I found an outlet

(color me surprised)

[love-from-anie]

[dood-itsradical]

You guys ever feel like you're having a fling with some franchise? Or exes trope for that matter. Like you used to be fully engaged in the fandom before they no longer your hyperfixation but when you coincidentally came across the posts about it and hit nostalgia lane, you then stop by for a second to relish the remnants and memories. You started to engaged with it back before bouncing again.

[nerdpoe]

Rok Soo's ability isn't Instant AU

Instead of being able to, very briefly and painfully, fuck with time; he got an ability based on all the absolute bullshit that's happened to him.

From the childhood, to his friends dying in front of him. All the shitty rumors that sprouted up, all the shit luck, all of it. Just, all of it.

So instead of Instant, he got Lament.

Lament is a scream capable of leveling buildings, at the cost of absolutely shredding Rok Soo's throat.

As a result of that power, Rok Soo doesn't talk often, and when he does his voice is hoarse and pained. He also refuses to speak at full volume, because while he's got a handle on his power, he's paranoid that he'll slip up.

So when he transfers over to the body of Cale, people notice.

The Young Master went to bed his usual talkative self, but when he woke up?

Barely a word, and when he did speak, a whisper.

Cale barely speaks a word to Ron beyond the single syllable required. Barely bothers to acknowledge Deruth. Relies on hand-speak and notes to talk to merchants.

Deruth is going crazy trying to figure out what the hell happened to his son, Ron is very close behind him because what the hell got past him? He's Ron Fucking Molan.

Then Cale comes home with a bedraggled punk that smells like the trash the killed Ron's family, and Ron has to listen in astonishment as he says more to this jackass than he's said to Ron in a week.

Basically; Cale's power of Lament is so strong and painful that everything Cale is paranoid of letting it slip, that he's selectively mute. This causes many misunderstandings, in true Cale fashion.

[lurkinginnernarrator]

Shen twins or bros au where the Shens go through Qiu Manor and Wu Yanzi together but only Shen Jiu joins Cang Qiong with Yue Qingyuan. Cut to Cang Qiong facing a problem that needs the expertise of a demonic cultivator and Shen Jiu presents the most powerful and elusive demonic cultivator as his brother

...how is it that the demonic cultivator brother is nicer than the one dressed in pastels

[fyuyushia]

Five Dates is Enough (To Be Yours) SJ x Reader Word count: 21.5K I might have gone a bit wild. Reccomended to read only if you're bored and ready to bear with my grammar errors because i am not a peak writer I fear

Or in which, Sung Jinwoo realizes he had a secret admirer all along with the help of a certain mirror. He wants to pay you back and the agreed deal is....Go on five dates together.

"Excuse me," timid hands carefully brought up mana crystals each the size of a finger. "How much can I pawn these mana crystals for?" He lays it down on a provided tray gently, as if afraid the meager crystal would break under the smallest of pressure. It glows dimly, it's light flickering, threatening to die out.

The cashier hums, her eyes widening ever so slightly as she stares at the dying crystals. She pauses, and he could feel her gaze sweeping over his dirty form. Though he no longer had the injuries that brought him near death marring his skin, the dirt and grime clung to his clothes even after the healing-evidence of his near death experience in one of the dungeons. Jinwoo clutches the sleeves of his hoodie, wondering if he made the worker uncomfortable with their presence. He was aware of how he looked. His appearance, when compared to the clean and elegant feel of the office, made him seem to be a beggar-and perhaps that's not far off what he really is.

He had picked up crumbs of the crystals the rest of the team didn't bother getting, hoping it would be at least worth something. Any amount would do, he'd be satisfied with chump change. This was his first dungeon run, and he couldn't afford to come back empty handed. He had a sister to feed, a mother at the hospital, and a house due for payment-he had to come back with at least something if he wanted to give Jinah a good life whilst both parents were out of the picture.

The worker walks away, taking the tray to be appraised. In the meantime, he stands by the reception, afraid of staining the provided seats with the filth that clung to him like second skin. Meanwhile, he plays with his fingers, lips curved into a frown. He awaits the appraisal with bated breath, praying for something-at least enough to buy his sister dinner. After all, she was still young, she needed food in order to grow up well.

His eyes water, but no tears leave his eyes. Instead his lips quiver, fingers desperately clenching around the other. Would he be able to make it through this week?

The receptionist soon returned with the crystals carried still on a tray. She places it on the desk, and Jinwoo swallows the saliva that gathers round his throat.

"So, how much?"

The receptionist curls her lips into a smile, the form slipping into a frown every now and then despite her attempts to keep it civil. Jinwoo's heart sinks at the sight, mistaking it to be disgust-he couldn't blame them, after all, he was dirty. "The mana crystals you've obtained can be exchanged for 73,000 won." The receptionist stammers, sounding almost unsure with her words.

Jinwoo doesn't pay it any mind, only focusing on the amount. He grins-it's not nearly close to what his other party members got, but it was something. Snd something was enough to make him happy. "Great." He smiles, relieved. "That's really great."

It's not big, not toothy, but it's there. It's a quiet smile, eyes crinkling just slightly, and the exhaustion that made his shoulders stiff loosens a bit.

"Would you like that in cash?"

Jinwoo nods, failing to notice the small tremble in your voice. The receptionist keeps its smile, and Jinwoo is returning it, albeit, more enthusiastically.

Jinwoo hears them clearing their throat and takes out an envelope. She slides it to him, crisp, clean, and fresh-he eagerly accepts it.

"The receipt and bills are inside. Please check if the amount is correct."

He opens the envelope, carefully counting each bill, ensuring the amount. When he finds that it's all correct, his smile grows wider, as if grounded by the fact that he really got this. He got it, this was his.

"I have enough to feed us now." He murmurs.

Turning to face the worker, he gives a bow a bit too low, still wearing the same smile. "Thank you very much."

The worker replies after a bit, hesitant in their tone. "We look forward to seeing you again, dear hunter."

"Hyung!"

Jinwoo hums, looking around the cave structured dungeon. "What?"

Jinho clutches the pickaxe in his hand. Though Jinwoo assured him he didn't need to do it, he stubbornly insisted, wanting to do something whilst Jinwoo did all the fighting-and his shadows did all the mining. "Well, we've already scavenged the gate for everything we can. Should we turn back now?"

Jinwoo quirks a brow. Looking around, he finds that, sure enough, Jinho's words rang true and the shadow soldiers had already mined every mana stone, as well as handled the carcasses of the monsters that littered around the dungeon.

All of the loots were lined up neatly. One side had grouped every mana crystal together, the other cores, the others fur-and more. Aesthetically and efficiently sorted, courtesy of Beru.

"Sure. Let's go back."

For a moment, his gaze lingers on the mana crystals. Not to gloat, but to remember where he came from. A stumbling, bumbling mess who picked up the leftover loot of the teams he joined. He could almost laugh at the irony-here he is now, getting a whole cart and more of them when he struggles to get even one proper ore back then.

"Hyung?"

"Let's go back." He pockets his hand, telling the shadows to stop and take the gathered loot out. "How many gates do we still have to go through?"

"Only two left. This one's an A rank-everyone's been avoiding this one because the last parties got wiped out. But the other's a C rank so we can rest easy there."

Jinwoo furrows his brows, interest piqued. "It's dangerously close to dungeon breaking." Jinho continues, recounting the information he's gathered about the gate. "Then we have to deal with it fast. Let's go."

"Yes, Hyung!"

You sighed, stretching your back languidly. Hours of facing the computer didn't do well for your posture-gosh you looked like a shriveled up shrimp by now.

"You look horrible." Your friend snickers, taking a peek through your cubicle.

"Thanks for stating the obvious, captain obvious." Disregarding her comment with a roll of your eyes, a small laugh escapes you despite your playful display of annoyance.

"So, how's being promoted to division lead of hunter support services feel like?"

"Horrible."

Rubbing your hand over your temple, you cringe at the thought of piled up paperworks and emails labelled as urgent you couldn't get around to answering just yet. "Gosh, I feel like I've aged thirty years already and It's only just been two months." You bang your head against your desk, already feeling your sanity slip away the longer you stay in this line of work.

Your friend hums, barely holding in a snicker. She takes a sip of her coffee, using it as a horrible cover up for her amusement at your suffering. "Well, fighting. You can do it! Just one more day before you finally get a day off!"

You look at your friend with narrowed eyes, nearing a glare as you scrutinize her form. She pays you no mind, only leisurely sips her coffee and even dares to wiggle her brows all the while keeping eye contact. You roll your eyes at her antics, but a small smile that twitches up your lips betrays your fondness for the eccentric woman.

As the conversation eases into quiet company, you busy yourself once more with your duties. She turns around, stands behind you with a hand on her hip as she finishes the last of her coffee.

"Still so hard at work, poor Cinderella. She saw the light and thought she'd find her happy ever after-only to learn the light wasn't salvation but the monitor screen shining during the ungodly hours at 1 am." She raises her plastic cup like it's a wine glass. "Who would've thought? It was actually foreshadowing the mountain of work you'd have-a warning if you will. Poor Cinderella didn't realize it at the time."

You stopped typing and glared up at her. "Are you here just to annoy me or what?"

She coughs and straightens up. "Ah, don't be so hostile! I came here to ask if you want to go eat dinner with me."

You quirked a brow. "Your treat?"

"My treat."

Another raise-higher than the last. "That's suspicious."

"What do you mean it's suspicious?"

"You and treat you in the same sentence? Sounds possessed."

"Hey!" Your friend huffs, playfully glaring at you. You giggle, eyes glinting with amusement. "You're saying that as if I'm super stingy with money."

"Oh? And you're not?"

She pouts, feeling half the urge to drill her knuckle on your head. "I'm not like that! Why are you mischaracterizing me."

You roll your eyes and give a half smug half smirk grin. "Oh really? Who are we convincing?"

She clenches her jaw and forcefully ignores your jab. "Are you going to come or not?"

You giggle, but shake your head no. With a resigned sigh, you look at your monitor like it was the reason for everything wrong in your life. "Unfortunately I can't go, I still have so much work to do. I think I'll have to do it overtime tonight."

"That so?" She hums, barely hiding her disappointment. "What exactly are you doing that takes so long? You've been overtiming for days already."

Heaving out a sigh, you grit your teeth and let out a humorless laugh. "Oh nothing, really. Just the paperwork backlog of a nation's worth of dungeon raids, appraisals, insurance reports, compensation claims, and a dozen angry calls from hunters who think the world owes them something because they didn't die this time."

"Oof. Sounds rough."

You groan. "Tell me about it." You slumped forward dramatically, cheek pressing against the cool desk surface with a heavy thud. "Do you think if I die here, they'll list it as a workplace casualty and give my family a pension?"

Your friend scoffed. "Please, you'd be reanimated by sheer guilt and unfinished paperwork."

Again, another groan mixed with a huff. "I was stupid. Blinded by greed. Now I see that the paycheck was an apology for all the nights I've lost dealing with irate hunters. Cruel business, luring in hope filled newbies with promises of promotion only to be thrown in a cage and forced to work like a show monkey without rest."

Your friend whistles. "Bit exaggerated, don't you think?"

You give her a glare. She raises both hands in mock surrender, a wry smile playing on her lips. One look is enough to convince her of your suffering, it seems. She pats you on the shoulders, encouraging you to brave through your battles.

"Fight on, soldier! You can do it. Want me to buy you coffee?"

You sigh through your nose. "Please do."

"Aye aye! Just be careful, too much caffeine is bad for your health."

"You're one to speak, coffee junkie."

She purses her lips. "Fair."

She hums, leaning down and taking a peek at your monitor, curious about what work you were currently busying yourself with. "What're you working on right now?"

"Nothing much, just checking and approving gate activities."

Your friend hums, a hand resting on your shoulder, the other on the desk. "Hunter guild, knights guild, white tiger guild-all big names, wow."

"What's so impressive about it? I'm just approving their requests to clear the dungeon, nothing more."

Your friend squints at the screen. You can feel the shift in her energy even before she says anything.

"Mmhmm. Sure. Nothing more."

You freeze.

She leans closer, the silence dripping with meaning. Then-"Oh. Would you look at that." Her voice is feather-light. Mockingly casual.

You don't want to look. You know what she's looking at.

"Ah... here we go again. The Ahjin Guild. That newly-formed, small independent guild with exactly the bare minimum amount of hunters. And would you look at that-mhm great-his application is stamped, signed, and processed before the White Tiger Guild's. Even though they submitted theirs first by one day."

You close your eyes, already feeling your soul wither at having been caught playing favorites. "Please go away."

"Nope. Not a chance. We're talking about this." She spins your chair around, hands on the armrests to keep you in place like a warden interrogating a very guilty criminal. "You bumped him up the list again, didn't you?"

You sigh, looking away and quickly reasoning yourself, "There was a timing issue, and it's an A-rank gate near break and Jinwoo's fast and efficient and better than-"

"Don't you dare act like this is about public safety." She points an accusing finger, you flinch a smidge. "You did this last week too. You act like you're just doing your job but you're literally giving VIP treatment to a guy who probably doesn't even remember your name. Unethical work ethics. You are the very embodiment of corruption."

"Rude." You grumble, the tips of your ears burning in both shame and embarrassment. "There's no particular ground breaking motive here. I'm just doing my job and considering who works fastest. For the safety of the citizens. And it's not all the time-just a few dungeons here and there."

You turn your chair around to face your monitor-your one true companion through your overtime.

"...right. and I'm the president of the hunters association." Her eyes narrow to form a glare.

"Just shut up and look the other way. You're not helping." You focus your attention on your work instead, trying to mute her out, knowing her choice of words was about to get lengthy. "I just want to help a poor soul out."

"And that poor soul is now one of the-if not the strongest S-rank hunter in korea. With a guild. And good looks-heavy on that by the way. I doubt he needs your help anymore."

"Well yes but-"

"But but-but what? He might need more?"

"Yes."

"His co-founder's a nepo baby, [name]. A nepo baby. He has enough help." Your fingers smash against the keyboard in frustration. She doesn't stop-only continues to grill you for your display of bias. "Do you like him or what?"

A pause. You flinch. Your friend's quick to notice your sudden freeze, and pieces things together.

"No way, you really do?" She gasps, hand on her mouth and all the dramatics. Your face burns, but you power through it and keep your attention on the screen.

"So what if I do? Just leave me alone." You murmur, voice trembling as you fight the urge to run away-you knew this crush was stupid. It's been years, and you still haven't gotten over that silly fondness you felt for the man, even after he's risen through the charts and became stronger.

"...oh my." She blinks, not having expected such forward admittance. "I..."

"I don't know what's worse, you liking that guy back when he was nothing more than a stick posing as a human-"

"That's rude. He was nice and tenacious. He was also hard working and selfless, always smiling and all."

"Uhuh sure sure." She ignores you, and you huff in annoyance. "Or the fact that you like him enough to make your life harder when he doesn't even know you."

"He does know me." You grumble under your breath.

"And that's only as that one nice miss receptionist who always handles his appraises! He doesn't even know you docked money from your own pay to make his own things worth at least something!"

"I don't expect anything from him!" You huff, raising your voice just a tad before sighing. You settle on a quieter tone, mindful of your current place. "I'm just happy to see he's doing well."

"Oh he's doing more than well alright. Have you heard of the rumors? Cha Hae-in and that same Sung Jinwoo might be getting a little too chummy with each other lately."

You pause. Your lips part slightly, but no sound comes out. You blink a few times, fast and uneven, like your brain is buffering. The words hit harder than you expect even when you knew it was coming, lodging somewhere in your throat. You try to laugh it off-something dry and short-but it catches halfway, turns into a small, deep inhale.

"I mean, it's just rumors," your friend adds quickly, her tone suddenly shifting when she catches the look on your face, doing a whole 180 from her teasing demeanor. "They always say stuff about Hunters, right? People ship anyone who-"

"Yeah," you whisper, and your voice trembles just enough to make her stop mid-sentence. You try to type again, but your vision grows blurry. Lucky for you, you already memorized the entire layout of the keyboard enough to be confident that you were typing the right thing even if you didn't see it. Perks of working too much.

"Of course. That makes sense. She's... She's amazing. Strong. Pretty. Actually relevant to his life. Unlike me. I just sit in my office doing boring stuff no one bothers to pay attention to."

"Wait-no, hey, you know I didn't mean-" she reaches for your shoulder, voice laced with panic as she feels her impending, feeling like an irredeemable villain for making her friend cry. "Gosh, are you crying? Oh no. No, no, no. Please don't cry. Not here-I didn't mean it like that, I swear!"

"I'm not crying," you croak, blinking rapidly as your lashes stick together. "I just-it's fine. I knew. I always knew. I was never-he was never-" Your words stumble and collapse even as you try to stay strong.

Your friend scrambles, digging through her bag. "Do I have tissues? I don't. Great. Wait-why don't I have tissues? I always have tissues. I swear this bag eats them right when I need them." She pauses looking around. "Here, here-take my sleeve. No, wait, that's gross. Sorry, I don't want to go about my day with snot on my sleeves-no offense."

She looks around again. "Here, use my scarf. Wait, that's expensive. No-actually just-just cry on me, it's fine. Just don't look like that, you're making me feel like the villain in a drama-"

You blink, watching her panic and stumble out words. He lets out a laugh, watery and small, and she exhales like she just avoided a total meltdown.

"Gosh, you really do like him," she mutters, voice gentler now as she puts a comforting hand on your back. "You idiot. You sweet, quietly heroic idiot."

You sniffle, wiping your tears aggressively. "Shut up. I know I'm hopeless."

Your friend huffs, shaking her head. "That so? I do hope your luck turns around and you find a nice guy out there."

"Thanks. You too."

The new A rank dungeon was a wonder. Admittedly, Jinwoo was fascinated by its workings. It worked differently from the rest, instead of only requiring brute force, it included testing your mental fortitude.

"I don't like this dungeon, it's gloomy and eerie." Jinho muttered, sticking close to Jinwoo so as to not get lost.

The dungeon was unforgiving, comrades were lost if one got too far apart, the most blocking your perception. Right when you're at your most vulnerable does it strike-taking the shape of the one you hold dear in your heart and with their face do they strike as you lower your guard.

Though he himself admitted to falling for it once as it took the shape of Jinho, the dungeon's gimmicks soon became obvious when he found his younger sister inside the dungeon when she shouldn't be, followed by the discovery of the very distinct mana signature the monsters specifically gave off.

The boss was even more curious. It was simply a large mirror with a faceless mask trapped inside the shards.

As they reached the end of the palace structure dungeon-the throne room, they expected a powerful foe. Maybe something like Igris, or a king and a queen-not a human sized mirror-not dozens of mirrors pointed to him, each peeking through his past and picking apart what they could use.

"Hyung! I'm gonna die! Please don't let go of me!" Jinwoo flinches, feeling Jinho cling to him tightly. "Calm down you won't die-there are shadows assigned to you, they'll protect you if things go wrong." He says chidingly.

"You can't be sure of that! Please let me cling to you just this once, Hyung!"

Jinwoo sighs, but pats his head nonetheless in wordless assurance. "Do what you like."

And so the battle began. The tricks were clever, it certainly would've worked on anyone other than Jinwoo.

As shards broke open and out came mangled monsters daring to mold their faces into perfect copies of the people he encountered, screeching as a neverending stream of black tears ran down their cheeks, his shadow soldiers began to work.

Beru and Igris made quick work of the mirrors that would duplicate like a cell doing mitosis-but they eventually managed to pierce through the very body-the very mirror that initiated such spells after, honestly? not long.

With a decisive strike of Igris' sword slashing down on the main body, the illusions quickly fell apart in one fell swoop. They crumbled like sand and merged with the ground, the mirrors fading away into mists before usurping back into the main body, now cracking and in tatters.

"I've...lost." the mask beneath the mirror murmurs, but its lips do not move.

Igris raises his longsword, preparing to deal the final blow. Jinwoo raised a hand to stop Igris.

The knight paused mid-swing, frozen in obedience.

The mirror pulsed, weakly now, its light flickering. From within, the faceless mask shifted ever so slightly, the faintest ripple crossing the surface of the shattered glass. The voice came again, not spoken aloud, but echoing inside Jinwoo's mind.

"Ask."

His brows furrowed. "Ask what?"

The mirror shimmered, threads of mana spinning like veins across the fractured glass. "Ask me anything. I will answer. It is your reward for clearing this dungeon... Brave warrior."

There was a beat of silence as the air stilled, Jinho behind him too shocked to breathe. Both mouth and eyes wide in surprise, he urges Jinwoo to come closer with a push. Jinwoo allows himself to be whisked along with a frown. The dungeon was strange from the start, and now this? How odd, truly odd. But curiosity stirred in his chest-dangerous, but irresistible.

"...Who made you?" he asked first, testing its truth, its willingness to share.

"I was born of collective yearning-a desire to know what cannot be known. A mirror not of flesh, but of the soul."

Cryptic, but...fascinating.

He tried again. "Why were you set here?"

"To protect the answers. To test who is worthy of asking."

"Then let's test this," he muttered, stepping closer to the crumbling mirror. He looks at the mask through cracked shards and asks. "Do you hear voices that tell you to kill humans??"

A moment, the shards flicker with light and build together. "We-[REDACTED]" the shards tremble, as if unable to bear the weight of the truth, and then split apart in several little pieces.

Jinwoo watches on with unease, disappointed to learn that the mirror was no different than the others despite claiming to answer his questions with nothing but the truth. Then again, it most likely isn't their fault, something was purposefully censoring key details, preventing him from learning the full truth.

He sighs, but he doesn't let it get him down in the mud. He pauses for a moment to consider another question, then again, what does he want to learn? Everything he wants to learn is kept hidden away from him, and there's nothing else that comes to mind.

He stares at the fractured mirror as its glow dimmed, faint pulses of mana still flickering weakly through the cracks, clearly reaching its end. This thing knew things-it showed things. Not necessarily everything, clearly, but enough to dig under his skin. Enough to make him feel eerie.

It had shown him faces. People he already knew loved him-family, Jinho. Obvious answers. Emulated their appearance down to the smallest details, copied their voices to their very own speaking quirks-it was clear that this boss was no usual monster. It utilized human connection, using their own bonds in order to make unsuspecting victims fall to their trap.

And so now he wondered—just how deep did its knowledge run?

Maybe it was the strangeness of the dungeon. Maybe it was the lingering quiet that came with not having to fight for once, with not needing to survive, just to ask.

Maybe he just wanted to test the mirror's limits.

He sends Jinho off to gather the materials.

Jinho, ever the obedient one quickly listens, reserving his own questions for later as he hesitantly walks away with a pickaxe in hand.

Jinwoo waits after he's a few feet away, and when he feels Jinho's presence is no longer as obvious, he finally asks. After a long pause, he murmured-not quite serious, not quite joking-

"Who loves me the most?"

A moment, and then the shards flicker in acknowledgement of his words. A beat, and the floating shards merge with one another to present him a clear picture of his family.

Painted in vivid image, was his family-simply going about their day-reflected in the mirror. A smile on their face, a laugh as it morphs to shift the scene into a present event.

Jinwoo's eyes widened, then softened. A small smile emerges from his usually straight lined lips. His family was fitting-and even if he knew it already, it still warmed his heart nonetheless.

Then he moves onto another, willing the reflection to fade and the mirror to go back to its own original shape.

He thinks for a moment, pondering what to ask next. Then, disarmingly, he asks a question he doesn't expect an answer to. Just for curiosity's sake and nothing more.

"Who loves me the most? Romantically."

The mirror whirrs, flickers, then the light fades. He expected that to be the end of it. However, after a second more, the shard stores once more and slowly connects with one another.

Light refracts, blinding him for a split second before a picture is formed and a face is known.

Surprisingly enough, it wasn't Hae-in who appeared-a woman he didn't know much of outside of his brief encounters with her-a woman who also admitted interest when she expressed her desire to join his guild-but another face took shape.

It was familiar enough to make Jinwoo's eyes light up with recognition, but also stranger enough to make Jinwoo doubt the authenticity of the answer.

Your image showed in the mirror, typing away at your cubicle. Unassuming, just doing your work, unaware that you were being peered at by a boss monster, unaware that he's watching you through it.

You?

He remembers you as a kind soul. A face he's come to know during his days as an E-tanker. You were nice, if not the very epitome of professionalism. You took him in even when he came at closing time to have his goods be appraised.

He remembers buying you a drink from a vending machine once whilst you were out-just a small thank you from him to you for always accepting him at your desk when others were reluctant.

But that was the extent of your direct contact outside of work. Any other time only included appraisals and applications to join certain dungeon raiding teams.

He never truly knew you outside of work.

And that made you showing up all the more surprising.

"Is this a mistake?" Jinwoo asks-not offensively, but moreso surprised.

After all, you were always professional, quick to the point. Sure, maybe you offered him a few encouraging words once, but you never pushed further.

You liked him?

The mirror doesn't stop its projection. Jinwoo stares at it, outwardly expressing no emotion.

He didn't know what to make of it, he had asked that question on a whim and now that he's gotten an answer he didn't account for, he's unsure how to tread now.

Come to think of it, he hasn't seen you much recently. You were no longer in the reception acting as a receptionist, and he hasn't been visiting the official office, preferring to pawn his loot somewhere else he could get much more worth from.

And yet to think it still showed your face...

He couldn't quite erase the thought of you on his mind now.

The last dungeon was an easy clear.

It was almost laughable how easily he defeated the boss and its lackeys. If the him of the past saw him now he'd surely be spell wondered.

As everyone began their rightful work with Jinwoo doing absolutely nothing for the most part, he walked around the dungeon with such laxness like it was his birth right to do so.

His hands are kept in the pockets of his coat, observing everyone as they diligently take everything of worth, careful to not damage any goods.

Jinwoo's gaze lands on the shadow soldiers picking the mana crystals.

For a moment, he pauses and just watches. And remembers the first time he went on a dungeon run.

He nearly died then. By the time the raid was finished be obtained nothing of worth.

He remembers picking up the little chunks left after everyone mined every crystal in the vicinity then, hoping he would get something from these sharp pieces of faded crystals.

He did get one in the end, didn't he? A silver lining after nearly dying, he had managed to exchange it enough for dinner and a little bit of something.

But...

Jinwoo walks towards the busy shadow soldiers. Everyone in the vicinity halts their actions and salutes their own monarch.

He pays them little mind, urging them to go back to clearing the dungeon before the gate closes and the cave falls apart.

He looks at the crystal vein, mostly cleared of everything except a few stray chunks here and there that were worth little to nothing. Jinwoo narrows his eyes, smiling a bit at the memory. This view was familiar, but he no longer needed to pick up the little pieces that fell off larger chunks to make money anymore.

Yet still he picks it up. Kneeling down to one knee, he picks up a small chunk-barely the size of his ring finger and lifts it up.

It dimmed faintly, the mana almost gone from the crystal. Strikingly similar to the same one he gave to be appraised, and, funnily enough, the very same person who worked on it was also you.

"Jinho"

"Huh? Yes?" Jinho stands up, his attention to Jinwoo.

"How much is this crystal worth?" He points his gaze to the one in his hand.

"Mana crystals? Well, with how much we got they're at least worth a couple million."

"Not that," Jinwoo cuts off. "This." He extends the crystal to Jinho. "How much is this worth?"

"Huh, that?" Jinho blinks, confusion gracing his features. He leans closer, observing the crystal.

"I don't think it's worth anything, the glow's dim and it's small too." He hums, brows furrowed. "But I guess it's just pocket change like ten thousand?"

Jinwoo blinks. "I see. So it's only worth that much, huh."

He stares at the fading crystal.

And smiles fondly.

The first time you met Jinwoo he was, to be blunt, pathetic.

His hair's akin to a bird nest, and that's not an exaggeration. Hoodie torn and filthy, you could tell from the start he was a struggling hunter. He entered late into the night, when no other hunters lingered and the time was nearing for the building to close.

He was an oddball, but then again, you've already encountered one too many oddballs during your time working here as a receptionist, so that was nothing new.

Still, unlike most hunters that reeked of arrogance, this one was meek, hesitant yet nonetheless determined. He held something close to his chest, both hands wrapped around a handkerchief that held something small-powder? Food? Money? You didn't know.

"Seriously? Who comes here during closing time!" Your coworker huffs, drained after a long day of dealing with irate hunters who thought they were better than they actually were and thus should be worshipped.

"Technically it's still not closing time." You reply, watching the meek hunter look around before settling on the receptionist desk.

"That's true too but still," they sigh, laying their head against the desk. "They should know that this window time is rest time before cleaning up time."

You roll your eyes at her theatrics, but laugh nevertheless. "Okay drama queen, I'll deal with it."

"Hurray! You're the best." She mutters, closing her eyes and grinning as she revels in peace. "The hard working award goes to you, definitely." You brush her off with a wave, heading back to your station to take the hunter's request.

With practiced motions, you greet the feeble looking hunter. With a customer service smile, offering him a tray in order to fulfill the purpose of his service.

He handed in broken chunks of mana crystals. Barely worth anything, you could tell at a first glance. As he parts with the very thing he kept close to his chest, you observe the dimming light of the crystals, heart panging with pity.

His hand trembles as he places it, and you take it back after he puts every last pebble on the tray. Your gaze flickered to the crystals then to the man-wide grey eyes looking down as his arms embraced himself.

Your eyes softened ever so slightly, and the image of the struggling hunter made your lips curl into a pitiful frown.

It started as a simple pity.

That was all it was.

When you learned all it got him was chump change, you cast another glance on the poor soul who waited with his back crouched and his hands clasped together in a prayer. One more look at the price, and you decided to add more.

"Sorry, can you add sixty thousand there? I'll pay for it."

The appraiser quirks a brow. "You sure that's alright, lady?"

"Mhm," another glance, and your reservations all but disappear. "The guy looks like he needs it."

He follows your gaze, and sure enough, the boy was in tatters. Unfortunate looking and just,,, sad. He shrugs then adds the value, and you pay him quick with cash.

"The mana crystals you've obtained can be exchanged for 73,000 won." You say, stuttering for a moment as you lied about the total.

You watched him gasp, then grin widely, a frown threatening to make itself known. You forced it down, keeping a professional persona as he rejoiced for something so little. Compared to his group that most likely obtained millions, what he got was too little in comparison.

And yet, despite the difference he still smiled at the amount. Sympathy hit you like a ten ton truck and made your heart clench for the man in front of you.

You pause, mulling over your words before eventually settling on a simple: "We look forward to seeing you again, dear hunter."

"M'finally off work at last." You groan, rubbing your shoulders to free it of its stiffness.

"[Name]!" Heels clacked along the marble tiles of the building.

You hum, fluttering your eyes open as you quirk up a brow. A girl, young-still unaffected by the gravity of the working world-bright and fresh approached you with a troubled look. She's also been a friend you made-that one moment you helped her deal with a prissy client really stuck and since then she's been following you around and talking with you when she had the time. You welcomed her of course, you weren't one to deny good intentioned people.

"What is it?"

"Uhm, there's someone in the reception asking for you specifically to handle their workings."

You blink. "But I don't work as a receptionist." Not anymore.

She bites her lip, fiddling with her fingers. "Yes but, they really insisted on having you do it."

Another long, drawn out blink. "Then turn them down. Get them out of the desk-tell them I'm no longer in the building or something."

She flinches, and averts her gaze. "Well, about that..." She looks around, looking for what words to use. "We can't exactly do that..."

"Can't? Why not?"

"Well it's..." She pauses, then sighs. "It's the new S rank-Sung Jinwoo requesting for you."

Silence. Cuckoo.

"Sorry can you repeat that for me? I think I misheard something."

"Sung Jinwoo is requesting for you."

You part your mouth, raise a finger, and tilt your head. "You're joking."

"I wouldn't joke about something like this!" She huffs, "I was shocked myself! He came here and suddenly asked for you!"

"Did he push for me?"

"No he said it was fine if you weren't around-but how could I reject a pretty face like that?!" You deadpan. "And I'm doing you a favor by helping you get in touch with him-you might end up together you know? You might end up together you know?!"

"Woah there, pause." You put a hand on her shoulder, "we are not getting together. He doesn't even know me!"

"But he asked for you."

"We don't know why."

"It's because he's interested in you."

"No it's not."

"What other reason is there?"

You shrug. "Anything but the one you're suggesting."

She frowns. "You don't know that for sure."

"And we also don't know for sure if he's interested in me."

"But he might!"

"And that's a big fat might." You pat her on the shoulder, squeezing it softly. "Now let's go, alright? We can't keep a man of his status waiting."

She opens her mouth to argue, but you keep it shut by putting a hand over her jaw. Turning her around, you drag her by the shoulder and guide her towards the reception desk.

"Off we go. Let's get it over with quickly so I can finally go home." You drawl, not expecting much from his visit.

As you reach the desk, the view finally becomes clearer and clearer.

And there did you see Sung Jinwoo for the first time since he ranked up. Tall, lean-with sharper features that made him look like an entirely different person. Innocence now faded from his eyes and was instead replaced with something colder, unreadable. There was a weight to him now-like standing too close to a cliffside and realizing the wind had teeth. You stopped, not out of awe or fear, but sheer instinct. Like your body knew before your mind did: this was someone to tread carefully around.

This was the Sung Jinwoo of now. No longer a withered stick with a bright smile, but a terrifyingly powerful man with the strength of a thousand men.

Your breath hitched. Finally seeing the man you've been helping behind closed doors in person admittedly made you feel a bit nervous, but it was nothing you could hide.

With a step as your friend skidded to the side, you took in a deep inhale and prepared to accommodate him.

It's been a few days since Sung Jinwoo discovered the truth through the answers the mirror had shown. To his dismay, he was unable to extract the monster and furthermore was left to deal with the answers alone. Mulling over it again and again, more than he admitted he did.

It wasn't that he was interested as well per se, but he felt a bit of confusion and maybe even a smidge of appreciation for your constant support.

And so, after a few more days spent thinking of you and your supposed interest, he finally made his move. If not to confess, then to put an end to this as respectfully as he could. Express his appreciation for everything you've done and pay back the favor, because if anything else, Jinwoo doesn't like keeping favors unreturned.

"Excuse me," Jinwoo approached the desk where you once stood, however, instead of your face, another graces him instead.

"Yes, how can I help you?"

He hesitates, wondering if he should push further. "Is anyone named [name] here?"

The receptionist blinked, then glanced down at the system. "Ah...[Name]? She doesn't usually work at the front anymore."

"I know," Jinwoo said, his tone quiet but firm. "But I'd like to speak with her, if possible."

She hesitated, clearly caught off guard. "Um-may I ask who's requesting?"

"Sung Jinwoo."

The name dropped like a stone into still water. Her spine straightened a little too fast. "Oh! O-Of course, please wait here-just a moment!"

She practically bolted into the back, heels tapping a frantic rhythm across the tile, leaving Jinwoo standing there with his hands folded behind his back.

He waits for a few moments before she eventually comes back, a familiar face in tow. Jinwoo's back straightened once he took in your presence, fixing his posture as you approached the desk with the trademark professionalism he eventually came to associate with you.

"Sir Sung Jinwoo." You nodded, uniform still somehow crisp despite just getting off work. "How can I help you?"

You were always perfection personified, speech not too fast nor too slow, a disarming smile, and the efficiency of an entire workforce. He smiles ever so slightly at that, ever so prim and proper despite everything. He doubted if you truly liked him based on your demeanor alone, all professionalism despite the quiet tire that you carry through your mannerisms.

"Sorry to have bothered you," he begins, facing the desk fully now. "Can you appraise this for me?"

He hands over a chip of mana crystal, barely worth anything, strikingly similar to the one he brought the first time he came. To the very crystal you kept in your home since the appraisers insisted on not needing such junk.

You look at the crystal on his hand, then back at him. His face doesn't give anything away, only infuriating nonchalance as he hands over the little crystal.

"Pardon?" You look at him, partly confused. A beat of silence, and you sighed and accepted the crystal. "Very well, I'll have it appraised."

Placing it on a tray, you hum and take it to the machine to have it appraised. People working here have it easy now-they have machines to appraise it now instead of waiting for a real appraiser to grade the goods. You barely managed to reach this time, having switched your line of work a few months after this new invention was created and used by the front desk.

The machine beeps after a few minutes, coming back with the saddening worth of 15,000 won. You look at the amount, then at Jinwoo who seemed to have a knowing glint in his eyes.

What is this man planning?

Despite suspicion crawling in your skin, you pay it no mind and offer it back to him. Showing no signs of your inner feelings. "The crystal can be pawned for 15,000 won. Would you like to pawn it?"

You tell him the price, no longer fabricating it now that you were sure he had enough money. He didn't need you increasing the amount anymore, didn't need your help anymore.

"Fifteen thousand?" You tense as he begins, confused on where he was leading this. "That's odd, I was sure it would be worth at least seventy thousand. Like before."

You stiffen at the mention, eyes betraying you and growing wide for a few seconds. You pause, unsure how to go about his words. A flicker of hesitation, and Jinwoo quickly grabs it and refuses to let go.

"I've been wondering for a while," Jinwoo said smoothly, gaze unwavering, "now that I have plenty of greater mana crystals I know what qualifies as good or bad. Enough to recognize that the ones I brought were more often than not unusable."

You stared. "It wasn't entirely unusable, the people and the machine recognized that."

Jinwoo ignores your words. "And yet still I managed to get enough to sustain myself as well my sister-barely."

You furrow your brows, heart picking up its pace as he slowly built up to the scenario you feared the most. "That's great then, Hunter Sung."

"I may not have the best memory but I know that what I've given was worth less than what I received.

You kept your face calm, neutral, with the clinical poise of someone who's talked down violent clients and survived six-hour meetings. But inside, your organs were having a full-on boardroom meltdown. Your brain tried to file through excuses like it was racing to clean the living room before guests arrived.

"I see," you trailed, carefully. Playing dumb to the best of your capacity. "So. You've come to accuse me of charity?"

Jinwoo's lips twitched. Not quite a smile, but something just barely amused. "You're not denying it."

"Only because denial would imply guilt," you shot back, lifting your chin, feigning confidence-something you did great. "And all I really did was slightly increase the amount to reflect the hypothetical value if it were perhaps... shinier."

"By several thousand won."

"Consider it an inflation forecast." You quickly retorted, barely bothering to think before speaking.

He laughed softly at that-nothing too drastic, just a smaller buckle under his breath brought by sheer disbelief. And so now you were really sweating internally. Though your face didn't budge-refused to budge-but the composure was barely hanging on by a thread and three paperclips.

"I wanted to thank you," he said, voice lower now, calmer, brushing off your earlier words. "for your help back then. I didn't realize what you were doing until later. You didn't owe me anything, but you still helped. Even without my knowledge."

You averted your eyes for a second. This was not how this entire was supposed to go. He was supposed to be clueless. Left unaware of your own deeds-ignorant and in bliss while you cheer him on at the sidelines.

"I see." You said after swallowing thickly. "Is that all?"

"No, it's not." He steps forward, leaning against the desk as he meets your gaze with his own grey ones. "I wanted to ask how I can return the favor. I refuse to leave any favors-even ones I don't know -to be left unpaid."

You blinked. Then, without thinking, blurted out: "Then let's have coffee before we delve into this."

"Are you a regular here?"

You nod, blinking once before facing him. The place you chose was quiet-tucked away in a corner of this lively city. Blanketed by the warm atmosphere and low hum of chatter from the other tables, you chose it a perfect spot to continue this conversation-it wasn't far too, just a few steps away which was an added bonus.

You sipped your coffee quietly, silence overtaking you and Jinwoo as you sat in front of the other.

Jinwoo's eyes flick over to you. Your posture straight, albeit, more relaxed than when you were on duty. Your lashes fluttered as you enjoyed the taste, savoring the good cup with a small smile.

He listens to the small hum of delightment you make as you relish the taste, and he finds his lips twitching to form a smile as well. He quickly restrains it, brushing off the urge as nothing more than a passing will.

He takes the time to observe you. Now you sat in front of him, free from the shackles of work, talking outside of your profession-outside of the roles the desk had set for the two of you.

Days had worn on you, exhaustion evident, yet you remain radiant all the same. You don't hold yourself with the perfection you've strived for in the name of great service, choosing to relax as if you were with a friend instead.

"First thing's first," you say as the cup meets the saucer-still half full-after deciding the silence stretched on for long enough. "I'll get this out of the way—I like you."

Jinwoo nearly chokes on his drink, taken aback by the suddeness of your announcement. He coughs softly, unaware of how to take your blunt admittance.

"I see." He mumbles, nearly stuttering at his own words despite how few there were. He knew you liked him, the mirror told him-but it was still different to hear it from the person nonetheless.

He breathes out a shaky exhale, not quite expecting you to be this blunt about the subject matter.

"I like you." You repeated, making sure he got the point, and consequentially making the tips of his ears red as he's rendered unsure how to tread this situation. "So I don't expect you to do anything for me. Really. Please don't feel indebted.,

"I'm sorry, I don't feel the same." He states, making that one matter clear, before moving onto the next topic. "But still, I want to repay you for your favor."

"It's not a favor." You murmur.

"Then your grace."

You still, look at him, then sigh. Heavily. Like you were already regretting this despite not signing up for it.

Jinwoo didn't like that.

"State your price—I'll give you anything. Anything that's within reason, at least."

"Anything?"

"Anything." He parrots with certainty.

You lean back on your chair. "That's a dangerous word you're just tossing around."

He doesn't answer, only keeps his gaze fixated on you with that same, rigid and serious expression he often wore.

Your nails tap lightly against the ceramic of your cup, eyes narrowing-not in malice or anger-in hesitant amusement.

"Then, entertain me." You take another sip of your coffee, made just how you liked it-and place it down. "Five dates."

"Pardon?"

"Dates. I want five dates with you. Not one, not two-but five."

He blinks, then furrows his brows in suspicion. "Dates? Just that?"

You reply with a nod, he leans back for a moment, surprised. "Even if I told you I don't feel the same?"

A shrug, and consider Jinwoo speechless. "You don't have to feel the same-just entertain this whim of mine." You rest your chin on your palm, carrying yourself with the same ease-acting as if you hadn't just blatantly asked him out. "But it's also fine if you don't want to. You can leave and still you won't owe me anything-no strings attached."

He's surprised by the calm you retain, but then notices the rhythmic tapping of your finger against your cheek, growing faster every second that passed with your request left unanswered.

"That's it?"

"That's it. You just have to bring yourself—I'll plan for everything. You don't have to like me back, but don't run away either."

He doesn't know if he should be honored or impressed by your insistence-no one's ever shown him this level of interest before. Well, perhaps one(Hae-in) but even she wasn't as bold as you-seizing chances whilst wearing the face of nonchalance.

"Deal. Five dates then."

A beat, and you allow yourself a smile. Small, mildly bashful yet not quite shy. Your lashes flutter, and warmth envelopes your cheeks. Head tilting to the side, you look at him like a smug cat.

"Great, I'll be looking forward to those, then."

And for a moment, he swears his heart pitter patters.

You must have gone insane.

That's the only conclusion you come up with as you arrive at your home, having mulled over the conversation a hundred times on your way home. There's no mistaking it-you really were insane.

You reach your bed, hugging one of the available pillows as your eyes remain wide and blank.

You're insane.

Hugging the pillow close to your chest, you wait for a few moments to load the fact that you're now in a safe place before finally-finally losing your mind.

You scream and bury your face against your pillow, rolling around to get rid of the nerves.

Scream. Then followed by a particularly harsh kick against your bed as you roll over to the other side. Another scream-followed by your hands letting go of the pillow and grabbing your head instead.

"I must be out of my mind. What was I thinking?!" You whined, face a grimace-a whole 180 from the nonchalance you showed to Jinwoo just a few hours ago. "Why would I-"

A sharp inhale, and then a silent scream. "Why would I say that?!?!"

"Five dates." You mimic yourself from hours prior, over exaggerated and overtly stuff as you cross your arms and put one leg over the other. "Go out with me for five dates or else....."

"Aaagh!" You groan, body heating up at the thought of it alone. "Stupid stupid stupid stupid! Why would you ask that?! Why would you even do that?! Are you stupid????"

You nearly cry from sheer embarrassment alone. There's an inexplicable urge to dig a 10 foot hole and bury yourself alive, hoping for the best(dying) and letting this matter go. "I should just die. Yes, that's right. I'll die. Mhm. I should die."

You sit up, trying to rationalize yourself, before falling back on your bed with a tumble. "You stupid idiot! Do you ever just stop embarrassing yourself?"

You toss on one side. "He probably thinks I'm some die hard fan now. A down bad creepy stalker who plans to make him feel indebted to do weird things to him-"

You screech, both a cry and and angered yell. A cry for help if you will. "No" you cry. "I'm not a weirdo-please trust me in this Jinwoo."

Burying your face against your pillow once more, you continue to lament for your dignity that crumbled like sandcastles thrown apart by strong winds.

"I'm not desperate either...."

You sniffle, already imagining your funeral-planning who would attend and who you'd blacklist.

After much regretting and sobbing and hoping Jinwoo isn't put off and wishing you died and stopping yourself from jumping off the rooftop, you finally dial for help.

Said help included your friend from work.

Calling her number, you wait for her to pick up with a kick of your feet. You haven't even changed yet-you're too busy going berserk to bother doing so.

She picks up after 5 rings(5 rings too long. What was she going to do if it was a life threatening situation?)

"Hello?"

You take a sharp inhale, and somberly croak out: "I'm going to die."

"Woah that turned up to 100 a real quick. What happened?"

You sigh like a victorian woman distressed. "I happened. Why was I even born? To be endless entertainment for the gods above?"

Your friend laughs, and you could practically hear her roll her eyes from the call. "Stop being dramatic, just tell me what happened drama queen."

You practically wail. You tell her your story-inputting your very important complaints about this version of you that just passed and continue to share it amidst random questions of what color your coffin should be.

By the time you finish, she's speechless.

"Woah." She gasps.

You sob harder into your pillow.

"Wait wait wait-" she exhales, a breathless chuckle echoing in your phone. "You asked someone out-"

"Yes."

"And not just anyone-but it's Sung Jinwoo. The Sung Jinwoo. The S-rank hunter Sung Jinwoo."

"Yes!" You weep, dramatically posing like a sick victorian child. Heavens bless you, you were most fitting to live in that time period considering how many poses you've striked in a similar manner as well.

She laughs. Laughs. This peasant dares laugh at your own misfortune-and not even the polite kind, she's full of breathless laughter. Loud laughter. Incorrigible laughter.

"Not just that you-" she takes a deep inhale, trying to hold back her cackle. "You asked-demanded he go on not one, not two-but five. Five dates with you with such calmness it unnerved him?"

She's howling with laughter at this point, clutching her stomach because laughing hurts a little too much now. Tears in her eyes from the sheer scandalous nature you possessed.

"Oh my gosh-"she giggles. "Okay okay-I was not familiar with your game. Didn't know you were smooth like that."

You groan, face hot enough to be in the running to be the next sun of the earth.

"Oh come on... I don't know what I was on when I said that."

"Girl that's what I'd like to know too-where'd you get the confidence?"

You huff, hand on your head as you contemplate your own worth. "I don't know I want to kill myself this is so embarrassing I can't face anyone like this anymore."

She cackles, entertained by your own suffering-how dare she?

"Now now, stop whining. You've already asked him-he agreed. Just view things positively."

"What's positive about this?! He probably thinks I'm a desperate fool-a despicable woman who forces things to go her way!"

"That's overexaggerating..." She retorts with ease, already familiar with your antics. "You managed to score five dates with the strongest man in Korea right now. That's not a fear anyone can achieve."

"I threatened him into it!"

"You asked him-he accepted."

"It was a bribe."

"He accepted your gratitude."

"Exactly! If that's not manipulative I don't know what is!"

"Oh stop drama queen-it's not like you expected him to suddenly get a massive glow up a few years later after you liked him and asked to return the favor."

"Still..."

"Stop whining, there's nothing you can do about it now." You sighed. Long, loud, full of shame.

"For now, let's just make the best of the five dates you have, okay?"

"Can't I just chat him and tell him I changed my mind? How about I tell him I want a cute coffin with cute designs and have him pay for it instead?"

"Don't do that you maniac. Just accept the fact that he accepted going on dates with you and use it as a chance."

"A chance?" You sniffle.

"That's right-a chance to make him fall in love with you!"

"Impossible." You huff, hugging a pillow. "He already told me he doesn't feel the same I just forced this on him because I was stubborn."

"He doesn't like you because he doesn't know you well yet. If we take these dates as a chance, who knows? You might be getting yourself a boyfriend right about a few months in the future."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Then you gasped, scandalized. "H-Hae-in! Aren't Jinwoo and Hae-in dating?!"

"Relax relax we don't have anything official...yet."

"Oh gosh-what if I-"

"Calm down! Jinwoo wouldn't agree to your terms and conditions if he was truly dating her. I think."

"But still! What if he felt obligated to?"

"Does he look like the kind of guy?"

"...maybe?"

"If we're not sure then don't jump to conclusions."

You let out a breath, thanking your friend mentally for grounding you whenever your thoughts wandered too much.

"Alright let's focus on the dates okay?"

"Okay... Help me plan the dates-I've no clue about love things." You plead, yawning.

"Eh? You know what? Fine." She shakes her head, half amused half exasperated. "Jeez, you're hopeless."

A moment, then she grins conspiratorially.

"Let's blow the socks off him."

The first date was at an aquarium. Easy, a safe choice for dates. The goal here wasn't to charm him -not yet. No, the goal was to get to know him, ease him into your presence before going with more dates. First impressions were important, and this would be the first time he'd know you outside work-you couldn't risk icking him out from the start.

You stand near the ticket booth, the perfect picture of calm. Cool. Chic. Your lips in a thin line, giving away none of your inner turmoil.

And oh you had a lot of inner turmoil to hide.

You're praying for a meteor to come and strike you, kill you so you don't have to be here and with Jinwoo on a date you forced him to attend. You have half the mind to run away and fake an incurable illness to get away from here as your organs all made some dissonant harmony from inside.

You check the time once every few minutes, movements smooth and easy. Definitely not the actions of someone losing their marbles every second that passed.

He's three minutes late. Only three minutes and yet you're already overthinking everything. Were you screwed? Definitely. What if he stood you up? What if he decides not to go and all your effort would be for nothing? What if-

"Sorry, did you wait long?" Your breath stills.

You turn your head, allowing your lips to curve into a small, measured smile. Not too formal but not too comfortable either.

"No, I just got here." You smoothly reply.

You sweep over his outfit. Nothing mind blowing, a simple outfit consisting of a black turtleneck and a coat, coupled with a dark grey trousers. It was simple-but when paired with his looks, it made him deadly. Made everyone else feel underdressed compared to him.

"You look nice." The words leave you before you even think, going on autopilot and refusing to let your worries make you too stiff.

Nice was an understatement. He looked good-too good you swear you could die. Oh good heavens I was not prepared for this level of attractiveness-is this really the timid boy I helped out before? Somebody catch me.

He sweeps his gaze over you. "Thanks, you too." He waits until you nod and offer him a smile before he starts again..

"You're early."

You hum, and chuckle softly. "Of course, you think I'd let someone I like wait for me?"

Jinwoo blinks in surprise, taken aback. He chuckles, small, quiet, but still there's a quirk up his lips. "Point taken."

Your grin stretches, but your hands betray your nerves as it trembles ever so slightly. Was that too forward?

"Let's get going. Do you have any vendettas against marine life?"

"None as far as I know." Jinwoo answers.

"Good. I was worried I'd have to throw myself to the shark tank to make things more interesting for you."

He pauses, stills for a moment and looks at you. He hesitates, half amused half concerned. "Is that a joke?"

You smile coyly. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

He flinches, thrown off right off the bat. "Please don't."

"Oh? Is that concern I hear?"

"No, I just don't want to jump in after you to get you out."

"Ah," you click your tongue. "Chivalry and shark wrestling? Charming. I fear you'll ruin other men for me."

You bite your tongue discreetly, attempting to shut your running mouth that's flirting too easily for your own sanity.

He smiles, amused, exasperated, annoyed-you don't know. But you do hope it's positive.

You walk around the aquarium, exploring different tanks with him and exchanging light conversations here and there.

"You're bold." He comments, expression calm if not lighthearted.

You keep your gaze fixated on the fishes in front of you. "Of course, I plan to make you fall inlove with me after all."

Jinwoo nearly chokes on his own spit, and you feel yourself shriveling to dusk as your mouth keeps saying the most diabolical things one after the other.

You stare at the aquarium wistfully, tempted to dive in there and drown and let the fishes eat your remains. That seems like a nice way to go.

"Like I said, bold."

You laugh-and cold sweat drips down your back as you try to feign nonchalance(you were succeeding, but you don't feel it)

"I apologize." You say in between laughter. "We only have five dates, I can't waste the first one hiding behind fishes. I have plans to woo after all."

He sighs through his nose, his lips quirking up in a smile. You've noticed it stayed there more often than it didn't, that had to mean something, right? This embarrassment you were feeling had to be worth something, right?

"Or" you turn to look at him rather than relying on the reflection of the glass. "Do you prefer modest girls more?"

He blinks, acting as if he never considered the thought. He thinks for a while, but ultimately shrugs. "Not necessarily, it's just that I never expected this from you."

"That so? Do you hate it, then?"

Another pause. His eyes narrow, and his mouth closes shut as he ponders over your words.

"I'm...not sure. I've never been confessed to before-not this boldly, at least."

"Ah," your eyes narrow as your grin stretches again into that mischievous smile. "Then you'd do well to prepare if you're weak of heart."

He doesn't say anything at first, only looks at you in sheer disbelief, eyes slightly wide but warm and soft. "What if you fail at achievingyour goal?" He asks, tone softer, unsure if it was inappropriate to ask.

"Then I'll admit defeat." You put your hands on your back, leaning closer to him. You get close to his face, only a few inches apart. You see his adam's apple bob and then flick up to meet his gaze. "But for now, I'm giving it all that I have."

You pull away shortly after that, already walking off to the next display while he's left in the last one. His gaze burns on your back, and his hands twitch ever so slightly as one of them reaches to where his heart rests.

There's a warmth left in your wake that leaves his heart pacing. He's unsure if it's apprehension or exhilaration.

You walk a few paces away, blocking his view of your flustered look with your back, refusing to let it show.

Urgh... What's gotten into me?

A sentiment echoed by two people only a few distances apart.

The second date was at an art museum.

Another safe choice. As your friend told you: set the first two dates to be calm-the third chaotic, the fourth fun, and the fifth unforgettable. Enough to leave him craving for more.

Frankly? You didn't believe a single word of her idea. You weren't sold on her five act get him to fall in love with you plan-but it was all you had so you just took it without complaints.

If it didn't work then that's sad, but if it did-on the off chance it did, you would end up with him. That was a possibility you couldn't pass up on as someone with an S-tier crush towards him.

The museum, tucked away in the heart of the city, was your next destination. You kept yourself presentable, elegant and sophisticated looking with the help of your friend who had to deal with your mini tantrums as you prepared for yet another meeting with the man of your dreams.

And gosh did he look handsome. So handsome he could be in a magazine. Too goodlooking you've no doubts he would be in the running for the most attractive man internationally and nationally.

The museum date itself wasn't anything interesting-just an exchange of opinion as you pretended to understand the complexities of the art placed here.

"This one here, is my favorite piece." You say as you present the painting to him with a small flare.

It was a messy splash of black lines and squiggles here and there strewn about on the canvas.

He arches a brow in mock interest. "Interesting. It looks like a migraine."

"Exactly. It embodies what I feel on a daily basis."

"Does that include today?"

Your gaze fixes on him, before turning to the painting once more. "No, you're a soothing balm. Being around you purifies my bad mood."

Jinwoo coughs, recovering from your sudden flirt. "Ah, there it is."

You huff, grinning at his reaction. "Let's move onto the next art piece-it should be the last one."

You twist on your heel, its sole clacking softly against the wooden floor of the museum. Unfortunately, your new heels—heels that you haven't broken in yet-failed you and did you a disservice by breaking on its first day at work.

A step, and a sound followed:

Snap

Following the snap was a sharp pain to your ankle as you lose balance. Your foot twisted, heel crumpling beneath you and suddenly you find yourself being a little too close to the floor.

Jinwoo catches you before you can fall rather disgracefully and cause a commotion.

His hand slithers around your waist, securing your halt—but also brought you unbelievably closer to him.

You think you died when you got closer than six inches to him. Six. That was enough to smell him, enough to count every lash on his eyes—enough to really break apart his eye color—enough to send you into cardiac arrest and die a happy woman.

"...hi?"

"Are you okay?"

His eyes fluttered down to meet your gaze, hand still wrapped around your waist and his face impossibly close.

In a fairytale world that was far from this one, you'd say yes—wrap your arms around him and say no. You were not okay and he'd carry you bridal carry to the nearest bench take care of you and you'd fall in love.

In reality however, you had an image to keep and you couldn't afford looking crazed for him. You had to keep things calm, cool, smooth, that's the way to go after all.

So you swallowed the pain and smiled. Pretended your heart wasn't this close to just ripping itself out on your ribcage and force Jinwoo to make room for it.

"I'm fine. My heel just snapped."

"I saw that."

"Of course you did."

A pause, and you remain in this slightly uncomfortable—very romantic position, keeping your gaze locked with his.

"Are—" you stuttered. Disgusting. "Are you going to let go now or are you planning to be a display too?"

His gaze flickered to your eyes, to that squirmy smile and then to the slight curve of your brows. And a smile of his own quirks up on his lips.

He pulls away, only barely. His arms detach from your waist, lingering instead around your shoulder.

"Can you stand?"

You felt a sharp pain spike through your right foot—specifically your ankle right then and there. You winced, but you only allow it a split second before you fall into your pre-established nonchalant appearance.

"Of course."

"You sure?"

"Definitely."

You take a step—and hiss at the pain. It takes everything you have to just not fall to the ground and, I don't know, cry maybe.

"That looks painful."

"That's normal when you're wearing heels. Beauty is pain—haven't you heard of that saying, Mr. Sung?"

Jinwoo deadpans. Looks at you taking small steps comparable to that of an ant and sighs.

He doesn't let you detach yourself from him, instead wrapping his arms around your waist and another tucked behind your knees.

"Excuse me," he mutters before lifting you off your feet and carrying you in his arms.

You gasp, scandalized. "What are you doing?"

"Carrying you to the nearest bench because clearly you're not fine."

Your hands clutch his shoulders—very tightly you might've thought he proposed marriage. He didn't—but this is closer than you expected to get to him since the first time you liked him.

"I can walk."

"You were limping."

"That's a new fashion trend." He gives you a look. One that practically said what words couldn't. He might be oblivious about a lot of things but even he's not foolish enough to believe that.

"I was adjusting. If you just gave me a few minutes I'd be able to walk normally again."

He hums, your words going in one ear and out on the other. "You're human—don't joke." He adjusts his grip on you, squeezing your waist and you feel your soul practically fly away as you held in the urge to ask for his hand in marriage and take responsibility for making your heart do flips.

You sputter for words, but nothing leaves your mouth despite desperate attempts to fill the silence with something. Your cheeks flushed with warmth, heat creeping into your skin—you worried he felt it, but he didn't say anything if he did.

You sigh with your whole chest, burying your face beneath your hands.

"This isn't how I planned today to go." You say, practically whimpering out of shame.

He pauses his steps, taking a moment to look at your hand covered face. This would be the first time he's seen you act out of your element. Far from the professionalism you showed when at work, far from the cool you that you showed during the first date, just flustered and more genuine this time. 

You don't even register it—you're just complaining, plans ruined and all because of this one mishap. And Jinwoo would be lying if he said he didn't find this even partly amusing.

"This is ridiculous." You huff, Jinwoo walks again with you still in his arms.

"What is?"

"This." Another sigh. Heavy. Full of weight and the hope you inhaled as you began this date exhaled in one single breath. "I had a fullproof plan. I was supposed to woo you. Act sophisticated, mysterious, charming, sly—"

"That's a lot of acting you're planning to do."

"Yes—and I had it all planned. I'd talk, you talk—I look at you lovingly and when you look at me you'll see it and I don't look away and maybe if I'm lucky we have a casual brush of hands I subtly seduce you and raise your affection for a considerable amount and—"

Jinwoo clears his throat, an awkward smile playing as the apple of his cheeks changes its tint just slightly. Very slightly. Mostly because he's really not used to bold proclamations of love.

"—Only for these stupid heels to butcher it up and ruin everything for me." You weep, lamenting your butchered plan.

"Subtly seduce?" He quirks a brow, half amused.

You pause, deciding how you should kill yourself for saying something like that—but forcefully bring yourself back to reality. You've already said a lot of things around Jinwoo, what was another going to do?

"Yes. Subtle. Smooth. You'd never see it coming but you're already lingering in the spaces I occupied. Slow burn and all that."

He chokes back a laugh, your lack of filter amusing him. It was a breath of fresh air from all the convoluted conversation exchanged between people of power. This was casual, normal, blunt. Like he was a normal guy.

"You have a curious mind." You bite your lip and bury your face deeper beneath your hands. He sees it, and his lips twitches.

"If it makes you feel any better, I prefer this version better."

He sets you down on a bench just outside the museum, placing you gently with care.

You set your arms aside, resting in either side of you as your eyes follow him. "I'm babbling and complaining like a spoiled brat."

He hums, kneeling down in front of you. You blink, baffled when he raises your leg and takes off your heels. He massages your feet deftly, carefully ensuring he didn't press too much to your sprained ankle.

"You're being honest and real."

"I'm always honest with you." You furrow your brows. "I've been flirting with you since the first date."

He closes his eyes, his hold trembling slightly at the mention. "Not that." He says with a small laugh.

"The you who gets flustered." He lifts your leg higher, you hesitate, but ultimately let him do his thing. "This whole time I've always had this certain pedestal put on you."

"You were always professional, mature, calm. I found it hard to picture you as anything but that." He presses against your ankle, you hiss in pain but don't pull away. "Even in the first date you were just like that. This version of you seems more fitting. Easier to talk with."

"You're being awfully soft with me right now." Your head tilts down to watch him ease the pain in your foot. "Even massaging me."

"I'd hate to assume, but are you perhaps falling to my charms?"

He goes rigid again, hands stopping its soothing motions. He peers up at you, you meet him with a small smile while dying inside.

"It's too early for that." He says, flicking your forehead lightly.

You stumble back with a wince, nose scrunched up. "Ow, that was uncalled for."

"I don't want to give you any false hopes." He says after a beat passes where your complaint remains unanswered.

"Don't worry. I doubt any hope you give me could do me any worse than the copium I'm currently running on."

He doesn't choke this time—only sigh in exasperation, as if slowly getting used to whatever leaves your mouth without thinking.

"Is that so?"

"It is so."

Later that night, you made plans to kill yourself.

"I'm so embarrassing." You groan, crying over the phone as your friend listens to your real time crash outs once more.

"It's fine it's fine—you're doing great!" She cheers with a loud laugh, as if jeering.

"Are you falling to my charms?" You scream, punching the poor pillow to let out your shame.

"It's fine—charming! You're cute!"

She cackles while you break down.

The third date—the alleged, supposed, chaotic one, was in an escape room. Not just any escape room—but a haunted escape room.

People often say that love and fear are interconnected. One can easily mistake fear to be love and vice versa—two sides of the same coin.

You were relying on this very popular theory to charm him into falling in love.

There's only one thing you and your friend failed to account for: the man you were trying to woo was Sung Jinwoo. An E-rank hunter who definitely saw scarier things than just humans wearing cosmetics to look even remotely as scary as the monsters in the dungeons.

He was not affected by the jumpscares at all.

Meanwhile, you were clutching your chest and stopping yourself from bawling your eyes like a baby because you can't get out of the room when all you wanted to do was bolt out and run away and pretend none of this ever happened.

You were stupid. Why did you let your friend convince you into going to an escape room with him? Now both your and his safety is compromised because of the fear levels you feel spiking up in you making you act even more unhinged.

You took a step forward, the wall beside you split open and revealed a haunted figure. You screeched—then quickly cut yourself off and clung to yourself.

Ha. Easy peasy.

You were crazy scared. You could feel your soul jumping out of your body every three seconds or so—especially because of that wretched humming played by a hidden speaker.

The heebie-jeebies was at its worst.

You shrieked when something fell—it was a book. Just a book. But it shook your soul to the core nevertheless. Your eyes widened comically, and you

You were terrified to your core. Like seriously? Actual, stomach-turning, nerve-fraying, skin-prickling kind of scared. The kind of fear that made your brain scream, "Cling to him! Cling to Jinwoo! Grab his arm and never let go!"

But you didn't.

Because you had class. You were a woman of principle. And also crippling overthinking—but we don't talk about that. You don't dare grab ahold of his arm and latch yourself at him like a leech mid exorcism—because you were respectful.

What if he didn’t like being touched? What if he thought you were using the escape room as an excuse to be handsy? What if he thought you were weak? You couldn't risk losing what little affection you had garnered for yourself because of thoughtless actions.

No. Instead, you ought to be brave and face your fears and act the same. Cool, casual, smooth—not sobbing, crying, scared to the point of peeing yourself.

But dang was it hard. Every step you took you could feel yourself wither away and become one of the props in the escape room. A ghost. You were so close to being one you could feel it.

You hugged yourself through your fears, arms wrapped tightly around your torso as if you're your own boyfriend and squishy toy. Your shoulders were hunched, wary of everything inside the room as your lips turned into that twisted smile. I'm fine. I'm fine—peachy—totally safe.

A disembodied voice echoed as a speaker from who knows where suddenly played the audio, mumbling some riddle to solve and hints to make sure the players don't get stuck in the room with that breathy, demonic sounding voice. You gasped and flinched so hard you nearly fell on your butt and crashed onto the skeleton prop just behind you.

Jinwoo glances over your pathetic form—barely holding yourself together. "You okay?"

You nod—perhaps a bit too quickly. "Mhm. Fine. Cool—so cool." The way your voice goes a pitch too high  to be your normal one betrays you. "I'm bored actually. So bored I could fall asleep standing."

"You're trembling."

"That's from excitement. Know the difference."

Jinwoo gave you a look. One, very obviously disbelieving look, and waited for you to retract your statement.

You didn't.

So he pushed and prodded. "Is that so?"

"Yes. I'm fearless. Very fearless. I could even do this with my eyes closed."

"And those eyes aren't closed because you're scared?"

You gasp, offended and take a step forward—only to step on some mechanism and cause a hand to suddenly spring up from the floor.

You scream, barely muffled and kept audible by your own pride.

He gives you an unimpressed look. You wither on the inside but puff up your chest in mock confidence.

"I was acting. I have a hidden talent in acting—I just wanted to show it to you. To make you fall in love more."

Somehow he doubts that.

"Alright, you go first then. You invited me—I want to see more of your 'fearless' side."

You freeze at his request, and stiffly look at him as if he's just betrayed you and did the worst crime to ever be done. His eyes narrow in amusement, but he doesn't outwardly laugh.

"I—"

"Go on."

You stare at him, mouth agape, planning to say something before shutting up. "I—fine!"

You huff, taking a step forward. The wooden floor creaks beneath your feet with everystep you take. You brace yourself for something, and when a whisper slithers through the air and to your skin, you scream out of pure terror.

Your hands clutch each other tightly as you flinch backwards. Your frantic steps back is blocked by a sturdy build. You freeze, dread for your life, and turn your head despite the fear ground you.

Much to your relief, it's only Jinwoo. You exhale a sigh—but freeze all again when he puts both hands on your shoulders and whispers—his face criminally close to your ear.

"I like strong women." Your breath hitched. His voice is low, steady, and sincere.

"But I like women who can admit to their faults too." He pauses, giving you a second to digest it before continuing with a more teasing tone. "Like being scared of anything haunted."

Your eyes widened, shivers running down your spine—and it's not because of the haunted room. You feel your face burn even as he pulls away and fixes himself to stand beside you.

"I'll go take the front. Stay close behind me."

You hum, though your sanity is barely there. Being flirted on while you were at a constant state of fight or flight wasn't doing good for your own health. You nod, breath shaky as you take deep inhales of air.

He doesn't pay any mind to your pathetic act at staying strong, working on solving puzzles instead while you linger behind him, fingers trembling and begging to cling to him.

"I-I'm scared." You finally mutter, eyes narrowed as you glare at the book that fell down the bookshelf earlier.

He hums, you take it as a sign to continue. "Really scared. I thought watching 10 horror movies in one day would help me prepare for this moment—but now I see it was stupid."

Jinwoo blinks, surprised by the sudden confession. Well, he didn't expect that. He coughs, but smiles as his hands fiddled with the lock at the door.

"That so?"

"Mhm. It only made me more paranoid. That was stupid."

He hums again, gaze flickering with satisfaction when the door opens. As you move onto another room, you follow closely behind him, counting every second you were stuck in this room with him.

You breathed out a shaky exhale, eyes darting around while Jinwoo solved a riddle involving books and other mumbo jumbos when suddenly—

"I'm watching you....."

You shriek, feet leaving the ground in a fearful jump as something breathed down your back. Your hands clench one another before finally latching onto Jinwoo with a cry.

Jinwoo flinches—only mildly. You don't register it, too wrapped up in your own terror to notice it.

Jinwoo blinks, looks down at you—crouched and five seconds away from crying, clinging to his arm with a death grip. His hand twitches, and he adjusts himself to allow you more grip to him.

"You alright?"

"S-someone was here—they breathed down my neck! Their voice was gargled!" You ramble, lips quivering as your eyes water.

He bites his lips to cover his laughter. It wasn't loud, but he assumes you wouldn't appreciate laughter so he keeps it restrained.

"Is that so?" You nod eagerly, he smiles—part amused part exasperated. "Then stay close, something might creep up again if you stay away."

"Are you inviting me to cling to you?" You sniffle. "Careful, I might enjoy that privilege a bit too much."

Jinwoo stiffens, looks at you like you're odd—and you are. You're scared witless and yet you still have the strength to flirt?

Your priorities sure haven't strayed despite everything. Atleast he knows you're loyal. He coughs to cover a laugh.

"I'm not sure what you mean but sure. If it helps you get through this without going into cardiac arrest."

You sigh, wrapping your arms around Jinwoo's arm, preparing for another batch of jumpscares.

"Then please don't mind if I accidentally rip apart your limb from pulling too hard."

"Eh?"

The fourth date—as your friend said—the fourth should be fun. Charming—a chance to let out your inhibitions.

Fun. Light hearted. Sweet—preferably all while you look cute and swoonable. And what better place would suit the description other than an amusement park?

Bright lights, loud music, the smell of fried sugar and delirium, highschool teens doing pda left and right and rides that goes against safety regulations—there was no other place to go than an amusement park.

You made sure to look presentable and ready to dazzle. Cute, comfortable, and easy to move in clothes while still looking decent.

But something changed this time. And you weren't just imagining it—you know that.

Jinwoo had arrived first this time, dressed in casual clothes that made him look boyfriend material. Gosh you want to wife him up one day.

"You're early this time."

He nods, tilting his head just slightly—making you absolutely lose your mind.

"I didn't want to keep you waiting."

You squeeze your eyes shut, count to five, and try to stop the urge to tell him I like you even if he already knew that.

"Is that so?" You position yourself to stand beside him, a bright grin on your lips. "Shall we get going then? We have a lot of attractions to go through today."

Another bob of his head, followed by a "sure" cams from him.

And thus the fifth date began.

Your gaze sweeps across the amusement park, and then lands on a small shop selling headpieces and accessories.

"Let's go there first." You point to the store, a relaxed smile—contrary to the one you forced during the escape room experience. "We ought to gear ourself up before we embark on a grand adventure."

You tug his sleeve—careful to only tug the sleeve of his hoodie and nothing more and drag him towards the desired destination with it.

Jinwoo paused, but allowed you to drag him without complaints.

His eyes land on where you held him. On the sleeve—tugging on it like wrapping your arms around his wrist would burn you.

There's a small tug at his heart at the sight. And then, snoothly—almost naturally, he detaches your hand from his sleeve and wraps it around his hand instead.

He does this in one quick motion you don't even register until you feel his warmth around the pads of your hand.

Your steps stall to a halt, shoulders turning stiff when you feel it.

"Why did you stop?"

You look at your now linked hands, then back at him and asked—almost shyly. "Are you, uhm, are you alright with this?"

"With what?"

"With—" you gesture to your linked hands. "With this. Holding hands."

His mouth makes an o shape as he processes your question.

"Do you hate it?"

You stiffen, and then shake your head—quite vehemently too.

"I didn't say that—" you squeeze his hand, then flinch and loosen it quickly, afraid of pushing boundaries. "I'm saying I like it too much I don't want to creep you out."

"You clung to me like you were trying to become one with me just one date ago. You're now bashful about hand holding?"

Your face burned at the mention. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was perfectly calm. The picture perfect epitome of calm."

"Is that so?"

"It is so."

He stares, you don't. You keep your gaze fixated on the shop while he keeps looking unimpressed. Five heartbeats later, he sighs(something he's been doing quite often around you) and relents.

"Let's go, we don't have all day."

And so you walked with his hand in yours, heart matching the pace of the upbeat music playing in the background.

You found your eyes fixated on one thing and one thing only. A bunny ear headband with the fuzzy fur and cute white and pink color scheme.

It would look so good on Jinwoo.

You feel it from the very depths of your core—Sung Jinwoo would look fantastic in a rabbit ears headband.

But the real question was—you bit your lip. Would he entertain your whims and wear it?

You look over to him, he's leaned over at a keychain stand, hand on chin as he ponders over something—expression unreadable.

He tilts his head up when he feels your gaze on him—almost as if he has a third sense. You flinch, eyes wide when he meets your gaze with his own unreadable one.

Nothing shows—but then his eyes shimmer with just a hint of something that makes your heart skip a beat. It crinkles at the edges as his head tilts slightly, expression morphing into a softer—that's criminal—a smile gracing his otherwise bland expression.

"What is it?"

You blank out for a moment, wondering if that softness really was for you or just your delusion making things romantic.

"Ah I—"

"I was wondering if you would—hypothetically speaking" you look at the headband section, fingers fiddling with each other. "Wear one of them if I asked."

Jinwoo follows your gaze to the row of fuzzy animal headbands. His eyes trail up from the baby-pink bunny ears, to the comically large cat ears, to the sparkly devil horns, then, back to you.

"Which one?" he asks, straight-faced.

You falter for half a second, then reach out—hand trembling just slightly like you're about to commit a crime against fashion and masculinity—and point to the softest, floppiest bunny ears on the shelf. "This one."

Jinwoo stares at it for a long moment. Long enough for you to reconsider your entire life.

Then, without a word, he takes the headband and slides it on.

Just like that.

You freeze. He meets your gaze. Your eyes are wide—both in disbelief and cuteness aggression.

"Oh my gosh."

He doesn't even blink, wears it on as if it was just a normal headband. His pride doesn't even seem wounded, he doesn't show a sign of embarrassment either—just compliance.

"Is something the matter?"

"Yes." You take a deep breath. "You're adorable."

"Adorable?" You nod. Clutching your chest, you grit your teeth as you restrain the urge to squeeze his cheeks and call him cute.

You force your attention on the headbands once more. Slightly trembling hands(trembling because you're holding back a big urge to baby talk to a grown man just because he's wearing bunny ears.)

Grabbing another headband—this time, a wolf eared headband with slick grey fur and perked up pointy ears and tugged it on.

"It's settled then." Your eyes darts towards the mirror in front of you—showcasing both you and Jinwoo. One rabbit and one wolf. "You're the prey—I'm the predator."

He quirks a brow and looks at you through the mirror. "My defenseless little prey—"

You shrivel and eat up your words when you see his amusement hidden very badly on his face. Brows arched, lips parted slightly and head cocked. He looks amused in the way one would look at someone who just dug themselves their own hole—and that might not be far off from the truth.

"I'm sorry that was horrible please don't sue me for sexual harassment"

Silence.

Not even a pin drop.

And then he laughs. Not a full blown laugh—but kept constrained to not lose his aura kind of laugh.

"You're...peculiar."

Your cheeks flushed as blood rushed to paint it with its color.

"Just say I'm weird, I can take it."

He hums, amused, shoulders shaking just enough to show he's still laughing at you.

"Did that failed flirt dock points off my tally?"

He tilts his head, the floppy pink bunny ears shifting ever so slightly. "I'll allow it. Just this once."

You dramatically exhale in relief. "Thank goodness. I don't want to end up in jail with wolf ears on."

He chuckles again, and then—almost casually—reaches out to adjust your headband, his fingers brushing your hair just briefly. "They suit you."

You blink, heart skipping a beat. Was he flirting? This is considered flirting, right? Ah, you might be dying—oh you might be dying. You might really be dying.

"Come on, predator." He turns around, already paying for the headbands without letting you have a say in it. "Let's see what other sorts of trouble you can get yourself into."

Then he smirks—oh my gosh he smirked. You had to physically take a step back to recover because that one sided grin could end nations if he wielded it right.

You walk around the amusement park with him, hand laced with his for security purposes. You might get separated after all(you have to physically bite your tongue to keep you grounded to reality.)

You land in a shooting stall—and you quickly take the chance to impress him with your skills.

The plushies hang in the back like grand prizes(they are)—small ones, big ones, and a stupid looking duck about the size of a human torso standing proud in the middle of the prize display.

You take out your wallet and slam it down on the table.

"Watch and learn, bunny boy." You huff, chest puffing out and smug as you take the gun handed over to you by the staff working on the stall.

"Oh?" Jinwoo gives nothing more but an amused raise of brow, watching as you position yourself.

You adjust your headband and crack your knuckles, bending over slightly as you focus on shooting the target. Your eyes are narrowed, dedicated to the game as your fingers circle the handle and the trigger.

He balanced his weight on one of his legs and crossed his arms, watching you expectantly.

You pull the trigger—hitting the ducks square in the head with quick motions. The way you murmur your own sound effects as you shoot down the duck targets one after the other isn't lost on him, and his hold on himself tightens for a few seconds and as he watches you shoot everything down—not a single shot wasted.

"Five shots," you say, almost too smugly. "All fired—none missed."

You turn to him expectantly, like a dog awaiting praise.

He claps. Not loud, but enough for you to hear. "That's impressive."

You fail to notice the mild sarcasm laced in his tone. "I'm aware."

The giant duck—the biggest prize the stall had to offer now laid in your arms. You paraded it around, walking to him in slow paces to further enhance the mood.

"For you."

Jinwoo's eyes flick down to the oversized duck cradled in your arms. Then back to your triumphant grin. Without missing a beat, he reaches out and takes the plush from you—his fingers brushing yours briefly, sending a tiny spark that you definitely notice.

"You really went all out."

"Of course, only the best for the guy I like."

His smile no longer wavers when you tell him you like him, as if adjusting to your blunt nature. You don't know if that's a good sign or a bad sign, but he hasn't pushed you away yet—so you hope it's good.

Without skipping a beat, Jinwoo slides the plush into his inventory. Like a magic trick done right, the very plush you had won him suddenly disappeared from his hands.

You gasp in sheer horror. "What did you do to Agent quackston?!"

"You named it?"

"But of course!" You clutch your chest as if you've been stabbed. "That was my mascot! The proof of my love! And—and you just murdered him!"

He flicks your forehead before you can go too far with your theatrics. You yelp, both hands covering the place his fingers just hit as you scrunched up your nose in disapproval.

"He's in my inventory." He pulls his hands away, face ever soft despite its sharp features. "We can't exactly go on while carrying a huge plush all the time, can we?"

"Oh."

That shut you up real quick. Your face flattens out, a cool look quickly molding over your initial horror once Jinwoo knocks some sense into you.

"That makes sense." You groan. "Overpowered menace."

His head tilts, looking from side to side before landing on a destination.

"Come, follow me." Once more, he laces his fingers through yours—too smoothly for your safety actually.

"Wh—" you're dragged away from where your feet were planted with ease as he exerts the smallest of force to get you moving. "Where are we going?"

The only response you get is a quick look and a small smirk.

You ascended to heaven.

You proceed to find yourself swallowed by a whole mountain of plushies 30 minutes later.

"Y-you're awfully good at this."

Your arms struggle to carry all the plushie he just won you at the claw machine, a strawberry shaped one blocking your vision with it's large body.

"You think so?"

A deadpan. "Not I think—but you are."

"I have talent, it seems," he says, voice light, almost teasing.

The strawberry plush is enormous, obnoxiously soft, and it’s wedged so firmly between your arms you can barely see past it. You shuffle awkwardly, trying to adjust your grip, but your vision is still completely overtaken by red fuzz and a pair of stitched cartoon eyes.

"Jinwoo," you groan. "I can't see. I'm going to die holding this fruit."

There's a brief pause coming from him—and then you feel the pressure ease. The strawberry is lifted from your arms gently, like a gift being unwrapped. And just like that, your vision returns.

You blink up at him, mouth half open in protest, but the words die on your tongue the moment you see his face.

He's holding the strawberry plush with both hands, cradling it against his chest like it’s something delicate. To make matters even worse—his expression is fond.

Not smug. Not playful.

Fond.

Eyes soft, mouth curved in the smallest, most dangerous smile you’ve ever seen on him.

"This one repays the duck," your knees buckle. "Now we're even."

You stare.

He offers it to you like a peace offering. Like a confession. Like it means something more. Did it mean something more? You hope it did.

You need something to keep your heart from breaking out of your ribs. You want to say something witty. Something charming. Something that won't give away how your brain is fully short-circuited.

But all you manage is: "Agent Quackston will be pleased."

Jinwoo chuckles, the sound sending goosebumps down your spine. "Good. I don't want to get on his bad side."

You clear your throat, clutching the strawberry tighter. "He's very territorial."

"I'll keep that in mind."

His eyes persist and remain locked on yours, refusing to waver. You try to meet it, refusing to back down. A poker face—a picture perfect poker face you honed after years of work crumbles beneath his gaze that dared to make you hope for something more.

"Give those to me—I'll keep them in my inventory for the time being."

You barely register his words beyond the rampant beating of your heart.

Unbeknownst to you, the very reason he could capture so many stuffed plushes was because he was using his ruler's authority without you noticing.

The rest of the day passes by in a flash. Failed flirts, playful banters, unraveling of character—you've tried both the rides and the overpriced foods here, a smile never quite leaving you all throughout. You found a haunted house amidst your search for exciting rides—you didn't dare try it out.

You learned your lesson from the last date. You avoided it like the plague, Jinwoo looked amused. And then the climax happened.

You sat in front of him at the ferris wheel, overlooking the entire city as you reached the highest peak of the circle shaped structure. The ferris wheel would always signify the end of the date. A quiet place where meaningful conversations could be exchanged.

"Why five dates specifically?" Jinwoo finally asks, breaking the bubble of silence that blanketed the space.

You look off into the distance, admiring the view you could only see from high up above.

"It's simple, really."

Though his eyes never leave your figure, your eyes never meet his.

"One's too fast, two's too fleeting, three's too abrupt, four might allow a spark, and five means we might be allowed a chance to go somewhere." Your hand touches the window, tone no longer as detached nor too emotional. "Six and more is too long. Even I know my limits."

Jinwoo leans back, arms crossed as the city lights flicker beneath his icy grey hues. He doesn't say anything, only linger in the answer you gave—look at you like you're a puzzle he wishes to solve.

"We're already at the fourth." Your hand twitches just slightly. "Nearing the end—time flies by so fast, doesn't it?"

He follows where your eyes lock on, watching the cityscape through the small window. "It does." He adds when the silence becomes too much.

"Only one more and you'll be free from my whims—" you take a sharp breath. "That must be a relief for you."

Jinwoo turns his gaze back to you slowly, his expression unreadable for a second too long.

Then—quiet, but firm—he says, "Leave the fifth to me."

Your body goes rigid, and then, with a speed Jinwoo worried would cause you a whiplash—turned your head to face him. Breathless.

"What?"

"The fifth date. Leave it to me."

"I—huh?" You blink, once, twice, thrice, four, five—not enough. "Why?"

"I want to make sure of something."

Butterflies flutter about inside your stomach as hope dares to make itself known to your chest.

"Make sure to dress nicely."

The fifth date, as Jinwoo insisted, was planned solely by him.

All you did was dress pretty. Cordial and decent enough to dine at fine dining restaurants—enough to pass as the daughter of a rich man.

"Isn't this too much?" You question as your trusty friend swipes lipstick across your lips like a professional. "I don't want to appear like I'm trying hard around him."

"My girl," she deadpans. "You've asked him out on five dates the first time you talked outside of work—confessed your intentions at date one, asked if he was falling inlove at date two, clung to him on date three, and called him bunnyboy at date four. You're desperate enough to do this much when he asks to let you leave the fifth date to him."

You pout at her words, she doesn't care—doesn't even bother to pretend to care.

"Listen here—make sure to remain calm okay?" She holds you by the shoulders, squeezing it gently. "This is your chance—don't you dare mess this up."

"I am calm."

You say that, but you carry yourself with the stiffness of a man going into a lion's den with steak on their hands.

"You're vibrating, stop that—I can't finish the look if you're trembling."

"Can you blame me? I'm emotionally compromised and in risk of cardiac arrest."

She doesn't answer—but she does do a deadpan. That alone told you everything about her exasperation.

After giving you one final once-over, she beams and puffs her chest smugly—proud of her work. Then came the doorbell ringing loudly for both of you to hear.

She lets you go with the face of someone sending their dearest soldier to war. You step out with the same vibes of someone going to war for the first time. Your nerves fray—nearing combustion as your palms clamp up with sweat.

As the door creaks open, allowing you exit—you're immediately met with Jinwoo standing just outside, waiting for you—all dressed to the nines with a dark suit and a bouquet.

He's unfairly handsome.

The 'polite boy with a mysterious about him that keeps you on your toes. Magazine looks and a k-drama star of a 100% rotten tomatoes rating series.' Meanwhile you looked like an overdressed fool preparing for an interview to become a court jester. The difference was astounding—you wonder why you haven't yet melted into a puddle on the floor and become fertilizer for a fresh set of life.

"You brought a bouquet?" Dumb question—clearly he did, in fact, bring one.

He wordlessly offers it to you, gaze dragging down to your form as he takes in your fit. From your coloured lips to your wide eyes full of static. You hold back the urge to shrink, gingerly accepting the small gift with clammy hands.

"This is for me?"

"No, it's for your neighbor." He retorts with a face you could only describe as serious. "Of course it's for you."

"...oh."

You clutch the bouquet like it might stabilize your heart, eyes darting to the floor in a valiant attempt to find an escape tunnel. Unfortunately for you, you find that there's none—only the sound of your pulse in your ears and the sharp, clean scent of the flowers pressed against your face.

"Right," you mumble. "Thanks. They're...nice. Really nice."

He raises an eyebrow. "You sound surprised."

"Who wouldn't be surprised? The guy I like comes and gives me a pretty bouquet—I need time to recover emotionally."

"Because of flowers?"

"Because of you bringing flowers while looking like a man who walked out of a commercial for heartbreak."

That gets him. His lips twitch, the faintest ghost of a laugh huffing through his nose.

"I'll try not to be less offensive next time," he says. "Come on."

He offers his arm, you stare at it stupidly as if it was an alien concept to wrap your own around it.

"Your hand." He gives you a deadpan. "Hold onto me."

You blink, look up, tilt your head, process his words, and then nearly shut down. "Wh—"

Jinwoo's expectant stare makes you comply without allowing yourself to mutter anything else. Latching onto him before your body starts protesting.

He leads you outside of your apartment complex, taking you to an open field.

"Where are we going?"

"Nature."

"Pardon?"

Jinwoo turns his head left and right, makes sure there's no obstructions, and calls upon Kaisel with a low mumble.

A large wyvern materializes out of his shadows, glinting blue against the moonlit night. Towering over both of you by several feet.

"Holy—"

It roars as it emerges from its sanctuary, flapping its wings as it adjusts to the chilling air of Seoul. It blinks once, glowing softly as the night highlights its phantom like structure. You're not sure what breaks your head more—was it the fact that he said nature and seemed to mean it? Or the fact that a wyvern just popped out of his shadow and ease into the ground in front of you.

"Is that a dragon?" You clutch the bouquet like it's a lifeline, shivers running down your spine as it flaps its wings once more—the pressure allowing for a gust of wind to breeze through you.

"A wyvern," he corrects, tone patient. "They're Kaisel—don't worry, they're friendly."

You swallow thickly. "Right. Sorry for the misidentification—but that doesn't make this any better, Jinwoo. That's still a mythical being we're talking about—and you birthed it from your shadow, Jinwoo."

Jinwoo doesn't respond, but his lips twitch again—twice in one evening. You're practically a miracle worker for making him show so much emotion with just a few well placed words here and there.

"Not birth—summon is a better word." Another correction, you click your tongue in response.

Kaisel lowers their head, wings folding neatly by their sides as if to say, yes, hello, I am your Uber for tonight. You blink up at Jinwoo, who's already turned toward you, holding out a gloved hand this time. "Have you ever flown before?"

"Not on a real life wyvern, no." You hiss.

He chuckles softly, his smooth baritone sending shivers that didn't have anything to do with the chilly wind down your spine. "Then today will change that, it appears."

With measured steps does he stand over Kaisel's back, gaze flicking back to you with an expectant look. "You trust me, don't you?"

The question is simple. Too simple. But it leaves you winded nonetheless.

Your eyes search his—calm, steady, waiting. And for all your drama, for all your plans and fears, your answer comes shamefully easily. "Yes, I do."

He smiles. Smiles. A full one this time. "Good. Then let's fly."

And before you can even take back your words and stay grounded on the very real, very nice pavement, he's already helping you up, lifting you as if you weighed next to nothing. Next thing you know, he has his arm wrapped around your waist as you stand by Kaisel's backbone.

"This is safe, right?"

"What happened to the trust you said you had in me?"

"Will be gone if you don't answer my question."

"Don't worry," he laughs, hand squeezing your waist almost subconsciously. "I won't let you fall."

You nearly faint right then and there. Badump, badump—you can practically smell his cologne from how close you were. He smells nice, like freshpine and something mysterious—ah you might be a bit too in danger if you keep sticking to him like this.

"Are you all settled now?" You clutch the bouquet in one hand, and his coat with the other as you nod. Slowly—very slowly—almost robotically.

Too late to back out now. With a powerful flap of their wings, Kaisel launches into the sky—and you scream. But it's short-lived, caught somewhere between terror and sheer awe as the world drops away beneath you.

You squeeze your eyes shut, feeling the air muss up your dignity Jinwoo takes you to the sky. You feel your balance shifting ever so slightly, and you quickly try to fix it by holding onto Jinwoo tighter.

"If I fall and die I'll haunt you—doesn't matter if I liked you when I was living." You threaten, voice whispery as your legs wobble, feeling the graze your skin.

He laughs, though it's covered by the loud gust of wind whispering in your ears as you soar through the skies with Jinwoo. "Open your eyes, it would be a shame to miss this."

"I might vomit!"

"You won't."

"But I might!" You huff

Jinwoo shifts behind you, his grip around your waist tightening ever so slightly—firm, secure, maddeningly calm.

"You won't," he repeats, like it's fact, a given and not a gamble. "You're too stubborn to let gravity win."

"Now I'm no scientist but I'm quite sure that's not how biology or gravity works!"

"Trust me," he murmurs, and somehow, the sound of it cuts through the wind like silk through chaos. "You're safe."

You squeeze his coat until your knuckles turn white. Risk one eye open, it swiftly forces the other to blink open as well and widen as you take in the sight beneath you.

The city is a kaleidoscope of colors all around, lights flickering as the buzz dies out into nothing but flickering murmurs until it becomes nothing at all. The cityscape glows in colors of gold, white, red, and more—fading into the distance the further the wyvern flies.

"Oh." Your breath hitches.

"See?"

You glance back at him. He's not just smiling—he's soft. The kind of softness that makes your lungs ache, like you've gone too high and forgotten to breathe. The wind wraps around you both in a cold embrace, the moonlight reflecting off your eyes as you peer up at the sky, lips parted into a frozen gasp. Kaisel glides above the clouds with ease, careful to not swivel too much for the passengers behind their back.

"This is..." You clutch the bouquet. "This is beautiful..."

He hums, eyes flicking over your admiring visage, silence encompassing you both before he eventually nods. "...It is."

Kaisel lands you somewhere in the middle of the forest with a wide clearing. As the flapping of their wings slows to a halt, their feet land back at the ground with a small thump.

Dust kicks off from the ground, and Kaisel stops moving.

Jinwoo's the first to jump back down the ground, unbothered by motion sickness as he offers a hand for you to take.

You accept it, no longer as reluctant as before. If he offered it, why refuse? There's no reason to. Absolutely none.

He helps you down the dragon, ever so careful, the very description of a gentleman. You look around, finding nothing but trees and twigs as far as the eyes could see.

Another bout of silence—nothing but Kaisel's purr as they relax and lay on the ground to interrupt it, a flame flickers from nowhere and comes to life. Not wild, not big—just a small ball of fire as it lights up a path. The balls of fire flickers one after the other, forming a passage for you to follow.

You flinch, expecting hostile creatures only for Jinwoo to take your hand through his own gloved ones and take you to follow it through.

"Where are we going?"

Jinwoo replies, "Somewhere nice."

The firelit path weaves through tall trees and crisp air, and every few steps the scent of pine, earth, and smoke sweetens—until you break past the last wall of foliage and enter a clearing.

Your jaw drops. In the center of it all—under a full moon and starlit sky—stands a table for two. A white cloth billows gently under the breeze, weighed down by elegant plates, polished silverware, and a single vase of fresh flowers in the middle. A pair of candles flicker beside it, impossibly tall and stubborn against the night wind.

"My liege—and his dearest lady." A shadow emerges from the depths of the trees. "We've been expecting you."

You flinch at the sudden voice, gasping as you take an instinctive step back.

An ant-like shadow stands before you, head lowered into a bow as its wings flick in small excited beats. "I am honored to be graced with your presence at long last." He begins, and Jinwoo already feels a headache forming. "Our king has told much of your grace, wit, and awe-inspiring intentions—it is with the greatest delight that I finally stand before you I am—"

"Beru." Jinwoo cuts off, brows furrowed, as he glowers at the pesky ant. "Stop talking."

The ant whimpers—it whimpered as Jinwoo issued the command like a kicked puppy. Its wings droop, and their eyes grow droopy at his liege's annoyance.

"I-I—of course! I apologize, I did not mean to intrude upon such a sacred moment—" he bows down, deeper and closer to the ground this time. "Please proceed to the table."

Jinwoo sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as the ant skitters off somewhere.

"That was mean." You comment, allowing Jinwoo to walk you to the table. "I felt bad."

"You have to be mean to these kinds of shadows."

"Really?"

"Really." You raise a brow as he pulls your chair out, gesturing for you to sit. "Even the overly dramatic bug butler who just called our dinner a 'sacred moment'?"

Jinwoo exhales sharply through his nose, somewhere between a laugh and a groan. "Especially him. If I don't rein him in, he'll start composing sonnets about your eyelashes."

"...Has he done that before?" He doesn't answer right away.

"He has, hasn't he?"

"He's very devoted."

You laugh at that, taking a seat where he offered one graciously. He sits across the table, taking the bouquet and resting it on the table for you.

A tall knight comes your way, covered from head to toe with armor. They lean over, their armor clanking softly as they hand out what seems to be a menu to skim through. You quirk a brow, hesitantly taking the offered folder containing the list of provided services. They walk off with a small nod, you return it, bewildered by the random sight.

"Uhm..." A clap—one, two, and then shadows morph into figures—orcs, knights, each holding an instrument of their own. In the middle stands a particularly burly knight—skin glowing as the armor shuts down the light they emit.

Another orc—this one larger than the rest stands several paces back, an orb in hand. It murmurs something under its breath, and then the sphere glows softly—a stream of petals fluttering about out of nowhere.

You stare. The music begins.

Soft strings swell into the air, underscored by the low hum of a cello being plucked with surprising precision by a shadowy knight. A flute joins in—sharp and clear—held by what looks like a an orc in a tuxedo. The tune is gentle, romantic, almost hauntingly beautiful.

The burly knight in the middle opens their mouth and sings. They hum loudly, a mix of sounds that fit just right with the atmosphere currently set—their deep baritone suiting the mood just right.

Then the petals hit. First a few. Then dozens. Then hundreds.

They swirl down like rain, catching on your shoulders, your hair, your menu, Jinwoo's sleeve, and even, somehow, his very soul if the look on his face is anything to go by.

Jinwoo's eyes twitches.

You brush off a petal that got on your head, mirth shimmering within the shine of your eyes.

"They overdid it." He murmurs, a hand carding through his hair as he leans against the table. You laugh, finding entertainment where Jinwoo finds embarrassment.

"This feels cursed." You comment, watching them as they played the instruments with surprising skill. "Like a date with death itself or something. Low lighting, shadows as staff, eating dinner at a cliffside as the moon bears witness to this event—yep, cursed."

"But also," your eyes narrow as you stare at the hard working shadows. If you squint your eyes, you could see the ant—Beru scolding the big orc for overdoing the petal shower, if going by the way the orc frowned in what seemed like shame. "This is cute—though not conventional cute."

He nods, a sigh finding its way out of his lungs.

"I didn't know they were capable of doing cute things like this."

"What's cute about this?" He grumbles, and you only giggle.

"The view here is nice." You begin, "below you can see the forest from above. If you look up you have a great view of the full moon from here." Your gaze flickers to the shadows playing music, soft, slow, romantic. "And then we have good music to bask in to really get in the mood."

You open the book with unhurried motions, lashes fluttering as you scanned through the menu. "Though I didn't know what you had in mind when you told me to leave this last date to you, I certainly have no regrets."

You hum, fingers skimming through the names listed below. "This feels fitting for our final meeting. Thank you for putting so much effort into this, Jinwoo. Even if I had only dragged you along to satiate my selfish whims."

Jinwoo stiffens.

Somehow, someway, your words hit him hard. "You seem sure of it," he comments, taking a sip of the service water offered.

"About what?"

"About this being our final meeting."

"Ah." You follow him, taking a sip as well before laughing softly—a bit deprecating. "Am I wrong?"

He opens his mouth to say something in turn—something to disprove your words, but nothing leaves him and you're already calling the waiter, gesturing for someone. Another knight—this time, far taller than the rest and akin to a general appears from Jinwoo's shadow, standing in front of you with nothing less than a respectful bow.

"Uhm—I'd like to have the steak, please. Medium rare, the seasonal vegetables on the side."

"Igris...?" The knight shifts its metal body to face Jinwoo, head still lowered. "I'll have the same." Jinwoo mumbles once he blinks away the shock.

Igris nods, taking in your order with a respectful bow.

And then... Another round of madness began.

From one corner of the clearing, a portable cooking station is dragged into view by two lesser knights. It screeches faintly against the stones. A third knight strikes a match and lights the stove with all the solemnity of a sacred ritual. The fourth knight hands over a plain white apron. Igris solemnly takes it and dramatically flips it, tying it around him with all the flare of an 8 star chef.

You make noise—a combination of surprise and amusement as he stands before you with the kitchen in full view. You blink, and then Beru appears beside Igris. "Igris shall now prepare your meal personally," Beru says with hushed reverence, like this is a Michelin-starred rite of passage

A beat—a second spent with you looking pleasantly confused and entertained, and Igris gets to work.

He slices the vegetables with flare—beating the world record for slicing onions with ease. He's quiet, only the sound of metal clanking as he moves around the kitchen—performative but efficient. Flames leap with every toss of the pan, vegetables chopped mid-air, diced, tossed in full arcs and smoothly delivered to the pan with practiced ease. A symphony of sizzling sounds fills the area as the aroma wafts over the open clearing.

You're biting your lip, trying not to lose it. Jinwoo looks about ready to disappear into the tablecloth.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," he mutters, hands steepled in front of his mouth.

"What are you talking about? This is beautiful." You whisper, eyes glittering with delight. "This is peak art. I didn't know your shadows were so talented." You clutched your stomach, doing everything you can to stop the laughter that bubbles and threatens to erupt. "I don't know what I was expecting when I saw your soldiers on the news but—oh—gosh—"

You pause for air, laughing as quietly as possible, giving up on trying not to laugh because clearly that was a fail. "This is a pleasant surprise." Jinwoo lets out a defeated sigh, slumping in his chair like a man who's just lost a very serious battle—perhaps against dignity, or sanity, or both. You can't tell. You're too busy watching Igris precisely sprinkle salt from an unnecessary height, eyes glowing faintly with what can only be described as prideful culinary resolve.

Once the show is over and the food's finished simmering in his greatness, he presents them to you with pride, sliding the dishes over before bowing one last time—this one done to signify his exit.

You and Jinwoo both murmur your thanks—yours laced with awe, his with the dazed tone of someone barely surviving the secondhand embarrassment of being loved this hard by his own shadows. Igris fades away into the darkness, the apron still flapping slightly behind him like a victorious cape. A few shadows clap. One tries to throw more petals. Beru tackles them.

Silence settles again. You glance down at your plate. Perfect sear. Beautiful plating. Aromatic and savory in a way that immediately makes your stomach betray you with a low rumble.

"If this is my final date," you lift your fork with ceremony. "Then at least I'll die fulfilled. Being able to brag about eating a meal cooked by Sung Jinwoo's own shadow soldier is no achievement anyone can get."

Jinwoo huffs, shaking his head to rid himself of the secondhand embarrassment he accumulated over the course of watching his shadows make this the perfect date as Beru so insisted. "You're impossible."

And so the hour passes. The tunes, ever romantic and soft continues, humming faintly beneath the chatter you engaged with Jinwoo. Lighthearted and soft, you exchange jokes with a smile—a big step up from the first date wherein you force yourself to act nonchalant and cool.

"I was going to let this be the last one." Jinwoo begins, swirling the wine glass betwixt his fingers, watching the wine shift from one space to the other with faint interest. "I thought of it as nothing more than paying back what you were due."

Your attention is thrown to him as he begins to speak—much longer than the ones before. He begins it instead of continues, shifting the dynamics as he shares his own thoughts after keeping it hidden for the sake of entertaining you. He looks at you through the glass, vulnerability flickering beneath those usually rigid grey hues of his. "I figured it was nothing more than a passing whim. That maybe—as full of myself as it may sound, I could help you get over the heartbreak by letting you down in this manner."

"For that I'm ever grateful." You say softly—quiet instead of playful. Sincere, if not faintly sad. "I never saw myself going anywhere with you. But then I saw the chance and took it without thinking. I'm sorry for forcing you to play along with my selfish feelings."

He grits his teeth, but continues, wanting you to hear the end of it. "When I saw you in the mirror—I didn't know what to make of it at first."

"Mirror?" Ah—Jinwoo's eyes widen slightly. "It's how I learned of how you felt. Without it I would probably have never figured it out." You made an o-sound. But then furl your brows together again because he's still not quite clear. He laughs at your confusion, only briefly, but indulges you in your questions left unasked.

"It was a dungeon," Jinwoo clarifies, voice soft and distant. "One of the tougher ones. Hidden, even. I went in thinking it'd be a routine clear, but the final boss, it wasn't like the others." He sets the wine glass down, fingers curling slightly against the stem as he leans forward, eyes on you. "It was a mirror. A creature that doesn't fight with claws or spells. It dug through your very memories and used them against you—searching inside to learn what it could use against you."

You blink slowly. He continues. "At the end of the battle I was granted a chance to ask the truth. However, it gave me nothing I didn't already know." He sighs, reminiscing the memory as if it was just yesterday. "I asked it only because I expected nothing—I asked the question that led me to find out."

"Who liked you?"

He nods, tasting the wine on his tongue, lingering. "Close, but not quite."

He takes a sip, and places it down on the table with practiced motions. "Come to think of it—I never got to ask you, didn't I?"

Jinwoo raises his gaze, a playful question—but his looks betray his eagerness for an answer. "Why ddo you like me? I imagine I was quite undesirable back then. Certainly not desirable enough to deserve so much of your mercy."

You blink, face warming slightly as he asks the question—forcing you to answer because who could say no to a face like that?

You hum, playing with the rim of the glass as you try to explain it. "I don't quite get it myself."

"You were plain and scrawny and insecure and in a tight financial situation—I don't understand how it came to be as well." You huff, leaning back on your seat, scratching your head in annoyance.

Jinwoo closes his eyes, mildly amused and playfully offended by everything you listed—though he recognized it to be true so he couldn't fight back against the claims.

"But, thinking back on it now, it was probably because of the way you refused to give up." You looked down at the empty plate, smiling fondly. "Even if the world told you to give up—you refused. You'd smile when someone offered you even just a sliver of kindness and pretend like everything was fine. It made me want to cheer you on too. Even if I didn't know your story quite well—and then somewhere along the road of cheering you on it started becoming real."

You laughed bitterly, covering it up with a sip of wine to swallow down the nerves. "It scared me a bit at first. I didn't understand how I could be this attached to someone who didn't know me beyond my work, but then when you offered me a cup of canned coffee just when I got off work—I just couldn't stop myself."

Your fingers tighten slightly around the glass as the memory resurfaces—small, insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and yet... it clung. "I'd been having a hell of a day. Nothing was going right, I hadn't eaten, I was running on three hours of sleep—and then you were just there, holding out a can like it was some sort of peace offering." You smile faintly, gaze distant. "And you didn't say much. Just that 'You looked tired.' And that was it. So simple. But it ultimately made everything better for me."

Jinwoo watches you quietly, no smile on his lips this time—just quiet attentiveness. Like he's finally seeing it all clearly. The cracks. The quiet ways you fell.

"I guess you could say that I liked you because even when the world went against you and put you upon one challenge after another, you somehow still found it in you to care for other people. And it... It really stuck with me."

Jinwoo swallows hard, and for once—for once—he doesn't know what to say. The silence that stretches between you is full, but not heavy. He leans back in his seat, one hand lifting to brush through his hair as he laughs—quiet and breathless, a little disbelieving.

"I..." He begins, the words felt heavy on his tongue, but he wanted to say it still—"I don't want this to end just yet." You blink. "Pardon?"

"Five dates came to pass. Strictly speaking, everything will end after tonight." Your eyes flickered with a hint of sadness at his reminder.

"But not yet." He gulps down thickly, hands trembling just slightly as he continues. "You like me, don't you?"

"I—uh, yes?"

"Then let me be selfish." His index finger taps against the clothed table. "Five dates. I want five more dates with you. Just to confirm something."

"I—what?" Your voice reaches a pitch too high for your comfort, heart suddenly having a stroke as you try all you can to not misunderstand his words.

"The first five was your request. Now I ask the same." He leans closer, his eyes burning for the first time with a certain passion remiss throughout his life. It's subtle, but when you peer in his eyes you see it—the fire crackling beneath the depths. "You told me six and more is too long—I beg to differ."

"Entertain me, will you?"

"I—I—huh?!" He laces his fingers through yours, intertwining them and pulling it closer to him. His cheeks glow faintly of red, showing that even he is not immune to love.

You avert your gaze, pinch yourself, shake your head enough to make you dizzy—but nothing wakes you up from this. Was this truly reality? If so, then. "I'd go ten more if you'd like." You murmur, both a whisper and a scream.

He breaks out into a smile—wider than anything you've ever seen from him. "Then I'll greedily take twenty more."

[kawareo]

Got reminded again of my old coworker who was a massive misogynist but also trans inclusive. Told me he believed trans women are indeed women because "only women would be stupid enough to want to be women"

I wonder what he's doing now

[within-ur-intro-verse]

Favorite Complete Canon Setting Joongdok Fics

One-shots

oh, how you've made me a fool by aevum; 1,602 words, Rated: Gen; YJH realizes during an encounter with Asmodeus that KDJ is pretty and has a crisis.

how the mighty fall (in love) by Anonymous; 6,335 words, Rated: Teen; In which YJH confuses sexual tension with anger issues when it comes to KDJ.

Some things are meant to be by Anonymous; 13,432 words, Rated: Teen; Yoo Joonghyuk remembers round zero and assumes his sponsor has taken another incarnation, namely Kim Dokja, behind his back. Yoo Joonghyuk is not bitter about it (he is).

[sub-scenario — hellsent guardian angel] by Anonymous; 6,203 words, Rated: Teen; ABO AU - KDJ’s irregular heat strikes during the apocalypse. Without a companion to help him, KDJ channels it out through indiscriminate carnage.

"I am not a model," Kim Dokja lied. by aynchent; 6,615 words, Rated: Teen; KDJ gets roped into modeling for a beauty competition scenario.

have you no idea that you're in deep by blerghie; 3,111 words, Rated: Teen; YJH unknowingly meets the Goddess of Love & Beauty who has taken the form of KDJ.

A Bleeding Heart Is A Beating Heart by brannrice; 6,241 words, Rated: Mature; KDJ is in every one of YJH's regression rounds, from the 3rd to the last.

a tilt of the axis mundi by lady_peony; 1,245 words, Rated: Teen; YJH takes the Absolute Throne with KDJ as his consort.

'Be my Queen' by Mosspool13; 1,953 words, Rated: Teen; YJH becomes KDJ's Queen during the Absolute Throne arc.

Why do you keep talking about my looks?! by NurikoEsuki; 6,393 words, Rated: Teen; YJH can read KDJ's mind when he thinks about his looks.

because companions kiss a lot by oronine; 4,408 words, Rated: Teen; Uriel matchmakes Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk with a scenario. It works.

self-rationalisation by oronine; 5,843 words, Rated: Teen; YJH meets KDJ in the body of a child and realizes a few things about their past.

Silver Poplars by ritterlich; 6,955 words, Rated: Teen; Post-canon - KDJ returns from being constellation-ed without his memories except his name and YJH finds him three years later.

A Thorny Embrace by Sabby___writ12; 12,741 words, Unrated; A mandatory scenario leads to Yoo Joonghyuk travelling through Kim Dokja's worst memories and seeing who his Life and Death companion truly is.

Kim Dokja Can Sing?! by SkylerSkyhigh; 5,948 words, Rated: Gen; KimCom has accidentally triggered a hidden scenario with a harsh penalty. Can they survive the scenario without losing their voice?

Hands of God by spoonks; 4,524 words, Rated: Gen; KDJ's old apartment survives the apocalypse. KimCom goes and finds a binder of KDJ's drawings.

On the Tip of My Tongue by spoonks; 4,808 words, Rated: Gen; KDJ was born an empath where he can taste emotions. It makes eating difficult.

can wait for you at the bottom by trainerlyra; 10,490 words, Rated: Teen;  KDJ goes off on his own again, and when he comes back, he's noticeably different. YJH isn't sure how to deal with this.

sponsor and incarnation by Umbalt; 4,147 words, Rated: Gen; Post-canon - The epilogue finally begins in earnest, and YJH gets to ask KDJ his final question.

through the looking-glass by unluckyolive; 10,300 words, Rated: Teen; The Fourth Wall comes down. Kim Dokja realizes he’s been relying on it more than he thought.

bet i made you look by venividivici; 3,303 words, Rated: Teen; Where KDJ was a supermodel before the apocalypse.

you got me starstruck by virotutis; 3,680 words, Rated: Teen; Idol KDJ whose songs were about YJH's regression turns.

skills aren’t everything (well they are to me) by wonrkive; 4,117 words, Rated: Teen; What happens when you’re so emotionally repressed? The universe has to step in and play therapist for you.

the volatile truth of white lies by zxrysky; 5,438 words, Rated: Mature; Role Reversal AU - where YJH incarnates in the world of TWSA/ORV as a reader of the ORV novel.

Multi-chapter/Series

Voiceless Emotions Echoing in the Night by Akeara4; Multi-chapter (9,787 words), Rated: Explicit; KDJ & YJH get trapped in the Dark Fault for 300 days. When their relationship starts progressing, they avoid talking about it. It keeps progressing anyway.

and loathed is he who curses the warmth of the sky, whilst he should be so cruelly shackled with ice by Anonymous; Multi-chapter (10,788 words), Rated: Explicit; YJH is able to drag KDJ through regressions with him.

tell-tale heart beats and beats by Anonymous; Multi-chapter (24,777 words), Rated: Teen; a scenario takes KimCom into KDJ's first meeting with one of its members (spoilers: it's YJH).

You make me wanna live forever by Anonymous; Multi-chapter (143,024 words), Rated: Teen; Role Reversal AU - Regressor KDJ and Reader/Fan YJH.

Brilliant Tapestry by A_simple_Cookie, Moreta; Series - Story 1 (Discontinued - 70,180 words; Rated: Mature) & Story 2 (Complete - 6,050 words; Rated: Teen); Joongdok were boyfriends before the apocalypse.

Derealization by Frill; Multi-chapter (121,356 words), Rated: Teen; KDJ is a spy that find himself isekai'd into the TWSA-verse as the scenarios began.

[Message from the Universe: Kim Dokja Must Die] by jarofclay; Multi-chapter (27,291 words), Rated: Explicit; A tragicomedic Final Destination-esque story featuring one dreamer in distress, his personal hero and his rightfully anxious family.

can't keep my hands to myself by LethalBookshelves; Series - Story 1 (Complete, Rated: G - 3,165 words), Story 2 (Complete, Rated: G - 4,261 words), Story 3 (Complete, Rated: T - 5,071 words); YJH can't figure out why KDJ is called ugly.

The cost of life by Mayura_Slay, Moreta, Watching_fromabove; Multi-chapter (Discontinued - 63,770 words), Rated: Teen; KDJ and YSA starts out the apocalypse ate Minosoft. The events take place during the 999th Regression.

Is this normal? by Moreta; Multi-chapter (9,332 words), Rated: Teen; 1863!YJH transports into reality and walks into Minosoft covered in blood.

Now you know by Moreta; Multi-chapter (5,946 words), Rated: Teen; What if YJH actually used the Affection Reader when fate got placed on KDJ?

devil's manner by oronine; Multi-chapter (5,274 words), Rated: Teen; Yandere!KDJ - if Kim Dokja grew up a little different.

Repose by Waltzfor-Zizi (azro_zee); 6,783 words, Rated: Teen; Post-canon - In which KDJ feared the silence, and YJH was reminded that the lull could be a little scary.

Meetings by WindsOfTime; Series, Rated: Teen, Story 1 (39,658 words) and Story 2 (67,592 words); What canon could have been if Midday Tryst had been used more often.

Tangible Things by wyrvel; Series - Story 1 (Complete, Rated: G - 2,967 words), Story 2 (Complete, Rated: E - 3,870 words), Story 3 (Complete, Rated E - 7,710 words); Joonghyuk relationship during the apocalypse.

seldom the ghost returns by yamscooper; Multi-chapter (31,619 words), Rated: Teen; Post-canon - KDJ is hallucinating seeing OD everywhere.

[localapparently]

/ Orv novel main story + epilogue spoilers

!! Please do NOT reupload my comics / works anywhere !!

"Did you know, Dokja-ssi?" - A Jung Heewon comic about platonic love

!! Please do NOT reupload my comics / works anywhere !!

(cont below)

Thank you @princess-of-purple-prose for the ID (available in ALT text). ID was rephrased here and there according to what the panels are meant to show

[toskarin]

Have you heard of the Ship of Theseus?

no. was it problematic or something?

[harmincreasion]

because various constituent parts of the boat could be older or younger than other parts, it was considered the first ever age-gap ship

[balaclava-trismegistus]

Sun Tzu is so fucking funny to me because for his time he was legitimately a brilliant tactician but a bunch of his insight is shit like "if you think you might lose, avoid doing that", "being outnumbered is bad generally", and "consider lying."

[loosingmoreletters]

“Oh, how big are your fandoms?”

Small.

[mydearestbeloved]

Masterlist 🦋✨️

My Writings' Guide:

Red: Incomplete / Editing / Drafts

Blue: Complete

Chapters: In chronological order

Unknown: Not in any particular order

⚠️Mature-related posts* will be marked with appropriate Content Labels.

[ Reader discretion advised. ] ⚠️

_____

Solo Leveling

Trial Player AU

Summary: Daydream #1

Chapters: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25]

Unknown: [?.1], [?.2], [?.3]

Related Asks:

TP!Reader's powers explained: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]

How I write this series: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12]

Miscellaneous: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7*], [8], [9], [10], [11*], [12], [13*], [14*]

Other inspo: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10]

Others: [1], [2], [3], [4], [4.5], [5], [6]

Recent Updates:

Added fight scene in the draft of chapter 6, parts of the original moved to draft of chapter 5 [13/11/2024]

Added more details in the draft of chapter 10, parts of the original moved to draft of chapter 11 [16/11/2024]

-----

Want to know more about my stories? Or share anything else? Feel free to ask and I shall answer them in the tag: #Hollow's Talks

[wolfsrainrules]

I found a prompt of tiktok, that was from here, by @gingerly-writing that I am STUPIDLY in love with and I have to share it.

“Run” he growls. 

 "If the spell only makes you attack the people you love, I’ll be fine. I’ll stay here and keep you from attacking anyone you actually love" 

“I love you” the villain snarls, concrete cracking under his fingers, “Now RUN.”

and I am so weak.

[north-peach]

She’s playing at being nonchalant, throwing his own words back in his face, casually ruffling her hair like she’s exasperated.

She’s not, oh God, she’s not, it hurts this man, this brilliant man with all his ups and downs, the manic way he’ll tackle a problem, the sleep soft expression on his face when she randomly runs into him after a science bender and before coffee-

It’s been him always and so slowly she can’t even say when she even knew-

He doesn’t love her.

Honestly, her therapist would probably punch her out on live TV if they even knew how much she just...wanted. Not thrill or the quick fast, in and out of your system, the forbidden temptation for a hero to fall in with a villain, but all of it. The depressive episodes, the temper that made him bare his teeth, snarl out threats and vulgarity- ones he never hesitated to carry out if it suited him. He was a villain.

She- she’s a hero, she’s the hero.

Still, this situation counts as doing her duty, keeping a villain in check until-

Well. Until.

“Run,” he growls at her, skin flushed, sweat beading on his brow as he hunches over.

The very picture of a cornered and wounded animal, trying desperately to fight off its own instincts, she muses, almost poetically. Damn him.

“If the spell only makes you attack people you love,” she says, playing so desperately like this doesn’t hurt her to say, praying he can’t see-, “I’ll be fine.”

She’s not fine, how dare that fucking bitch put them in this situation, hero or not, she’s literally gonna kill her, she’s not gonna lift a single fucking finger-!

“I love you,” the villain snarls, eyes wild, glinting in the light as concrete cracks ominously under his fingers.

Her breath hitches as her eyes fly to his and he- looks away.

Silence falls for a moment as she stare at him and- and-

A pained whined escapes his throat as he tenses and jerks, shifting just enough to lock his wild eyes with hers.

“Now,” he grits out even as his hands clench and concrete turns into dust so very easily under his strength, even as he screams-

“Run!”

She’s gone before the echoes stop ringing against the walls, she’s gone in the moment it takes for his self control to slip, for his hands to curl like claws and drag against the walls, leaving five deep scars.

She’s hurtling herself through the air, desperately pulling up comes and begging someone to answer her on where’s the counter spell, where’s that bitch who did this, someone report!

Her eyes are wet and it’s the sting of the wind, her hands are shaking and it’s the sudden, sharp rise of adrenaline, her heart is pounding so hard, but-

-that’s just the fear a villain, the villain is going to hurt her down and kill her.

Her breath scrapes out of her lungs and it hurts.

If he lays a finger on her, completely out of control and with none of his usual restraint, if he shows up downtown to tear down buildings with none of his elaborate plans that result in minimal to almost zero casualties-

They’ll take her away from him.

She will no longer be the only hero sent to deal with him, won’t be the one they call first, because now he’ll be a threat large enough that the almost playful, almost friendly competition they have will be replaced with a highly trained team of lethal heroes aiming to remove him by any mean necessary.

For some, that’s death. For others, it’s a collar around their throat until…well. Until someone somewhere in a position of power decides otherwise.

Not that they will. Because if these spineless cowards are still afraid of heroes, there’s no telling what they would do with a villain such as him.

She can’t- she’s not doing to let that happen.

He’s had no mass causalities under his name, never directly endangered the public, expect for instances where it was a large scale problem he had.

She knows the only reason why he’s considered the most wanted villain and not a particularly violent and clever vigilante is because all his targets are the high and mighty. Those will money and power and resources like blackmail and coercion to use as they please. People in places of authority and lacking in the moral department.

He’s stronger, he can outwit, out strategize, out think and perform miles better then anyone they’ve ever sent after him. He’s raking in money from both legal and illegal means, he has no problem killing when needed, blackmailing or even arranging events to lead to him being owed a favor.

He’s not a good man, she know, oh God, she knows.

But he’s still the man who, when the city was hit by a blizzard due to atmospheric disturbance caused by another villain, took over the power station and kept the lights on while ensuring the company that owned it was unable to bill anyone using their service. He’s still the man who showed up to a showdown and literally wiped the floor with them all because they were trying to overthrow the government and crackdown on “undesirables”.

He’s the man who bought and managed to deliver a Mad Scientist Kit to every single child of 12 on Christmas five years ago. He likes the color green and gets pissed off when people shift lanes without a blinker. Breakfast is his favorite food and he’s showed up to a fight with a bag of donuts- not poisoned- and he’s frustrating and violent, but he’s never raised a hand to a child.

He makes valid points on the very obvious and not so obvious corruption even she’s been combating as much as she can.

He’s not wrong.

That’s the worst part of all this.

He’s not wrong.

She’s changing things from the inside and it’s a hard road and she has barely anything to show for it, but she’s changed things.

He’s file is still too classified for her to know if he was inside- perhaps deeper then she’s ever been- but she knows him well enough that for him to go public, all other options were unavailable.

Which at least implies he tried other options.

She gits her teeth as a new update on the retrieval of the bitch that caused all this, or if any of her magic connections have a counter spell…

Jackpot, one of her long time friends happened across this very spell in a rage induced blender about six months back and should have the book- all they need is the name and acknowledgement of the original spell placed on-

Her ears are ringing, the sun vanished from the sky and her- she’s…?

On the ground, in a crater because someone just dropkicked her from the sky.

She gets her hands under her and pushes up, rubble cascading down her back, over her shoulders, along with her hair.

He broke her favorite hair stick.

Tears sting her eyes because he bought her that one.

She gets to her feet, flicking away the blood on her mouth and slides back as he touches down with a whisper of fabric not ten feet in front of her.

Her breath hitches because his eyes are blank, glowing and there’s nothing- there’s not a single expression on his face.

She knows, she already knows she’s going to have to throw everything she has at him, she’s going to have to fight like she’s going to kill him. That level of rage, of cold, clinical detachment is going to be difficult to attain but-

Dodge, slide, shift, block, block, block, cou- nope, block, counter, jump- DISTANCE.

Her ribs hurt.

“Yo, suga, tell me you got ‘im on da ropes?”

“What you can’t tell from TV?”

It’s deceptively light, gently teasing, compared to the stressed, almost panicked tones of her bestest magic friend ever.

“You ain’t got cameras, you got a city wide evacuation order. I need five minutes.”

She swears vividly and colorfully, biting them off before she can-

-dodge, dodge, dodg-fail, GET BACK UP-no, no, down, do-UP-!

“-itch, if you don’t an-”

“Five min-minutes, I gotchu, fam,” she wheezes through what is definitely broken ribs before clicking her comms off.

He’s standing there, crouching down from where he landed after she threw him.

There’s no banter, no monologues and oh God, all the times she’s taunted villains for even pausing to speak with her, she needs it back just for a few seconds, hon-

dodge, slide, turn, tuck and roll, attack, attack, attack-

She breaks his leg and dislocates his shoulder. He doesn’t stop, doesn’t slow down, doesn’t hesitate and that slow trickle of fear turns into a full on scream in the back of her head.

She’s strong, but there’s only one of them fighting with actual lethal intent.

She- she doesn’t want to.

Too bad, so sad, comes the mocking voice of someone long dead.

She closes her eyes, just for a second.

When she opens them, it’s to his fist caught firmly in her hand. Her eyes are glowing and she reaches out, just as he throws himself backwards, but the spray of blood spatters her face.

It’s not her in control, it’s every single instinct she’s beaten into her body. It’s not her, it’s the hero, the hero that is fighting the villain, the hero that cannot fail, cannot hesitate-

The hero doesn’t.

The hero fights the villain, through the pain and the blood and the burn and there’s screams and the sound of buildings coming down, the whistle of wind as their fights goes airborne, the crack of asphalt as they come back down.

In the end, the hero is still her, she is still the hero, no matter what instincts say.

She hesitates on a killing blow, barely a millisecond, shifting the aim of a broken off piece of jagged steel. Non-lethal, enough to immobilize.

He doesn’t quite dodge all the way, but it’s enough that he wretches the other end out and away from him and shoves it back.

The arm around her back prevents her from getting out of the way, holds her in place long enough that she-

It hurts.

Oh God, what is this pain? Make it stop, please-

There’s water in her throat, bubbling up and choking and she can’t breath.

She coughs, and it’s blood that spills over her lips. Her legs give out-

He catches her, a hitch breath and the glow fading from his eyes as he blinks them. The arm around her back softens as fingers curl around her waist.

He says her name.

They’re on the ground and her head is so heavy, lolling until he gets his other hand out from in-between them and it’s so warm against her cheek, tangled in her hair.

She blinks and she can see his mouth moving, can see how his eyes are back to normal, but the sun’s setting so fast. It’s getting dark out and she can’t make out anything.

Her ears are ringing.

The world takes a moment, but it finally turns back on.

Her comms are in his hand, her head is on his shoulder- maybe the one she dislocated? Actually, is it dislocated? He kinda walked that off a bit too quickly.

Wait no, that wasn’t-

“-dical here RIGHT NOW, I’m going to burn this city to the ground, starting with- hey, hey, shush, it’s okay, I’ve got you, look at me, look at me.”

She looks.

“Please don’t cry,” she whispers and it hurts and scratches her throat and rattles in her lungs- it hurts.

“You-”

She doesn’t know what that look on his face means. She’s never seen it before. There’s bruises blooming all over his skin, blood dripping from slashes, gashes, stabs and tiny little cuts from that window she threw him through.

She’s pretty sure she’s laying on the leg she broke. Maybe. She can’t really feel the ground, but…but…

“You should have run,” he spits at her, the hand holding the comm dropping it before settling on her face.

It’s shaking, she notices.

“I did.”

He twitches at the vague confusion in her voice and snarls.

“Not fast enough! Not long enough!”

“You were hurting people,” faint protests he interrupts harshly, tightening his grip until she can feel it.

“I hurt you!”

He coughs and she can see how his teeth are stained red and wonders if they’re both dying here, in the ruins of a skyscraper barely five minutes after he confessed his love to her.

“I don’t care about the nameless masses of sheep! So caught up in their pitiful lives, with their troubles that seem so all consuming and could be so easily solved- I don’t care!”

She giggles, breathy noises that make her cough, even as her entire body protests. Her vision goes a bit gray, but she blinks, watching as terror crawls bodily across his bruised face.

“Liar,” she whispers so softly, even as his eyes slide closed and he leans down- oh.

He presses a kiss to her forehead, bending down to carefully rest his own against hers before he gives her a kiss, right on her lips.

It last for all of a second, but she smiles when he pulls away.

“I love you too,” she breathes, even as tears well up and spill over, craving tracks down the dirt and grime covering her skin.

“No, no, no, don’t you dare-”

The hand on her cheek goes for her comm and he’s- he’s yelling into it again and her ears are ringing and the sun’s probably set now because it’s so dark she can’t really see him anymore.

He says her name- once- twice-

Something like a scream whispers in the quiet place she’s found herself in, but she can barely hear it.

[north-peach]

He’s screaming, screaming, through his own broken bones, through his own bleeding body when in a burst of colors and the crack of thunder, they land almost on top of them.

Keep reading

[north-peach]

She goes to bed, she wakes, she eats, she showers, she goes to bed, paperwork, news, somehow it’s dark again, somehow it’s light again-

Keep reading

[north-peach]

She doesn’t know what draws her out of her restless sleep.

Some deep instinct in her that says, someone’s here.

Keep reading

[any-mouse]

@north-peach, this absolutely counts as original fiction, but that’s okay because AO3 is wonderful and supports that too. This is me, begging you to post this on AO3.

[north-peach]

So lucky for you, I Bleach’d one version and posted that here-

-Tumbling Peach-

and I will also be taking the original content and making it a fic. One I world build a lil bit.

Y'all noticed the no names thing? The shitty fight scenes and the way I never mentioned their powers?

Did better with the Bleach version but I still gotta write a sword fight for that one too. But too much for one day.

Enjoy!

[vroomian]

What's your favorite fanfic of all time? And which OC from your existing list of fanfics do you like the most hehehe

i’m sure there are people who could give a definitive answer to this question but i am not one of them! it really depends on my mood at the time

so: a list of whatever popped into my head!

Naruto

In Good Company - weialala (Sasuke-centric, the only fic i’ve ever read that made me cry over Sasuke Uchiha)

The Soul Mate Phenomenon (is ruining my life)  by Tozette

The One Where Uchiha Sasuke Is A Feudal Princess  by Tozette

this one is definitely a romance by Tozette 

i love tozette 

Freedom in the Eyes of Another by Oroburos69 (naruto, sakura centric)

In dreams you follow (but I dream in the dark) (aka Akatsuki!Kiba au) by Blackkat.  i love most of blackkat’s stuff. i’m a sucker for rarepairs and well written aus

Hear the Silence by EmptySurface (oc fic, well written.)

Something Of Unearthly Love by DeGlace (hidan/ino. did i mention i like rarepairs???)

Gallant - Crunchysunrises (itachi/sakura friendship, gen)

brown eyes steal me - theformerone (kiba/shikamaru)

Shiryō - IncompleteSentanc (Erava)

Overwatch

curse.exe by Byacolate (genyatta, fairy tale)

Heartless by AsheRhyder (mchanzo, magical realism)

Hang the Fool -  AlmaMeDuele (mchanzo)

Bleach

what is a gift? (what is a sacrifice?) - cywscross (wingfic, Urahara/Ichigo)

Hang the Pendulum - wynnebat (Urahara/Ichigo)

Homestuck

0k -Scedasticity

And All the Wretched Messiahs - Quilly (Grand Highblood<>The Signless)  

Sparkle and Shoosh - mercurialMalcontent (Karkat <> The Condesce)

a thousand years - orphan_account (Jake English/Dirk Strider)

responsible, forever, for what you have tamed - orphan_account (John Egbert/Karkat Vantas)

Misc

Great Escapes by wyrvel (why are there are no omniscient reader’s viewpoint fics i am starving) 

A Cornstalk Fiddle - notbecauseofvictories (devil went down to georgia, johnny/the devil) (fanfic of a song??? whatever i’m counting it because i love it)

Call “Uncle” by JaggedCliffs (avatar, iroh uncle of the fire nation)

Jedi Shmi AU -  MirandaTam (star wars, gen)

Friendship!!! Is Magic - afrai (Yuri!! On Ice/ Ouran crossover)

More Than One Hero - verymerrysioux (Zelda/MHA crossover. Link as Bakugo)

I was born for this - esama (assasin’s creed, time travel) (everything by esama is good tho)

not too subtle - Laylah (house of five leaves, Masa/Yaichi

Son of the Desert - ShanaStoryteller (FMA, roy/ed)

Know the Difference - ShanaStoryteller  (FMA, roy/ed)

demon alchemist  -  metisket (FMA, gen, ouch)  

AAAAANNNND im stopping there because i have read literally thousands of fic. if you want more you can go through my Bookmarks and my Super Mega Ultra Fave tag. If it’s in there, chances i’ve read it and liked it!

as for my ocs…. hmmm

I’m gonna have to go with Jeong. They’ve been in my head since 2013! I have a lot of fun writing them. Hana is a close second, though. I started writing hana to work through some of my own Bad Brain days, and it’s nice to hear how many people relate to her! 

[headspace-hotel]

You've heard of Earth is space australia now get ready for: Earth is the space Amazon Rainforest. Aliens land on Earth and they are losing their goddamn minds because every square inch of the ground is absolutely PACKED with life like there are hundreds of species just in this one site, there are winged animals flying through the sky and multiple colonies of sophisticated social insects just in the shadow of their ship, this ONE ROCK is covered in MULTIPLE SPECIES OF ORGANISMS that are themselves MULTIPLE ORGANISMS LIVING SYMBIOTICALLY, the tall, woody autotrophs look so different from each other because they're...holy shit that's like 5, 6, 7???? different species on this one site???

they start talking to a human and the human is like "haha yeah that's a crow!" and the alien researcher is like "you called it a 'bird' earlier, is that a different name?" and the human is like "oh a crow is just one species of bird, there's like, 10 others out there"

"On this planet?"

"No, in the back yard right now."

[theglamorousferal]

My favorite DPxDC posts on tumblr (as I find them)

Eco-Ecto-Scientist Danny (I recommend going through all the reblogs of this one, they go in all sorts of beautiful directions, but you will get sucked in for a good two hours)

Danny and Sam are Thomas and Martha reincarnated

Dead on Main singer!Danny au song

Crime Lord Danny

Everlasting Insomniacs - Tim goes to Arkham

Danny and Danielle hostages in Gotham with moving walls

Tucker is a Streamer Danny is his cryptid roommate

Jazz is Arkham's new entertainment version 1

Jazz is Arkham's new entertainment version 2

Team Phantom knocks out Nightwing

Son of Themyscira: Danny's Grave

Danny works at a diner front

Team Phantom is Young Justice Dark

Batman buys Constantine's soul

Constantine's Interns

CADMUS Danny and Match

Danny is a training villain art

Danny's Bowery Daycare (with fic link)

VVV These two start with the same prompt but go in wildly different directions. VVV

Escalation au

Instincts au

Thermos/Urn Misunderstandings

Drink mix-up and Weston family curse

That's all I can find for now, my eyes are burning and I've been at this for 3.5 hours.

[tropiyas]

“i am a monument to all your sins” is such a fucking raw line for a villain it’s amazing that it came from halo, a modernish video game, and not some classical text or mythos

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

classic texts have nothing on the crazy people come up with in modern times tbh

[cerastes]

“I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.”

– Joshua Graham, Who Is A Fallout New Vegas NPC, Something Most People Throwing This Quote Around Don’t Realize

[sparkylurkdragon]

“If the world chooses to become my enemy, I will fight like I always have.”

– Shadow the Hedgehog in what is widely considered one of if not the single worst game in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise

[tarradash]

[spookyscaryskeletitties]

this is the source for this text and it haunts me on a regular basis

[onion-souls]

[oblivionsongstress]

“Pick a god and pray.”

-Fredrick from Fire Emblem Awakening

[jedijenkins]

Huh, it’s almost like art isn’t just fine art…

[mysteryseeker]

this is my addition to this ever growing list of raw quotes originating from unexpected sources

[knucklesandgyros]

[silver-tongues-blog]

[lostsometime]

#discovering that the profound is lurking behind the absurd#just waiting for the chance to peek through like sunlight through the clouds#is one of the best things in life once you start to notice it

this is a beautiful way to put it and i’m gonna cry abt it

[broadwaytheanimatedseries]

this post has gotten so much better since the last time I saw it

[rolanslide]

I would like to add

[rolanslide]

“You want to be a hero, Tommy? Then die like one.”

- Technoblade from Dream SMP

We deserve a soft epilogue, my love

- A Stucky fanfiction

[gattinidiguerra]

Truly the best shit on the internet here.

[stormfalcon2018]

Ahem @bettinalevyisdetermined could you please do a video with this?

also “you’re not brave, you’ve merely forgotten the fear of death. Allow me to reacquaint you.” Is the rawest line and it’s from dominus ghaul from destiny 2’s vanilla story when it first released.

[dat-physics-gal]

How can we forget the quote that sums up this entire reblog chain:

Why do you people feel profound thought has to come from high places? The gutter looks at the stars too

[hitmanmason]

“Spare me this mockery of justice!” (A few minutes later, a with a different character) “Silence! Or you shall be held in contempt of court!” “I have nothing *but* contempt for this court!” The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

[eric-coldfire]

“For every kid that dreams up the electric lightbulb, there’s one who dreams up the atom bomb.” - Mr. Electric, The Adventures of Sharkboy And Lavagirl (2005).

[woonanonhatesstaff]

“I like turtles!” - turtle kid

[mithrel]

“If the sea were of ink and the sky parchment I could not begin to write my love for you.”

Grandma Arbuckle reading a love letter in A Garfield Christmas.

[voidblackadder]

“Bad things happen to good people because things happen all the time, and it is up to people to determine whether they are goo or bad. In the same way that your heart feels and your mind thinks, you, mortal beings, are the instrument by which the universe cares. If you choose to care, then the universe cares. And if you don’t, then it doesn’t.”

- Brennan Lee Mulligan, ‘Prompocalypse Part 2’ Dimension 20

[gholateg]

Brennan just being possessed by the soul of Terry Pratchett for a hot second.