| seo in-guk & he/him | Congratulations, YONG-RAE “RAE” BAEK survived another night. The town would certainly feel less safe without a them close by. Not to mention, we can’t lose another FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST, plus they’re only THIRTY-TWO years old. Crazy to think, it’s been EIGHT YEARS since their arrival, though in a place like Oblitus it can feel much longer. Good thing they’re staying at the RESIDENTIAL AREA. Almost like it happened yesterday, they still remember LOS ANGELES, and where they came from. It’s no secret, they were DRIVING THROUGH THE 2ND STREET TUNNEL when they came across the tree, and is still keeping them up at night. Truth be told, they’re awfully REALISTIC and RETICENT, but they’ve survived this long. Well, it’s almost day light again, maybe they’ll play THE GHOST ON THE SHORE by LORD HURON this time. Welcome to another night in Oblitus, please don’t open the doors.
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TW: PARENT DEATH
(2003)
rae was used to his parents leaving for days, even weeks, at a time. he never knew for what, never asked, because they always came back. his mom would leave money on the kitchen counter and rae knew how to walk down to the grocery store to get himself food. no one ever noticed when his parents left him alone or, perhaps, they didn’t care enough to ask where they had gone. so, when rae awoke to both of his parents gone he didn’t bat an eyelash. perhaps it was odd that there wasn’t money on the counter as usual, but that was it.
two months had passed and the teachers at school began to note that rae was looking thinner than usual. he also had a hard time concentrating in class and would quickly scarf down his meal at lunchtime. when he couldn’t explain where his parents were to the principal, police were called for a wellness check at the home. nothing was found other than an almost empty fridge. the lead detective on the case had told rae that he didn’t believe his story and didn’t like the look in his eyes.
two weeks later, in the middle of his second class, police arrived with the principal in tow. once in the hallway, he was placed in handcuffs and told that he was being arrested for the disappearance of his parents. it was shitty police-work and after 48 hours, with no evidence having surfaced, a judge ordered for him to be released. nonetheless, the scene at school had ruined his reputation. students and teachers were all gossiping about the boy accused of parricide and the few friends he had stopped talking to him. he was a ‘freak’ and fully kept to himself after that.
(2008)
rae had always told police he’d woken up that morning to find them gone. but that wasn’t true. he had gone out that night when he wasn’t supposed to, to hang out with friends from school. when he had returned hours past curfew, he saw them leaving in their car, looking distressed. perhaps they were looking for him. the roads were too dark at night and their car was probably sinking in the bottom of the lake now. so why didn’t he say anything? the simple answer was he didn’t want them to come back. they were always leaving him. rae convinced himself that they probably didn’t even leave to look for him, they left for some other reason. he stayed in a foster home for the next five years, even managed to graduate two years early and get a head start on college. and, when he moved out at eighteen, he petitioned to have his parents registered as legally dead. it was a two year process, during which he received his bachelor's degree and began the path to get a PhD in pathology. his internship at the coroner’s office began around the same time. even as his parents’ missing person posters stared him in the face, he continued to live on.
(2016)
rae’s day to day life had turned into a mindless routine of monotonous regularity. but that day, as he emerged from the 2nd street tunnel, he found himself somewhere impossible. before him a country road and a fallen tree, unlike any he'd seen before. the tree was…odd and gave him pause, a hand quickly going to throw the car into reverse. just as fast, his car became engulfed by a black mass and the screeching of crows overwhelmed his senses. and, when things finally calmed, he was left with a road that led him to one place. a town — eerie and quiet as the sun began to set. no matter how long or what direction he drove in, he always found himself back in the same place.
eventually acquiescing to the fact that he had nowhere else to go, rae decided to look for help. but as he stepped out of his car, a growl resonated through the air, sending a chill down his spine and the hair on his neck standing on end. he’d seen horrific things throughout his career at the coroner’s office, witnessed the worst of humanity on an autopsy table, but nothing had ever disturbed him quite like this. in a panic, he stumbled upon a building, its walls weathered and covered in what seemed like markings from a wild animal. inside the air was heavy and still, save for the sound of rae’s heart pounding in his chest. what the hell had he gotten himself into?
where: colony house
when: Halloween night
whom: @ludics Rae
Lucas makes his way through the Colony House, feeling like he can actually breathe for the first time in weeks. There's just so much joy and excitement in the house that it's almost impossible to be anxious tonight. And the drinks he's had help too.
He wipes sweat from the part of his stomach that's visible thanks to the tight (maybe too small) shirt he managed to find for the night. He's not sure what he's looking for now. Ana has disappeared and most of the other people he'd talk to are busy doing other things.
Then he spots Rae, and he can't help but smile at the sight of the man. Ever since he helped Rae in the morgue, he's felt the slightest shift of their friendship. He's not sure how to describe it or how it's affected. He just knows something feels different.
rae's costume, or his lack thereof, spoke volumes about his attitude towards the party. he stood there, his white lab coat hanging loosely over plain scrubs. the coat, usually a symbol of professionalism, carrying an air of nonchalance. it was clear that rae had taken the simplest route to participate.
his posture betrayed a certain weariness as he leaned against the wall, a weight that alcohol could temporarily lift. he glanced down at his cup, ruminating until he heard that familiar voice.
"hey," he greeted, perking up almost instantly. "you look… different," he observed, his gaze roaming over lucas' shirt, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "in a good way."
standing off to the side of the big group of people with her arms wrapped around her chest like in a hug, mara watched everyone. she hated this night but she understood why they needed to do it. still, she didn't like it. "i don't think we celebrated halloween where i'm from, but if we did, i know it couldn't have been like this," she says to rae, mostly for a distraction. she didn't remember much of home after all of these years, but she remembered being a child and her first halloween here in the town.
he'd stuck himself in the corner, avoiding the crowd and sipping at his drink as he observed. conversation wasn't unwelcome, but he wasn't seeking it out. the alcohol, however, made him surprisingly chatty with those who did engage with him. "what do you think it was like then?" despite the alcohol's influence, there was an underlying sincerity in his question. he remembered the freedom that came with trick-or-treating, the thrill of exploring the neighborhood without adult supervision.
"i'd roam my neighborhood with my pillow case, collecting candy from strangers. the best part was that no one but the streetlights could tell me when to come home." rae's thoughts turned to his parents — something that never happened on those nights. back then, he always knew they could be found at their neighbor's party, enjoying themselves without a care.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐂𝐊 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍 was where she spent the majority of her days, diligently ensuring that the animals were well cared for, nurtured, and as healthy as circumstances would allow. Though she had grown accustomed to the pungent odors that permeated the air, she couldn’t shake the anxiety that others might begin to associate her with that unsettling aroma. “You work too much,” they would often say, but for her, it was the only way to distract herself from the fear that threatened to seep into her very psyche.
With a stethoscope pressed firmly against the animal’s fur, she focused intently, striving to discern whether everything sounded normal. “So far, so good, I’d say,” she murmured, though she struggled to pinpoint the root of the issue—the newfound behaviors and erratic mood swings that troubled her. She frowned, glancing up at the observer. “Would you like to pet her? I assure you, she won’t bite.” / ( 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐋𝐋 )
rae's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene, his gaze lingering on the animal. eight years of living here and he still couldn't understand how the livestock ended up here — let alone were able to survive.
"i hope you're right." he stepped closer, crouching down, his hand reaching out to gently stroke her fur. "the storm must've scared the hell out of them all," he commented. "y'know stress alone can be enough to make them keel over — us included."
Muz squints up at the washed-out sky, the sun barely breaking through a layer of gray clouds, casting a pale light over the town square. The place looks almost normal in the daytime, like the night hadn’t clawed at it. He watches a few people drift while he leans against a bench, idly tracing a crack in the wood with his thumb, his gaze darting on occasion, wary glances.
A face crosses his line of sight, and Muz straightens, raising a hand in a lazy wave. ‘Hey,’ he calls out, his voice cutting through the quiet. ‘Get any sleep last night?’ He nods to the shadows under their eyes, a half-smile tugging at his mouth.
"hey," rae echoed the greeting. he regarded him for a second, before placing an unlit cigarette between his lips as he clicked the lighter to life. as much as the morgue was his safe-space, he liked to take his time walking to work; the conversations that he found along the way, not so much. but he wasn't an asshole, usually, just anti-social at times.
"sleep? i don't think any of us are getting much of that these days," his answered, a hint of sarcasm lurking beneath the surface. "besides, i'm too busy for sleep. might try to sneak a power nap in though." he wouldn't.
something akin to a scream settled in the back of his throat. rae was frustrated with himself, with his inability to communicate how he was truly feeling. he felt the urge to call out, to find some reason to ask him to stay, but he didn’t.
“you too,” was all he could make himself say.
he watched as their hands separated, standing there until lucas approached his own door. then he went to secure the house — the doors, windows. it didn’t take long after he’d settled in bed for the tapping to start…and then the voice. her voice.
“아들, 엄마야. 문 열어.”
this wasn’t the first time. it was every. damn. night. he huffed, turning over in bed and using his pillow to drown out the noise. it’d give up soon, always did, and then it’d be tomorrow.
Lucas returns the look and squeeze. Rae looks better than he did at the infirmary. Maybe it's the setting sun, or maybe it's just the relief after finally crying.
He chuckles. "Well, glad to know I rank above corpses as a conversationalist."
They reach the walkway up to Rae's house and they slow their steps as they approach the door. Almost like they both don't want this to end any sooner.
"Will you be okay on your own tonight? I could stay. Sleep on the couch."
as they approached his house, rae's steps slowed, mirroring lucas'. the weight of the day's events hung heavy in the air between them. he found himself reluctant to let go of his hand.
"i… i don't know," rae admitted, his voice soft. his breath caught in his throat. he wanted lucas to stay, desperately. but he also knew the complexities of their relationship, the raw emotions that still lingered.
"you don't have to stay," he said, trying to make his tone sound casual. "i'll be fine. just… it's been a long day. and… you know." he shrugged.
" REALLY ?" THE COMMENT IS MERELY CONVERSATIONAL . cherry moves to take another long sip of her milkshake as she looks at him before ultimately shrugging . it's not like she got normal a lot anyways . cherry tended to be a bit too intense for that, and well, in an environment like this ... " feel like this place will make anybody kinda weird ." cherry says as she unwraps her lips from the straw, making a vague movement with both hands . " like cabin fever or whatever ."
cherry's brows raise at the comment . she moves to lick what's left of the milkshake off her straw . " what, everybody hates you or somethin' ?" if that was the case cherry thought she might know about it, but well, small town gossip only goes so far, especially when said small town has to fight to survive every night . she supposes they've kind of got bigger fish to fry . " thanks ." cherry's smile is cheeky at the compliment . she gives the straw one last lick before tossing it onto a napkin . " silence makes me crazy ." she adds by way of explanation .
cherry shrugs . " i mean, even if it was just clean up that's still mean somethin', right ? you're still contributing . and i'm sure people appreciate it ." she rests her chin in hand before arching a brow and adding, " all i do is stand at a motel desk all day . feel like what you've got goin' on has more impact ."
"i suppose it could be a factor," he mused, his voice hinting of detachment. "but then again, some of us are just naturally different."
he shook his head. for whatever reason, the question made him laugh. "hate me? nah, i doubt it's that personal." he took a moment, eyes darting away, searching for the right words. "let's just say i'm not the most…socially graceful person." that was putting it lightly. rae loved silence and relished in it, but obviously, it wasn't for everyone.
he couldn't deny it though; she was right — no matter how he felt about it, he contributed. "yeah…i guess we all have our roles to play," he absentmindedly spun his empty mug in his hands as he spoke. it didn't matter where he was; his hands always had to be busy doing something. "and i'm sure having you to check them in puts them at ease; give them a sense of normalcy."
Lucas feels a slight ache in his chest as they walk hand in hand. He didn't realize how much he missed this. Walking with Rae. *Being* with Rae.
"Hey," he says, soft but firm. "You are important."
They turn a corner, and they can see their houses. Only a couple of other residents between them. It had been a little awkwardly at first after the breakup, but then they eased into comfortable.
"I know you can. I just want to help like I used to. Moving bodies around. I saw how many you still had to do. That will definitely take forever on your own."
“and you said it anyway,” rae half-muttered under his breath. he gave lucas a look, something between exasperation and fondness, as he squeezed his hand. then he focused back on his house in the distance.
“i guess i could use the help,” he relented. “plus it's hard to hold up a conversation with a corpse.” it would also cut the time in half, logistically speaking. he just hated asking for help...and accepting it. he'd been that way since he was a kid, even before losing his parents.
"You never know if a lil monster chick might be into me. I seen some of them, great bodies if you can get past the whole...grotesque piranha teeth situation and murderous ideation." another joke, clearly, but it was a fun thought. He hoped no one would be stupid enough to actually fall for one of these creatures -- they did have a knack for pulling people in. "You'd be surprised how good I am at going undercover."
He nods at the others examination of the topic at hand and smiles. Adam had hoped to hear something of the sort. "Death keeps changing the rules out here, that's the worst part --- its like the whole point of this place is to suck up all the hope we got."
"whatever gets your rocks off. just don't forget to bring flowers when you go on your first date. something tells me they'd appreciate a good bouquet," he joked back, going along with the bit until the end. "that right? let me guess...theatre kid?" he asked, not really caring if he was right or not, as he flicked the butt of his cigarette into the glass.
rae's tone shifted, becoming more serious as they delved into the heart of their predicament. "but we keep playing, don't we? we adapt, we survive, and we hope for a better roll." it's all they could do, at least for now. "y'know, i was never much of a conspiracy theorist. but if this ends up being some sort of government experiment, i'm gonna be real pissed."
Lucas walks Rae outside. The sun is starting to set so they don't have too long to get home.
He notices Rae keeps glancing at his own hands, he takes one of Rae's in his.
"It's okay," he says. He doesn't know what Rae is seeing, but he knows he can calm the images down, even just briefly.
They hurry to the residential area.
"I'll tell Jim that I'm going to help you tomorrow," Lucas says. He did it before Kina. He wasn't good by any means, but he could follow directions. "Hopefully, we can get everything done tomorrow."
for most of the walk he couldn't stop looking down at his hands, constantly making sure the blood hadn't returned. that it was just a figment of his imagination. sometimes rae wondered if it was the town or his own sanity slipping.
it's ok. it wasn't, but having lucas' hand in his helped quiet the constant urge to check. he spent the rest of the walk relatively fine.
“luc, i don’t want to keep you from more important things,” he protested. "and don't say what i know you're going to say. i can handle it on my own, today was just...tough."
