series warnings: dark and mature themes, violence, blood and injury, death, weapon use (knives, gunfire, etc.), fighting, oppressive government, mentions of starvation/hunger, language, angst, smut (consensual, unprotected intercourse), suggestive content, chapter specific warnings will be used for those not mentioned in this list
Summary: Kept hidden for your entire life as the daughter of the most powerful man in a broken society, you had always known the world outside to be a certain way..until you found out that it wasn't anything at all like what you had been told. Chance encounters with a mysterious stranger and his band of rebels drags you into a fight to change it all. With your world suddenly turned upside down and unable to ignore your growing feelings, all you can do now is try to keep the one you love most alive. But when he just so happens to be the enemy, will you be able to trust him to the same?
~chapter list~
~(pt.1) the sun and his moon~
“maybe we were too much like the sun and the moon. deeply in love but too different to exist side by side.”
~(pt.2) the price of fate~
"being the mirror to someone's soul comes with a cost. every choice made when your fate is intertwined with another's comes at a cost."
~(pt.3) the promise of something more~
"if a star fell from the sky you might be tempted to pick it up. just remember that if you do, you'll have to give it back someday, and it will be the hardest thing you'll ever have to do."
~(pt.4) the eighth~
"you will come across many soulmates in your current lifetime. but that does not mean you will get to keep them."
~(pt.5) the weight of the world~
"time is a merciless force, more precious than anything tangible in this world. because no matter what you do once it is gone, you will never be able to win it back."
~(pt.6) the echoes of loss~
"things are sweeter after they have been lost. when I finally grasped what I'd so desperately yearned for, it was turned to dust in my hands."
~(pt.7) the last nail in a shared coffin~
"fear and love are like interwoven threads—immutable and bound together by celestial forces."
below the cut is a little bit of otde han's background.<3 (ft. minho, before either of them met the others). its just something that popped into my head, but if this isn't what you'd envisioned for their backstory then pls feel free to ignore lol. i love all of you very much, i see your asks, they mean the world to me, and i promise to get to each and every one of them. i also hope to be able to release more for this story soon.💕
wc: 2.3k
warnings: violence, fighting, injury, blood, language
Han Jisung's head hurt.
A splitting headache. The kind where every beat of pain sent sharp streaks of light flashing across his vision. The cheering crowd—a chaotic blend of voices that felt like a hammer to his already pounding skull—had him fighting the urge to double over. But, when he really thought about it, Jisung supposed the fact that that the crowd was cheering for him made it worth enduring.
Standing in the center of the fighting pit, Han Jisung lifted his aching head. He gritted his teeth, peering through the haze of pain to cast a lazy smirk in the direction of the spectators. And, as expected, the noise surged.
Mugs of warm ale sloshed as the onlookers swayed in tandem with the rhythmic chanting of his name. Among the sea of faces, Jisung locked eyes with a particularly dreadful-looking man in the front row. The man's teeth were yellowed and broken, and a leering grin spread across his scarred face as he raised his mug in Jisung's direction.
Jisung's smirk grew into something wild—as sharp and untamed as the danger that lurked beneath his charismatic exterior. The acrid scent of sweat and spilled ale mingled with the metallic tang of blood in the air as Jisung inhaled deeply—senses heightened by the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
Oh, his head was throbbing now. It very well might have been the worst headache of Han Jisung's life, but he was certain he would never get enough of this. This life, this moment. Though he didn't know any of these people personally, they knew him—knew his name and the reputation that came with it in the underworld beneath District 7.
With the feral smirk still dancing on his lips, Han Jisung cracked his bandaged knuckles, the sound echoing in the dim light of the pit. His dark eyes gleamed with challenge as he tilted his head to the side. With a single flick of his wrist and an inward curl of his fingers, Jisung beckoned his opponent forward—an invitation.
The burly, muscle-bound man before him emitted a low growl in response. His massive fist—nearly the size of Jisung’s head—clenched as he surged forward with a powerful swing. But Jisung was a predator in his element, reflexes honed to utter perfection. With a mere pivot of his heel he slipped effortlessly out of the path of the oncoming blow.
Keeping his movements lazy, Jisung slipped his hands into his pockets. "Is that all you've got?" he drawled, voice dripping with an arrogance that had always been just as much a weapon as his fists.
The cheers turned deafening in response to his taunt. But as Jisung fought the urge to bring his hands up to cover his ears, an unexpected call from an unfamiliar voice in the crowd sent a jolt coursing through his frame.
Somewhere above, a stranger shouted, "Let’s go, Ji!" and that simple nickname—Ji—so casually tossed into the air, struck a chord deep within him.
Memories of a time before the pits crept into the edges of Jisung's consciousness. Despite the foolishness of it, he cast another glance upward. The sea of spectators blurred, and a face flashed vividly before his eyes. A face from his past, one that now existed only in his memory. A ghost amidst the living.
Absence pressed against his chest, the reminder of a past that stubbornly refused to fade. But Jisung wouldn't allow himself to dwell on the past. Not now, not ever. Because he was Han fucking Jisung. His very existence was a testament to survival. And he was too viciously cunning, too dangerously charming, and too goddamn good at carving his way through this hellish excuse for a world to let himself succumb to grief.
So Jisung blinked away the face from his past. The face that wasn't really there at all. He blinked once, twice. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to focus on the present, and it was in that fleeting moment of distraction that his opponent seized the opportunity to deliver a powerful strike to his jaw.
The sudden impact sent a shockwave through Jisung's senses, snapping him back to reality as pain erupted from his bottom lip. It was the second hit he'd taken that night.
Two hits. Two rare lapses in his otherwise flawless defense.
The first had been a single, calculated blow that Jisung had purposely allowed the man to land to his temple, sparking the beginning of his headache.
The second punch to his jaw may have been unintentional, but Jisung hadn't flinched at either of the two hits. No, he welcomed them. He craved the warmth of the coppery blood as it pooled in his mouth, savoring the reminder of his own mortality. Not because he was some kind of sadist, but because Han Jisung had someone to see.
Behind a tattered black curtain in the stuffy underground cavern where the fighting pits lay, there was a young man with skilled hands and a quiet sort of intensity—a healer who called himself Minho.
In exchange for a portion of Jisung's winnings, Minho would discreetly tend to his injuries at the end of each fight. And if that meant Jisung would, at times, deliberately allow his opponents to get in a few hits...Well, whose business was it anyway? Longer fights meant bigger profits, and with Minho's skilled hands to patch him up afterward, Jisung was more than willing to oblige.
Feeling a sudden surge of determination at the thought of what—or rather, who—awaited him at the end of his current fight, Jisung decided enough was enough. He spat out a mouthful of blood, grimacing at the scarlet droplets on the dusty ground. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing the stickiness across his skin. He cocked his head, and with a series of devastatingly accurate jabs to his opponent's weak points—followed by a well-timed sweep of his leg—it was a matter of moments before his nameless opponent lay sprawled on the ground in defeat.
A pouch of gold coins tugging heavily at his waist, his signature smirk plastered across his face, Jisung climbed out of the fighting pit with practiced ease. He pushed through the densely packed crowd, ignoring the outstretched hands reaching for him in celebration as he began to make his way across the bustling den.
As Jisung walked, his gaze swept over the faces of pretty young men and women—many of whom he recognized. Among them were individuals who had once been the recipients of his fleeting affection. Some still held in their eyes the simmering desire to fulfill his every whim, their stares following him with hungry longing. If he tried hard enough, he could still hear their voices, how their words had dripped with honeyed praise as they’d pleaded for his attention. A select few had even begged him to run away with them. Claiming to hail from the infamous District 9, their promises of endless wealth and material possessions were spoken with such fervor that it was almost convincing. Almost. But in those moments, Jisung had only chuckled, dismissing their lavish promises with a smirk before fully indulging himself in their company until the first light of dawn.
As tempting as it may have been to give in to the allure of those past desires again tonight, Jisung maintained an air of charming indifference as he continued on. He flashed grins and casual nods, and though his eyes might have lingered on some of the prettier faces, he kept moving.
With a determined stride, he pushed through the tattered black curtain into the cramped alcove where Minho worked.
The healer’s lips twitched up ever so slightly, as if he'd recognized Jisung from his footsteps alone. However, as he turned and his gaze lifted from his small workbench to Jisung's battered face—as his eyes roamed over the split lip, the trickle of blood staining Jisung's temple—the subtle warmth in Minho's expression vanished. Concern and something like disapproval flashed across his eyes before his features settled into stone once more. "Do you get paid more if you make the fight look real?" Minho asked, his eyes flicking down to the pouch of gold at Jisung's side.
Jisung blinked, caught off guard. It was unusual for Minho to initiate conversation, let alone be so direct. Surprise colored his face as he took a seat on the cot beside the healer. "You were watching?"
"I watched until you allowed that guy to hit you," Minho's voice was soft as he examined Jisung's temple. Leaning in slightly, his brow furrowed as his fingertips traced the contours of the wound. He reached for a clean cloth, soaking it in a solution that carried the faint scent of medicinal herbs and something acidic.
"How did you know—" Jisung hissed as Minho pressed the cloth to his wound, the sting causing his eyes to water.
"Relax," Minho interrupted, "You're not the only one who knows how to read a fight, you know."
A flush crept up Jisung's neck as his next attempt to form words turned into a series of awkward stammers. He opened his mouth, closed it, cleared his throat, and squirmed uncomfortably on the cot until Minho snapped at him to stop moving.
Eventually, for what might have been the first time in his life, Jisung gave up on speaking altogether.
Minutes slipped by as Minho continued his work, the only sound the soft rustle of bandages and the hum of activity beyond the curtain. Jisung sighed, closing his eyes as he allowed himself sink into the familiar routine of Minho's care.
"You need to be more careful," Minho murmured, his voice breaking through Jisung's reverie. "I can only patch you up so many times before the damage becomes permanent, and.." His hands suddenly withdrew, putting a pause to his work. "I won't be around here much longer."
Jisung's heart skipped a beat, his eyes snapping open. "You're leaving?" he asked, the words coming out a bit more panicked than he'd intended.
Minho nodded, his gaze dropping to avoid Jisung's stare. "I never planned on staying here long,” he admitted quietly. "There might be others out there who could use my help."
Jisung's mind raced as he processed Minho's words. Despite his suspicions about the healer's origins, he'd never asked how Minho had learned his trade. And sure, he supposed there were plenty of people out there who could benefit from Minho's skills—people who weren't deliberately getting themselves hurt—Jisung knew all too well the cutthroat nature of the world. The brutality of the outer districts.
"Where will you go?" Jisung's voice trembled with desperation, and he didn't give a damn if it made him look weak. Vulnerable. Jisung had grown accustomed to the routine of visiting Minho after each fight—the quiet moments of conversation with someone who wasn't chasing after him for their own benefit. Someone who genuinely listened and understood him. He'd come to rely on Minho's steady presence more than he cared to admit, and suddenly, the quiet healer felt like a lifeline slipping away.
Minho offered a slow shrug, and a familiar sense of absence settled over Jisung as he realized that Minho's departure would leave yet another void in his life. "I'll miss you," Jisung blurted before he could stop himself.
A softness touched Minho’s expression, a glimpse of sadness reflected in his eyes. "I know, Jisung.”
"When?" Jisung demanded, “When do you leave?” Though he was fully aware that Minho owed him nothing, he needed to know.
"Two days, maybe three." Minho replied, his tone gentle yet firm—resolute. As if he had been planning this. As if he had known for quite some time. As if leaving Jisung behind meant nothing to him at all.
Jisung withdrew the pouch of coins at his waist and held it out. The healer's dark eyes narrowed in confusion as he glanced between Jisung and the pouch. "What are you doing?"
"Take it," Jisung insisted, his jaw set in determination. "For everything,” he swallowed, the pouch shaking with the slight tremor in his hand.
Minho hesitated, shoulders tensing. "You've already paid me for—“
"You'll need it more than I do out there. I know that bracelet on your wrist holds more value to you than coins. So just take it." With a decisive thud, Jisung dropped the pouch at Minho's feet. He stood, and as some fundamental part of him cracked so violently that he could feel it in his chest, Jisung turned away from the quiet healer.
For the weeks Jisung had known him, Minho had healed far more than his external injuries. He had been a constant. The only constant left in Jisung's life. There was nothing Jisung wanted more than for Minho to understand the depth of his gratitude, to recognize the significance of his presence. But the words stuck in his throat, suffocated by his own damn pride and stubbornness as he took a step to leave.
Reaching to push aside the curtain, Jisung hesitated, his hand hovering in mid-air as he considered the path he'd chosen. The chaos of the fighting pits and the thrill that came with a life spent in the underworld had been enough for a long time. He’d settled on the notion that it might always be enough. But now..What if there was something else he needed? Something he couldn't quite name but felt stirring within himself. The desire for something more. A desire that Jisung feared would continue to grow and gnaw at him until he found the courage to explore what lay beyond the underworld of District 7.
In that moment of uncertainty, it was Minho who ignited that spark of courage in Jisung's soul as the healer stood, cleared his throat, and said, "Come with me."
hihi it's been a while! i've been looking through my old playlists on spotify and found the one i made for otde. i've been listening to it for the past few days and its made me really miss the series, its still one of my favorites that i think i've ever read 🥹🥹. it's so special to me, i've been keeping up with it since july and i always look forward to your updates. i hope you get the time and motivation to continue writing it soon because i miss felix and mc and all their friends and i love the series sm <3
heres the playlist if youre curious! : https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3aWtxH61xkeM8zOB4ldrdQ?si=BGu3hcWHTtGi7G6rQEK4cg&pi=u-Kz5ARHqCR4-L
sending you all the love, i hope you have a fantastic day!
-🩵🪽
hi hiiiii sweet anon, thank you so much for reaching out.💕it means the world to me to know that you’re still enjoying otde after all these months.<3 knowing that you've been revisiting the series through your old playlist and missing it really warms my heart, not to mention that it ranks among your favorites that you've ever read??? thats incredible.🥹your kindness and encouragement couldn't have come at a better time because it fills me with motivation to know that you're excited to hear more of the story. rest assured, lix, mc, and all their friends are always on my mind and I'm determined to continue their journey (with new updates hopefully sometime soon).
and omg thank you SO MUCH for sharing the link to your playlist!!!💕😭 this just brightened my whole week, music is probably my biggest source of inspiration when i write (i love to turn it up loud and let it guide my imagination lol). i've been listening to your playlist and its absolutely fantastic, each song captures the essence of the story so beautifully and i can tell how much time and thought you put into it.🥹 im already thinking of which songs i want to add from yours to my own playlist i have for otde (i'll include the link below just in case you're interested). im so honored that you took the time to create something so special, your playlist has already been helping me immerse myself even further into lix/mc's world and i cannot thank you enough.🤭
once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support, for believing in this little story, and for sharing your love for it.<3 much love anon, i hope you're having a wonderful week.🤗💕
(here’s my own little otde playlist that i listen to when i write: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4l4culwFVKIdDR7Hbw3GBa?si=9INKvvcNR8KLpHh4YiSMXA)
AHHHEJSKIDNFN it was time for a little update and i know it didn’t change tooo drastically but it took me forever so this made me smile. ah i hope you’ve been well, let’s catch up soon pls because I. MISS. YOU. with my whole heart.😭💕
Hello, my favourite author! I wanted to reach out to you sooner, but I waited a bit more so I could share some news with you🥰 first of all: I passed the hardest course at my uni (nevermind that I actually had to take it 3 times before succeeding). Of course I plan to celebrate by rereading Otde👀 also, today Hyunjin was in Milan for the Versace show... I thought I would be fine, just accompanying a friend to see him.. I thought I could keep my cool.. but ostg he is SO BEAUTIFUL. I shed a tear just because he was so ethereal, I'm not even kidding. How about you? It's been a while since you posted anything so I'm a bit worried.
Hugs💕 ~C
hi my love.💕ill start by saying CONGRATULATIONS on passing that course (the hardest course at your university??????) what an accomplishment!! im so proud of you and knowing that you celebrated by re-reading otde just warms my heart.😭💕 ALSO can we talk about the fact that you saw hyunjin in real life??? are you kidding me?! oh my goodness how exciting, im so happy for you to have been able to experience this!! i honestly don't even know what i'd do if i saw any one of the boys in person, i really can't imagine it but i think i would've shed quite a few tears myself.🥹
i really appreciate your concern and i feel like i owe you an apology for disappearing for a while there. work took an unexpected turn at the beginning of the year—i got a promotion which i am very thankful for but it also meant new training and trying to manage additional responsibilities. it definitely swallowed up more time than I anticipated and on top of that the gloomy weather had me feeling a bit off my game. but with the return of sunshine and warmer days ive been feeling a renewed sense of energy and motivation!! things are finally starting to slow down too so ive been finding my rhythm again.<3
with that being said, i suppose you can consider this my official return announcement lol. seriously though, im so excited for you and all the incredible experiences you’ve been having. you deserve every bit of happiness that comes your way!! im forever grateful for your continued support and understanding, and i'm eager to get back into things and share more with you soon.<33 take care dear and as always, much love.🤗💕
Omg THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU❤️❤️❤️ I. LOVE. IT. I can't even begin to explain how THRILLED I am to finally be able to read that fic! I had lost all hope of ever seeing it done since a couple of authors before you didn't seem to like the idea 🥹 I literally feel so lucky to have discovered your blog🫶😭 You are so precious and special and everything good and I love you so so much. ❤️
Also, ten words, half a chapter, one, two, ten or hundred chapters... This isn't my request anymore, it's your fic, do with it as you please, I'll take everything you give me 🤲🏻🥹 I hope to hear from you again soon, until then
Hugs💕 -C
hi hi my love!!<33 ahhh your reaction to the preview made my whole entire week!!😭 im so excited and relieved that you like it so far, especially since it sounds like you had some initial challenges with the idea. i feel like im the lucky one because YOU stumbled upon my little blog (and chose to share such a creative idea with me). you’re such a sweet person, and i really do appreciate your openness to the direction of the storyline too.🥹💕 i promise to keep working on it so anticipate more updates soon!<3
for now, i hope you’re doing well!! your kindness and encouragement is very inspiring to me and im seriously beyond thankful for your presence on here.<3 i love you very much.🤗 take care, ill keep you in my thoughts and i hope to hear from you again soon.💕
series warnings: dark and mature themes, violence, blood and injury, death, weapon use (knives, gunfire, etc.), fighting, oppressive government, mentions of starvation/hunger, language, angst, smut (consensual, unprotected intercourse), suggestive content, chapter specific warnings will be used for those not mentioned in this list
Summary: Kept hidden for your entire life as the daughter of the most powerful man in a broken society, you had always known the world outside to be a certain way..until you found out that it wasn't anything at all like what you had been told. Chance encounters with a mysterious stranger and his band of rebels drags you into a fight to change it all. With your world suddenly turned upside down and unable to ignore your growing feelings, all you can do now is try to keep the one you love most alive. But when he just so happens to be the enemy, will you be able to trust him to the same?
~chapter list~
~(pt.1) the sun and his moon~
“maybe we were too much like the sun and the moon. deeply in love but too different to exist side by side.”
~(pt.2) the price of fate~
"being the mirror to someone's soul comes with a cost. every choice made when your fate is intertwined with another's comes at a cost."
~(pt.3) the promise of something more~
"if a star fell from the sky you might be tempted to pick it up. just remember that if you do, you'll have to give it back someday, and it will be the hardest thing you'll ever have to do."
~(pt.4) the eighth~
"you will come across many soulmates in your current lifetime. but that does not mean you will get to keep them."
~(pt.5) the weight of the world~
"time is a merciless force, more precious than anything tangible in this world. because no matter what you do once it is gone, you will never be able to win it back."
~(pt.6) the echoes of loss~
"things are sweeter after they have been lost. when I finally grasped what I'd so desperately yearned for, it was turned to dust in my hands."
~(pt.7) the last nail in a shared coffin~
"fear and love are like interwoven threads—immutable and bound together by celestial forces."
This series is so "I can change him" trope and I LOVE ITT!! The detail in this series is so good and well thought istg this could be written as a book 😭
thank you so much for reading and interacting with my little story, i really appreciate your kind words.<33 to say you think it could be written as a book means the world to me, i'm honored.🥹 also the "i can change him trope" is one of my favoritesss so this really made me smile.💕 i hope you continue to enjoy what’s to come.🤗
Just wondering how many chapters is otde going to be? No rush I just wanna know how long it'll be 😭 btw it's amazing I love it sm<3
hello!!<33 ahh im so happy to hear that you're enjoying otde so far, thank you so much for reading and giving it a chance.💕
as for the number of chapters, i must admit i don't have a fixed number in mind..to be honest i don't even know where each chapter is going to take the story, let alone how many there will be (i suppose this is partly why it takes me so long to get each chapter out🥹). so i'm really sorry i can't give you a solid answer, but i promise once i do have a better idea of how long it'll be ill post something to let you guys know.<33 (theres just so much i want to explore with it that it'll probably end up with a ridiculous amount of chapters lol so i apologize in advance😂😭).
thank you again for your support and for being so interested in the story, its incredibly motivating and im sincerely grateful for it.🤗 take care.💕
Heyyy!! It's good to hear from you, even if it's just a reblogged photo. I was wondering what you were up to!👀 Are you ok? I hope so. Is it too early to ask for a little spoiler...? I'm dying to know what you are working on, and I'm suffering the withdrawal symptoms from your fics 🥹
Hugs 💕 -C
hiii my loveeee<33 i hope all is well with you.💕ever since my week off over the holidays i've found myself in a bit of a struggle with motivation to write, but i was feeling much better this week!! i made some progress and i’m so so excited to FINALLY have a little spoiler of your request that has taken me far too long to write🥹 (with concept photos bc i just can’t resist). remember how i said i was fighting the urge to turn it into a multi-part fic?? well im still heavily considering that option seeing as this spoiler is 1.5k words.😂😭 im just so in love with this concept.🥹
there will be more to come of course, this is just the beginning as i’m still working on the rest.💕but from the bottom of my heart, i hope you enjoy this and that it aligns with what you had in mind so far. thank you endlessly for your continued support.<3 (oh and no specific warnings for this little sneak peek🤭).
The beach lay in hushed silence, cradled in the silver embrace of moonlight. Seated at the edge of the isle, the breeze wrapped around you with tender warmth as your fingers delicately sifted through the white sand—luminescent grains that glowed stronger in response to your touch, matching the ethereal symbols engraved on your skin.
Every night, the symbols on your body came alive to emit a soft glow underneath the moon's presence. Each shimmering mark told a tale of ancient magic, a heritage woven into the very fabric of your being. As you traced a swirling symbol on your forearm, a subtle ripple of energy pulsed through the air.
Despite the appearance of solitude, perched by yourself on the shoreline, you were never truly alone here. You found companionship in the gentle murmur of the wind as it whispered sweet nothings in your ears. It spoke of the trees—the stories etched in their rings and the creatures that sought solace in their branches. It told tales of ancestral wisdom that flowed through the veins of your people—a connection to water, the tide, the moonlight.
With each gentle wave that lapped against the shore, the symbols on your skin glowed brighter as your connection to the island deepened. They pulsed with quiet energy, resonating with the gentle ebb and flow of the tide.
Amidst the harmony, a single tear traced a path down your cheek before falling gracefully onto the white sand below. As it touched the luminescent particles, the island seemed to sigh in acknowledgment.
Sometimes, on nights like these when you embraced the magic in your veins with complete surrender, an unexplainable ache would seep into your being. A deep sense of longing, that felt as if the very soul of the island was yearning for something it has lost long ago. It was an ageless sorrow so profound that it brought forth tears—a manifestation of the connection you shared with the land beneath your palms.
"What's bothering you, hm?" your fingers dug into the cool sand as your hushed words melted into the darkness, carried away by the lull of the waves and the gentle breeze.
The symbols on your skin responded to the question by glowing brighter, and the ache in your heart only intensified. Feeling overwhelmed by the heightened energy, you contemplated leaving. However, just as you began to rise, another gentle wave caressed the shore. The warm water reached your toes in a deliberate manner, as if it were whispering a silent plea: stay.
"Five more minutes", you sighed, sinking back into the soft embrace of the sandy shore. Maybe ten, you thought as your eyelids began to drift shut. As the sounds of the sea faded and your consciousness slipped into blissful oblivion, the luminescent symbols on your skin dimmed to a soft glow. Like a benevolent guardian, the isle wove a protective aura around you as you slept, ensuring that your dreams would be undisturbed by the troubles that awaited under the sunlit sky.
-
With a lazy stretch, you inhaled deeply, savoring the slow return to consciousness. When you registered the scent of salty air, your eyes shot open, squinting against bright light.
You blinked as you came to your senses. The sea now churned with restlessness, its waves crashing against the shore in a turbulent attack. The sand had lost its luminescence, now resembling a simple stretch of beach. The sun had risen, the once-glowing symbols on your skin now lay dormant. And your connection to the island, so vivid and palpable underneath the moon, had faded with the morning light.
When it dawned upon you that you had slept through the entire night, a soft "shit" escaped from under your breath. The matriarch of the island—your mother—would be more than displeased by your failure to return last night. The heated disagreement between the two of you, which had driven you to seek solace on the beach in the first place, had likely left her on edge. And by now, you were pretty certain she'd have the whole island searching for you in a state of panic.
Shit.
Another curse slipped from your lips as you scrambled to your feet, frantically brushing off the sand clinging to you. Barefoot, you sprinted across the beach. Rocks and uneven terrain pressed into the soles of your feet as you navigated the familiar path.
Your people thrived in subterranean cities—a system of burrows and caves hidden beneath the island's surface. When the sun set each night, they emerged to the forests and beaches to relish in their connection with the island and it's magic. But when daylight painted the sky, they retreated to the underground sanctuaries crafted by your ancestors. The sunlit hours were meant for rest and reflection beneath the earth, not for the spirited escapades of a wayward girl with a rebellious spirit.
You were, for lack of a better term, fucked.
The distant murmur of the sea faded as you darted beneath the canopy of foliage—the impending consequences of your mother's wrath propelling every hurried step. The forest enveloped you in a tapestry of vibrant green, sunlight filtering through the canopy above. Thick vines draped down around you, replacing the salty sea air with the rich scent of soil and damp vegetation.
Despite the burning sensation in your legs, you moved with practiced ease, the winding pathways throughout the island ingrained in your muscle memory like an extension of your very being. When you were just mere minutes away from the nearest hidden entrance leading to the network of passages beneath the island, your return was disrupted by an unsettling sound—a crisp, snapping noise that echoed through the air.
You stumbled to a halt, foot catching on a root. And the forest joined you in holding its breath as the sound repeated again.
And again.
With each crack, your heart skipped a beat. Despite the absence of your glowing symbols in the sunlight, an unsettling feeling told you that the island was in distress—that it was being harmed in some way.
Turning on your heel, your eyes swept across the foliage. Following the direction of the noise, you ventured into a sunlit clearing where an unexpected sight met your gaze.
At the edge of the clearing, a solitary figure stood with his back to you. Pale blonde hair cascaded down in subtle waves, nearly reaching his shoulders. And sunlight played upon the strands as he casually broke off limbs from a tree.
The ancient trees scattered across the isle were like living archives, their roots intertwined with the very essence of the island's energy. To harm them was to disrupt the delicate balance of magic that coursed through your own veins—along with the rest of the island’s inhabitants and wildlife.
Your gaze bore into the intruder, eyes ablaze with a blend of disbelief and anger that only surged as he reached for another branch. A scowl etched deep lines on your forehead as you stepped forward, propelled by a protective instinct. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
The stranger flinched harshly at the sound of your voice—a jolt that coursed through his entire frame. A startled gasp escaped him as he spun around, branches tumbling from his grasp to the forest floor in a clumsy cascade.
His appearance was more than enough to wipe the displeased expression clean off your face. It stole the air from your lungs, making you rub your eyes and question whether or not you were still asleep on the shore, caught in a dream.
Your gazes met, and for a fleeting moment, all you knew was the sight of rich, deep brown eyes framed by disheveled blonde hair—an appearance that reflected the wild, untamed beauty of your island home. A few strands of his hair clung together in damp disarray, and your eyes traveled downward to note the wet clothing that clung to his body, as if he had just emerged from the sea.
The boy stumbled back as his mouth fell open, plump lips parting in astonishment. He took another step to steady himself, shifting into the dappled sunlight, and it only heightened the striking beauty of his features. When the rays of warmth kissed his skin, you noted the tiny freckles scattered across his cheeks, along the bridge of his nose..
But when you squinted, you were nearly certain you were dreaming, because the small dots appeared to glow. Much like the symbols on your own skin did underneath the moon, they radiated a subtle luminescence. A warmer tone than your own, softer, but..
"Felix?! Mate, what's taking so long?" a voice belonging to a second male sliced through the delicate tension in the air. "We don't need much to start a fire."
Felix blinked before turning around to face the source of the interruption. "I—" he met Chan's eyes, disbelief resonating in his deep voice as he turned again to face where you stood.
"I—There..She—"
But his unfinished sentence hung in the air, sheer bewilderment falling across his freckled features as his eyes scanned the now-empty clearing.
Felix stared and stared at the space where you'd stood, like a mirage, before vanishing without a trace—your sudden disappearance leaving him to grapple with two possibilities: either he was already hallucinating from dehydration, or he had just let something extraordinary (and possibly their only chance at making it off this island alive) slip right through his fingers.
