tilt his head upward, capturing his lips easily with your own. He tastes like spearmint gum and flavored coffee, it's all you can think about when you feel his tongue swipe across your bottom lip. That was too easy, you can already feel his dick fattening against your thigh again. "Do you have a condom?"

"In my wallet," Luke pants against your mouth. "I wasn't like- expecting this, by the way."

"Neither was I," You laugh softly, pressing a kiss to the corner of his lips. "Let me get my shorts off."

Car sex seems so hot in theory until you're caught up in the moment and you're stuck trying to take off clothing where it's just not possible. You manage to slip your shorts off, leaving your damp underwear on before claiming Luke's lap once again. The condom sits in the crevice between his thigh and hip, fly open and dick straining against the seam of his boxers.

"Get yourself ready for me," You tell him softly, your fingertips trailing along your lower abdomen, along the inside of your shirt to cup your breasts beneath your bra. Luke's in a trance, nearly swallowing his own tongue before nodding and barely wiggling his shorts and boxers down his hips. He slips the condom on, abandoning the foil packet god knows where, before stroking himself a few times with a gentle hiss. "Fuck, you're gorgeous."

Luke squirms at that. "Thank you," he mutters. "Can I- are you ready?"

"So ready," He carefully aligns his hips with yours before slowly pressing inside, letting out tiny whimpers with every inch he sinks in. "Fuck."

"Y/N," Luke moans, eyes threatening to fall shut. His hands find your thighs, blunt nails digging into the soft skin there, hips threatening to rut upwards at the sheer warmth encasing his cock. It's immeasurable, how good you feel wrapped snugly around him.

"So good, Luke, you're doing so good," You praise gently, holding yourself upright with your hands on his broad shoulders. Once he's buried to the hilt, you slowly rock your hips in a circle, eliciting a short gasp from the blonde. "Such a good boy."

The simple phrase makes Luke choke on his own breath. "You're so warm," he mumbles, lips barely moving, chest rising and falling steadily. You rock your hips again. "Oh my god."

Luke isn't like the guys you've slept with before. He's sensitive and responsive and it's probably the hottest thing you've ever witnessed. It's like he's fighting the urge to give in. Slowly, you begin to bounce in his lap, testing the waters. Luke moans every time you sink down.

"Yeah?" You ask him after a particularly whiny moan falls from his mouth. "Feel good, Luke? Tell me. Tell me how good it feels."

"Feels so good," He babbles, a wheezy, whining mess every bounce you make. It's slick and wet and so fucking hot you know you'll cum again sometime soon. He's hitting all the right spots inside of you. It helps he's probably the biggest dick you've taken by far. "So good. Please don't stop, please."

"Not gonna stop," You mutter, nails sinking into the skin of his shoulders. "You're such a good boy, Luke. Taking it so well. Feel so good inside me."

Luke lets out a squeak when you clench around him. "Mommy-"

Your hips falter briefly but you can't stop, you refuse, because that word, though you've never been called that before it lights a flame inside of your stomach that makes you want more and more and more. "Yeah?" You abandon your grip on one of his shoulders to clasp his jaw, making Luke meet your eyes, his half lidded and cloudy and dark blue. "Gonna let mommy fuck you, Luke? Ride your cock until she cums?"

Luke bites down on his lower lip so hard he swears he can taste blood. His head is swirling, like yours, all fuzzy and fucked dumb. Your pace grows quicker, a bit more focused but frenzied, until Luke's panting to the point where he's babbling words that don't even make any sense. "Gonna- please- need-"

"What, Luke? What do you need?" You ask, ghosting your lips over his own. He whimpers against your mouth.

"Wanna cum, mommy. Can I?"

"Yeah baby," You press a hard kiss to his mouth, pushing your tongue past his lips and that's all he needs, gripping your thighs tightly until he's fully inside of you before releasing into the condom. Luke slumps slightly, clearly spent but you're far from finished. "Stay still, won't you?"

"What-" Luke mutters, flushed and confused when you begin to raise your hips and sink back down on him. "Oh fuck me."

"So close, Luke," He isn't softening in the slightest. It almost makes you smile, makes you proud because he's so turned on, just letting you use him like some kind of fuck toy. "Touch me?"

Luke nods, blissed out, attaching his thumb to your clit and rubbing furious, hard circles. Your thighs tremble as your orgasm builds up, toes curling inside of your shoes before finally letting go and releasing all over his length.

Shuddering through the warmth spreading up the base of your spine, your nails sink into the instructor's shoulders, panting against his mouth as he tips his head up to connect your lips in a soft kiss. Your skin feels tingly in the best way, electric, and your head swarming furiously.

Luke pulls away first. He's so flushed, from the tips of his ears to the base of his neck and you're positive that pretty pink blush has reached his naval, there's no doubt. He's definitely a full-body blusher. "Y/N.."

"Yeah?" You ask quietly, breathless, noticing the windows have fogged up a little bit from your activities.

"Can you.. sorry, it's just uh- the condom's a bit uncomfortable." The blonde grimaces apologetically, reddening further when you muffle out a short laugh and slowly climb off of him. Your underwear are soaked, from your own release, but you slide your shorts back on anyways as Luke ties off the condom and places it hesitantly on the floorboard.

Now that the two of you are dressed, less short on breath, you figure it might be best to address what the hell just happened. "Luke-"

"Y/N-"

"Sorry, go ahead," You mumble.

"I wasn't- planning that. Or, expecting it, I swear," Luke says rather quickly, eyes flitting away from you, a bit embarrassed. "Please don't think I make a habit of this. You're- you're the first."

You swallow harshly. "The first?"

A nervous, awkward laugh tumbles out of Luke's mouth. "No, no, that was a girlfriend in high school. I mean- uh- student."

"Oh," You puff out a relieved breath, resting your head back. You're still warm and relaxed from your orgasms. "Well in that case, I don't really sleep with driving instructors, so I guess it's a first for both of us."

"It's not.." Luke trails off, his voice low, like he isn't sure how to phrase what he's thinking. "It won't be the only time, will it?"

That comes as a bit of a surprise to you. Again, you weren't really the hook-up type but the guys you have hooked up with in the past were quick to forget it even happened and move on with their lives.

You're stunned into a short silence. Will that be the only time you hook up with Luke? Sure, he's funny, and insanely attractive, but aside from the few things you've shared during the drive he's still almost a complete stranger.

"I understand," Luke quietly says.

"No I- sorry, I was just- surprised," You say. "I'd like to see you again. Maybe not in a broken down car on the side of the highway."

Luke chuckles briefly. "Okay, cool," The tension seems to slip from his shoulders. "Sorry, I'm not really good at this. I don't really uh- date? Just, with work and everything it's hard to find the time."

"Being a driving instructor is that demanding?" You inquire, a lighthearted teasing lift to your voice. The highway is still dead silent and the sun is slowly beginning to set. Soon, you'll be cast in a hue of pinks and oranges and pretty purples.

"I race for a living," Luke says, catching your attention abruptly, your brows furrowing in confusion. "It's not something I really bring up in conversation or during uh- other things."

"You're not like, a Nascar driver or something, right?" You joke. Luke stays silent. "What the fuck?"

Way to go, Y/N. Fucking a driving instructor slash Nascar driver. Your parents would be so proud. Stupid girl.

"Like I said, I don't really tell people," Luke quickly defends, swallowing as an anxious look perturbs his features. "This doesn't uh- change anything right? About seeing me again?"

"No but if my dad finds out you're gonna be forced into every Sunday dinner until you're dead," You speak without thinking, still shocked about Luke's line of work. And here you were thinking he was just a dorky driving instructor for the state of Michigan. "Sorry, that was weird."

Luke laughs, shaking his head. He took your comment well, like too well, and you're starting to think maybe Luke isn't real at this point. He's too.. perfect. Handsome, dorky, a fucking racecar driver. "You're fine, I get it. Your dad's a big fan, then?"

"Huge," You sigh. "My brothers, too."

"You think they'd come to a race if I set aside some tickets?" Luke's teeth sink into his bottom lip, a hopeful look on his splotchy, pink face.

"I- I mean yeah," You stumble. "Luke, you really don't have to.."

"I want to," He reassures you, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I really wanna see you again and if free tickets is the way I can then, I'd be dumb not to offer."

"For the record, I'd see you again regardless of the free tickets," You tell him, leaning to rest your elbows on the console. One of his eyebrows arch curiously, in a way that's so damn hot and Luke doesn't even realize it.

"Yeah?" he asks.

"Yeah," You confirm. "By the way-"

You're cut off by the chirping of a siren, glancing out of the rearview mirror to see a State Trooper has parked behind you, lights flashing.

Well fuck. This'll be fun.

#5sos fanfic #5sos imagine #luke hemmings fanfic #luke hemmings imagine #5sos x reader #luke hemmings x reader #5sos smut #luke hemmings smut #luke hemmings x y/n #luke hemmings x you

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ysmtttty · 2 months

Text

Red Ferrari

Azris AU, where Azriel is a mechanic and has his own service station. One day, Eris comes there because something is wrong with his car. AO3 link Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Azriel loved his workshop. Since childhood, he enjoyed working with cars, fixing them, and tinkering with mechanisms and spare parts. Well, it turned out that just one client was enough to make him question his decades-long love. One very arrogant client with a sharp tongue who managed to get on Azriel's nerves in record time with his arrogant behavior and stupid comments.

Eris fucking Vanserra, damn it. One of the most influential lawyers in the city, if not the whole country, showed up in his workshop. Specifically for him. Azriel thought about passing this jerk off to Cassian, but that would be reckless—Cassian might have skillful hands, but his temper was terrible, and combined with Eris's bitchy behavior, it would be an explosive mix.

On any other day, Azriel would have handed Eris over to Rhysand, who would both take a proper look at the car and handle the matter diplomatically. But no, the great owner of the workshop had other plans. Specifically, to show up at his childhood friend's wedding with a new Toyota and his fiancée, whom Rhysand had been pining for about half a year.

Well, now Azriel was alone.

And it turned out that he was recommended to Eris by some acquaintance Azriel had helped with a car in record time—and now Eris had the same high expectations. So now, he definitely couldn't get rid of him.

Eris was lazily inspecting the workshop, as if he already owned the place, tossing the keys to his red Ferrari impatiently. Azriel sighed mentally, examining the car and trying to figure out what exactly was wrong. He caught Eris's gaze, full of undisguised disgust at the sight of him smeared with engine oil. Well, His Highness could endure the sight of a working man who didn't have a family trust fund and a huge family business empire behind him; he wouldn't die. But that gaze...

I can't hit clients, Azriel mentally reminded himself as he raised his head and met Eris's gaze. The bastard had the nerve to frown and wrinkle his nose as if he had just witnessed someone taking a dump, not inspecting his precious car.

"How long will the repair take?" he asked impatiently. Azriel thought about giving a time three times longer than the real one just to keep the bastard on edge. However, he was a mechanic, not a complete asshole. The real rip-off would begin when they discussed the price of the repair.

"Around two days," Azriel replied, which wasn't far from the truth. If he worked at his own pace, considering he had a full garage of other cars needing his attention, he was even doing a favor by naming such a short time frame.

Eris looked at him as if he were an idiot, or maybe that was his usual look at any human being.

"Two days?" he asked in disbelief. "Can't you speed up the process?"

Azriel shrugged, not particularly wanting to accommodate him, but he mentally scolded himself and reminded himself that Eris was still a client, and serving him was part of Azriel's duties.

"Even if I worked only on your car, which is unlikely with the number of other orders, I would only manage by tomorrow afternoon. At best," Azriel explained in a calm voice. As calm as he could be after his client had been looking at him like a piece of shit for the past twenty minutes. "Plus, it would mean an extra charge for urgency."

The last phrase, although it was pure truth, brought him strange satisfaction. Although it was more than likely that Eris would pay any amount just to get what he wanted right away.

"I have a meeting on the other side of the city in less than an hour. I need my car about…" Eris glanced at his watch, of course, a Rolex, "…now."

"I can only suggest where to order a taxi from," Azriel shrugged, adjusting the strap of his overalls. "Or you can take my car."

He pointed in the direction of his old wreck, more as a joke, but noticed the gears turning in Eris's head, calculating how bad an idea it would be to agree. He wasn't that desperate to ruin his reputation by getting into that piece of junk daring to call itself a car, but it was still better than ordering an Uber, which only God knew when would arrive. Ordering a taxi to this part of town was a dead end, as the waiting time ranged from fifteen minutes to forty, depending on luck.

"I need to get to this meeting as soon as possible, so okay," he grumbled after a few seconds, extending his hand and expecting to get the keys.

Azriel looked at him in disbelief. He had just given away his car, his beloved baby, to some rich jerk. May the Car God forgive him, for this was a sin. However, he still handed over the keys.

"Be careful, it's a manual, don't crash," he added. Eris just snorted irritably.

"I know how to drive a manual," he replied, rolling his eyes, grabbing the keys, and heading to the car. Before that, he ostentatiously pulled out one of his glossy business cards and shoved it into Azriel's overall pocket. "Call me when you’re done, we'll arrange where and when to exchange cars."

With these words, he got into Azriel's car and drove off. Azriel stared for a few seconds in the direction the car had disappeared, mentally praying that this idiot wouldn't crash his car or get into an accident.

"Is that a Ferrari?" came Cassian's deep, sleepy voice, looking like he had fallen asleep under a car he was fixing.

"The very one," Azriel nodded, answering quietly.

"And the owner drove off in your Volvo?" Cassian laughed, clearly not believing his eyes. Azriel rolled his eyes, not very happy with the situation. And the damn business card. Of course, black with fancy golden letters.

"Yes," he nodded again. "He drove off in my car for some super important meeting. Probably late for his yoga or therapy session. I don't even know what's worse."

Cassian laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "Bad day?"

"Very," Azriel snorted, grabbing his tools and starting to work on the masterpiece called a Ferrari.

Cassian went back to his garage work, probably coming up with serenades to sing under the windows of his new love, Nesta Archeron, who would likely try to kill Cassian with his own guitar for daring to disturb her sleep or precious reading time.

Meanwhile, Azriel was tinkering with Eris's car. Not the most exciting process, but a Ferrari in their workshop was indeed a rarity, making him involuntarily admire the car.

* * *

Azriel finished working on Eris's car much earlier than he had thought. By the end of the same day, to be precise. He didn't inform Eris about it, as the jerk had been rude enough not to deserve it, and Azriel was too tired to tolerate that smug, arrogant look again today. So, he simply went with Cassian to Rhysand's place.

When they crashed at their friend’s house, Cassian immediately went to the door leading to the basement, looking for another expensive bottle of wine from Rhysand's precious collection. Azriel settled on the couch, thinking he should probably warn Rhysand that they had arrived.

It had become a norm for the three of them to drop by each other's homes uninvited—they all had keys to each other's places. Personal space was a foreign concept to them.

Suddenly, he heard voices, one of which was a loud, indignant female voice.

“So, you’re refusing to help me?” Azriel immediately recognized the voice. Not the most pleasant one, not the most desired one, to be honest.

It belonged to Mor, a distant relative of Rhysand, who for some reason considered herself part of his family after everything that had happened between her and Azriel. A long story. A long, unpleasant, messy story that almost broke a decade-long friendship. Rhysand tolerated her because a) Mor was his only living relative, and b) it was Azriel's guess, but it seemed Rhysand just enjoyed being involved in drama, and Mor was the embodiment of drama.

“I’m not refusing to help,” Rhysand's voice became more distinct as he and Mor emerged from his office. Azriel remained unnoticed, and honestly, he preferred to avoid a confrontation with Mor. “I’m just advising you to hold off on drastic actions. You’re taking a risk without knowing if it will pay off.”

Azriel could have eavesdropped on their conversation further, or later directly asked Rhysand what mess his dear cousin had gotten into this time, but for some reason, he didn't care. He didn't care about anything related to Mor and her problems. To hell with her, honestly. As long as it wasn’t some deadly disease (because Azriel wasn’t a heartless bastard), he didn’t give a damn. He had managed perfectly well for the last few years without a single piece of news about her and her life, and he would continue to manage just as well.

Instead, he opened his phone, replying to a few messages from clients and potential clients. Some inquired about the completion times, others about the price, and still others about something else. Azriel responded to a few messages when Cassian appeared with three glasses in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.

“Did you see Mor?” he said, putting all his goodies on the coffee table. Azriel shrugged indifferently. “Haven’t seen her in years. You wouldn’t believe what happened!”

Azriel gestured for him to stop, feeling no curiosity about where Mor had spent the last four years of her life. Even if it was in a Moroccan prison, he couldn’t care less.

“Here are my employees of the month,” Rhysand said as he entered the room. A light smile on his face, in a good mood even after talking with Mor… damn, he was having a good day, and for some reason, Azriel was sure it was related to a particular Archeron sister.

“How was the wedding?” Azriel asked. Rhysand shrugged, clearly suppressing a grin.

“It didn’t happen. To my great regret,” he said with no regret in his tone. “You have no idea what a responsibility it is to drive home a bride who changed her mind.”

Cassian chuckled, opening the bottle of wine and pouring it into the glasses. Azriel just shook his head, realizing there was a long story behind this that Rhysand would tell them.

The next morning, Azriel decided to take pity on Eris and texted him that the car was ready and he could pick it up. Eris read the message almost immediately but only replied two hours later. With one word.

“Ok.”

A few minutes later, Eris condescended to add that he was very busy and would be free after nine in the evening. Without asking if this time was convenient for Azriel, he wrote that he would send the address later and went offline.

Azriel thought that overall, ten years in prison for murder would be worth it.

He spent a few more minutes seething with anger at Vanserra for treating him like some kind of call boy who could be summoned at any time to fulfill any order. Exaggeration? Yes. But Azriel didn’t care that he was exaggerating. And, as luck would have it, Cassian wasn't on shift to complain about the Ferrari owner's awful behavior.

Instead, Amren at the receptionist's desk suffered, who, for some unknown reason, agreed to work there, even though neither Rhysand nor she liked it. Nevertheless, she continued to sit in her chair at the desk, occasionally bothering to bill clients or keep track of the budget and other things.

Azriel spent a good twenty minutes complaining to her about what an asshole Eris was, vividly describing his arrogant attitude and overall asshole behavior. Amren, in her honorable sixty-two years, pretended not to hear half of his words, complaining about old age hearing, and poured herself some liqueur into her tea. Azriel didn’t comment on it, knowing it would only make things worse for himself, and returned to work.

The world didn’t revolve around Eris Vanserra; he had many other cars needing repairs. Azriel spent the whole day in blissful silence, dealing with less pretentious cars than a Ferrari, enjoying the lack of socialization.

Nevertheless, after nine in the evening, he received a message from His Highness. Eris sent the address, adding a haughty “hurry up,” and nothing more. No thank you, no please. Azriel clenched his phone in his hand until his knuckles turned white, then forced himself to exhale. Taking a few more deep breaths, he forced himself to remain calm and found the Ferrari keys in his overalls pocket.

A good bonus – for exactly twenty minutes he had access to a chic car. Azriel got into the Ferrari, started the engine, and turned on the navigation system with the destination address Eris had sent. He ran his hand over the smooth leather steering wheel and felt the sharp contrast – bottomless abyss – between his world and that of people like Eris more acutely than ever.

The bottomless abyss that could hardly ever be crossed in a lawful manner. For just a second, a fleeting moment, Azriel wondered what it would have been like if he had stayed at his father's house. But he quickly pushes that thought away, cursing himself for even daring to think such a thing. It was better to repair cars for peanuts for the rest of his life than to endure what he went through in his own home. And they made enough money at the workshop. He might not be driving a Ferrari, but he wasn't destitute either.

The car itself was just superb, and for a second, Azriel felt sorry that such a luxurious ride belonged to a jerk like Eris. He suppressed the urge to speed or break traffic rules so that Eris would get fined because the traffic police were still around, and it would be long and hard to explain to the cops why a mechanic had a Ferrari.

In the end, he arrived at the location. Eris was already there, leaning against his car, lazily talking to someone on the phone, with the same attitude he had towards Azriel. Unable to think of anything better, Azriel, without slowing down, turned the steering wheel and stopped the car exactly one step away from Eris, covering his shoes with dust from the wheels.

Eris raised his gaze, frowning, but within a second, the corners of his lips twisted into a smirk. Azriel mirrored the smirk as he got out of the car, tossing the keys in the air, which Eris caught deftly, doing the same with the Volvo keys.

Azriel’s brain treacherously threw up the thought that Eris was handsome. Yes, handsome, but definitely out of his league. Absolutely out of his league. Moreover, this was Eris Vanserra—a snobbish and arrogant bastard with whom Azriel had no desire to deal. Not business-wise (he hoped Eris never brought his Ferrari again) and certainly not personally.

“Will the transfer suffice?” Eris asked, one hand in the pocket of a coat that looked like it cost more than the entire workshop where Azriel worked, the other holding the phone.

“It will suffice.”

Azriel named the price. He thought about it for a long time yesterday and consulted with Cassian, who only urged him to jack up the price as much as possible. They discussed it together, adding and subtracting the price. In the end, the original price tripled. But Eris, with his arrogant manner, looked like he couldn't care less about the money and would pay any amount named.

Eris looked at him for a few seconds, and Azriel started to regret how much he exaggerated the repair cost. However, instead of calling him out on it, Eris tilted his head to the side and said, “You look different in clean clothes,” sounding like a damn mockery.

“And you’ll be a bastard in any clothes,” Azriel shrugged, not wanting to play nice anymore when Vanserra allowed himself such things.

For a moment, Eris’s eyes widened, as if he was ready to say something, but then he reconsidered and smirked, lowering his gaze to his phone to make the transfer.

“You have no idea how popular that opinion is,” he chuckled, getting into his car. Azriel heared the notification sound from his phone as Eris drove away.

Sitting in his car and spending another five minutes adjusting the seat to its usual normal position, damn Vanserra, Azriel decided to check his phone. Several messages from Cassian with exclamations about how Nesta chased him off the staircase of her apartment with a broom. That this time she didn’t threaten to bury him alive in the woods, so it’s really a sign of growing affection. And that this time the Ice Queen actually accepted a bouquet of flowers.

Azriel chuckled at all these messages, vividly describing his best friend's romantic escapades. Then a message from Rhysand asking him to cover his shift tomorrow because he’s once again leaving due to personal circumstances. And you don’t need to be a genius to figure out who exactly was this personal circumstance.

And finally, the persistent notification about the transfer from Eris.

Damn it.

Bastard.

“What the…” Azriel closed his eyes, hoping that it was just sleep deprivation affecting his vision. That the numbers were just blurred before his eyes. But when he opened his eyes and looked at the amount again, the number was still three times more than stated.

Eris Vanserra can shove this handout up his ass or literally wipe himself with that banknotes, but Azriel didn’t need it. Definitely not from this bastard. Definitely not with his dismissive and haughty manner.

However, for the next 24 hours, all attempts to send part of the amount back failed. Eris had closed the transfers. Azriel called him for the third time, which was three times more than his pride would allow on any other day. However, another part of his brain still screamed that he didn’t need this money, ignoring Cassian's words that any normal person would have long since accepted the money.

Any other person. But not Azriel, because with his stubbornness like a mule, he was not going to give up so easily.

Without responding to any message or call, Eris showed up at the workshop again. This time in a Porsche.

“What happened to the Ferrari?” Azriel asked, raising an eyebrow. Eris shrugged, getting out of the car.

“I think this one might need a checkup.”

“So, the last money transfer was an advance?”

“What advance?” Eris smirked, clearly understanding everything.

Azriel stared him down, trying to figure out what Vanserra was up to. And the Porsche? The car was clearly the latest model, just off the showroom floor. So unless Eris was paranoid or a control freak, the car didn’t need a checkup at all.

“Seriously, what’s all this about?” Azriel asked directly. “Why transfer so much?”

Eris raised his eyebrows in a comical manner, in mock surprise by what it was about.

“So it’s about the money?” he asked. “Then you should have thought about that before you charged me three times the price.”

Azriel freezes. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Eris really knew about the markup. And Eris was a damn lawyer. A good lawyer. The best lawyer. If he wanted, he could shut down this workshop in an instant for fraud, and it would be Azriel’s fault.

Instead of threats, Eris just smirked, satisfied with his reaction.

“What do you want?” Azriel asked, frowning, his voice quieter, more hoarse.

Eris tilted his head to the side and remained silent for a few seconds as if studying him. Azriel involuntarily did the same, cursing himself for noticing the sprinkling of freckles on Eris’s face.

“Go on a date with me,” Eris said, completely throwing Azriel off balance. Did he really say that? tag list: @sizzlingstarlightsky @isnotwhatyourethinking @molcat07 @chairofchaos a/n: lmk if you're interested in this series; want to be added to a taglist; any recommendations to post's design because I never posted fanfics here and don't know much about features

#acotar #eris vanserra #azriel shadowsinger #azris supremacy #azris #azris fanfiction #azriel x eris

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joshsindigostreak · 5 months

Text

Moonburn

Prologue

Two of Swords, Reversed: Delays, indecisiveness, extreme dread, anxiety, and stress.

Vampire Hunter!Jake x Witch!OC

Authors Note: Hello!!! This is the start of Jake’s story! I hope y’all like it as much as I do. His side of the story has been in my mind the whole time I’ve been writing ISHIYE and I’ve been itching to share it with you. This is only the prologue but I promise there’s much more to come! Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist ❤️

*Set prior to the events of I See Hell in Your Eyes. This is the beginning of Jake’s story. This can be read independently from ISHIYE but there will be cross references as it’s in the same universe.

Word Count: 3,845

Warnings: Brief violence, descriptions of blood, that’s about it for now.

He wasn’t even supposed to be in Tucson, but a blown motor had him stuck there for God-knows how long. The shop he towed his car to didn’t give him much of a time frame, just that they would call him whenever it was fixed. In the meantime, Jake Kiszka had settled in a cheap motel. Well, not extremely cheap, but it was comfortable enough that he knew wouldn’t get scabies from sleeping there.

Nevertheless, he took this as an opportunity to take in the sights of the Grand Canyon state, at the very least Pima county. The sights in question were any local Nests that he could find and snuff out any Undead that were loitering around places they shouldn’t.

The last three days (or nights depending on what species you were), he had been tracking a small group of them that were dumb enough to hang around the same places in the city. Vamps were always easy to spot. Their attempts to blend in with humans were awkward and stilted. Like aliens who had landed on earth the day before and had never seen a human before. That was also how you knew you were dealing with one of the young, and dumb, ones. The older the Vamp was the easier it was for them to blend in. If they’re smart enough to survive past fifty years or so, they usually start adapting to whatever environment they’re in.

It was one of those Vampire details that confused Jake as a kid. How did they forget their humanity so fast? You’re human one day and the next night you’re a blood sucking monster, his dad would tell him. But the idea that it only took a few hours to forget whatever life you had before was almost fascinating to him.

He was always taught that the new ones were practically feral and sloppy, which was how they got picked off so easily. They’d leave bodies behind, risking exposure to the humans who walked around in pure ignorance to the creatures that walked among them.

Sometimes, if you were lucky, you’d catch them before they even claimed their victims. Skulking around in the dark trying to remain unseen but all of their movements looked the same, at least to Jake, which was why he was always able to figure them out faster than his siblings. He was the quiet observant one, always having his eyes on a swivel. His twin was the social one. He could talk his way into any place or establishment that he wasn’t supposed to be in, and he had a particular knack for being able to build a rapport with some of the Vamps they’d be tracking.

It worked even better when they were in parts of the country where the only thing anyone knew of them was their last name, and the weight it carried. Knowing their name was one thing, but knowing their faces was another, and they used that to their advantage. It was also well known that they were identical, but over the years their personal aesthetics had skewed so hard in the opposite directions that they’d have to be side by side to truly see it. Though sometimes the confusion as to who was who worked in their favor.

Jake turned his attention to the horizon from inside the car. Due to a low inventory from a week full of fender benders the rental place only had a Toyota Corolla available on the lot. A silver Corolla from 2006, to be exact. Jake had stared at it for nearly five minutes behind his dark sunglasses, as if he could turn it into literally anything else with his mind. But when the rental agent informed him of the only other option, a burgundy minivan, the hunter agreed and signed the papers for the car through gritted teeth.

There he was, ridding the earth of Hell-borne filth in a clunker with hubcaps.

The sun was peeking over the horizon; the sky turning different shades of pink, yellow. and blue. Jake had a strict rule to not move in on a target until the sun was fully up and visible. “Your shadow is your friend, and your clock no matter what,” his dad would tell him. A hunter never wanted to risk a Vamp having the home field advantage that was the night. Even overcast days were iffy at times.

Once a Vampire laid their head down they, as obvious and cliched it sounded, slept like the dead they were. It was some biological failsafe to protect their species from accidental sunlight exposure. Or at least that's what his walking-encyclopedia of a little brother reminded him along with other scientific facts about the species.

He was parked on the side of the road a blocks-length away from the house he was watching. Vamps were known for their practicality when it came to their Nests. They liked invading houses and squatting in them after they made the residents their evening meal. This particular house was by its lonesome on this road, the nearest house was almost two miles away, which Jake didn’t mind because his plan for the four Vampires he had tracked to this location would be fucking cake.

At last, the sun shined its beautiful rays, warming up the world and preparing it for the day. Jake could almost hear the joke his twin would’ve made about it being a “dry heat” had he been there. His right hand reached to the passenger seat for his crossbow, lifting it slowly with reverence. He kept his gaze fixed on the house as he carefully opened the driver’s side door. He didn’t shut it all the way, just enough to make that first little click in the frame.

As he approached the house he looked at all the windows to see which ones were covered up, a clue as to where in the house they were sleeping. He walked the perimeter a couple of times, going slow to make sure he didn’t miss anything and to let the sun rise even higher.

Rounding the back of the house, Jake went up to the back door. He reached out and gently twisted the doorknob, and it fully turned without protest.

They really were stupid, he thought to himself.

The revelation that the door was unlocked let him know that they were also over confident that they’d be safe during the day time. Jake couldn’t wait to prove them wrong.

He walked into what was the kitchen, before it had been ransacked by the real intruders sleeping elsewhere. Multiple cabinets were flung open, their contents strewn everywhere on counters and the floors. Smears of blood decorated the surfaces and the floors, streaked with what had to be fingerprints.

Going from room to room, he saw similar scenes around the house. He still hadn’t located what he was there for but there was one bedroom at the far end of the house left. The door was slightly ajar, and from his spot in the hallway he could see a window with the curtains firmly drawn. Bingo. They were all in there, soundly asleep. A classic, “shooting fish in a barrel” situation.

Carefully he opened the door further and peaked around the room. This had obviously been the primary bedroom, with a sizable king size bed against the far wall, with two Vamps sprawled out on the duvet, with a third curled up on the carpet at the foot of the bed.

The hunter silently aimed the crossbow at the one on the floor, directly at its chest. At this point it was muscle memory, his finger squeezed around the trigger automatically, shooting the stake right into the Vampire’s heart. His eyes flew open in surprise, but it was too late, the color drained from his skin and it shrunk back against his bones. The usual yellow cast bled into his eyes, and as a final signal that all too familiar death rattle bubbled up from his mouth, a little too loudly for Jake.

At the sound the female Vamp on the bed sat straight up, looking directly at Jake.

“You bastard,” she hissed as she slapped the male Vamp next to her awake. She lunged at Jake knocking the crossbow out of his hands as he tried to shove her off of him. The two rolled around on the floor, battling for control. The hunter managed to get on top of her, straddling her waist as he quickly grabbed a stake from inside his jacket with one hand, and used the other to try to control her hands and keep her pinned down. His reflexes worked perfectly and he was able to shove her arms out of the way fast enough to drive the stake into her chest in a flash. Like the other Vamp before her, she withered in front of his eyes.

Just as her death rattle completed the process the other male Vamp jumped on Jake’s back, straining his neck to nip at Jake’s flesh with his fangs. The hunter nearly growled as he twisted his body to fling the Vamp off of him. He didn’t go very far, but it was enough for Jake to get on his feet and grab another stake from his jacket. The Vamp stood up and lunged at Jake again, this time shoving him against the nearest wall. Jake winced as he was forced backwards and felt the drywall crack; the breath nearly knocked out of him. The stake was pinned between the two, curled in his fist and pointed down at the floor in a useless position.

Jake looked over the feral Vamps shoulder, and realized he was close enough to the corner of the room that he could potentially gain control. With another growl, he used all of his strength to push him away and into the other wall. The Vamp's head bounced back against the wall, and in the nanosecond of delirium Jake was able to tilt his other hand up and ram the stake into the remaining Vamp, directly next to his sternum.

The Vamp sagged against the wall as whatever “life” he had faded away. Jake let him go completely and didn’t care where he landed on the floor. He stepped back and didn’t let his guard down until he was sure they were the only creatures in the house. He ran a hand through his messy hair, wincing when his fingers hit a few tangles and pulled at his scalp. Instead of fighting through them to the ends of his hair, he pulled it back, wanting the feeling to stop instantly. A brief flashback of dirty gnarled fingers twisting into his hair and yanking upwards flashed before his mind’s eye and he shook his head to rid himself of the memory and rubbed his hands quickly over his face.

Jake turned back to his crossbow and strapped it on his back. Now the fun part was about to begin. He looked down at the nearest corpse, the one he had just killed against the wall, and grabbed him by the ankles and started dragging him through the room. He flung the back door open once he got to it, and heaved the Vamp outside and into the sun. The corpse started to sizzle and burn before it hit the dirt. One down, two the go.

He repeated the process until all three were piled on top of each other outside, burning through their clothes and turning their bodies to ashes. As Jake watched the flames, he reached into his jacket again, this time for the celebratory cigar he always brought with him on Nest raids. He brought it to his lips and leaned forward, lighting it using the flames of his latest bounty.

He stood there, and the fire reflected off his dark sunglasses. He took long and slow drags of the cigar, satisfied with his work that morning. For a brief moment he wished his twin had been with him. He didn’t mind doing things on his own, but it always felt a little sweeter to have Josh standing next to him.

Soon enough the three Vampire’s were nothing more than a pile of ashes. Jake found a shovel in the yard, and used it to dig a shallow pit to dump the ashes into. It wasn’t to “bury” them, no, there was no honor in this. Instead it was just a quicker way to quite literally cover up his tracks.

As he drove back to the motel, he couldn’t wait to sleep the day away, satisfied that there were three less bloodsuckers walking around.

~!~

A few days later, he found himself in front of a dive bar just outside of town. The Tipsy Tumbleweed stood before him, its red lighted sign blazed into the dark of the parking lot. A few of the letters blinked, indicating some of the bulbs were on their last legs.

The heels of his boots clacked against the wooden floor inside, and the idle chatter amongst other patrons met his ears. He loved a good bar like this. Understated, knew exactly what it was, and didn’t try to be anything more. The walls were covered in various purple neon signs, the biggest one was on the wall behind the bar itself, with large letters spelling out: Sinners Welcome. Yeah, he was going to enjoy himself tonight.

Just as he sat on an empty barstool, a loud and melodious laugh floated through the air behind him. He nearly broke his neck to look at the source, and that was when he saw…her.

Her back was to him, her dark jeans and black t-shirt wrapped around her curves beautifully, her dark hair tied up in a ponytail but was long enough that the ends fell between her shoulder blades. She was standing in front of one of the booths against the far wall, chatting with the two people who sat on either side.

He couldn’t see her face yet, and everything in his body told him to sit fucking still so he could possibly get a glimpse of it. He barely registered the young voice of the bartender asking him for his order. He kept his eyes set on the mysterious woman while he quickly mumbled something about a whiskey. He wasn’t normally that rude but as the bartender went off to make his drink she finally turned around and started walking towards him. Her large hazel eyes scanned the room as she walked and she waved at one of the tables, telling who-ever-the-fuck hi. The same dark hair framed her face in some loose layers and when she flashed a smile at someone else, Jake nearly fell off the stool. He suddenly felt like he was back in sixth grade, when Abbie Willis picked him for her kickball team in P.E. and he tripped over absolutely nothing while walking over to her. Josh never let him live that down.

For a moment, Jake thought she was walking towards him, but she breezed right past him to exit through the Employees Only door. He turned on the stool to face the bar, hoping to god that the heat in his face wasn’t obvious. Instead, he made the most awkward eye contact with the bartender who was placing his drink in front of him. She was a tiny thing, definitely shorter than him with sharp cheekbones and curious round eyes. She couldn’t have been older than 21.

“Umm…thanks,” he said, trying his best to recover from whatever that was.

“You're welcome, I’m Stacey if you need anything else,” she said brightly before turning to walk to the far end of the bar, where another man was sitting at the corner.

Jake’s eyes followed her and silently observed that side of the bar, taking in everything. Part of him wanted to turn around and watch that Employee door in hopes that she would come back out, but he didn’t want a repeat of what just happened.

He took a sip of his drink while he observed, but just as he started to relax the man at the end of the bar tilted his lowball glass back to take his own sip, and one of the lights on the other side shined through the glass and displayed the…red…contents. It wasn’t runny, it wasn’t grenadine, it was blood.

Did he sneak that in here? Jake had obviously seen Vampire’s drink from glasses before, they could be formal when they wanted to, but out in the open like this? That was ballsy as hell.

A drop escaped the glass and landed on the corner of the man’s, well, Vampire’s mouth and his tongue darted out to catch it. The bartender Jake now knew as Stacey was just standing there, chatting away as if she hadn’t even seen it. The hunter immediately thought that the Vampire had Persuaded this young girl into not noticing, and if he was already doing that, what else was he planning to do?

Jake immediately shifted into hunter-mode, his casual evening cut short by duty calling. He sat there, listening as best he could over the loud music and crowd noise. Soon his glass was empty, and as Stacey walked back by he got her attention and she stopped in front of him.

He ordered another whiskey, but before she could hop off to make it he asked her a question, “hey umm…who's that down there?” He tilted his head slightly in the Vampire’s direction.

A sheepish smile spread across her face, “oh…that’s Lou. He’s in here a lot.” Even in the dim lighting Jake could see the color rush to her cheeks when she said Lou’s name.

A regular Vampire, huh, not for much longer, Jake thought.

He opened his mouth to ask another question but Stacey’s eyes suddenly went wide and she darted off to the Employee door without another word. He vaguely heard her say the name, “Cecilia” as she exited but he wasn’t sure.

Jake sat there confused as to what spooked her so quickly, and he stole another glance at “Lou” the Vampire.

“So, another whiskey for you?” A smoky voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Jake whipped his head back to the direction of the voice and suddenly, she was in front of him. He gaped at her, once again reverting back to his awkward prepubescent self. All he could do was nod like an idiot. A new glass was placed in front of him, the amber liquid perfectly poured.

“This one’s on the house,” she said as she leaned against her hands on the edge of the bar. The motion made her collar bones visible just beneath the scooped-neck of her t-shirt. Fuck.

“O-oh you don’t have to-”

“Nonsense, I like giving out a free drink once and awhile, especially to new faces. I even top shelved it for you,” her lips formed a smile and she tilted her head at him, as if she already knew the effect she had on him.

He took a sip, savoring the liquor on his tongue before swallowing. Perfectly smooth.

“Now, what are you doing here,” she asked, a little less friendly than before.

The question threw him off, why would she ask that?

“Just checking out local places while I’m in town,” he answered with a level tone as he took another swig of his drink.

“Hmm…yeah but what were you doing just a couple minutes ago?”

He looked at her strangely, “just sitting here?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt his throat tighten up out of nowhere. What the fuck?

“Uh-huh, just sitting here? Not scoping out the place?”

“No? Why would I-,” his throat tightened up even more, making it harder to breathe. Jake struggled to take in a breath as he gripped the glass in front of him.

“You do know where you’re sitting, right?” She leaned even closer to him, lowering her voice.

“At a bar…?” That was the truth, partially, but he didn’t know where she was going with this.

She smirked at him, “oh I guess you didn’t notice that this bar happens to be next to a cemetery?”

Cemeteries were probably one of the few truly neutral places you could be. Neutral in the sense that creatures knew better than to start trouble in them, and hunters were lumped into that protocol as well. They were their own liminal space with their own rules, and Jake remembered Sam rambling about the spirits that reside in them did not take kindly to truces being broken on their land. If Jake had actually killed the Vampire at the end of the bar, it would not be pretty for him once the spirits figured out what happened. If the woman in front of him knew this rule, then what was she?

“Fuck,” he rasped.

“Yeah, fuck is right. So what is a hunter like you coming into my bar where we mind our own business and coexist as best we can?” Irritation was evident in her voice.

This was her bar? Oh, he really fucked up.

“Listen I wasn’t trying to start anything,” he tried to explain but his words had his throat nearly closed completely.

“Sure you weren’t,” she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small vial full of pale green liquid. She held it up in front of him, “sir you look very…purple…are you feeling alright?”

He stared at the vile in her hand, and he wasn’t sure if he was connecting the dots or just seeing them, but he tried to whisper a guess.

“W-witch..?”

“Oh nothing gets past you,” she mocked. “And yes, I am, thank you for asking.”

At this point all he could do was wheeze at her.

“Now, I can reverse that little concoction you happily drank, but only on one condition.”

His big brown eyes started watering and he nodded.

She twisted off the cap of the vial and slowly poured the contents into Jake’s glass as she spoke, “you have two minutes to get out of my bar before I get that Werewolf in the corner to throw you out.”

Jake quickly drank down the whole glass as best he could, oxygen finally entering his system as his throat loosened back up.

“S-sorry…” he whispered.

“If you ever come back here and try that shit again, it’ll be a lot worse. Now go,” her voice was final, and she flicked her eyes over his shoulder and at the door.

Jake didn’t hesitate to slide off the barstool and walk right out, not looking back even though he wanted to.

As he drove back to the motel, all he could think about was the Witch that just nearly killed him, and how her eyes bore into his, and for once in his life, Jake Kiszka was the one intimidated and outmatched.

To be continued…

Tag List: @dannyandthekiszkas , @readyforthegarden , @sinners-go-to-drink-the-wine , @wideminded-dreamer , @runwayblues , @wildbluesorbit , @llightmyllovee , @rhythm-of-space , @sacredthefran , @writingcold , @alwaysonthemend , @wetkleenex-gvf , @josh-iamyour-mama , @lightsofthe-living-gvf , @gvfcinema , @sacredthethreadgvf , @losfacedevil , @jakekiszkasbuttsweat , @shutupdevvie , @hearts-hunger , @gretavanfleetposts , @ascendingtostardust , @mackalah , @andromeda-raine-gvf , @jake-kiszkas-smirk , @gracev0609 , @sacredjake , @earthlysorrows , @gvfpal , @myownparadise96 , @itsafullmoon , @gvfmelbourne, @twistedmelodies , @that-witchy-pan , @gold-mines-melting , @texas-bbq-pringles , @jakekiszkapunchmeintheface , @sadiechar , @char289 , @stardustvanfleet , @sunfl0wer-power , @holdingup-fallingsky , @bladenotblaze , @gretavanlace ,

#jake kiszka #jake kiszka x oc #moonburn #strangers to lovers #starcrossed but they don't know it #angst #hurt/comfort #themes of PTSD #lingering guilt #parental issues #abandonment issues #and just two broken people trying to figure the fuck out of life #greta van fleet #jake gvf #my fics #my writing #🌙🔥

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melanieph321 · 1 month

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Gabriel Medina x Reader - Untamable Part 1/8

Part 2

Reader spends the summer with her first love, Gabriel Medina, for him to get a chance to know their three year old son. However, both Reader and Gabriel struggle to keep their feelings at bay.

Enjoy!

"Just hang tight baby, we're almost there."

You were coming home. After three years away, you were finally coming home. The delay was mainly due to your son, whose birth surprised many. First and foremost, his father's side of the family, as they made it very clear that they wanted nothing to do with you or your son. But then came the letters. The many letters that went against everything you had come to believe about your life.

"If you would give me a chance to be a good father, I would be." One of the letters read. The one that currently burned in your pocket convinced you to make this trip. It made you agree to stay for the summer. To let your son finally get to know his father.

"Look, Nemo, that's Vovó!" You pointed towards the docks ahead, where a red Toyota was spotted in the distance. Standing next to it was an old woman, grey haired and tanned skin. Just like you remembered her.

Your heart was beating heavily once the ferry approached the docks. Your son clung to your neck, a look of terror in his eyes as they fixiated upon the water below.

"It's okay, baby. We're almost there." You got off the boat carrying your son in your arms. The old woman standing by the red Toyota stood clenching her heart, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Meus anjos. Vocês estão em casa." (My angels. You're home.)

"Vovó!" You rushed towards your grandmother, wrapping your arms around her with your son still pinned to your hips.

"When did you get so big? Both of you?" She pinched your son's cheeks, having only gotten to know his face through the photos you've sent. "A damn shame." She muttered, stepping back to get a better look at him.

"What?"

"He looks just like his father. Jet black hair and a pair of gorgeous eyes. All that's missing are the tattoos."

"Vovó."

"Oh give me a break." She waved and carried your son towards her run down car. "Come on now, everyone's waiting for us."

By everyone, you thought your grandma meant your closest relatives, not the entire neighborhood in the village you grew up in.

"Welcome home!"

They greeted you with presents and banners. And the neighborhood children gifted you with drawings of the island, seen from the outskirts of São Sebastião.

"Please, please, let us hold the baby?"

Your son was passed around between relatives like a hot potato. The many new faces overstimulating him. Nevertheless, it was funny how they all said the same thing.

"Dear God, the child has his fathers eyes."

"All that's missing are the tattoos."

"That's what I said."

"Vovó, please." You sighed.

"What? The boy does have his father's eyes."

"Let's hope that he doesn't have his father's issues." Someone added, which made you put an end to passing around of your son. It had been a long journey from São Paulo, and the two of you needed to freshen up before dinner.

It was odd, being back home. You had always loved the ocean. The untamable sea. It was natural for you as an island girl to spend your time in the water almost every day. The taste of salt would linger on your lips from morning til noon and it wouldn't be until the ocean's color shifted from blue to red that you would wade back towards shore, making way for another day. However, it was a long time ago that you could call yourself an island girl. Since then, that girl has become a woman, dreaming of becoming a nurse by studying in the vibrant city of São Paulo.

Your pregnancy had been a setback for sure, but not the end of your dreams. It was your fault for getting caught up in your past by returning to a love you clearly lost a long time ago. That's why his letters were even more confusing to you. At least the timing of them, considering how things ended between you and your son's father. The letters weren't just a plead to become involved in your son's life again. They were also a declaration of love. Love for you.

"Leaving you behind is one of my biggest regrets in life. I've loved you since before I could even express what love was. And so I've carried the burden of letting you go like a burning chip on my shoulder. Missing the birth of my son only increased the heat of it. To think that you had to go through all of it alone breaks my heart. With all sincerity, please forgive me. Yours truly, Gabriel."

"Querida?"

There was a light knock on the bathroom door. Your grandmother poked her head in, smiling at the sight of your son washing his little hands in the bathroom sink.

"We'll be right there vovó."

"I'm just letting you know." She said, her smile fading a little as she shifted to look at you.

"Letting me know what vovó?"

"Gabriel is here, dear. I'm afraid he just arrived."

"Oh."

He was early. You knew that he was coming, however, hoped to give your son a bit more time to adjust to his new home for the summer. Nevertheless, tomorrow might as well be today.

"Tell him we' ll be right there." You nodded.

Part 2

#gabriel medina x reader #gabriel medina #brasil #brazil #surfing #gabriel medina imagine #fanfiction

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thatsonemorbidcorvid · 2 years

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Since the 1970s, crash test dummies - mechanical surrogates of the human body - have been used to determine car safety.

The technology is used to estimate the effectiveness of seatbelts and safety features in new vehicle designs.

Until now the most commonly used dummy has been based on the average male build and weight.

However, women represent about half of all drivers and are more prone to injury in like-for-like accidents.

The dummy that is sometimes used as a proxy for women is a scaled-down version of the male one, roughly the size of a 12-year-old girl.

At 149cm tall (4ft 8ins) and weighing 48kg (7st 5lb), it represents the smallest 5% of women by the standards of the mid-1970s.

However, a team of Swedish engineers has finally developed the first dummy, or to use the more technical term - seat evaluation tool - designed on the body of the average woman.

Their dummy is 162cm (5ft 3ins) tall and weighs 62kg (9st 7lbs), more representative of the female population.

So why have safety regulators not asked for it before now?

"You can see that this is a bias," said Tjark Kreuzinger, who specialises in the field for Toyota in Europe. "When all the men in the meetings decide, they tend to look to their feet and say 'this is it'.

"I would never say that anybody does it intentionally but it's just the mere fact that it's typically a male decision - and that's why we do not have [average] female dummies."

Several times a day in a lab in the Swedish city of Linköping, road accidents are simulated and the consequences are analysed. The sensors and transducers within the dummy provide potentially lifesaving data, measuring the precise physical forces exerted on each body part in a crash event.

The team record data including velocity of impact, crushing force, bending, torque of the body and braking rates.

They are focused on seeing what happens to the biomechanics of the dummy during low-impact rear collisions.

When a woman is in a car crash she is up to three times more likely to suffer whiplash injuries in rear impacts in comparison with a man, according to US government data. Although whiplash is not usually fatal, it can lead to physical disabilities - some of which can be permanent.

It is these statistics that drive Astrid Linder, the director of traffic safety at the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, who is leading the research in Linköping.

"We know from injury statistics that if we look at low severity impacts females are at higher risk.

"So, in order to ensure that you identify the seats that have the best protection for both parts of the population, we definitely need to have the part of the population at highest risk represented," she told the BBC.

Dr Linder believes her research can help shape the way cars are specified in the future and she stresses the key differences between men and women. Females are shorter and lighter than males, on average, and they have different muscle strengths.

Because of this they physically respond differently in a car crash.

"We have differences in the shape of the torso and the centre of gravity and the outline of our hips and pelvis," she explained.

But Dr Linder will still need regulators to enforce the use of the average female she has developed.

Currently there is no legal requirement for car safety tests for rear impact collisions to be carried out on anything other than the average man.

Although some car companies are already using them in their own safety tests they are not yet used in EU or US regulatory tests.

Engineers are starting to create more diverse dummies, including dummies that represent babies, elderly and overweight people.

The average female dummy in Linköping has a fully flexible spine, which means the team can look at what happens to the whole spine, from the head to the lower back, when a woman is injured.

US company Humanetics is the largest manufacturer of crash test dummies worldwide and is seen as the leading voice when it comes to the precision of the technology.

CEO Christopher O'Connor told the BBC he believes that safety has "advanced significantly over the last 20, 30, 40 years" but it "really hasn't taken into account the differences between a male and a female".

"You can't have the same device to test a man and a woman. We're not going to crack the injuries we are seeing today unless we put sensors there to measure those injuries.

"By measuring those injuries we can then have safer cars with safer airbags, with safer seatbelts, with safer occupant compartments that allow for different sizes."

The UN is examining its regulations on crash testing and will determine whether they need to be changed to better protect all drivers.

If changes are made to involve a crash test dummy representing the average female, there is an expectation that women will one day be safer behind the wheel.

"My hope for the future is that the safety of vehicles will be assessed for both parts of the population," Dr Linder said.

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partscityaustralia · 2 years

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BONNET HOOD FOR TOYOTA HILUX 2005-2011

#bonnet #Bonnet Hood #toyota #toyota hilux #Parts city Australia

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spamsmcgee · 1 year

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Find a place where we belong

->Listen to I Think We’re Alone Now by Tiffany

Guanyu X Reader in a 1980s/21 Jump Street AU.

While investigating and hoping to bust a group of street racing gamblers, Y/N has to pose as Guanyu’s girlfriend in her first undercover assignment with the Jump Street Program.

Part one: Pilot

QuickView | Next

Toto’s coffee sat forgotten as he poured over your work history. You sat, watching on as he all but ignored you.

“Well?”

“Unremarkable” he said, thumbing through pages and pages detailing your short career on the force. “Barely met quotas on parking tickets, partners say you’re untrainable, and past supervisors have called you noncommittal at best.”

In saying that, the police chief never looked up at you. He pushed your files to the side before taking off his glasses and taking the first real look at you.

“I’d like to recommend you to Captain Hamilton’s Jump Street Program.”

He kept talking. He explained the story behind Lewis Hamilton’s ragtag team of baby faced cops who couldn’t hack it anywhere else. Truly the team of misfit toys. Getting on the inside where any middle aged patrolman couldn’t reach without scaring everyone away.

Less of a shark among dolphins.

“So a narc?”

You interrupted Toto’s monologue.

“Essentially,” a new voice filtered in from behind you.

Leaned up against the doorframe, donned a pair of aviators and an aged leather jacket, captain Lewis Hamilton. The detective looking type. He pushed himself away from the frame and crossed the room to you, hand out for a firm handshake.

“We’re starting assignments now,” He said as he made a gesture for you to join the small group in another room.

Four sets of eyes tracked you to your seat, one unclaimed in the front. Your field of vision was taken up by a whiteboard with names and more names written on it.

The sets of eyes surrounding you belonged to a group easily mistaken for the teenagers you’d see riding their bikes in a cul de sac. Working their summer jobs at some amusement park.

The youngest looking of them, a shorter guy leaned over the table in front of him to better reach the conversation around him, wore shoulder holsters that held a pair of guns level with his chest.

The group settled down after Hamilton tapped the board a couple of times. Before tossing a marker’s cap at the shorter one leaned over the table. “I will put you outside, Tsunoda”

Pouting and making a heart shape with his hands, Tsunoda sunk into his chair. He, along with the others, settled into listening to Hamilton explaining their newest assignment.

“For the past six months a small group has been gambling on illegal street races throughout Miami,” Hamilton passed folders to each of the group members, “our main suspects are from two groups: West Seminole High School and Miami East Autobody. Guanyu, Y/N, Yuki, We’re sending the three of you to the school. Oscar and Logan get the autobody shop.”

“Oscar and Yuki will be our drivers,” Hamilton read over his folder, “Logan, Guanyu, focus on getting information from your targets” His eyes drifted to you, “Y/N, I want you at Guanyu’s hip.”

There was a simultaneous groan from the other boys, one speaking up, Yuki. “I’ve been here longer”

“You’re also scared of girls.”

Yuki threw that marker cap at Guanyu in response.

Hamilton raised his voice over the commotion, “the four I want you to focus on are Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, Lando Norris, and the man over the whole operation: Fernando Alonso”

“Max and Daniel co-own that autobody shop, Max is the best of the best, he has outrun every unit in the city. He drives a 1980 Toyota Celica Supra. It looks stock, it’s not.” Lewis articulated his explanation with his slapping pictures onto the whiteboard beside him, pulled from a file in his hands.

You stared at the picture of what truly was an unassuming looking navy blue Toyota. Max stood next to it speaking to a taller man. Accompanying that was another picture, dark, blurry, two cars next to each other in the middle of a burnout.

“Daniel has a 67 Dodge Challenger, loud and obnoxious. Just like him”

The man from that first picture of Max reappeared. Only a printout from CCTV footage. Daniel outside of that gas station, chatting up a tall blonde while leaning against the aforementioned Dodge Challenger.

“Lando is a student at West Seminole. He has a prior history with reckless driving, driving under the influence, and was detained at fourteen for trying to get into a casino in Las Vegas,” Hamilton continued flipping through his file folders, “He drives a 1979 Porsche 911.”

Lando’s pictures were a collection of school photos. Aside from one taken outside of another gas station. That one wasn’t a CCTV shot, more likely some PI that followed him around.

“Fernando is an English Literature teacher at West Seminole. He drives a 1960 Fastback Mustang,” Hamilton put up a glossy picture of Fernando with his cherry red mustang, taken in the high school parking lot, “We believe he recruits drivers from his classes. Over half of our suspects have gone through him in West Seminole. The other half come from Miami East.”

The meeting continued on without anything else too interesting. More backstory on the group you would be watching. Some honorable mentions without much pull, but still suspects nonetheless. The guys asking questions. Yuki antagonizing Lewis when he can. Logan antagonizing Yuki.

Lewis moved on to explain everyone’s cover. Names, backstory, down to the car you drive. You, Audrey Kellen would be riding around with Guanyu, or David Choi in his 1980 Alfa Romeo Giulia. Yuki, Jude Ioki already had his 1987 Nissan Z. Oscar’s Aaron Meyers’ 1981 Camaro was modified enough to make the ground shake as it drove by, Lewis explained. He would go on to be the main driver. Against Yuki’s protests. Logan, Alex Reeves had his father’s 79 Chevy S10.

The meeting adjourned. Guanyu hung back to walk with you out of the briefing room. He fell in step with you as you passed him.

“Ready to go back to school?” He asked, nudging you in the side.

“Can I be honest?” You shoved your hands into your jacket pockets. He leaned towards you as if you were gearing up to let him in on some sort of secret. “Teenagers terrify me, so not really.”

He laughed. Maybe a bit of a generous laugh. You couldn’t help laughing along.

The two of you fought up to the rest of the guys. They chattered on together, barely registering that y’all had joined them. Even when you added to the conversation, they talked along with you as if you’d been there the entire time.

That night you’d go home and pack your school bag. It stayed in the back of your closet. You’d graduated high school in 82, your backpack was even older. One you’d used since the 70s.

Your younger sister had a less vintage Trapper Keeper you planned on stealing from her. Probably with a promise of a months worth of video and radio store allowance, extra time at the arcade, and some of Kate Bush’s latest on a new Walkman to keep her from asking questions.

On your way home you hit a radio store to pick up said Walkman and Kate Bush tracks.

#f1 x reader #21 Jump Street AU #80s AU #zhou guanyu x reader #yuki tsunoda #logan sargeant #oscar piastri #lewis hamilton #Zhou guanyu #race cars #cops AU #Undercover #fake relationship #find a place where we belong

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phoenixyfriend · 11 months

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Ko-fi prompt from Becky:

I actually would love to hear where ticket/concession/merch money for concerts go. If someone has already asked about that, can you do something similar for a sports game of your choice?

Already got a request for concerts, but I can do the sports game!

So, let's go with... baseball. I've been to professional baseball games ('twas the Ducks), even if it's been a Very Long Time, so that's the one I have some perspective on. Who is in control of the money any given game (as in, who owns the stadium and the home team) varies by place and sport, so let's use the Mets and Citi Field as our example when we need a specific.

Mostly, this is because I'm in New York and so it's down to either them or the Yankees, and between the two... the Mets, through a wholly owned subsidiary, Queens Ballpark Company, are the ones that actually own their ballpark, which makes a few things easier and includes a Fun Fact about the naming. It also means that I can treat the team and the stadium as one singular entity instead of waffling over who gets to be the Main Character of this simulation. It's not exactly uncommon for teams to own their own stadiums, but it's not most of them.

(The Mets, btw, are owned in large part by a hedge fund manager. Like, 95% of the team stock is owned by this one guy. Why can't more sports be like the Packers and just belong to the city.)

In this case, I will be referring to the Forbes article on Citi Field's revenue for 2022 as a guide or framework, as they have an actual image of the financial report; they don't do much explaining of the actual data, though, so my part will be explaining the less-obvious things and doing some maths. A few other articles will also be cited as they come in useful.

I'll also note that the Mets are a very expensive team operating at a loss, but they still work for our purposes.

MONEY COMING IN:

Tickets, most obviously

To quote the wiki article on Major League Baseball:

"MLB is the second-wealthiest professional sport league by revenue after the National Football League (NFL). [...] MLB has the highest total season attendance of any sports league in the world; in 2018, it drew more than 69.6 million spectators."

I didn't know that until I started researching for this post, but it makes sense. After all, baseball is "the American pastime." The Forbes article cites average attendance of 33,000 per home game. The stadium seat about 41,900, so we're looking at roughly 79% attendance. This is fine, because attendance is not the only stream of revenue.

Advertising

If you have seen a professional sports game in the past however many years, you have seen that, depending on the type of court, they are plastered in advertising. Let's take a look at Citi Field:

(Image Source: MLB website)

The Forbes article states that the stadium makes about $48.5 million per year from advertising. About $28.5 million of that comes from the various 'temporary' and long-term ads, the Nikon and Geico and Toyota and Coca Cola, etc.

$20 million of it comes from one company. I'm going to quote Wikipedia again:

The naming rights were purchased by Citigroup, a New York financial services company, for $20 million annually.

This is not uncommon! ESPN has an article about it, and some standout examples are Bank of America Stadium, Coors Field, Delta Center, FedEx Field and FedEx Forum, General Motors Place, Gillette Stadium, Heinz Field, and the list just goes on. I'm not even sure if the list is up to date, because I'm seeing even more articles elsewhere with higher figures.

Concessions

The financial report that Forbes cites has $22mill in concessions. This is not entirely surprising. Going by this page, we're looking at... 84 home games in that 2022 season. Let's assume that 33,000 average cited earlier. That's 2,772,000 attendees over the course of the season. So, what, a little under $10 per attendance tick? Entirely plausible. A hot dog plus a soda is $15, so... that tracks.

Parking

Apparently parking is, collectively, about $13mill annually. That's... genuinely a little concerning to me, for uh. Reasons. Also parking is $40.

(A lot of people go to games via train, if anyone's interested.)

Luxury Suite Premiums

I had to google this one, but uh. Turns out those fancy private box seats are even fancier and more private than I thought, bringing in over $10 mill a year.

Other Revenue - Stadium, undefined

"Other Revenue" and "post season revenue" are not given any further information, but they're about $16.5 mill so. They're definitely doing their part? Wish we had more information.

One guess is that there are events in the vein of the Citi Field Spring Carnival that contribute to the revenue through either fees to the stadium (if this is a carnival that rents the parking lot) or concessions and tickets (if the stadium rents a carnival).

Other Revenue - to the team that is not direct operating income of the stadium itself

Not counting the "other revenue" section of the financial statement, the Forbes article tells us that:

National broadcasting deals with Fox, ESPN and TBS that pay over $60 million a year to every MLB team, as well as the local cable fee the Mets get from SNY, which is over $80 million a year.

That's another $140mill in addition to the $244mill that the financial report cites.

Merchandise - not direct stadium revenue.

Get your Mets hats here! And your jerseys! And your logo bats! And your commemorative plushies! And--

MONEY GOING OUT

Operations

This one's easy: you have to pay wages to your employees, from the players themselves to the food sellers to janitorial to security to field maintenance, etc. Also, you have to pay for utilities (those billboards and floodlights aren't cheap), product to sell (frozen hot dogs), supplementary materials for products you sell (plastic cups, paper for the ticket machines, bags for garbage cans, and so on), and repairs/maintenance for the stands themselves (can't imagine they get through a season with all 41,900 seats intact).

Player salaries (and a few others, like the coach) aren't actually included in stadium revenue, but since the stadium is owned by the team, we're bundling them together for the sake of this case.

Payment in Lieu of Taxes

So this is an interesting one, and while the Forbes article does touch on it, there's a bit more detail to the story.

Citi Field was built in 2009, and the process cost $850 million. Of that, $615 was public subsidies. A lot of this was municipal bonds, which the Mets have to pay back with interest for the lifetime of the park; those municipal bond repayments are an offset, and in return for paying tens of millions in municipal bond repayments each year (the 2022 report shows about $43.5 mill), Citi Field does not have to pay property taxes.

Wikipedia only cites property taxes, but the financial report doesn't include any other taxes, so I'll assume the only other taxes they're on the hook for are sales and payroll, which aren't displayed in the financial report.

Parking

Right, so, parking as a bundle is about $7.5 mill in expenses, which means that parking alone has a marginal profit of about 42.3%, given the earlier figure of $13mill in parking revenue. I'm not finding any solid information on where that money goes, but it seems very like that New York City's taxes on land use for parking is not included in the property tax exemption we discussed above, and that most of the $7.5 mill is in that regard.

Post Season Expenses

I'll be honest, they don't define this $1.8 mill, but given what is and isn't included in the other sections, I'm going to hazard a guess that this may be about upgrades (more than maintenance) or replacement of physical billboards that are also not included as regular maintenance but require a lot of manpower to get up and set if complicated enough.

General and Administrative

This is the other possible allocation of the utilities and related payments. This is also where back of house activities like accountants, lawyer fees, payroll clerks, facilities managers, and so on are bundled in. It's about $5.5 mill.

Publicity and Promotions

This one's easy, it's just marketing that doesn't fall into General Mets Things and is rather for home games specifically.

Depreciation and Amortization

Bit trickier, but you know how a car loses value the second you drive it off the lot? That is depreciation. You paid $20,000 for a car, but two years later it's worth $16,000; on a financial report, you put that down as a $4,000 loss to depreciation. Amortization is similar, in that it lowers values of various assets in relation to time and relative value to what it was when new.

Interest Expenses

Expenses related directly to interest rates tend to get their own line separate from regular debt repayments. This isn't really relevant beyond 'loans are more expensive than when you first get them.'

Travel and League Expenses

Since this is a traveling team, being professionals, and a Major League Baseball Team in particular, money has to be spent on the plane rides, team bus, and of course, the league fees. I wanted to end that a bit more pithy, but it turns out it's not easy to find league fees for the MLB.

(A new team joining would have to pay about $2.2 billion, according to one article, while previous new additions were a couple hundred mill, so... 100 mill? Maybe?)

Hope that answers your question!

#economics #capitalism #phoenix talks #ko fi #ko fi prompts #research #baseball #the mets #citi field #sports #business #financial reports

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knightyoomyoui · 1 year

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Dahyun x M Reader - “Everlasting Love”

HAPPY 50K READS TO THIS BOOK AND HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY TO OUR JJANG DUBLANGDUNGIE BABY SUPERHERO, KIM DAHYUN! #HAPPYDAHYUNDAY2023💞🎈🎉

New update with a new genre that I'll be trying here for the first time in my book! Pardon me if it's lacking magic, I still did my best to tell and explain the story clear and precise like I always do because that's what it matters the most for me.

Oh, and also. Beware because for sure, some of you while reading this would feel very uncomfy and sensitive at the "backstory" part. So... I have to put another trigger warning for you guys. Don't worry with th story being mixed with angst, because the ending itself anyway will be a fluff!

Lastly, you will be portraying here with a name "Yoon Seo-joon". This is also my first story here that you as a reader wouldn't be required to use your own name. Also, this is going to be narrated in a third-person perspective and one of my longest one-shots in this book.

TRIGGER WARNING: mentions of murder and rape.

A fine Saturday morning has became a start of another busy days for Detective Yoon Seo-joon when he received a duty calls coming from his station who assigned him a new case to work in.

Driving his Toyota Corolla Red 2018, he drove through the location where the said report originated. His car's acceleration slowed down, granting him to peek at the arch gateway that says "Gyeonggi-do", one of the villages here in the city of Seongnam, South Korea.

The guard performed a quick monitoring on him, immediately allowing him to enter when he presented the guard his police badge and license along with his own reason that concerns this place.

He continued to roll the wheel while keeping himself guided by the navigation map. Shortly after, the destination welcomes him as he finally arrived at this one particular spot where he could park his car safely while the person who wants to meet him is just right there waiting for him patiently.

Stepping out of the car, Seojun grasped his keys and took some belongings with him that would be needy in his investigation as he approached the villager anticipating to meet him.

"Glad that you agreed to spare some time for us to meet, detective. I'm Moon Hae-il.", the man initiated a handshake to the official who gratefully accepted.

"No worries, it's just simply part of my job to entertain some clients." Seojun smiled and gave a modest nod. "And I'm Detective Yoon Seojun, the one who will take over and help you with this report you sent to us."

"Thank you so much, detective. We are really in desperate need of assistance about this problem that currently occurs in our neighborhood here." Hae-il said with anxiety in his tone of voice.

"As what the report mentions here, you said that there's an ongoing disturbance being caused by one of the residents here that affects you and the others around here. Mind if you elaborate more? Like, what is this? Is this resident consist of a family who some sort of like fight often?"

"Actually, no detective." Hae-il shook his head, denying the guess. "They aren't a family. In fact, I don't even know how can I tell you this without being sounding... weird."

"What? Why did you think so?" Seojun furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"It's not a they, detective. It's just a single person. A she."

"And where's the weird part there?"

Hae-il didn't replied and instead gulped his throat. He sighed before looking again at Seojoon. "Just follow me please."

Seojoon squinted his eyes as he walked behind Hae-il still trying to process and wonder why does this villager seemed so bothered and nervous discussing about that certain matter. He observes the rest of the citizens who are just peacefully doing their random things while the others are looking at him and Hae-il, probably understanding what they're going to do today.

Hae-il and Seojoon stops in front of a locked huge metal gate that secures what it seems to be an unoccupied manor. The ambience is eerie and quiet, only the sounds of rustling trees, his and Hae-il breaths joining the whip of the cold wind and the gate being unlocked with a twist of the key.

The two entered the property. Seojoon quickly stated his observation at the situation around here. "Why did we just came here without the occupant's permission? Is she not at home?"

Hae-il paused his steps and slowly turned at Seojoon with a troubled expression. "That's the weird part, detective. She's here and definitely even right now, but... we couldn't see her."

Seo-joon became more puzzled, his frown deepened at what the complainant is pertaining. "What?"

"I'm telling you detective that, we are dealing with something paranormal here."

Seojoon's eyes largened as he stared at Haeil in disbelief after hearing that today's investigation to kickoff his new case to solve would be very unique and completely contrast to the previous ones he had before... because this time, the alleged suspect was revealed to be someone who doesn't truly exist anymore but the presence remains unrest.

"Wait wait, hold on." Seojoon chuckled, hands forward as he gestured on Haeil. "You're telling me that you made me come all the way here to ... to do not just an ordinary investigation for a criminal case, but a ghost hunting?"

"I-I told you it would be weird, and I'm not forcing you to help us detective but we would very appreciate if you do. This is something that puts us haunted every single night and we can't live pleasantly not when this keeps occuring." Haeil said, rising intonation of voice gets obvious with the way he's sounding like as if he's pleading for Seojoon to stay.

To be honest, Seojoon was hesitant to proceed with this case; since this is first time that he would face something like this alone and without any colleague to be there on his side; but hearing Haeil's actual condition along with the people of Gyeonggi about this phenomenon is effectively convincing him to learn more about this case and take the opportunity for a new experience to have.

He took this dream job of his with one purpose, and that is to serve and provide the need of assistance to people who rightfully needs it as soon as possible. Declining this case would make it feel for Seojun as if he's abandoning that responsibility and betraying his role that has been smooth and clean since the past few years when he became a detective.

Forming up his final decision, he sighed and looked at Haeil intently as he takes off his notepad and ballpen.

"Tell me more about it."

Haeil huffed in relief and tenderly smiled at Seojoon while clutching his hands together in result of a granted hope. "Thank you so much, detective! This means a lot to us." Seojoon just nodded, silently appreciating the grateful reaction to his service in response.

"So uhm to answer your question detective, some of us who lives near this house shared that they sometimes hear a screaming and wailing with a woman-like sound; which led us to think that the ghost who haunts this house is a woman."

"And they mostly hear it at night?"

"Yes."

Seojoon gritted his teeth, just imagining about it sends chills already down to his spine.

"What more instances they encountered this strange act?"

"Some residents who walked or pass through the entrance would just randomly hear a loud banging from the door, even their children told them that while they're playing few inches away from here, they said they had a glimpse of a shadowy figure of that woman standing in the window." Haeil additionally explained.

"Jesus, poor kids. They must be terrified." Seojoon reacted while he takes down notes in his notepad.

"Indeed they are. They became terrified too. Now barely all of us couldn't dare to stand close in this place, even me... but I don't have any choice. I own this so I had to."

"Wait, you are the landlord of this house and lot?"

"Yes, detective. This belongs to other properties that I own and sell in this village, but ofcourse; this turned out to be my most cursed possession." Haein said in dismay as he glances at the exterior of the structure. "I do admit that I'm planning to demolish this house, maybe to set that spirit free... but what I heard from their stories prompted me to hold it for a while, and that brought me here with you today detective."

"What did the residents mentioned to you also?"

"They said that they can specifically hear only one word throughout those screams that woman creates: help." Haeil said. Seojoon looked at him curiously. "So I figured that maybe... whoever that woman is, she's sending us signal in request to help her about something...

"Justice." Seojoon interrupted. "It's making sense to me now. You summoned me here to take the job by bringing that to whoever this woman who seems to be a lost soul of a victim that either coincidentally took place in your land."

Haein got shocked and nervous. "You're saying that... there's a possible crime of murder that happened here?"

"You don't know?"

"No. I have no idea, I truly believed that my house is perfectly fine and cozy for people who wants to live there... and they seem to be alright without any intentions of murdering somebody and stain blood on my property." Haeil neglected.

"There's more than meets the eye, Haeil." Seojoon reminded. "And looks can fool us anytime, because we couldn't read what they've been hiding deep inside that differs from what they show from the outside."

Seojoon steps closer at the staircase that leads to the door that has been barricaded with planks of wood. "From now on, I'm considering this to be a crime scene. Don't allow anyone to enter this place, I want you to guard this okay?"

"O-okay."

"And also... can you remove these for me? I would like to begin my investigation right now."

Haein got shocked, he went towards Seojoon with fear and worry in his eyes. "B-but detective? Are you sure about this?"

Seojoon released an assuring nod. "I'll be fine, Haein. I won't let myself be harmed not until we help that woman gets what she deserves."

"O-okay, detective. I'll be right back, I'll just gonna go get my tools." Haein excused himself before leaving Seojoon for a while, allowing the tensed yet prepared detective to remember he first set of informations he received that would hugely contribute to the unfolding of this mysterious case.

----------------------------------------------------

"Be safe, detective."

Haeil wished him luck before he lets Seojoon to enter the abandoned manor by himself while he remained outside to wait.

Bringing the flashlight with him, Seojoon switched it on and lights up the areas he peeks into as he began to examine the place. He checks all of the things, even the walls and the floor of every rooms.

The first floor was clear, Seojoon climbs to the next stage but just as he was in the middle of the stairs; he heard something that halted his footsteps and had his entire body shiver.

A sound of a woman humming softly can audibly heard slightly from one of the rooms upstairs.

Heartbeat rising, chest pounding, sweat dripping fast as Seojoon cautiously finished the last remaining set of steps before stepping in the second floor. He listened to the sound again and he noticed that the direction is coming from the left side, at the very end of the hallway.

"God, I pray for your protection. I lend you my trust to lure me away from danger." Seojoon muttered as he performed a sign of the cross before he deeply huffed and slowly trailed the path.

Directing the light to the doorway of the room, he observed that it was narrowly opened. The mix of discomfort and fright builds up inside of Seojoon. He breathed twice before courageously opened the door.

In his surprise as he entered, he didn't expected what happened next.

The famously talked ghost lady of the Gyeonggi village is standing face to face with him, near at the windows; wearing a complete white dress that almost identical to how pale her skin was.

She was standing there, looking straight at Seojoon who froze at what he's witnessing.

"I see you've been looking for me." the ghost lady said before she timidly smiled.

"H-holy shit, she's indeed here..." Seojoon whispered as he fell in the ground and stumbled at his movements while keeping his eyes in horror at her. The rumors in this village were true, because of that Seojoon has literally encountered a ghost for the first time in his whole life. The paranormal is real, he thought.

"W-wait! Don't go!" the lady pleads as she quickly slammed the door with an extraordinary force, preventing Seojoon to leave. "I won't hurt you, please."

"I-I won't, I swear. You don't have to do... that." Seojoon said while trembling, stunned at what the lady just did beyond natural in front of her. "I just came here to help and t-to look for you."

"H-help?" The lady repeated, unsure of what she just heard.

Seojoon nodded. "I am. The villagers called me here to investigate about your recent unusual activities that brings them unsettled, and we figured out that you must be in desperate need of help."

The woman suddenly choked in her tears as she covered her mouth. "H-help... oh my god, they heard me. They finally did."

"Yeah... and I'm here for you not to wait any longer. I'm here to offer you assistance by solving this case of yours. I just want you to do the same for me." Seojoon calmly replied.

The woman nodded and sniffed out her tears before wiping them off. Seojoon felt his heart ached at the sight of this poor woman. He didn't expected to feel this amount of sincerity and awfulness for whatever this lady has gone through that led her to be like this because of some horrible demise she faced before, especially when he couldn't disagree that this lady looks very pretty and carefree.

"I-I will help you. That's the only thing I want. I didn't intend to scare anyone, I just don't know how if I'm like this." the woman traced her appearance.

"I understand, and that's good to hear that you'll be cooperating. We'll solve this together, alright?" The woman nodded.

"I'm Detective Yoon Seojoon, what's yours?"

"D-Dahyun. K-Kim Dahyun."

The detective smiled in satisfaction, finally learning the identity of this ghost lady. "Nice to meet you, Dahyun. Standing here, meeting you personally... you don't look actually horrifying at all as what others might claim to be."

Dahyun removed her hands away from her face to look at Seojoon clearly while showing a little smile of appreciation to his compliment. "I like it, detective. Thanks for the kind words."

He looked at his wristwatch to monitor the time. "I guess this will do for now. I have to go home now, Dahyun but trust me, I'll be back here tomorrow to officially start investigating this case. Sounds good?"

Dahyun nodded her head and gently smiled. "It is. Goodbye and... thank you so much for doing this, detective."

"Just getting the job done, Dahyun. You're welcome and goodbye." Seojoon reciprocated Dahyun's smile before he opened the door and turn around to see Dahyun who is just watching his departure while still standing nicely in her position.

Seojoon left the manor with surreal feeling at everything that happened within a span of hours in his entire weekend. To summarize, he just opened up to volunteer a new case, arrived at the place where he met his client who informed him that it wouldn't be just a normal case... but rather a paranormal related one which is a first to his career and lastly, he freaking just met the same ghost lady that the village talks about and formed an alliance with her to find out who's behind of her mysterious death.

"Detective, how did it went?" Haein said as he hurriedly stood up from sitting in one of the rocks outside.

"I got enough of what I need for now. I'll return here tomorrow, so leave the door unlocked only for me, okay?" Seojoon commanded. Haein nodded in compliance.

The detective bid farewell as he rode his car and drove back to the police station where he slumped his head on the steering wheel for a moment to sink in everything that he confronted today before entering the said place.

He went to his office, placing out his notes and began typing on his computer to search for articles involving the disappearance of Kim Dahyun.

He did found some results and discovered that her friends filed a missing case 5 years ago, and the place that points to her last whereabouts was the exact house Dahyun's spirit remains trapped.

Due to this, it made Seojoon conifident that the house had a dark past that no one were able to know before; and the only one who can revisit despite how tragic and devastating it may be has to be the victim herself for the sake of closing the case in good terms.

Few days later, Seojoon returns to the village to visit the house and arrange another meetup with Dahyun. He couldn't help but to find it strange that he's literally talking with a ghost for an interrogation.

As he reached the front of the room where he saw Dahyun last time, he viewed her sitting on the floor and just staring weakly at the window, her arms placed atop of her knees.

Seojoon became aware of how lonely and exhausted Dahyun must've been day and night sending help to anyone who couldn't even see her with naked eyes while trapped alone.

This house became her prison for 5 years, and Dahyun doesn't deserve none of it. She just wants to be free, and Seojoon became motivated to do his best to grant what she desires.

"Hi, Dahyun." Seojoon greets her carefully, not wanting to surprise her and ruin her moment of silence.

She turned around, faced Seojoon and slowly stood up in which she greeted her back. "You did came back, detective."

Seojoon nodded. "I'm a man of my words."He strolled around the room and checked the furnitures and the interior design. "So yesterday, I did some research about you."

"What does it say?"

"There were news about your disappearance but it wasn't ruled that there's a killing involved. Your friends reported that to the police." Seojoon said, placing his hands on his pockets. "Do you remember some of your friends?"

Dahyun's face lit up. "Y-yes! I do, there are 8. Some of them were my classmates from the same campus, others aren't."

"Can you give me their names?"

"Im Nayeon, Yoo Jeongyeon, Hirai Momo, Minatozaki Sana, Park Jihyo, Myoui Mina, Son Chaeyoung and Chou Tzuyu." Dahyun enumerated. "But of all them though, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu were my first found and closest friends. They're the ones who introduced me to the rest."

"Noted that. I'll consider it." Seojoon said as he wrote at the notepad. "Later or tomorrow, I'll try to look and visit for their home address. I would like them to be part of my interrogation also, especially that two."

Dahyun nodded and hummed knowledgeably. "Y-you're going to talk to them..."

"I am."

"T-then, can I ask a favor?"

Seojoon looked at Dahyun curiously. "What is it?"

"Can you ask them what do they have to say for me now that I'm g-gone...?" Dahyun stuttered. "I don't know... I just want to know if they still can remember me these days." She frowned, lowering her head.

Seojoon approached Dahyun, he was going to grab her shoulder in comfort but realizes that he couldn't touch her due to her ghostly figure, so he brought it down and just looked at Dahyun warmheartedly as much as he can to convey his emotions.

"I'll ask them, and expect their messages once I return. I know they haven't forgotten you yet, Dahyun. You seem like a really great friend to have with, and your memories that you created with them will definitely always be there in their heart and mind... because you cemented yourself as one of the person who became a part of their life."

Dahyun raised her look and stared at Seojoon breathtakingly. She found his look to be calm, kind and comforting that were willing to be expressed solely for her who needed it on her toughest times.

"Don't be sad, Dahyun. Be positive, please. If they are unlike to what we expect them to be, we wouldn't be able to solve this case once and for all."

Dahyun traced her dress and stood straight to compose herself, erasing the uneasiness she feels from the overthinking she did. "O-okay. You were right. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Seojoon then glanced back at his notepad.

"Dahyun, you said you couldn't remember what happened to you right?"

"Yeah. I have no idea, but I could describe that I don't feel like I belong here."

Seojoon squinted his eyes and cupped his chin. "Hmmm... I have my theories gathering up on my mind, but I'll save that for now. What's important here is that we continue to push forward with the progress and soon, we can finally unveil what led to your disappearance, Dahyun."

He inserted his notepad and ballpen back in his pockets and walked back at the doorway, but Dahyun called him from behind. "Detective!"

"Yes?"

"I just want to say that... I trust you a lot, because you've been such a good person to me. Take care as always, please."

Seojoon grinned at Dahyun and tilted his head away to avoid showing how obvious he got fluttered at her uplifting words.

"Y-yeah. You are too, Dahyun. And thank you for that, you truly encouraged me to keep on working hard." They both smiled and stared at each other for a while until Seojoon regained his senses back after being too indulged with the ethereal sight he had.

"I-I'm going out. See you again, Dahyun."

"Bye, detective."

Seojoon exits the room. As he makes his way downstairs, he grasped onto his chest while he reflects about this undescribable feeling that fills upon his heart.

Meanwhile at the same time, Dahyun viewed the scenery out of the window while having your image stuck in her head as she couldn't help but to think about you in sudden.

-----------------------

The next day, Seojoon left his house early. It was supposed to be a continuation of his investigation that he'll manage immediately but after the realization last night via phone call he received before he sleeps, he reconsidered his schedule for today by visiting a familiar place first.

Seojoon was granted access to get the gates openes up for him, he drove the car inside and parked. His arrival stole the attention of someone close to him who lives in here. As he hopped out, a little girl sprinted out and jumps on Seojoon with glee.

"Seojoon oppa!"

"Hi buddyyy!" Seojoon squatted to match her height as they hugged at each other.

"I missed you, oppa. Where did you go?" The kid frowned, making Seojoon guilty for his msitakes.

"I'm just too busy with work, buddy. I may disappeared but I never forgotten you, okay? It's just that my visit turned out to be earlier than I expected because you gave me a call last night."

"Sorry, oppa. Did I distracted you-"

"No, not at all Dahye. Don't think like that. Dahye-ssi will never be a disturbance to Seojoon-oppa. Got it?" He said while gently wiggling both of her arms.

Dahye giggled adorably and nodded back at her big cousin. "Are we going to play today, oppa?"

"If that's what you want, then let's go!" Dahye cheered happily while exclaiming a "yay!" sound as she loved spending a funtime with her beloved cousin and brother-like figure.

Seojoon stood up and holds Dahye's hand. They were about to enter the house when a middle-aged man appeared, blocking the way as he watched him and Dahye cheerfully walking together.

"Seojoon, you came."

"Hello, ahjussi." Seojoon bowed respectfully on his uncle.

"I didn't even know you'll be here. How are you doing these days?" He asked as the two were now closer at each other.

"I'm good. Busy as usual, I got a new case in hand." Seojoon answered. "But it looks like your daughter here couldn't wait anymore. She wanted to meet me sooner than later." He ruffled the girl's hair and cuddled her beside...

"I can't blame her, she always mentions you everytime while asking me when you will come back. Weeks ago wasn't enough, I suppose. She loves you so much that's why she enjoys being with you always."

The uncle stepped aside as he guided him and Dahye to enter the house. "Come in, boy. Did you have breakfast?"

"Not yet, ahjussi."

"Perfect. Join us to eat on the table! Right at the time, I bought many ingredients from grocery yesterday so we have more to eat today." His uncle says as all of them sat in the dining table while the maids served the foods one by one.

----------------------

In the midst of his playtime with Dahye, Seojoon checks the time on his phone in which brought him to stand up and pull out the keys from his pocket. The kid saw his actions and recognized what he's about to do.

"You're leaving again, oppa?"

Seojoon tightlipped at Dahye sitting on the floor, frowning while hugging her doll. "I'm sorry, Dahye-nah. I still have work to do for today. Oppa can't stay here long." he said apologetically.

He noticed her burying her face on the fluffy head of her stuff toy to hide her sadness. Seojoon sighed and goes near at the sulking Dahye.

"Your birthday is on next week, right?"

Dahye didn't respond, but that didn't stop Seojoon from sharing what's in his mind for that day.

"I'm treating you outside, you can pick whatever you want to do. Oppa is going to catch up with you, okay? We're going to celebrate your birthday without any rush." Seojoon suggested.

"You're sure, oppa?"

"Yeah. I don't want to make my sweet little princess' birthday incomplete without having me you know?"

Seojoon watched her gloomy face slowly reverted back to a delighted mood as she leaned her face away from the dool and looked at him. "Okay, I can't wait oppa!"

Relieved that he managed not to upset his beloved cousin, Seojoon hugged Dahye and kissed his crown. "See you on your birthday, Dahye. Oppa has to go now. Bye!"

"Bye, oppa! Thank you for coming!"

Afterwards, Seojoon bids farewell to his uncle as he enters his car and read his notepad, keeping him reminded of the task he had to be done before the day ends.

With the help of one of the teams in the department who are in charge of tracking down locations, Seojoon was able to receive the address where the names Chou Tzuyu and Son Chaeyoung currently lives, which transported him to the city of Seoul, the capital of South Korea.

Seojoon came in the front of the right house he's supposed to pay a visit. He clicked the doorbell and waited for anyone at home to entertain his call.

Fortunately, there's one. It was the girl named Chaeyoung who is wearing a plain oversized t-shirt and some jogging pants like a typical house attire. She holds the door as she observes the appearance of Seojoon standing in her doorway.

"Hello and good morning, my name is Yoon Seojoon. I am a detective."

"What can I help you with, detective?" Chaeyoung nonchalantly asked.

"I'm came here to ask you some questions about the disappearance of Kim Dahyun. Your connection with the victim led me to you, miss Son."

Chaeyoung gasped as she glared at Seojoon in bewilderment. Her grip on the door shuddered a little as well as the emotions getting into her after hearing that name from somebody for such a long time, might as well coming from the police itself.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm not interested to talk about it."

Chaeyoung was about to shut the door, but Seojoon attempts to prevent it by calling her again not to let go of her attention. "Wait! Miss Son, I came here to help. Please, perhaps... you may want to take a look at this."

Chaeyoung glanced back at Seojoon, who is now offering her a piece a paper. She takes it and discovered it wasn't just a paper, but something more that holds dear in her heart.

"I got this from my research. I know you and Dahyun were close friends and... I hope I can convince you through this to cooperate with me. I know you're just like me who wants to explore more about Dahyun's case."

Listening through his voice, Chaeyoung could tell that the detective was sounding very genuine and optimistic; exactly what she needed back then when they were anticipating for anyone to take her friend's case seriously.

She looks back at the picture. It shows her, Tzuyu and Dahyun in a beach all doing a pose together. "You're right. This one's special to me. It was our first getaway trip when we were only three in our group at that time." Chaeyoung expressed a bittersweet recollection.

"I-I'm sorry, detective. I-I... just couldn't believe someone... someone in the police would revisit and take control of my friend's case. It's been 5 years and up to this day we're still begging for her justice, and here you are..." Chaeyoung said as she started to tear up. Seojoon respectfully remained silent to let the girl spill out the burden that's been dragging her down since Dahyun vanished.

She sniffed, swiping her tears that ran across her cheek as she spreaded the gap of the door further to give way for the detective. "I-I'll talk. I'll answer your questions. Please, come in."

"Thank you, Miss Son." Seojoon bowed courteously.

"Just call me Chaeyoung."

As Seojoon stepped in, Chaeyoung closed the door and shouted somebody's name who is also present with them. "Tzuyu! We hve a guest!"

"Coming! Who is it!"

Tzuyu walked out of her room and the sight of Chaeyoung with a stranger greeted her. "Uhh..."

"Good morning, I assume you're Ms. Chou Tzuyu. I'm Detective Yoon Seojoon, in charge for the missing case of your friend, Kim Dahyun."

Tzuyu's eyes widened in surprise and all she could do was to look at Chaeyoung who is nodding her head to make her understand the situation abruptly.

------------------------------

"Is this where Dahyun lives?"

Seojoon asked as he presented the picture of the abandoned manor to Chaeyoung and Tzuyu. The two peeked at it and seemingly distinguished the content.

"Yes, but that wasn't her own." Chaeyoung answered. "She doesn't live there alone nor have her family with her actually."

"Her parents died when she was in highschool at that time. Her relatives took the responsibility of raising Dahyun but if we're not mistaken, she left them because they were strict and not kind-hearted." Tzuyu added.

"She approached us and we learned about her situation. We offered her help, she did took it appreciatingly. It didn't last long, however."

"Dahyun told us that she wants to try surviving on her own, so she applied for a part-time job as a maid to earn allowance for her studies."

Seojoon wrote all of the key points in his notes. "So, Dahyun lived in that manor temporarily as part of her requirement as a maid?"

"I guess so. She never invited us to visit her place to hang out, but we did brought her there once when we all came home together from class." Tzuyu replied.

"I see." Seojoon muttered. "Wait, so if she's a maid, then technically there has to be the original residents of that manor whom Dahyun works for. Do you guys know them?"

"Not specifically. We never got to see them up close." Chaeyoung shook her head. "But I do remember that Dahyun mentioned once that it was a family, and she takes care of a little girl who is the daughter of that family which she befriended with."

"Yeah, she always admire that kid, calling her cute, how bubbly she is and more." Tzuyu continued. "Well, Dahyun loves children, that's why."

Seojoon smiled at that information. He found a similarity with Dahyun in which he could relate with. "Alright, last question. When was the last time you saw her?"

Chaeyoung and Tzuyu's face demeanor transformed into a dull and bland one. It had Seojoon perceived that it wasn't a happy memory that Dahyun left for them before her unexpected disappearance. "It was at the campus. We were eating street foods outside when suddenly Dahyun just received a notification coming from that family I guess.", says Chaeyoung.

"She didn't told us what happened because she quickly said goodbye and ran away to us, but she did revealed it the day after through our group chat."

"What did she say?"

"She told us that she couldn't come with us because she's grieving along with the family while doing her job to serve the visitors on the funeral."

"Wait, come again?" Seojoon pursed his head forward and stared deeply at Tzuyu with knitted eyebrows. "A funeral? To who?"

"She said that the little girl she's taking care of died in an accident. The family didn't took it very well, since it was their only child... especially the father who always wanted to have a daughter."

Seojoon's heart ached at the story. It truly hurts him whenever he finds a child being in an inevitable danger that none were deserving to be part of. He huffed in the air for a second before drinking the glass of water that Chaeyoung and Tzuyu offered to him before they started the interrogation, in an attempt to erase the horrible what ifs of having Dahye getting put in that kind of scenario.

"Are you okay, detective?"

"Y-yeah, sorry. It's just... I'm sensitive on hearing kids being on unfortunate events, whether it costs them life or not." Seojoon cleared his throat and fixed his composure. "And whatever happened to Dahyun that will tie us to these information you lend to me, I couldn't be much more devastated for her too."

He stood up from his seat and presented his hand. "Thank you so much again for your cooperation Miss Tzuyu and Miss Chaeyoung. You two don't know how big of a contribution this is for the solving of Dahyun's case. You guys helped her again as usual."

"What can we say, we loved Dahyun more than just a friend. She was like a sibling, a sister to us." Tzuyu said. "And wherever she may be today, I hope she's at peace."

Seojoon tightlipped and looked away at Tzuyu for a while. "Not yet, but we'll get there... soon." he whispered.

"Uhm, before I go... can I ask one more thing?"

"What is it detective?" Chaeyoung pondered.

"If Dahyun's watching us today, what do you guys want to say to her?"

Chaeyoung and Tzuyu looked at each other before sighing heavily. "Dahyunnie, if you can hear us, we just want to say that... we miss you everyday. A lot."

"Just the little things we do together, we revisit it frequently as our way to remember you. And... o-oh God, it's still so hard for us to not have you on our side anymore. Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, the girls weren't still used of your absence, Dahyun-ah. Your contagious laugh, your positivity, your wholehearted personality. When our shining light was taken away from us, it felt like we're forever living in a colorless world; and we wouldn't be contented accepting that fact forever, Dahyun.

Thank you for existing in our life as our friend, tofu. Someday, when we all fly up there; we'll get to see each other again and reunited, and we will all have fun together just like the good old days where nothing can go wrong that will separate one of us from each other anymore. We couldn't wait for that to happen."

Chaeyoung and Tzuyu couldn't contain their tears as they sobbed harder at their longing messages for their bereaved friend. Seojoon got teared up at their bittersweet and emotional words. He expressed his sympathy by coming up near to them and enveloped them in a comforting embrace.

-------------------------------------

Dahyun was overwhelmed and touched at what Seojoon informed to her about what Chaeyoung and Tzuyu wanted to say to her in the aftermath of her passing. Seojoon is once again frustrated and dismayed that he couldn't get to hug Dahyun to make the consolation easier, as all he could do was to watch her cry out loud while their messages sink into her.

Seojoon also told her about the new informations he gathered regarding a piece of backstory of her past life and the manor she's locked into. That helped Dahyun to regain some memories of what she had when she was living and shared it to him right away.

Seojoon and Dahyun's conversation went longer than expected, as Seojoon just listened to Dahyun's stories about how she and the girls first met, how they supported her for the decision of taking the job and the experiences she had as a maid; in which she enjoyed because of the same reason as what Chaeyoung and Tzuyu mentioned: the little girl.

Dahyun described that she felt like a big sister she never got the chance to be for her own family because she never got a sibling. Although, the happiness didn't last long for their bond when Dahyun became one of those who suffered from the death of that girl, and possibly led to her own downfall.

As she was finished talking, Seojoon made it fair by inserting another topic for her and Dahyun to converse with. Each time passes and it was all worth it, they were too indulged with their interesting interaction that they never even gave a damn anymore for now at whatever that is happening outside the manor.

Dahyun enjoyed talking with Seojoon, for the first time since being a ghost she never felt confined and alone. Same as what could tell for Seojoon to himself, Dahyun is indeed a very entertaining and nice to hang out with. He has never been this happy to anyone else other than her cousin Dahye.

As of now, Dahyun and Seojoon were both laying down on the floor, staring the window that relfects the sunset outside. They just took a little break from the non-stop talking they had.

"Dahyun."

"Hmm?"

"I just wanna ask, if I fail to spend more time with my loved ones; does that make me a horrible person?"

Dahyun looked at him who is still steadily watching from afar. "What makes you say so?"

"I don't know, I just envy you. You get to set time for your friends while being occupied with your duty of taking care that girl and focusing on your studies. You manage to maintain yourself available and flexible while me... I couldn't do it properly."

Seojoon sighed, he sat up and tangled his arms around his knees. "I always believed that work was always the most important thing that keeps me alive. I wasn't like this before. I thought having friends or family is the one thing that makes you motivated and dedicated to keep on living for another day, but instead every single one of them abandoned me."

"I only had my work who stayed by my side, so I became even more hardworking and busy. None of people around me could keep in touch with me that would surpass an hour. In short, I'm too insufferable and boring, and I couldn't care less about it."

"Not until when suddenly I got to meet with my remaining relatives. I got uncle and my little cousin. Her name's Harin. I didn't know that when I got to be close with them, especially her... I began to reconsider things. To spend more time at other things than work. And I found Harin to be very valuable and special to me."

Dahyun witnessed Seojoon as he started to choke and sniff, sign of her impending wails that's urging him because of the increasing emotions he's trying to endure. "But I was left confused in the end. Why does when I started to change for myself and for her, the world would just randomly chose to fuck my fate after? That she has just became one of the people in my life who will just instantly left me after pouring my love and care to them."

Seojoon cried harder on his knees. Dahyun sat upright and looked at him worriedly. "After she died, I never tried to the fullest to allow time with other things than work. But these days, it scares me that when Dahye got to be closer to me... if I let myself get attached to her too, she would just leave me just like the rest of them."

Dahyun nodded understandably at his reasons. "So do you mean that, it's what that holds you back from meeting her often?"

Seojoon nodded. Dahyun hummed and sat near beside Seojoon. "Everything is meant to happen, Seojoon; and I hate to say this to you but, that's what I could tell the same for your family, friends and Harin."

"But, just like what the saying says. when a door closes, another one opens. Opportunities are endless, Seojoon. And you must take it bravely because you wouldn't know when would that be given to you again. It could be just once and Dahye could also be the last, Seojoon."

"I say, you should not resist or restrict yourself after what happened to you. Don't take it as a failure, Seojoon. Let that be an encouragement for you to keep moving forward and continue what you love to do, and that is to become something meaningful in others lives.

Sometimes, things that disappear were meant to be replaced. It all leads you to Dahye, and just like what I said Seojoon. Life is unpredictable, you don't know if everything that we have could be our last. So, I suggest you should continue expressing yourself to the fullest of being a loving cousin for Dahye... before either she won't exist no one enters your life anymore as much important as her.

Seojoon wipes off the tears in his eyes and looked at Dahyun, agreeing at her advice. "I understand now. You're right, Dahyun. I'm sorry if I had to say this to you..."

"It's no problem, Seojoon. I'm grateful that you treated me to be a trustworthy person who you can reply on opening up your problems you couldn't share easily to others, and I'm glad that I could help." Dahyun grinned.

Seojoon shortly smiled at her humble statement. He straightened his seating posture, extending his legs to the floor with his hands supporting his upper body. He glanced at Dahyun and wandered around her facial features The unspoken feeling that distracts him is detectable again to him.

"Hey, enough crying. Cmon, follow me. Let's do one more thing before you go home." Dahyun hurriedly stood up and gestures him to do the same.

"What is it?"

"You'll see. Hurry up, slowpoke." Dahyun giggled which brought Seojoon to chuckle at her adorable antics.

Dahyun walks out of the room and Seojoon followed her from behind. They reached downstairs and went at the widest room in the entire section, located at the very end next to the living room.

"Sit here." Dahyun said after she sat at one of the chairs of the piano which includes to one of the things that were left unmoved here in this house.

Seojoon and Dahyun are now sitting side by side, facing the piano altogether. "I remember how much I loved playing this piano when I was still living and serving my time here as a maid. I mostly spend my free time improving my piano skills."

"You know how to play piano?"

Dahyun hummed. "Yup! I dreamt once of becoming a successful musician... or a pianist, you know. Piano has became my favorite musical instrument so tonight, let me console you by playing one of my favorite pieces for you."

Dahyun puts her hands on the keys and starting pressing the notes to the rhythm with the use of her supernatural force to suppress weight.

The more she keeps on playing, Seojoon slowly recognizes the music she's performing. Not wanting to be left behind, she joined Dahyun by singing the lyrics of the song she's playing on the piano.

Even if it's a dream, I like it Tomorrow, I'll be there Even if you're not That's okay, I'll remember you Little by little Our memories piled up I will always keep them As they were

With my eyes only I know it won't pass onto you So I'll give back your heart One by one

Dahyun on the other hand, was astounded and enlightened at how admiringly beautiful your vocal was. "Woah, you know this too?"

"It's my favorite too."

The two beamed a smile at each other before they proceed to sing-along the night away together with the calming instrumentals to left their day with a positive mark.

As the song ends, Dahyun and Seojoon applauded each other as both were impressed at each other's talents. While Seojoon fixated himself, Dahyun grabbed his attention by speaking up to him.

"This has to be the best day I've ever had so far, Seojoon. Thank you for staying with me."

Seojoon looks at her and smiled before his face sprung up as he recalled something.

"Oh wait, I got something for you."

He pulls out in his pocket and showed it at Dahyun. The latter covered his mouth in awe.

"They gave this to me in return of what I showed to them earlier. I just thought you would like to see these for yourself, since these are your photos taken by them."

"Woah, these looks so good. Chaeyoung and Tzuyu really are the best on capturing photos in our trio." Dahyun chuckled as she adored her images on your hand.

"Yeah, they did great. You look so free and gorgeous in these similar to how can I see through you right now."

Dahyun heard what Seojoon muttered under his breath. Their stares matched and drowned once again at the charms each of them possesses. Her blush grew rapidly not only from the fluttering words she was acknowledged for, but also for Seojoon himself.

"U-uhh, I'll be leaving now, Dahyun. Good night to you." Seojoon bows and smiles at him before he walks away from her, exiting the manor while she was left alone, stunned and amazed at the possibility that Dahyun might've fallen already for the good-hearted detective.

----------------------------------------------------

Back from serious business, Seojoon returns to the village the next day and searches for the landlord Haein as new inquiries spawned into his scarlet web of thread that would be nearly tied to the center of attraction, and that is for the awaited revelation behind Dahyun's disappearance.

Seojoon is standing behind Haein who is scrambling through his wooden cabinet where he keeps all of his documents stored in one place.

He asked a while ago if Haeil could still remember who was the last proprietor of the manor where Dahyun probably got killed. Haeil responded through the use of all the might he has left for the sharpness of his memory that it was indeed belongs to a middle-aged man.

He forgot the name, but as what he could remember; he has one family member with him: a daughter, matching Chaeyoung and Tzuyu's claims. But there was one thing that struck Seojoon.

A new clue. The man is a single father. Haein depicted that when the man signed the contract, he doesn't have any woman he could tell if that's his wife or what. In fact, he never even saw him had a woman that could stand as a mother for the little girl.

Seojoon heard that the landlord mentioned about the contract, he suggested Haein to look for the copy where he was answered that he still has all the papers with him.

And that's where they at right now. "I got it!" Haein exclaimed as he raised a paper on his hands. He closed the cabinet and placed it on his desk. "There. That's the last contract of agreement I had for the manor before it was left unoccupied for years."

Seojoon examined the paper and flipped the pages. The third and last paper is where the signature and the printed name of the owner could be found.

As he reads the name of the identity of the last owner, Seojoon's eyes largened in shock. He felt like the world turned upside down as he piercingly stared at the paper.

"H-how is this possible..." He murmured as he rubbed his mouth with his hands in utter disbelief.

"What's wrong, detective?"

"N-Nothing." Seojoon frantically shook his head. "Can I borrow this? This would be very useful for an evidence."

"Sure, take it if you want detective. I won't mind." Haein shrugged.

Seojoon nodded and quickly barged out of the landlord's house. He entered the car and slumped at his seat, facing the paper back in front of him as he combed his hair in astonishment.

"Yoon Guimhwi..." He reads the name of the last occupant under the property of Haein's.

"I-It's my uncle's... does he have secrets that he's been hiding from me?" Seojoon asked to himself before he drove away.

He arrived minutes later at his uncle's residence, perfectly timed where his cousin wouldn't be around since Dahye is at her class. He want this to become personal and private, just the two of them for him to suspect his own uncle.

"Seojoon!" His uncle greeted him as soon as he appeared at the front door. He kept his stoic and observative mask worn around his face. "You're too late! Dahye is not here."

"It's alright. I wanted to see you this time, uncle."

"Ah is that so? How thoughtful of you, Joon. Then come in, let me get you some. What do you prefer? Food or drink?"

"Juice would be fine enough. Thanks uncle." Seojoon replied.

Uncle Guimhwi went to the kitchen to prepare, leaving Seojoon alone in the living room to standby and make himself feel at home, but that's not what he came here for.

He roamed around and viewed the frames of his uncle and his cousin, until there was one thing that caught him off track.

Seojoon stepped forward and traced the picture further. The eyes never lie. He's literally seeing clearly, and he doesn't know whether to deny or accept what he just discovered.

The structure of the manor is the background of the family picture of his uncle along with his cousin, photo taken in the daylight.

This just confirmed more for Seojoon that his uncle must have a huge part of his investigation. It was unexpected and a coincidence, but that's not what it matters for him. He's going to try something that would measure his truthfulness in front of something he wasn't aware of that could place his innocence in judgement.

"Joon! You can get your juice here, boy." his uncle called him from behind, bringing along a pitchel full of orange juice and some glasses.

"Thanks, uncle." Seojoon grabbed one and poured himself a drink. He returns back to face the painting and make himself obvious for his uncle to notice.

"You miss her. I know."

Seojoon heard his uncle's comment. That wasn't the one he's waiting to hear from him, but he wouldn't dodge such a painful fact. He does miss his cousin a lot.

"I do, but... can I ask you something uncle?"

"Go ahead."

"You lived here in this manor before?"

His uncle sipped a drink before responding. "Yeah, we stayed there for 3 years until we relocated here."

"Where was this located?"

"At Gyeonggi, if I wasn't mistaken." Uncle Guimhwi stated. "The neighborhood there was so kind. I wish I could pay them a visit someday."

Seojoon keeps on listing secretly on his mind. "Why couldn't you?"

"Some things are best to left behind, Joon. There's a lot of bad history I had there in that manor. I wouldn't last to witness that place ever again if I get the chance... but it's better for me not to take that at all." Uncle Guimhwi said.

"Wait, are you referring to the missing case of... wait, what's this name again- Kim Dahyun?"

Seojoon observed his uncle who stopped midway from gulping another cold beverage in his glass. It's like he just installed some flashbacks within him that he just malfunctioned.

"Y-you know that?"

"I do. Researching helps plus hello, I work at police department as a detective, uncle." Seojoon blurted.

Guimhwi started to act weird by rotating his head as if he's trying to find something for him to say regarding that matter.

"A-ahh. Right, yeah. You are." Guimhwi nervously chuckled.

"That manor was the same place where that Dahyun girl was reported to be missing. Do you know her, uncle?"

The intensity of Seojoon's playful act to corner his uncle becomes even more intense as he enjoys watching him struggle to reply. His suspicions were now being constructed and Seojoon couldn't believe that he would've get to confront his uncle for being the unthinkable type of person he never knew would turn out real.

Guimhwi remained silent for a while before he glanced at the manor. "I do. He was our previous maid. Dahye and her gets along really well. That's why when I noticed that she wasn't appearing for days and become absent in our manor, not knowing that would be the start of his missing report by the police; I was worried and saddened for her and for Dahye. They were like bestfriends and Dahyun... Dahyun is a great girl, Seojoon. It breaks my heart not to see that kid for a long time now."

"I heard from our department that they're going to reopen the case, if you will be asked to stand as the witness; would you allow me to recommend you?"

Guimhwi swallowed a lump on his throat before speaking up to what his nephew told to him. "I-I'll think about it first. That's undebatable."

Seojoon clicked his tongue and pretends to pull out his cellphone for some urgent reason. "I'll be back, uncle. I have to chat my colleague."

"Take your time, boy."

Seojoon walks away from his uncle and stopped near the door. He pressed the note icon and types down everything he heard from his uncle. He saved it for later there and not on his usual notepad so that he wouldn't be seen too obvious that he's actually investigating his uncle. This has to be included for review and analyzation back on his house or at the station later.

-----------------------------

Two days later, Seojoon was mostly devoted on investigating further about the sudden involvement of his uncle about Dahyun's case. It's making him conflicted and befuddled that after all this time, one of things he'd be looking for the case was someone very close to his life, and as of now his role is very crucial here.

His uncle has just become one of the primary suspects as the culprit of Dahyun's death.

He doesn't want it to be true, because he doesn't know what would it affect him once it does. Being a police detective, learning that there's a murderer or a killer that is highly related to you feels like a stain to your career and background as you hold your family's name along with the rank of your profession.

Seojoon was busy adjusting all of the clues he has with him when he received a phone call from his cousin Dahye.

"Hello?"

"Oppa." Her voice sounded weak.

"Dahye, what made you call in the middle of the night. You miss me already, don't you?" He chuckled as he closed a folder in his working table.

"Oppa... please come here. I don't wanna go."

Seojoon slowly furrowed his eyebrows after he heard that plead from Dahye. "What do you mean you don't wanna go? Is there something wrong going on there, Dahye-nah?"

"Oppa... appa wants us to look for new home. I don't know why but... I don't want to be far away, oppa. I love it here. Stop appa please."

"Okay okay, I'll be right there. Where is appa right now?" Seojoon asked, hurriedly wearing his detective coat and some equipments with him in case it gets handy. He has to beware, his uncle is a suspect and the suspicions he has on him are still on the top and through Dahye's emergency call, it maintains that level of the risk he has.

"H-he's with the maids, packing our things. I have to go, oppa. Appa might see me."

"Just try to be stubborn and fight back against appa's instructions. Seojoon oppa is on his way now there!" He said before ending the call and left his apartment in a dash.

Driving his car in a fast speed while keeping it steady to avoid any unlikely accidents that may be a hindrance to his chase, Seojoon successfully made it to his uncle's residence.

Just as he arrived, he saw Guimhwi trying to calm down Dahye who is forcing herself to escape from his father's grasp as she's being inserted inside the car.

"UNCLE!" Seojoon shouted, marching closer at Guimhwi who was surprised at his emergence. Dahye quickly ran at him and hugged him on the leg as she cried.

"Seojoon-ssi, what are you doing here?"

"Where are you guys going? And why are you forcing Dahye to go with you? The kid doesn't look pleased, uncle. What's going on?"

"It's none of your business. Y-you won't understand, Seojoon. Take care of yourself, but me and Dahye has to look for a new home somewhere."

Guimhwi tried to approach Dahye but she hid behind Seojoon who is gesturing his to stop. "No. Why can't you tell me why? Your home here seems fine, what's bothering you uncle?"

His uncle went silent as he avoid Seojoon's intimidating gaze, waiting for his answer. As he has no comment to offer, Seojoon starts to choke from the heavy breaths escaping in his mouth driven by the emotions increasing deep inside of him.

"U-uncle, yesterday... I asked you about the manor and if you have knowledge about the case of Kim Dahyun..."

"W-why does it concerns you, Seojoon?!"

"BECAUSE I'M THE ONE WHO HANDLES THE CASE!" Seojoon shouted at Guimhwi. Dahye started to cry behind him. " And you LIED! All of what you said was a LIE. Is that why you're doing this, uncle? Is that because, you feel guilty of what you did... that's why you have to escape and brought a child into this?!"

"How d-do you even know that I told you false information, Seojoon?! What makes sure, that you could just accuse me without any evi-"

"Dahye's not the actual child Dahyun took care of when she was working for you, isn't it?" Seojoon's lips began to twitch. "The case was 5 years ago, Dahye is only turning 6 this year, uncle. She wasn't even born during that time!"

"The girl she took care was your daughter, your ORIGINAL daughter, uncle. Harin was Dahyun's responsibility." Seojoon pointed. Guimhwi was just standing there, head lowered down with fists curling, enduring all of the blame being thrown at him.

"June 12, 2015. You must be on the manor at that day. Why? Because that was 2 days ago after Harin died. You stayed in that manor all day with Dahyun, assisting you while you grieve at your only daughter's death."

"And now, I have to confirm one thing... and I want it to hear it from you, uncle."

Seojoon adjusted the phone in his coat in which he secretly opened the audio recorder to record their conversation tonight, and to caught the suspect's reactions about his claims.

"What did you do to Dahyun on that given night?" Seojoon sharpened his tone, sending chills through the horrified and extremely tensed Guimhwi.

"Are you the one who killed her?"

"..."

"TELL ME!!!"

Dahye cried harder and Guimhwi flinched at the deafening scream by Seojoon.

Tears streamed down in his face while he stares at his uncle that has been cornered and put into hot seat, getting his innocence doubted.

"S-seojoon...

I'm sorry."

Guimhwi didn't answered in specific, but the obvious meaning behind those words were enough to shatter Seojoon's heart and soul.

"N-no... Dahyun..."

He gave in from his stance, collapsing to the ground and slowly sobbed in pain as Dahye hugged him on the back.

--------------------

5 DAYS LATER

The case was now closed. His uncle, Yoon Guimhwi was found guilty and sentenced to more than a decade in prison after he admitted publicly that he was the man behind the slaughter of Kim Dahyun's disapperance, which was caused by murder. He did it at the same room where Dahyun usually stays in the manor, explaining why is it the part of the house that is haunted the most by her spirit.

Dahyun's body was found and surprisingly, it was buried neatly on an open field somewhere in Daegu. On a positive side, atleast his uncle was right and spoke the truth about his explaination on why he did the crime.

But still, that won't change a thing that it was a horrible act to do. He hurted Dahyun for a very obssessive reason. He killed and wasted her dreams because of that. He left Dahyun locked in that manor, hoping that she'll get to cross into the gates of heaven where her soul rightfully belongs.

A proper funeral has been held for Dahyun's remains. All of her friends visited and send their thank yous at the detective for bringing Dahyun the justice she deserves.

Seojoon decided to stop at the manor where he would be visiting Dahyun again. It's been days since they haven't seen each other. She must've felt bored and lonely again, and Seojoon misses her so much already as much as she does.

"Dahyun."

Seojoon called her name after he stood in the doorway. Dahyun was just laying down on the bed with her hands placed atop of her midsection, the same posture as how deceased people were formed inside the casket.

Dahyun gets up from the bed and looked at Seojoon with a huge smile on her face. "Seojoon!" She walked closer to him as fast as she could.

Seojoon got to face Dahyun closer. The two were standing in front of each other, gap were just inches away.

Seeing her after knowing the fate she had that costs her life was too much for Seojoon to control.

"How are you?"

"I'm good, just feeling a bit weird. I feel... more alive and at rest since yesterday." Dahyun described. "It feels like I have nothing to worry about. Like, everything's going to be okay for me even though I'm still here... trapped in this manor for god knows how long."

Seojoon speculated that the completion of the case gave an impact on Dahyun's state as a lost ghost in this mortal world.

He smiled softly and didn't wasted any more time to announce her the good news. "I-It's done."

"Hmm?"

"The case. It's now closed. We caught your killer, Dahyun."

Dahyun was shocked and overwhelmed with joy and relief. She gasped, staring at Seojoon unbelievably. "R-really?"

He nodded. Dahyun jumped in glee and lets out tears of joy in her dazzling eyes. Seojoon admirably watch her celebrate victoriously, it's been a long time coming for her and finally she was able to achieve it.

As soon as Dahyun stops, she noticed that Seojoon was shuddering as tears bursted out from him, hissing and whimpering at the emotions taking over him.

"W-why are you crying, Seojoon? We did it, right?"

"Y-yeah. We did. I'm just so happy for you but I..." Seojoon blew some warm air before proceeding. "I just couldn't help but to feel bad at myself."

"Why? You didn't do anything wrong though?"

"I don't... I-I'm just ashamed to show up myself for you after what I learnt."

Dahyun looks at Seojoon curiously. "Why? What is it?"

"D-Dahyun... forgive me. I didn't know... I didn't know..."

She held her wrists and looked at him worriedly.

"You didn't know what?"

"I- I didn't know that my uncle killed you."

Dahyun was stunned. She froze in front of you, what you just told her immensely shocked her to the core.

"W-what?" Dahyun said, stepping back a bit from him.

"I wasn't close with my uncle at that time, so I never got to know about you. I-If only I did met him and you, pay some visit here earlier, m-maybe I... I could've done something." Seojoon said, shaking his head in regret and guilt. "I wanted to save you, Dahyun."

"H-how did I die?" Dahyun asked him, both were weakened and hurt.

"You were strangled to death... at this very same room we're standing in. He did that after y-you tried to escaped." Seojoon began to explain what his uncle shared in the court. Dahyun's head suddenly starts to ache as all of the memories were now flashing back from her all at once, allowing her to have a glimpse of the last moments before her unfortunate demise in the hands of Seojoon's uncle.

"Y-you did that because... you couldn't stand staying there on that manor, living while raising a child that was completely forced and unplanned for you to have." Seojoon proceeded. "You gave birth to Dahye due to the consequences of Harin's death. My uncle's obssession of having a child in replacement of Harin has what brought uncle to rap-"

"STOP!" Seojoon flinched and looked at Dahyun who is covering her head and ears as she kneeled, body curled on the floor as she fought the pain of regaining back her lost memories that were mostly full of tragedy and darkness.

"Dahyun?" He called her name to check up on her. Dahyun was also crying like him. She removed her hands on her head and looked at Seojoon who is concerned for her.

"I-I remember it all now." Dahyun spoke in the midst of her sobs. "That man needs to pay for what she did to me. Your uncle deserves to burn in hell!"

Seojoon didn't say anything as he just listened to Dahyun's rage and agony. "M-my daughter... I remember her. I can even sense her somewhere. She's alive, I can feel it."

Dahyun went closer towards Seojoon. "S-Seojoon, w-where is she? I-is she okay?"

He nodded, Dahyun smiled through her cries. "She's with me. She grown up to be such a great girl. And I just noticed that... she just looks almost as you."

Dahyun was touched and happy at the news. She cried harder, hands clasped as she prayed for the Gods feeling grateful that somehow her daughter was able to survive and able to continue living the life that was gifted to her.

"Her name..."

"Dahye." Both of them said it at the same time.

"It's as wonderful as her mother's." Seojoon muttered and stared deeply at Dahyun before he looked away as the connection he has with his uncle made him uncomfortable to look at Dahyun straight in the eyes.

"A-are you mad at me, Dahyun?"

"Me?" Dahyun was confused. "Why w-would I? You said it yourself, you have no idea what cruel and disgusting your uncle was."

"Don't be regretful about it, Seojoon. Don't blame yourself just because you have a relative who disobeyed the law opposite of the oath you took for your occupation. It might affect your reputation as a detective, but don't let it distract you from the fact that you're the one who arrested him and sent him to jail on your own. That cements your faithfulness and unbiased principle for the sake of the law and truth."

Dahyun smiled sympathetically at Seojoon. The two had each other's eyes in contact. She grinned brightly, making Seojoon eased and stable from his overflowing emotions. "I won't hold anger, hatred or vengeance from you. It's all done, I am now free... and it wouldn't be possible without you."

They paused on talking when Seojoon noticed that Dahyun's figure started to become blurry as she starts to slowly disappear. "D-Dahyun... you're-"

"I know." She nodded. "My time is up, I see."

Seojoon dreadfully looked at Dahyun after she said it.

"But before I go... I want to say this to you that I've been keeping to myself from the first day that I got to talk with you more than just my case, Seojoon.

Thank you for choosing to help me. You did it, and I'm so proud of you. Those made me even love you more ."

Seojoon starts to cry as he finally tried to touch Dahyun to hug her, but sadly he really couldn't do it. His body just went passed through Dahyun's. He became infuriated, pounding his fists at the floor.

"N-no... no, even you?!" Seojoon exclaimed. The fear of being left by someone who became dear in his heart happened again, and it hits Seojoon different because for the first time; he gets to be romantically in love with a woman despite being only the ghost of herself when she was existing like him.

"Can I join you too? I don't want you to go. I love you too Dahyun." Seojoon begged as he kneeled in front of Dahyun. She squats and leveled Seojoon's sight.

"You can, but not for now."

Seojoon looked at Dahyun. "You still have purpose to fulfill in this world, Seojoon... and I want that for you to do me a favor. Take care of Dahye for me. In the future, when she grew up and you feel that she can stand on her own now... I will just be up high above, waiting for you. And we can finally enjoy our everlasting love together there."

Dahyun formed a heart gesture to Seojoon as only a quarter of her figure is now left visible. Seojoon nodded and tapped his chest, making Dahyun happy and fluttered.

"See you on the other side, Seojoon."

That was Dahyun's last words before she vanished in thin air, as Seojoon watched his soul flew out of the window and go upwards into the destination where she can finally rest in peace.

The next day, fulfilling his promise to his stepcousin Dahye; he treated her outside for her birthday as a way to make her special day fun and unforgettable. It was also to distract her from the fact that her father is currently behind bars, Seojoon doesn't want to kid to know yet that his father is a killer.

After Seojoon bought ice cream for him and Dahye, he observed that Dahye was looking at a fast food restaurant where a birthday is being gathered. She saw the kid who is the celebrant along with her father being taken pictures by the guests.

Seojoon went near Dahye and kneeled beside her. He presented the ice cream at her, she accepted and said thank you to him.

"I wish appa is here with us." Dahye said as she directed her gaze back at the party. "Why couldn't he come, oppa?"

Seojoon sighed and pouted, thinking of a way to answer the kid's question. "Because... appa did something wrong, and he has to fix it. That's why for now, I'll be here to become your guardian."

Thankfully, the kid seems to take the explaination nicely. "I'm just jealous, oppa. She has her father with her on her birthday, but I don't."

Dahye frowned and sadly licked her ice cream. Seojoon smiled and swayed some strands of hair behind her ear. "You can call me appa for today if you want."

"Are y-you sure oppa?!"

"Yeah. Since I'm your guardian and I'm the one in charge on behalf of appa, I can stand as your father-figure too, Dahye. You can call me that as much as you want too." He shrugged. "Do you like that?"

Dahye smiled and nodded. "Yes, appa!" She replied as she hugged Seojoon afterwards. He shut his eyes as she indulge the comforting sensation of having his beloved little girl delighted in his company.

Seojoon became determined to grant Dahyun's wishes, and that is to raise Dahye and teach her to become a wonderful person just like her mother.

----------------------------

35 YEARS LATER

In one of the hospital rooms, sounds of cries from the visitors and a flatline from the heartbeat monitor can be heard as the patient who is confined there was just announced his time of death by the doctors who failed to resuscitate his life.

The woman is being comforted by her boyfriend, as she cried harder while grasping the lifeless hand of his father.

"I'll be here for you Dahye, stay strong. You heard him and I don't want to fail him either." the boyfriend said as he rubbed her back, revealing to Dahye who is now an adult and is in her 30's who just suffered a huge loss for the passing of her beloved stepfather and veteran detective Yoon Seojoon at the age of 65.

Meanwhile, Seojoon's newly ascended soul awakened in a foggy ground covered in crystal clear water in a very shallow height.

He slowly raised himself and looked around, where he could only see nothing but baby blue sky.

Noticing that he's in his younger appearance and wearing all white long sleeved shirt and pants while barefoot in the water; he walked ahead at the unknown until a gate standing tall supported with golden bars of fences to defend and guard of what it seems to be an evangelical town appeared out from the fog.

There were two guards who noticed him. He walked through them as they stood their ground with all confidence.

"State your name, lost soul." The guard who's holding a long golden trident asked him authoratively.

"L-lost soul... that means I'm truly dead...?" He whispered to himself. He knew what happened to him but he couldn't believe that this were all happening to him in reality.

"Y-Yoon Seojoon." He said cautiously.

The other guard on the booth flipped the pages of what it seems to be an enchanted book. "He's cleared."

The guard snapped his fingers and the padlocks of the gate went poof out of the air. It opened wide after and the guard stepped aside. "Welcome to the heavens. You may now enter."

Seojoon looked at the guard amazedfully. He walked inside, a white beam suddenly appeared in his body that expanded into a thread that leads to somewhere.

"W-what is this light attached on me?"

"It means that there's another soul here who is waiting to see you. Follow the way and you'll find out." The guard answered.

Seojoon nodded and continues walking. He travelled his eyes around at these unique and surreal surroundings. Everything looks unearthly, magical and spectacular.

He kept following the direction of the white beam connected to him until it came to a pause where he saw the the other end of it. It passes through the walls of a lovely looking house.

As soon as he stepped into the pathway, the door opened. Seojoon's eyes widened too when Dahyun showed up at the door looking at him tenderly.

"D-Dahyun..."

She went out of the house and placed her hands on the back. Her classic black long hair and white dress. She looked simply breathtaking and magnificent just like the first time you've seen her, and seeing her in heaven, there couldn't get even more excellent than this.

"Welcome home, Seojoon."

The two slowly walked towards each other until they closed the space between them and catched theirselves in a warm, longing and blooming embrace. Seojoon teared up as he saw Dahyun's body wrapped in his arms.

"I can finally feel you." Seojoon said as he stroked her silky smooth hair.

Dahyun smiled, feeling grateful as him. "How was your time down there?" she asked.

"It was worth it. Your lessons has what made me feel alive with purpose. And Dahye, she's in good hands now."

They seperated and faced each other dearly. Dahyun was pleased that she can finally get a touch of her lover's attractive face as she cupped it with her small cute hands.

"She had grown up to be a wise, independent lady, thanks to you Seojoon. Thank you." Dahyun nodded and sniffed at her tears. "And now that you're here, we can finally be together whenever we want and start our relationship for all time...

"... always." Seojoon took the turn to finish her words. "I love you, Dahyun."

"I love you too, Seojoon."

Both of them smiled and locked their hands together.

"Unnie! Where are you?" Someone shouted from the house. They both heard it and got alarmed, Seojoon was surprised at the familiar voice.

"There's also someone you would be very glad to see." Dahyun said to him.

The door opened, and Seojoon broke down with more tears as he saw the owner of that voice standing in front of him looking very much alive and enthusiastic.

"O-oppa?"

"H-Ha... Harin..."

"OPPA!"

Her cousin ran at him and Seojoon greeted him with a tight embrace. "Harin... Y-You're here... oh thank God, oppa missed you so much..."

"I missed you too, oppa."

He grabbed the back of his head and kissed her repeatedly on the top. Dahyun was touched at this wholesome scene.

Seojoon stood up and holds both Dahyun and Harin's hands. They formed a circle and Seojoon looked at them admiringly as he finally got reunited with the most cherished ones who entered in his life.

Back on Earth few days later, Dahye was the last person who remained in front the grave of her parents, Dahyun and Seojoon after the funeral ended.

She stared and grieved on their resting place one last time. Dahye pulls out her wallet where it contains the pictures of her and Seojoon and the old picture of Dahyun that serves as her only kept remembrance of her when it was shown to her by Seojoon as he explained to her about Dahyun being her biological mother before.

Dahye sometimes imagines what would it be like if they were a complete family, and she can experience how it feels to have a mother's love.

She looks above the skies, a bittersweet smile displayed in her lips. Dahye securedly holds the pictures into her chest.

"I hope you two are having fun up there. You two deserved it. Rest in peace, eomma and appa."

At the same time in the immaculate heavens far away from the mortal world, Seojoon and Dahyun were playing their favorite piece together in the piano as they sat beside each other while her head is on his shoulder. Harin is on the floor, listening with them while she's coloring her book.

When the song ends, Dahyun leans away and looked at Seojoon lovingly; and the two shared their first ever kiss empowered of nothing but an everlasting love they can exchange for one another on their new life in the eternal paradise called heaven.

#twicedahyun #dahyun #kimdahyun #twicedahyunxmreader #twicedahyunxmalereader #twice #twiceoneshots #twiceau #twicefanfic #twicedahyunoneshot #twicedahyunau #twicedahyunfanfic #kpoponeshots #kpopau #kpopfanfic

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things-about-cars-in-posts · 1 year

Note

So I had my dad talking to me about cars today, telling me how I should basically avoid getting any cars except those made by Japanese companies because of how shitty other countries manufacture their cars (mileage and life span)

Do you have any thoughts on this? I don’t know much about cars and I thought of this blog while I was having this conversation so that’s why I send here

Do I have thoughts on this. Do I have thoughts on this. Babygirl (gender neutral) I have thoughts on aspects of cars you wouldn't even conceive of. I have thoughts on aspects of cars that aren't even real. Up the ante, folks! Ask me which cars are most bisexual!

That aside, for my opinion: Italian food is good. But of course, when I eat out in Italy, I don't go to any random place because "this country does this well", because I'm not ordering from a country, or a region, or a city, but from a specific joint - and some of them suck, some dropped or rose in quality, some are exceptionally good/bad with certain things, hell, some serve foreign food and then what's the adage matter now! That's why Yelp doesn't have country reviews.

Much the same, Japanese cars are usually pretty reliable, but Nissan spent the last two decades making a case against that claim (especially with their CVT transmission, a known ticking time bomb they've done fuck all about for years) with the help of whatever's left of the shell of Mitsubishi, and Infiniti is just the luxury brand of Nissan so ditto for it... indeed, another point to make, some cars are just based on, or outright are, cars from other brands. Infinitis are built by Nissan, and usually based on the equivalent Nissans. Except the QX30, which is just a Mercedes GLA - which probably was part of the same deal through which Mercedes got to sell the Nissan Navara as the X Class.

And there's a lot of cross-nationality brand partnerships like that, past and present, like the four-decade-long Mazda/Ford one, or the time Saturn had such a crappy engine they had to get Honda to give them a proper one. And by the way, the guy who posted that? He owns a different Saturn which took 360k miles of bare minimum care like a champ, because reliability can vary wildly within a lineup, and also a Volkswagen that's been a thorn in his side, which definitely wasn't the experience I had with mine, because mine is over twice as old, and a brand can completely change over time too! (You'd think they were run by people or something.)

In fact, reliability changing over time and models is the norm - not as drastically as, say, "older German cars were unstoppable tanks and now they're overly fit-prone electronics messes where everything is costly to buy and dastardly to replace" (which, however, is actually a notable trend), but usually in terms of "in this model, through these production years, this component was overly keen on failing" (as per my Accord post). Part of how Toyota (and by extension its luxury brand Lexus) rightfully earned its reputation of King Reliability is such cases in their production being especially few and far between, and none notable enough to become an automotive meme like Subaru head gasket failures (and no, the Camry dent doesn't count). So, say, Hondas may not be less reliable, just a bit less consistently so (but even there, Honda interiors tend to hold up much better than Toyotas', yadda yadda yay for nuance).

So if you are buying a used car (as you should) it's always important to research for potential common problems (for instance, pre-90s Toyota frames are to rust what the letter X is to Elon Musk) and thoroughly inspect the car, to check that nothing is broken and that it's been properly serviced.

That last part is very important, because reliability is not a tickbox, it's a spectrum, and a function of how a car was built and how it was maintained. Carelessness will kill any car sooner or later. Every car has fluids that will at some point need changing, wear items that will at some point need replacing, and the occasional part failure. Even yours. So even when it comes to your car, keep up with that stuff, or it will eventually catch up to you. (And if regular services would tax your finances, look into how to perform them yourself - you'll find it's a lot easier than you thought, you'll give it a shot and it will be very rewarding and save you a lot of money!)

And also, if a hinge starts squeaking, if something starts sagging, if some trim breaks, if you get a dent or scratch, take care of those too. Not because they make your car work less or worth less, but because they foster an indifference that snowballs into neglect. Working on those little things will keep you feeling like your car is nice and your loving effort is going to keep it nice, dammit - in much the same way as it's important to take care of yourself and your environment for your mental health, to keep yourself feeling like you are making it and with your loving effort you are going to keep making it, dammit.

Links in blue are posts of mine explaining the words in question - if you liked this post, you might like those!

#i am genuinely so sorry for how long it took me to get to ya #i just spent ages perfecting this #writing and looking into a lot of things I ended up trimming and such #hope you like it!#japanese cars #maintenance #infiniti qx30 #mercedes cla #nissan navara #mercedes x class #toyota #lexus

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sodaabaa · 3 months

Text

little fox, part two

bruce wayne x OC maia agrees to help bruce. the two of them find that they have more in common than they'd expect.

tw: mentions of familial deaths, grief

masterlist

playlist

As promised, at exactly 7 pm, a sleek, black Bentley arrived outside Maia's apartment in the southernmost part of downtown Gotham. She marveled at the car, rarely did Maia ever drive to work, preferring the subway because of the crazy city traffic. Outside of her job, she was a homebody so she had little need for a car. Regardless, her uncle insisted she have one ‘just in case,’ so they compromised on a used Toyota that now sat on the side of the street, collecting dust.

A man who looked to be in his seventies stepped out. His polished outfit consisted of well fitting black suit and a pair of black leather gloves.

“Ms. Fox?” He said in a thick British accent. “That’d be me,” She replied awkwardly, giving the man a little wave.

“Alfred, pleasure to make your acquaintance Ms. Fox,” He went around to where she stood on the opposite side of the car and opened the door for her.

“Shall we?” He asked, motioning a hand to the car.

She nodded, entering the car and once again, marveling at the interior that was just as luxurious as the exterior had been. Beige seats made from the softest leather, tortoise-shell trim accented the sides – she could get used to this.

“Master Wayne tells me you’re Lucius’ niece?” Alfred said as he himself entered the car and took off.

“I am, how do you know Luc?” She asked. He’d never mentioned any British friends to her.

“Work,” He said with a knowing smile.

“So you’re in on this whole thing too, huh?” “Indeed I am, Miss.”

The rest of the car ride was spent in silence as they passed through Gotham. She’d never been past the city limits and it seemed that she was in for quite a drive tonight. Bustling streets and towering skyscrapers faded away as they continued into the outskirts of the city.

“Does this even count as Gotham City anymore?” “Partially, there aren’t many residents in the Palisades – they’re still part of the greater Gotham County area though,” He replied.

She peered out the window, taking in the green landscape she seldom got to see living inside the city. In the distance, she saw what could only be described as a castle (at least in her eyes). Before she could say anything about the building, everything went dark as they entered an underground tunnel.

“What –” “A secret entrance, Miss. We’re almost there.”

Secret entrance. That’s a bit dramatic, she thought. “Was that Wayne Manor in the distance?” “Indeed, it was.”

“He lives there – all alone?” “If you don’t count the staff and me, yes.”

She hummed in reply, how lonely must it be? Everyone in Gotham knew the tragic tale of the Waynes, carelessly murdered in a mugging right in front of an eight year old Bruce. She stiffened, trying not to recall the memory of hearing about her own parents' death. She did her best to block the memory, the pain. Luckily, their drive came to an abrupt stop, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“We’ve arrived,” Alfred said as he stepped out of the car and walked over to Maia’s side, opening the door for her.

She stepped out into an actual cave. The distant sound of rushing water filled the air.

As they made their way further inside, she got a closer look at the dimly-lit cave, there was little furnishing the area, only a large black box that sat in the middle of the cave, guard rails on all four sides. Above it hung a simple lightbeam. The box was connected to the driveway they’d just entered through by a narrow, rusty metal bridge. She peered over the sides, a shallow pool of water underneath them.

Maia scoffed, “He wasn’t kidding when he said batcave.” “No I’m afraid he was not,” Alfred ushered them over the bridge and towards an impressive set up. “Right this way you’ll find we’ve hopefully equipped you with what you’ll need.” Multiple wide monitors sat atop a large metal desk. She took a seat, the monitor coming to life before her. She looked up at Alfred who stared at her expectantly.

“Um, I think I can take it from here,” She said nervously.

“Right then, I’ll see to some refreshments,” He chuckled and left her to get started.

She looked around the cave, her leg bouncing up and down rapidly, suddenly wishing Alfred hadn’t left. Was Bruce coming here tonight? Maybe he was giving her some space to do what she needed to do but she felt uneasy regardless. She was casually sitting in the middle of Batman’s lair. This was definitely above her paygrade, Wayne Enterprise employee or not.

Doubt weaseled itself into Maia's mind. What if she couldn’t track Entropy down? She was no stranger to self-doubt. Going to MIT, majoring in a male-dominated field -- she constantly felt as though she didn't belong, like she wasn't as good as her peers. But she pushed through, for the sake of her parents; to make them proud.

She stared at the screen as she cracked her knuckles and sighed, “Here goes nothing.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bruce rolled his shoulder as he walked into the cave. He’d spent the night taking down a drug trafficking ring, which was an easy task for the most part except for the dozens of men armed with a myriad of weapons – including steel baseball bats. He’d taken one too many hits, the effects of which were finally settling and resulting in a battered and bruised shoulder.

He paused when he heard murmuring. It was almost midnight. He crossed the bridge and saw Maia, her head resting against her crossed arms atop the desk. Her eyes were closed but her brows were furrowed as she spoke unintelligible words.

He laid a hand on her back, trying his best not to startle her.

“Maia,” He whispered. He patted her gently when his whispers didn't wake her up.

She jolted awake, clearly disoriented by her whereabouts. When realization dawned on her, she looked up.

“Oh!” She stumbled up but caught herself on the desk before she could fall.

“It’s alright, how long have you been down here – where’s Alfred?” He said, hands reaching out to steady her.

She rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand, “He, um,” she paused, “He came down a few hours ago to check on my progress."

Bruce nodded, "Have you found anything?"

"They’re good. I wasn’t able to track them down quite yet but I did compile a list of their victims so far and I managed to run it through a pattern recognition system to find connections between them.” “And what did you find?” He asked.

“At first it looked like there wasn’t much aside from their affluent backgrounds and their jobs but then,” She turned to the screen, leaning down to pull up what she found. She pulled up a map showing the homes of each victim. Each address connected to to create a spiral. But it wasn’t just any spiral…

“The Fibonacci spiral?”

She nodded, turning to look up at Bruce, “and I know who their next target is.”

Maia pointed to where the next part of the sequence would be. Wayne Tower.

“They don’t seem to be interested in money since there wasn’t any money taken from any of the other victims. Each victim has been a member of some public entity – City Hall, the police department, even the Gotham District Court.”

“Wayne Enterprises isn’t a public institution–” Before Bruce could finish, Maia cut in.

“But it funds every level – You provide thousands of dollars in donations to the police department, the District Attorney’s office, and you funded Mayor Loeb’s reelection campaign. I think their ultimate goal is to turn people against the Wayne name and everything it controls – it makes sense from their perspective, your family has a monopoly over this city.” A muscle in Bruce’s jaw ticked as he processed the information. The Waynes certainly had their fair share of rivals and misanthropists – it would take Bruce a considerable amount of time to figure out who’d feel strongly enough against him to go to these lengths. But what was the significance of the Fibonacci sequence? As if Maia had heard his thoughts, she spoke up.

"I was confused about what the sequence meant -- how it related to their cause but then I realized, Entropy is a gradual decline into disorder. The Fibonacci Sequence represents harmony and balance. What if they're trying to restore balance to Gotham by causing chaos, targeting the rich who they believe control the public institutions to spark a revolution?" "Creating chaos and darkness before the dawn," Bruce said.

"A dawn, they no doubt would be in control of," Maia finished.

Bruce ran a hand through his disheveled hair with a sigh. They want Gotham to descend into anarchy -- as if it weren't bad enough as it is.

His gaze returned to Maia, who looked like she wanted to say something more.

“Is there anything else I should know?”

She looked up at him sheepishly, “Since we know who the next target might be – I set up a honeypot.” “A honeypot?” Bruce questioned.

“Essentially a trap – a replica of your personal computer systems linked to your Wayne Enterprise accounts. It’ll hopefully lure them in and when it does, it’ll send me an alert.” “Is there something wrong?” She hesitated. He raised his brows in anticipation.

“If the honeypot fails, they’ll know we were onto them. It might spook them…or it’ll anger them. There’s no telling what they’d do out of anger.” Bruce nodded slowly, “So this better work then?”

“Yup,” She said, popping the ‘p.’

Bruce huffed a laugh, “I’m putting my company’s fate in your hands Ms. Fox.”

“It was your choice – not mine, Mr. Wayne.”

He held her gaze for a moment, admiring her intelligence and intellect. She had stayed here, working tirelessly all night to help him. She managed to figure out the group's agenda and set up a trap -- all in the span of a few hours.

She cleared her throat, snapping the two of them out of their trance.

“It’s getting late – I’ll have Alfred set up a room for you. Have you eaten yet?” Bruce asked.

“Oh, no I can head home – I’ll call a taxi or something.” Bruce waved a hand, “Not a chance. A taxi in the middle of the night in Gotham?”

She sighed, reluctant to accept his offer but she gave in. Gotham in the daytime was bustling and full of life but nightfall brought out the worst the city had to offer -- Bruce would be damned if he let her go out there this late.

The two of them made their way up to the manor and caught up with Alfred, filling him in on the details before he went off to prepare a midnight snack.

Bruce rested back on a plush sofa in one of the manor’s parlors that made for the perfect late night lounging spot. Bruce himself often came here to rest in between patrols. Maia sat across from him, her eyes making their way around the room. She stopped on the painting to the right of them above the marble fireplace.

“Your parents?” She said softly.

Bruce nodded.

“What were they like?” He drew in a breath.

“I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer that,” She quickly added.

He exhaled, “No it's alright."

He thought for a moment, trying to string together some words that would do his parents justice.

"My father was a doctor – often being the one to clean my scrapes and cuts from playing outside,” He paused, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smile, “He was a healer. The kind of person you'd run to for help, certain that he'd always have the right words to say, the perfect remedy to prescribe to make you feel good as new.”

She nodded, a knowing smile on her face. No doubt she was thinking of her own parents. Bruce wasn’t sure if he should bring it up. He opted to play it safe and stay away from the topic.

Another time, he thought.

"What about your mother?" She asked.

He let out a breathy laugh, “As a kid, I always thought my mother was a queen. She had this regal air to her, always dressed to the nines. But it was her grace and kindness that made her beloved to the people.”

Before he could continue, Alfred came in carrying a tray with an assortment of snacks; fruits, a variety of cheeses, crackers, and cold-cut meats. Grateful for the interruption, Bruce leaned forward to help himself, wincing at the ache in his shoulder.

“Oh, Alfred this is too much,” Maia said.

“Speak for yourself, I need the calories,” He replied in between bites.

Maia laughed, taking a slice of watermelon onto her plate.

“A room’s been prepared for you in the guest wing, Ms. Fox.” "Thank you," She said, looking between the two of them.

Alfred nodded, leaving the two of them be. They ate in comfortable silence.

As Bruce reached forward to place his plate down on the table between them, he hissed in pain and grabbed his shoulder.

"That's the second time you've winced in pain, let me take a look," Maia placed her own plate down and walked over to Bruce before he could protest.

She pressed gently on his shoulder, feeling for dislocated bones or swelling.

"It doesn't feel like anything's misplaced or swollen. Here, let me help you out of your suit so we can see what it looks like underneath." She helped him out of his batsuit, a difficult task to manage since he could barely lift his left shoulder. He sat in front of her, torso fully bare. Bruce suddenly felt too vulnerable -- every scar and bruise fully exposed under the warm lights of the parlor. Bruce watched her wince as she took in his battered skin, running her feather-soft fingertips over the newly formed bruises on his shoulder.

"Alfred!" She called out.

Almost instantly, footsteps could be heard from the hall.

"Is something wrong --" He paused when he saw Bruce's bare chest, "Oh! Master Wayne. Why on earth didn't you say something earlier! I'll fetch some ice."

He left as fast as he arrived.

"I'm alright, really," He said, returning his attention back to Maia.

"You need ice. And rest. And maybe a hospital -- how have you survived all these years?" She rambled, her hands trailed over the scars across the top of his chest. He tried not to shiver under her touch.

"Alfred does a pretty good job at patching me up," He replied.

"I'm serious," Her eyes shone with concern.

He took her hands in his and looked up at her, "I'm fine. I swear."

He held her gaze, both of them unable to look away. Caught in a trance for a second time that night. There was something about her that hypnotized Bruce. Her brown eyes flitted between his, their breaths syncing with each other.

"How hard is it to refill the bloody ice. I swear I'm going to fire somebody one of these days--" Alfred muttered as he returned, snapping them out of their trance.

Bruce inhaled, sitting back, putting some distance between Maia and him. She did the same, stepping back and stumbling into the coffee table behind her.

"No ice but I managed to dig up some packets of peas from the back of the freezer," Alfred said, handing it to Maia.

"Thanks, Alfred. This'll do," Maia replied. She placed the pack gently on Bruce's bruised skin. He sucked in a breath through his teeth as the ice assaulted his sensitive skin.

Maia winced, "Sorry." "It's not a problem," He waved off and took the pack from her. She took the opportunity to sit on the edge of the coffee table in front of Bruce, the look of concern still plastered across her face.

"It's late, you should get some sleep." "Are you gonna be okay? I can stay up and help if--" "I'll be fine, I've handled much worse than a few bruises. I'll have Alfred carry me bridal style if it makes you feel better," He laughed, trying to put her worries at bay.

She smiled, amused at the image he painted. Bruce's gaze lingered on her lips, the lack of sleep and the events of the night must have been getting to him.

She cleared her throat and stood up, "Good night then, Mr. Wayne."

He bid her a good night, leaning back on the sofa with a sigh as he watched her leave the parlor. He shut his eyes to get some rest himself but his mind replayed everything that had passed between him and Maia that night. Mesmerized, even by the memory of her.

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