there's a flood of relief that flows through sumyeong when he confirms that it's jinah. but the relief leaves as soon as it came when he fully processes that she's alone. his thoughts run fast / trouble / danger / maybe something worse that sumyeong doesn't dare think.
his concerns are gently brushed away when jinah hurriedly explains - dinner. sumyeong's first thought is that it's silly for her to have come out this far, but the fear in hear eyes / dripping from her voice / clinging to her limbs / the last thing she needs is for sumyeong to tell her she shouldn't have come.
sumyeong lets out a small exhale before stepping closer to jinah as he looks from side to side. he could barely see anything but the act helped the restlessness inside him. to do something.
"you shouldn't have come alone," sumyeong finally decides to say as he guides her with one hand against the back of her shoulder. his hand hovers, gently urging her forward by taking the first step himself.
"it's a good thing i found you," sumyeong says, although he doesn't address the sinister sound that had pierced the air seconds ago. though he felt relief being in the presence of someone he knew, it didn't shake the unsettling fear slowly creeping into his mind.
"let's head back to the house and get you what you need. and we'll make sure to pack extra - anything that you and your father need so that you don't have to make a trip like this again." though he's not one to talk often, sumyeong is doing his best now to fill the air with words / any noise / a distraction to keep the two of them going. the alarm in his mind was beginning to grow. the thought of the night chill turning the ground into ice and rooting them on the road was a horrifying intrusive thought he wanted to get rid of.
there’s a grimace that takes over her face, nose and eyes scrunching at his words. she knows she shouldn’t have come alone, shouldn’t have come at all, really. even with someone, the idea was foolish from the start. she wouldn’t have wanted to put anyone else at risk for a decision made on a whim.
this trip was unecessary. she had enough leftovers at home, could’ve thrown something else together and her father wouldn’t have complained. but she always needed things to be perfect for him. she didn’t want his routines to suffer just because the grove was falling apart. she hadn’t even told him what was happening.
if she had, he never would’ve let her leave.
"thank you," she mumbles, nails absently scratching the metal of the lantern still squeezed between her arms. the guilt sits heavy on her shoulders and yet, there’s a strange comfort pressing on them too. a quiet relief that sumyeong had been the one to find her. that she didn’t have to keep walking through the dark alone. that nothing happened to him either.
she follows his lead without a word, each step making her loosen her grip around the lantern until it glows steady, the tension slowly releasing as the farm comes into view. the world is still wrong without the moon overhead but with him by her side, it feels just a bit more manageable even as another cry cuts through the distance.
"and you?" she asks, glancing up at him. they're well within the yang proprety now, familiar grounds, but she matches his pace carefully. "what were you doing out there on your own?"
velgrove's wishing well: if your muse could make three wishes, what would they be and why?
can the wishing well bring back the dead? jinah doesn’t know. no one does. some say it doesn’t even exist, that it's just a tale passed down through generations. and even if it could, bringing the dead back would be selfish, she thinks. so for her mother, she would wish only for peace and a soft place to rest.
her brother though, jinah believes he’s still alive, somewhere out there. that’s where her first wish would go. without hesitation. to bring him back home, safe and whole. it’s the wish she and her father have both quietly carried for years.
the second wish would be for her father. for his health, for his sight to return so he can watch the sunsets again, see the faces of the people he loves and move freely without depending on her.
the final wish is harder, tricky. she knows pretty well what it would be : an end to the disappearances, to the strange vanishings that have haunted velgrove for years and tore families apart. if there’s a way to stop it, she’d take it even if it meant giving up the wish for herself.
shotgun slung on his left arm / oil lantern in his right hand / gravel crunching beneath one pair of feet. though the sky was black, the time on his watch read that it was almost dinner time. though he would normally have been back home preparing something for the night, sumyeong had also taken it upon himself to patrol the edges of the farmlands to ensure that nothing was out of place. fences in ground, gates locked up, and animals all accounted for.
the sun and moon's disappearance put sumyeong on a different kind of edge - one that he couldn't explain. though he supposed, that was how everyone in town must have felt.
it was an odd thought, to wonder if the wind was blowing or not, and how the absence of light took away that part of sumyeong's senses. as if he could hear better when seeing the trees sway back and forth. or that his body was supposed to feel the cooling air that usually came with sunset. how there should be a chill in the air.
and there is / one that runs through sumyeong's limbs / he hears a cry coming from somewhere. he can't tell where it comes from but he doesn't stop in his tracks. he doesn't intend to until he sees a light further up ahead.
the light barely illuminates the small area it encompasses. sumyeong almost wonders if what he's seeing is real / heart racing / drumming in his ears. and then the figure turns and sumyeong sees a face he recognizes. his footsteps come sure after that as he jogs up to them before he hears the cry again. this time, it sounds further away, yet still clear as it had minutes before.
something in sumyeong screams / and screams / and screams / pretend you didn't hear it.
"what are you doing out here by yourself?" sumyeong diverts his attention back to the figure that stands in front of him.
no one should be out alone at night, she knows that, everyone does by now. but her father had been craving something warm, a dish from their earlier days. she had the spices at home, but most of the main ingredients were missing. she would’ve stopped by the fields after work if her arms hadn’t already been full of sewing tools.
there was still a little time before dinner. barely. the fields were a long walk but she figured if she left now, she could make it back before it got worse.
she packed quickly, a lantern, her backpack and let her father know she'd be heading to the yangs'. "say hi to sumyeong" he had said with a smile.
the path is one she knows well, same one she takes to work. yet without moonlight guiding her, it felt different.. with the trees stretching a little too far. her vision narrows. is this what it's like for her father now? the thought hurts and her grip tightens around the lantern's handle. keep walking, she tells herself. steady steps.
by the time she reaches the town center, the flickers of lamps offer some relief, small landmarks to guide herself. she’d done everything she could to avoid being out this late: closed the shop early, packed extra supplies, even rearranged her routine. yet there she is, stepping into the farmlands, lantern in hand and the cold breath of night brushing through her hair. the path too still, too quiet...
then a cry cuts through the air. inhuman, a screech, sharp enough to stop her cold. breath caught in her throat. her hands clutch the lantern to her chest, shielding the glow as if it'll protect her. it dims but she can’t let go, it’s the only thing grounding her.
and then a second cry. she swallows hard, this was stupid. her thoughts begin to drift to her father. what if something happens to him while she's out here? what if-
a voice, familiar, stops her mind from spiraling.
"sumyeong?" her own voice trembles, barely above a whisper. she hadn’t realized she’d closed her eyes until she opens them, slowly lowering the lantern from her chest letting its light stretch out between them.
"..i came to collect missing ingredients for tonight's recipe-" jinah pauses. suddenly aware of how foolish she sounds now, out here in the dark for a few vegetables.
if you had to pick between the two, would you choose the moon or the sun?
event 001: the vanishing.
“it’s like asking me to choose between my mother and my father...” she says, a soft sigh slipping out before she can help it. for a moment it seems like she might leave it at that, how could anyone pick?
but then she adds, a bit more thoughtful, “i’d choose the sun, i think. because for the moon to glow and guide us at night, it needs the sun.”
the question catches her off guard, but not in a bad way. just enough to pull her out of her usual silence for a second.
a favourite? ah, that could take forever. it could be the times she got scolded for ruining a half-finished designs at her mother’s shop, moments she’s come to love now that she understands the struggle. or the day her parents told her she’d be getting a sibling, with their hands resting on her mother’s belly.
maybe it was the moment she first saw minjae or the way his little hand wrapped around her finger. or- maybe, it was the day he first said her name? there were too many moments worth remembering, each one tugging at the corners of her lips when she lets herself think of them.
and her chest tightens at the idea of picking just one. “i don’t really have a favourite memory” she says quietly. “it’s more about the moments spent with the people i care about. those are the memories i hold onto.”
— event 001 / the vanishing
what is something you cannot live without?
event 001: the vanishing.
hope.
it's what keeps her going.
hope that, one day, her brother, along with all those who vanished, will return safe and whole, with exciting stories to tell.
silly hope that her father might get better. that one morning he'll open his eyes and get to see the sun rise again. that he'll see her.
then there's the hope she holds for velgrove itself. that onr day, things will shift and the weight of mysteries won't press so heavily on everyone's shoulders anymore. hope that one day, it will start giving instead of taking.
it’s true that jinah doesn’t open up easily but that doesn’t mean she’s hard to get close to. it all depends on the other person, on how they carry themselves, how they treat other people when no one's watching. respect and patience are two things she holds in high regard and if she sees them in someone, the walls start to come down, quiet and slow.
she’s observant by nature, the kind who listens more than she speaks and remembers the small details people don’t even realize they’ve shared (when her own memory isn’t playing tricks on her lol). chances are, in her head, she’s already built a quiet closeness. one she might not voice out loud.
sometimes she shows it through small gestures like a favourite snack left behind, a scarf mended without asking and sometimes, she doesn’t show it at all. it’s up to the other person to notice and reach back.
what is something new you would like to try/are scared to try?
event 001 : the vanishing.
one thing jinah would love to try but would never say out loud is leaving town. even if just just for a short while. she does think about it sometimes, what life might feel like in other cities, especially hano-dullum. visiting the city her grandmother grew up in crosses her mind more often that she'd like to admit. to trace her footsteps and understand the stories her mother used to tell.
yet it scares her. with everything happening in velgrove, she's afraid to leave her father, afraid something might happen while she's gone. to him, to her friends.. the town is too unpredictable.
still, the thought lingers, usually late at night and she pushes it away before it settles in. there's still too much to do, too much left unresolved she has to stay. for her father, friends, and in case he comes back.
the question and starter prompts listed below are a part of our first official event — the vanishing. if you would like to take participation in this part of the event, please make sure to reblog this post and indicate which you are open to receiving.
20 QUESTION PROMPTS
what is something your cannot live without?
tell me two lies and one truth.
what do you wish was different about your life?
what is your favorite memory?
what is something you love/hate about velgrove?
what is your biggest dream?
do you believe there's something special about velgrove?
who do you wish you could see right now?
what is your favorite mode of transportation?
do you have any pets?
what is something you regret deeply?
when are you most happy?
how do you show someone you love and care for them?
what is something new you would like to try/are scared to try?
if you had to pick between the two, would you choose the moon or the sun?
if you could go back a year from now to tell your old self something, what would it be?
where do you see yourself in five years?
what are the three most important things in your life?
how does someone get closer to you?
do you believe in velgrove's wishing well?
20 STARTER PROMPTS
"i'm scared/worried/tired/confused."
"there's nothing to be scared of."
"did you hear that?"
"i saw/heard/smelled/felt something."
"can we just wait?"
"can you please let me in."
"my (insert item) isn't working. can i use yours?"
"this land is cursed."
"we should stay away from (insert location in velgrove)."
"do you think the sun/moon will ever come back?"
"why is this happening?"
"can you stay a little longer?"
"i don't want to be your buddy."
"this is all just a bad dream."
"i'm going to leave now."
"do we have to go there?"
"i don't know how to start a fire."
"i'm hungry."
"i need help."
"do you want to be buddies?"
please remember to tag any and all event related posts with the event tag "event 001: the vanishing".
this key is on the smaller side — definitely smaller than the last one, maybe one of the smallest ones she's ever found. rust clings to its teeth, the metal dulled by time and earth, edges worn like it's been waiting for decades — maybe longer. lyra had found it yesterday, half-buried near the tree line behind her cottage. the shape had stood out to her the most, quiet but sturdy, and it seemed to hum in her hand, as if it understood it still had a task to fulfill.
lyra had brushed it clean with the hem of her shirt, then stood there for a moment, taking in the sight of the key. she hadn't said the words out loud — she never did anymore, but she had thought them: maybe this time.
she'd called jinah that morning, as soon as she had gotten to the apothecary. calling the thread & thorns always ran the small risk that her mother might be the one to pick up, though it hadn't happened in years, and the last time it did, lyra had hung up so fast she could almost pretend it hadn't happened. jinah had been the one to pick up, thankfully, and so began lyra's long day of waiting.
it's quiet in the apothecary now, the only sound the creaking of lyra's steps as she moved through the shelves, making sure everything is where it should be. the final customer had just left, the ghost of their voice still lingering in the air, and the sign on the door had been turned to closed.
the key sits on the counter, neatly placed on a linen cloth, next to the box it won't might fit into. lyra had dug out the box from the apothecary cellar earlier, taking advantage of a lull during the day, when she had been completely alone. and now that the final customer had left, she had finally taken it out from where she had hidden it beneath the counter.
she realizes she's been staring at the box for a moment too long when the sound of familiar steps on the stone outside seeps through the window, jolting her from her mind. she steps away from the counter, going towards the door to welcome jinah in.
she opens the door just before jinah has the chance to knock. the sight of her best friend — familiar, somehow always steadying — pulls something softer into lyra's expression. she steps aside to let her in.
"it's smaller this time," she notes in a low voice, almost a whisper, as if it might scare the hope away if she speaks too loudly. "but it feels... different? maybe." she makes it sound like a question — she can never mistake hope for certainty.
the door shuts behind jinah, and lyra nods towards the counter, where the box and key await them, side by side, like old friends they are still trying to reintroduce.
sweeping the floor, folding garments, placing scissors back in their drawers… there were still a few tasks left unfinished but jinah had asked mijung, lyra’s mother, to close up for the shop for the evening so she could leave a little early. she hadn’t told her where she was heading, not because she had anything to hide, just… out of courtesy.
lyra was her best friend, sure, but mijung had also been a huge help over the years, first when her brother disappeared, then again when her mother passed. things were tense between mother and daughter but jinah stayed out of it. it wasn’t her place to attempt anything and the least she could do was avoid bringing up one around the other.
with her backpack slung over one shoulder, she gave mijung a soft nod and murmured a quick goodbye, her eyes sweeping the shop one last time before heading out. excitement didn’t show on her face, rarely did, but it was obvious in her movements, skipping over the uneven gravel. jinah found herself heading to the apothecary so many times over the years that she could’ve walked all the way there with her eyes closed.
she’s used to it.
the same way she’s used to lyra’s weird power of sensing her arrival. no need for greetings, just the quiet curve of a smile as their eyes meet and jinah steps through the doorway like she’s done a hundred times before.
“smaller..” she murmurs, letting the straps of her backpack slip from her shoulders until it rests by the door.
her eyes land on the counter, on the box. years of trying and still, it sits there, unmoved, waiting. her feet carry her closer to it and the key resting beside it catches her attention. fingers hover just above it, careful, as if touching it might scare it off. It is indeed smaller than the others, maybe even too small? but that means nothing here. they both know better than to trust appearances in a town like velgrove.
“it could be the one.” jinah says quietly, almost to herself, afraid it might jinx them.
they’ve failed more times than she can count, had every reason to give up and yet, here they are again. still standing in front of the same box, carrying the same stubbornness they had the day they first found it. It’s strange, the way hope clings.
she glances to lyra, waiting. it’s like looking into a mirror, composed surface and the spark beneath it. she straightens her posture, readying hersel with hands resting against the counter instead. she gives her friend a firm nod. lyra found the key, it’s hers to try.
hi everyone and happy opening so excited to be here!! i'm rei, 25+ and bringing to you my precious girl kang jinah. a seamstress and owner of the town's tailor shop "threads & thorns" everything about her can be found on this page (profile + biography) i'll add a tldr version under the cut (but i recommend reading the full profile..heh). i am working on a plots/wc page that i will link to her pinned post later on but i am very open to brainstorming and i do have dscrd available for anyone who'd like to plot! ims are fine as well
grand mother from hano-dullum , settled in velgrove bc she fell in <3 founder of the tailor shop
seamstress mother and farmer dad who had to stop working shortly after she was born
mother got pregnant with her brother when jinah was 11 , she was the best sister ever!!
night of the fall harvest festival five years later, he brother disappeared
her mother couldn't handle the grief and passed away. her father lost his eyesight from the shock. shop closed.
for over a year, she focused on taking care of her dad and during her free time, she practiced sewing
the shop eventually reopened and has been open since then
deep down, jinah believes that her brother is still out there, alive somewhere along with the others who mysteriously vanished.
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