ROOM 303

"I guess it doesn't matter, I was just curious." Willow smiles and shrugs, leaning one shoulder against the doorframe to steady herself against the slight sway of alcohol still in her system. She could have read his mind about it, but she wanted to know what he would say to her if she asked outright.

She seems satisfied by his answer, not too troubled by his nonchalance about it. She could take or leave a second kiss, but she feels a giggle bubble up in her throat when she thinks about the way he pressed her against the wall.

"It was a fun kiss," Willow admits. "I liked it too."

Even though he isn't looking, she feels where his gaze wants to go. She doesn't feel particularly smug or seductive about it - she would have dressed this way if he left her alone at the doorstep - but she does still blush a bit.

"You've got quite a temper."

THIS IS WHERE SHE GETS HER FIRST APOLOGY. he hangs his head in a half bow, the words slipping from his lips half hearted and a little reluctant. he feels like he barely knows how to act like a person anymore. the persona he wore once, before eden, has been stripped from him, leaving him raw and bare. the raw beautiful gem of art and rage held precious by the hands of his lover, his muse, his shadow, his god — he forgets that he has to conceal it in front of people.

once the seal is broken, it’s hard to go back. she seems amused by it — right now, at least. he’ll take what he can get.

“ alcohol makes it worse — a-and you were purposefully poking my nerves, don’t think i don’t know what you were doing! ” he laughs off the nerves — maybe the first real smile she has seen from him all night. or since they have met. he really doesn’t do that all too often these days.

“ you scared me, almost walking into traffic like that. and i get angry when i’m scared too — fight response. ”

"Thank you." She's smiling, but the giggling has died down now that tensions have lowered. Willow wishes she still bruised. She'd have liked a memento from his hand on her arm, but the hazy memory will have to do. She hides a little behind her glass, her rosy cheeks settling down into just slightly flushed from the booze. "I'll be more careful next time."

If there is one, of course. The way he's acting right now makes her think she might not see him again after this. He might be to ashamed tomorrow... Which he seems eager to get to. Willow isn't tired in the least. She purses her lips, planning some sort of protest, but feels pretty childish when it comes to opening her mouth and saying something.

Willow gets up, disappears for a few minutes and returns bare-faced, wearing an oversized shirt and shorts for pyjamas. She smells like roses and mint mouthwash. She's happy he didn't leave while she was gone.

"Why'd you kiss me?"

“ BECAUSE I NEEDED YOUR ATTENTION. ” and that’s one hell of a way to grab it. he was also relieved she was safe.

but long before her, wires have been crossed. his rage has been treated as erotic for some time, celebrated and pined after. rewarded with kisses and stranger tender acts that only served to stoke the flames further. it’s also a good way to shut someone up. it also serves to make his shadow jealous.

he likes how exciting things get when his shadow gets jealous.

“ — and i wanted to. and i’m drunk. why are you asking that all of a sudden? does it matter? ” a sigh. the rest of his water is placed on the counter as he paces. he’s still annoyed enough not to apologize but as he simmers down he wonders if that was the best thing to do. she seems to have enjoyed it, she doesn’t seem to mind at all. actually, if he were to hazard a guess, she might even be looking forward to the possibility of another kiss. he stops his pacing to peer at her, his brow furrowed together. why in the world would someone want that? is she sick? she deserves better than all of that.

still, no apology. she’s not likely to get one. the scent of her perfume hits him and his cheeks go a little redder than they already have been. he keeps his eyes staring into hers instead of tracing the length of her bare legs like he’d like to.

“ i liked it. … did you? ”

#i dont even care how many times i rb this #❛❛ [ … ] vis. ❜❜#❛❛ [ … ] the devil. ❜❜

calisverse

Strangers From Hell (2019) EP7

Yim Si-wan as Yoon Jong-woo Lee Dong-wook as Seo Moon-jo

On their walk - bark, bark - he controls her with a few sharp pulls when she veers too far from him. She could easily overpower Jongwoo if she really wanted but for some strange reason chooses not to, preferring to be tugged at like a dog on a leash. This manhandling makes her a little playful. She starts straying on purpose, just to feel his grip get a little tighter whenever she does.

Willow stumbles into her own home with a little squeak. She wasn't prepared for the shove! Doesn't mind it much either, though. Especially when he steps in behind her and locks the door. Rationally, Willow knows he probably wont kiss her again, but she can't help but feel giddy that he's here.

"You're so bossy." She laughs airily, already making her way over there. Willow pours him a glass, too, because she's a good host. "Bathroom's down that way. Last door on the left."

And it's all immaculate. Clean. Not a sign in sight that she might not be doing well. She waits for him in the living room, sipping at her water. It doesn't stop the giddy feeling in her skull, though.

IN THE BATHROOM HE TAKES A MOMENT TO SPLASH COOL WATER ON HIS FACE, the nape of his neck, careful to wipe clean any stray water that falls onto the counter. his bangs stick together, stick to his forehead, his cheeks still burning red as he gazes at himself in the mirror. peers at the split in his lip that still occasionally leaves a metallic taste in his mouth. he’s no stranger to this, to the blood caught between his teeth, to the weird anger fueled desire.

he’s not even here and he’s a looming shadow over everything jongwoo does. jongwoo signs and exits the bathroom.

back in the kitchen, jongwoo takes the water that was poured for him and takes a nice, long and cool drink of it. this is a hangover he knows he’s going to feel in the morning — he’s already dreading it.

“ it’s a nice house — ” he lifts one finger from the glass to gesture about. he feels a little guilty being so mean, but he’s not going to apologize. he feels guilty, but not sorry. “ — anyways. you need to be more careful walking around busy roads. you could have really gotten hurt. ”

he wonders what she would have looked like, splayed out like a pinned butterfly under the car. he shutters at the thought.

“ go get ready for bed. ” his head still swims. he’s a lot more drunk than he wanted to be tonight. jongwoo presses the cold of the glass to his temple.

Well, he doesn't know it wouldn't have killed her. Maybe that's what makes her so endeared to him now. Rough hands on her body remind her that she is alive -- if anybody is going to touch her, she'd prefer it to be like this. No trace of tenderness. The furthest thing from the soft hands of the boy she abandoned in Hell. She hates to be reminded of him and his dwelling place --- he's so far from her mind now that she feels halfway normal. Half.

She responds to Jongwoo in a way that surprises her. Her hands grip him, as greedy and aggressive as he grips her. She finds herself giggling, giddy and pleased to have gotten such a reaction out of him. When he stops kissing her, she's still riding the high of it -- even if she is a little disappointed with the fact that he stopped at all.

I'm walking you home. She giggles some more.

"Yes sir." As she's being wrenched along. Willow glances behind them, wondering why he's so convinced somebody is going to kill her tonight. "My house is that way."

The opposite way they're walking.

#❛❛ [ … ] ic. ❜❜#unpossession #she could also.... bite him. this could be the thread where she bites him.... 👀 just so you know

“ RIGHT. THEN YOU LEAD THE WAY. ”

it was a bit silly for him to try and lead her home like he knew where he was going at all. she’s put in front, her wrist-leash loosened only as little so that she can lead him where they need to go. still, even despite her earlier proddings, he looks behind him. beside them. up and around at balconies and office building windows. no sign of his shadow anywhere. was he really being that paranoid?

he doesn’t stop at the door when they finally make it to her place. it would have been a better idea, maybe, to leave her be after making sure she got to her driveway safe — instead, once the door is opened, he gives her a gentle shove further inside the door, sliding inside right behind her.

he gives their surroundings one final look before he shuts the door behind them, locking it every way available.

“ drink some water, you’re going to get a headache in the morning if you don’t. and eat something too. where is your bathroom? ” bossing her around like he owns the place. like he didn’t just invite himself in as a guest.

@fiveteeth kisses willow in a rush of adrenaline and/or out of anger.

Willow is never purposefully cruel. Even now, in her coldest state, she finds no joy in torturing somebody like Jongwoo -- but she does find a little amusement in his anger. They do not know each other well. For some reason he doesn't find her completely off-putting even as she forgets how to pretend to be herself. They walk from bar to bar, never enjoying a place enough to settle down for more than one drink, and sweat out the booze in the humid night air.

Prattling on about life, Willow asks seemingly innocent questions, toying with a nerve she only knows to toy with because she's in his head. Where did you move from? Why do you keep looking over your shoulder? No one's there, you know. She doesn't mean to be cruel. She's just curious. She's just heavy-handed about it. Drunk, too. Doesn't help her cause.

When he finally snaps at her, enough! Willow backs up. His temper spikes - which smells delicious - and satisfies her itch to know him better. A man's anger can tell you a lot about him.

"Fine -- fine, whatever. What ever. I'm going. I'm going home. You're mean." Willow steps backwards off curb and straight into the path of a car speeding at her. She's lit up by the headlights, car horn honking as the driver makes no attempt to swerve, Willow thinks: Huh. This is going to hurt. And then Jongwoo pulls her out of the way.

He pulls her with enough force to topple them, but he's sturdy enough that they don't fall. Instead, they just stumble a bit. She feels his hands grip both of her shoulders and the back of her head hit the nearby brick wall.

He's shouting at her. Something about not looking where she's going. How could she be so careless. Something. What she hears is birdsong. The giddy skip of her heartbeat.

Jongwoo kisses her, furious. The brutal collision of their lips causes a cut on the inside of his lower lip. His anger tastes like hot honey. Willow is struggling to keep up with all this. She laughs into his mouth, pulls him closer, and kisses him back.

ALCOHOL ALWAYS MAKES IT WORSE — the anger is fed and flourishes, burning red hot in his chest and in his belly and his cheeks. his lips are red and swollen far before he kisses her. he’s not really sure why he kisses her. perhaps he’s relieved he didn’t have to witness her paint the sidewalk red. her eyes are hazy and glazed over, she’s not listening to a word he says — maybe it’s his way of waking her up from her trance.

either way, now that they are both here, connected so intimately for near perfect strangers, they might as well make the most of it.

with his newfound control over the situation, he takes the reins — his hands, once on her shoulders, now grip and grapple their way down to her waist, pulling her body flush to his own. he doesn’t care for the looks other cast at them, he doesn’t pay any attention at all to the gaze he knows bores hateful holes into them. if anything, it makes him want to put on more of a show. it's less of a kiss now and more a desperate bid for control. it’s violent, even a touch needy.

and then it's over. just as suddenly as the kiss happened, jongwoo pulls back. takes a step back. remembers himself. remembers the dangerous animal that lurks in the shadows. he takes a firm hold of her wrist — she can’t walk into traffic if he leashes her.

“ i’m walking you home. ” not an invitation for argument, no room for misinterpretation. he’s going to make sure she gets home without getting killed. he can’t guarantee what will happen when he leaves, though.

you die! words don't do anything, it's permanently night and i won't feel anything we'll all be laughing with you when you die

#❛❛ [ … ] soundtrack. ❜❜

genesis304

The meat is exactly what’s missing. He smiles patiently, watching you the way one might watch a child struggling to take its first steps. You’re on the cusp of getting it—so very close—but not quite there yet. It’s charming. Cute. The way your brow furrows inspires in him the same teeth-grinding adoration the twins must feel with those cats.

“It will come to you.” His conviction is calm, matter-of-fact. There is no doubt in his mind. “You can’t rush a masterpiece.”

Lately it seems everyone needs reminding of this. The others are eager to move on, away from Eden. They don’t like how long this is taking and they don’t like you. They don’t understand the artistry in this, the meticulous process of crafting something beautiful and true. They don’t understand what we share.

“Inspiration can be so fickle,” he goes on, sighing his way through the sentence. “I understand the frustration. But keep going.”

Others will tell you to give up, grow up, leave behind the reason you breathe for the sake of a steady paycheck. The real world, they keep saying, as if you’ve been living somewhere else all your life. As if you are less real than they are. Laughable, when they are so choked by artifice, consumed entirely by the performance of their roles in this so-called ‘real world’ that they wouldn’t know truth if it ripped the molars out of their empty, worthless skulls.

Never stop writing, Jongwoo. And never bend the knee.

#❛❛ [ … ] ic. ❜❜#genesis304

JONGWOO SEARCHES FOR SOMETHING IN 304’S EYES — but what he’s looking for he isn’t entirely sure of. words of encouragement feels so foreign to him these days. they are simple words but he laps them up like a man drinks water in the desert; so desperate for validation he forgets himself — he blooms like a flower. jongwoo’s smile is small and he does try to hide it with a small, thankful bow, but it’s there. validating. reassuring.

“ thank you, i will. ” a masterpiece? 304 seems more confident in his abilities than even he is.

how is it that he got here? a near perfect stranger, nestled into the same cramped, moldy apartment with creeps and freaks is the one that seems to care the most about his creative expression. he’s the one that asks about it most, he is the one that encourages him to pursue it. he’s the one that inspires him. it’s strange — when jongwoo first put pen to paper, first began crafting his perfect story book killer, he has an amorphous face, ever-shifting. now, however, when he sits down to write, when he lets himself drift into that place he writes, his killer pianist has a face obscured in shadow. and sometimes, every great once in a while, jongwoo swears he can see his killer’s smile on 304.

“ anyways, so, ” jongwoo needs to write later. he has a fire lit under him now — but he also needs the material to write, “ would you like to get a beer? ”

Willow could stand to be a little more gentle with him. People don’t usually notice her presence in their minds - they are not supposed to. Not unless she shoulders her way through doors that wish to remain locked.

Doors. No locks. Doors left open, leaving stench to seep out into the hall. Sound. Bodies slapping passionlessly against one another. At least close the door. Somebody’s been in my room. Him. The shadow. The sigh on the other side of the wall.

Her toes curl. The salacious details thrill her. The filth. Where has this boy been? What has he done? Caught on the current of memory. Willow withdraws before she forgets to pay attention to reality, but not enough that she can’t hear his surface thoughts.

“Just close.” To be lovers would require Hawk not to feel sick with shame after fucking her. Which as far as she can tell isn’t happening anytime soon. And even if they were fucking, lovers would be a bit of a reach.

All of that is a little complicated for her right now, dizzy with daydreaming something she can’t quite remember now. Willow smiles a bit.

“I was afraid of it at first. Were you?”

JONGWOO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT HE WAS. he would like to say that he still is, but that would taste a bitter lie. in truth, he doesn’t remember what it felt like to be afraid of it. all he remembers is the feeling of exhilaration as the teeth-charms clattered against each other when he brought the hammer down on —

now’s not the time to get caught in that daydream. like someone hiding the screen on their phone, he turns his thoughts elsewhere — he can swear he sees a flicker of pale skin just out of the corner of his eye every now and then. maybe his shadow is watching him even now. his skin prickles and he shivers, lowering his body further into the warmth of the hot tub and away from the chilly night air.

“ it feels like i have always had it. it's a reminder. ” of what happened, of what’s to come. that he can do anything that he wants forever. that he is trapped and there is no escape. that he will never truly be alone ever again. “ it helps me create. ”

#THE IMAGE OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!!!#seems mandatory on the blog honestly #it makes me insane every time i see it #❛❛ [ … ] dyn — mjjw. ❜❜#❛❛ [ … ] vis. ❜❜#❛❛ [ … ] the devil. ❜❜

genesis304

Your shadow is in his element. The smile that looks so alien out in the light of day is right at home here, easy, almost relaxed. “You don’t recognize him?”

It would be difficult for anyone to place him now. His face is swollen and bloody, mouth a gaping wound. Several teeth have been taken and his tongue is damaged. When he pleads for your help, what comes out sounds less like words and more like choking. His eyes are desperate, incoherent, animal—but resigned, too. He recognizes you, and he knows the end.

“He doesn’t look exactly like his profile picture.” With the snap of a glove, a spidery hand reaches out to grab the victim’s face, turning it toward the light. “But he was giving you quite a bit of trouble.”

Arguing with strangers online isn’t your best look, but then again, it isn’t your sparring partner’s, either. And the things he said were far more offensive. It was all fun and games at first; he was righteous, preaching against the obscenity of your work, wringing his hands over such vile depictions of depravity. He questioned your motives, your morals, and accused you of the fetishization of violence. Clearly that horrible thing that happened to you broke you, he said, and you need help, not a platform. This, of course, did not sit right with you, and you refused to sit down and take it. You pointed out each and every flaw in his argument, and you called him an idiot. In turn, he called you a sensationalist prick and pathetic for engaging with him in the first place. You called him a masturbatory shut-in and an incel, at which point he decided slurs were necessary, which was awfully ironic considering the moralistic posturing he was doing earlier. You pointed this out too, of course. He called you more slurs, said you “deserved to be killed with hammers,” threatened to “find you,” and then started going on a diatribe about Kim Jong Un.

It was easy to find him. Even easier to subdue him. So much for all those threats.

Your shadow has provided you with some hammers, ever the comedian.

#❛❛ [ … ] ic. ❜❜#genesis304

JONGWOO DOESN’T MIND HIS HANDS GETTING DIRTY, so he does nothing to shield himself from the blood and saliva that drip from their captive’s chin. he uses his thumb to pull away his swollen, trembling bottom lip, revealing the half completed row of teeth and the fleshy craters left behind after his shadow has his own fun. jongwoo’s own lips part. it doesn’t take him too long before he does, in fact, recognize him, and before he can realize it, the fear he had been wearing is all but gone. his death will be written long, painful, and brutal. his death will be written to make the reader squirm.

“ he can barely speak. what did you do to his tongue? ” he looks at their captive, but he speaks to his shadow. his eyes follow the swollen contours of their victims face, waxing poetic in the safety of his mind — he should have a pen and paper. maybe he should ask his shadow to go fetch some for him. or has he already thought of that? has he already brought one for him? “ … you could have waited, you know. ” you never wait for me to see you work.

large, wide eyes flicker up to his shadows face, pale and ghostly, serene. it puts him at ease as much as it makes his insides writhe like a snake. it’s a brief glance — a silent plea for validation, for permission. but why is he doing that?

he’s the one in control right now, anyways.

to their captive: “ you don’t like my pianist? ” jongwoo gestures with a nod. he can feel his shadow’s eyes drilling holes into the side of his head. he wants to shiver, “ still too unrealistic? ” his grip on the hammer's wooden handle turns his knuckles white.

lord-taciturn

Signal to Noise, by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean

#❛❛ [ … ] isms. ❜❜

oooooo when i have the time and energy to be back on here to write ...... >:)))

#I MISS WRITING JONGWOO!!!!!!!!#❛❛ [ … ] ooc. ❜❜

zachrp

ᝰ🚬 𝚉𝙰𝙲𝙷𝚁𝙿 .ᐟ RANDOM TEXT MESSAGE PROMPTS. CHANGE ANY PRONOUNS IF NECESSARY. SOME MATURE THEMES MAY BE PRESENT.

[TXT] : answer the question.

[TXT] : you left your jacket here.

[TXT] : ignore that last message.

[TXT] : must be my fault somehow.

[TXT] : this was a bad idea but i'm doing it anyway.

[TXT] : guess i misunderstood the vibe.

[TXT] : i'm only texting you because i'm drunk.

[TXT] : i can't stop thinking about your hands.

[TXT] : you're not gonna believe this..

[TXT] : i'm blushing shut up.

[TXT] : okay wait no don't answer that.

[TXT] : i didn't say anything because i didn't want to argue.

[TXT] : be honest with me.

[TXT] : are you free tonight?

[TXT] : i'll explain later, just call me now!

[TXT] : i like it when you looked at me like that.

[TXT] : i should stop texting before this escalates.

[TXT] : i keep rereading that message.

[TXT] : are you trying to distract me on purpose.

[TXT] : i hate that you were right.

[TXT] : you'd be so proud of me right now and also disappointed.

[TXT] : cheers to bad decisions.

[TXT] : i had a dream about you.

[TXT] : i thought you were coming?

[TXT] : wow that's crazy.

[TXT] : it's whatever honestly.

[TXT] : your stuff is still here.

[TXT] : open the door.

[TXT] : what are you doing right now?

[TXT] : don't screenshot this.

[TXT] : don't make me ask twice.

[TXT] : i'm grabbing coffee, want one?

[TXT] : what are we?

[TXT] : no really it's fine.

[TXT] : you don't have to lie.

[TXT] : i don't feel great.

[TXT] : don't rush i've only been waiting.

[TXT] : i forgot the grocery list.

[TXT] : don't do this over text.

[TXT] : did i do something wrong?

[TXT] : i don't trust myself around you.

[TXT] : running late sorry.

[TXT] : you make it hard to be good.

[TXT] : i told myself i wouldn't text you tonight.

[TXT] : are you mad at me.

[TXT] : please answer me.

[TXT] : i told you not to do that.

[TXT] : can i come over?

[TXT] : i'm outside.

[TXT] : you're being unfair.

[TXT] : that's not an excuse.

[TXT] : can you stay on the phone with me?

[TXT] : are you busy?

[TXT] : please tell me you're okay.

[TXT] : i think i fucked up.

[TXT] : i need to vent.

[TXT] : do you want food?

[TXT] : this is messing with my head.

[TXT] : i should not be imagining this right now.

[TXT] : are you mad at me?

[TXT] : please say something.

[TXT] : can you lie for me?

[TXT] : i found your keys!

[TXT] : i just thought you'd let me know.

[TXT] : i know you're awake.

[TXT] : stay the night.

[TXT] : you look good and you know it.

[TXT] : this reminded me of you!

[TXT] : this conversation is not helping my self control.

[TXT] : i love how you only respond when it's convenient.

[TXT] : i love you and i hate that i love you.

[TXT] : you left me on read.

[TXT] : i cleared my schedule.

[TXT] : i can't keep doing this.

[TXT] : are you alone?

[TXT] : stuck in traffic.

[TXT] : you could've just said no.

[TXT] : i don't want to be alone.

[TXT] : who are you with?

[TXT] : something has to change.

[TXT] : if you were here right now i'd be in serious trouble.

[TXT] : i'm done.

[TXT] : don't tease me.

[TXT] : i'm getting worried.

[TXT] : oh okay i guess we're not talking anymore.

[TXT] : where are you??

[TXT] : i'm thinking about you.

[TXT] : i hate nights like this without you.

[TXT] : can you come get me?

[TXT] : look up.

[TXT] : i trust you.

[TXT] : i need help.

[TXT] : this is flirting right?

[TXT] : i changed my mind about earlier.

[TXT] : it's fine do whatever you want.

[TXT] : it's not what it looked like, okay?

[TXT] : my brain won't shut up about last night.

[TXT] : please come get me before i make worse choices.

[TXT] : that was not funny.

[TXT] : i'm proud of you.

[TXT] : i don't know why i'm telling you this.

[TXT] : i'm sorry, i should've said something sooner

[TXT] : please don't be mad..

[TXT] : are you coming over or just teasing me?

[TXT] : i won't bother you again.

[TXT] : i almost sent this three times.

[TXT] : did you get home safe?

[TXT] : you don't owe me anything clearly.

[TXT] : i miss you.

[TXT] : guess who i just ran into..

[TXT] : i can't sleep.

[TXT] : i need clarity.

[TXT] : tell me to behave.

[TXT] : okay fine you win.

[TXT] : hello?

[TXT] : you did good.

[TXT] : do you miss me?

[TXT] : i'm bored, entertain me.

[TXT] : are you safe??

[TXT] : you're unbelievable.

[TXT] : i shouldn't have said what i said earlier.

[TXT] : i hope you're asleep because this is embarrassing.

[TXT] : don't ever say that again.

[TXT] : are you flirting with me?

[TXT] : you owe me gas money.

[TXT] : stop avoiding me.

[TXT] : call me when you see this!

[TXT] : you still mad?

[TXT] : can we talk in person?

[TXT] : can i crash at your place?

[TXT] : you're going to get me in trouble.

[TXT] : i'm spiraling.

[TXT] : you're doing this on purpose.

[TXT] : okay i'm done texting now.

[TXT] : you look cute.

[TXT] : glad you had fun.

[TXT] : i'm exhausted.

[TXT] : i'm trying to be respectful but you're not helping.

[TXT] : why would you think that was okay??

[TXT] : i want to move on.

[TXT] : thanks for the heads up i guess.

[TXT] : you left your panties here for a reason didn't you.

[TXT] : you know exactly what you're doing.

[TXT] : please don't tell anyone.

[TXT] : remember when we said we wouldn't do this again.

[TXT] : i can't find my shoes.

[TXT] : do you always do this or just to me?

[TXT] : tell me you don't miss me so i can shut up.

[TXT] : you crossed a line.

[TXT] : you up?

[TXT] : you didn't have to do that.

[TXT] : don't get smug.

[TXT] : i'm on my way!

[TXT] : i should not be saying this.

[TXT] : remind me to tell you later.

[TXT] : come over.

flutterbvnny

getting really into sighing and pouting lately

#❛❛ [ … ] isms. ❜❜

undeific

He’d hoped that Jongwoo would agree to speak with him, but he can’t say he’s surprised by the resistance. But that’s fine. Izaya is persistent. He has a way of getting what he wants.

“Well, I could be a friend, if you let me.” His smile grows ever brighter. “My name is Orihara Izaya. My job is to know things, simple as that—and there seems to be so much to know about you.”

He braves a few light-footed steps closer, a bit more cautious than he would be with anyone else. This kid’s temper can’t be worse than Shizuo’s, but it just might be on par with it.

Nearer to the edge of the building now, he looks first at the sky, then down at the city below. He laughs, then looks back at Jongwoo. “I’ve always gotten more vertigo looking up rather than down from a great height. What do you think that says about me?”