Letters to the Spawn of Satan: First Set

WHITEHALL ACADEMY
9th September

Dear Minah,
I can't believe you finally bought the house! It's only an hour's drive from the school. It would me nicer if you came up to the village sometime, that would only take me ten minutes. I can't spare much time on private pleasures considering the fact that I have to mother fifty-three young ladies all between the ages of eleven and fifteen. It's a painfully enjoyable task, but I can't take much time off so the village it will have to be.
I don't know if I've ever told you about my school properly. It's an old building, I think it used to be the house of Lord Something or Earl Someone, but it was kindly donated to be turned into an institution for a little over a hundred young boys and girls from the first from to the fifth. Of course during the War we took in a few children for shelter and now we're left with three scores of children, all without families or relations to go back to. So we're now not only an academic institution, but an orphanage as well. Don't worry yourself, we have an excellent staff, full of kind people, if a little eccentric at best.
At the head of this institution we have Kris Wu but really it's his wife, Haneul, who has the real brains— don't tell anyone but our honorable Headmaster is a little afraid of hoards of children, he only allows a handful into his office at a time. Still, he is a good man, with the best interests of the children and that's all we need anyway.
Minseok ge (all the teachers older than me are "ge") teaches mathematics. He's really the oldest one out of us all, which isn't saying much except for the fact that we're all pretty young. He's really strict but kind and everyone looks up to him. I'm the only one who gets to call him a hamster though (he truly looks like one when he eats!).
Luhan ge is the football coach, and he insists on being called manly every other minute (it's probably not his fault since we call him pretty every other minute— he is).
Yixing ge is the counselor. I'm happy that we have him, the children need someone to talk to sometimes and someone who knows what's going on in their minds. Well we need someone who knows what's going on in our minds once in a while too really. When he's not advising people on the ways of the world, he teaches History.
(Also here is where I add— never leave Yixing and Luhan ge alone together for too long, the last time they came up with plans for a hay fever bomb. Time before that they were going to sneak the children out for a midnight walk, all hundred and fifteen of them.)
Joonmyun ge is the resident physician. He really lives in the village with his wife, Miya, but for the most part they've been living on school grounds. Joonmyun ge takes his work in healthcare really, really seriously. Thanks to him, not only do the children get regular vitamins, so do we. I swear if you raid his house, you might hit upon the Ali Baba cave of vitamin tablets.
Jongdae is in charge of science. He's also in charge of having a really sharp tongue. When he's not busy putting people in their places, he's happily teasing the hell out of me. The nerve of that man.
Baekhyun teaches music. He managed to put together a choir and now they sing something new every other week. He thinks there needs to be less bombing and more singing, I agree.
Sehun teaches Geography to the lower forms and economics to the final two. He's the only one who teaches two subjects. He's also the youngest, but for me. He goes around with his poker face and makes all the older girls secretly swoon over him even though they pretend to hate him.
Jongin teaches ballet. He's a beautiful dancer. He should have been on stage if his family hadn't been so against it. They think he's teaching a "proper" subject here. We let them think that. They're too far away to know the truth anyway.
Chanyeol is the groundskeeper and the cook all rolled into one and he does a fabulous job of it, even if he does grin at everyone a little too much.
Tao is the last person on our staff. He takes care of the horses with the help of the older students and is their horseback riding instructor. He also teaches the good ones how to play polo. We have six horses right now, and with everyone excited to learn, I think it's a little too much for those poor creatures.
If you look at our building from the outside, you might be putt of by the austere blue and gray paint but we're really one happy big home for the children.
I'm told a new teacher is coming here tomorrow. He's been to some really famous art schools in London. You know how I like new people. I'm excited. I wonder if he's the prince charming of dreams... but I digress.
I must be off now, the girls need to be put to bed. Congratulate Donghae on his promotions and the new house. Let's have lunch soon,
Yours, a little hassled at the start of term,
Ahra.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
When I woke up today, I was excited for the first time in a long time. I was going to meet you. Someone new. I like new people. I like all people. I don't like you.
I should have known you were evil the moment you walked in and Kris ge introduced you. You, with your wide eyes and pleasant smile, I should have known you were too cute not to be evil. You're the Spawn of Satan for certain.
Kris ge said you were really qualified in art apparently, something about schools from London or something. I have to say I was looking forward to meeting you, maybe talking about London— I've always wanted to go there. Thank you for dashing my dreams about the perfect art prince.
I even took the trouble to wear my best formals (I used makeup after ages and gave everyone a heart attack). I hope it pleases your evil heart to know that I'm currently stomping around my room in anger (I shooed Jongdae away when he wanted to know if I had an ant infestation I was trying to rid myself of).
I've never lost my temper. Today was the first and something tells me, with you around, it won't be my last. I think people are properly scared of me now. No I'm not thanking you! I do just fine when people don't think I'm a she-gorilla on a rampage, thank you.
Thank you for pointing out every tiny bit of mistake I'd made all day. I should appoint you my personal secretary, and then fire you for the pleasure of it. I wonder if Yixing ge's psychology degree involves hypnosis, Kris ge seems like a gullible candidate.
Yes, I'm perfectly capable of handling the girls of all the forms by myself. I've done it for years now. No, I'm not too young. Yes, I could beat you black and blue if you asked me one more time.
You're horrible. I think you're selectively horrible to me, which makes you more horrible. I hope you trip and impale yourself on a penknife or something. In English we'd call that poetic justice, in my words I'd call it "pest control". If you don't die I hope you poke an eye out or something,
Yours thoroughly annoyed but angelic,
Cho Ara
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
It's been a week, a week since my perfectly sweet haven was infiltrated by your evil presence. Infiltrated thoroughly apparently. Everywhere I turn I hear "Do Kyungsoo, this" and "Do Kyungsoo that". I've only got to open my ears and I hear news about you supplied like some public announcement system. Why does everyone know your habits already?!
This morning, I was only trying to get my tea when I heard Joonmyun whispering to Jongin, "he has such cute cheeks... Don't you get the urge to pinch them?" I didn't hear Jongin's reply but it involved a lot of flailing and the breaking of a perfectly good cup. For you to turn the ballet teacher into an uncoordinated mess, you must be made of pure evil.
The students have caught it too, whatever it is that's plaguing the teachers. I have had to confiscate at least twenty chits about you and tell of plenty of students staring at you from the windows. Can't you take your classes inside? It's rather troublesome for me to keep rapping them on their heads.
I'd appreciate it if you could give me a little credit for the job I've done, not that I need it anyway but as you wrongly pointed out over lunch that maybe someone more mature ought to take over being form head, I'd like to tell you to go jump into a pit of cobras. I feel half done with life after our daily sparring matches. I don't know what possesses me to bother to reply. But every time you open your mouth to point out something, I feel the need to reply.
No I don't need your green advice in form management. Go manage your underwear drawer. According to Jongin, it's color-coordinated, not that I care for that information. I do care for his sanity though... It seems to be on the downside these days... Maybe he should be seeing Yixing ge,  not me. Actually, you need Yixing's expert counsel. Seriously. Or you need that pit of cobras.
Yours, sincerely building that pit,
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
I grudgingly admit, you live up to your degrees. I saw a half painted canvas in the gardens and asked Chanyeol whose it was— turned out to be yours. It looked enchanting, that bowered garden with vines and falling petals glistening in the sunlight, colored in green and gold and orange like everything was gloriously ablaze. I quite liked the nymph sitting in the tree, sadly they were untouched by paint. I wanted to see what she'd look like...
I don't know why you yelled at me though... You're the one who left it out in the open, and I just happened to pass by. It's not like I read your diary! Mind you Chanyeol witnessed the whole fight while he pretended to trim the hedges. If you wondering about the strange looks you were getting over lunch, that was what it was about.
I saw you studying the painting with Jongin while I was teaching Keats to the fifth forms. He looked pretty ecstatic, you looked a little happy too, I think. I note you don't really smile at me. I don't think I've ever felt quite so upset teaching my favorite poet. Not that I care to see your work. Or see you smile.
Yixing ge says I should admit my feelings somewhere and that denial can drive people crazy... so... Yes, it hurt me. It hurt me that you've known all of us for the same amount of time and yet you single me out to be horrible to... I don't remember doing anything to you...
I think I hate you.
Not really, I just really dislike the sight of you.
Yours, currently upset,
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
Today was the kind of day I look forward to in fall— cloudy, with a slight nip in the air. It's the perfect time for tea and curling up near a window with a book of poems, and losing yourself to the world. Thank you for killing that. If there was one person who could kill Christmas, it would be you.
As for today, I might remind you that the third and the fourth forms are my responsibility during school hours. Not the second. I don't mind watching over them in Minseok ge's absence, but for you to come marching into the teachers' room like a battle charged General and admonish me like a little child is ridiculous. I'm still waiting for the apology, which must come in a long sheet of paper with the words, "I am sorry, I shall not raise my voice to the great and capable Miss Cho ever again" written a hundred times and accompanied by appropriate groveling.
A normal apology would do too.
You just stopped and stared when I reminded you and then marched straight out. That's not normal... are you sure you don't need Yixing ge to see you?
Your fan following has increased. Luhan ge seems to have taken a shine to you. I can't believe he stopped coaching to talk to you— he NEVER does that! I've seen him finish a game through the news of bombing in the next town. I actually stopped halfway through reading a really nice poem on daffodils and stared, until a student reminded me. Thankfully you didn't notice. You might have yelled at me across the field. I'm a little terrified of you and to be fair you've given me enough reason to be.
I was hoping for one of the footballs to hit you in the head and knock you out. I'm sure Joonmyun would have been more than happy to be tending to you at the infirmary. I'm not sure if his wife should worry about his possible love for you or not... I wonder if he talks about you at home...
See this is why I call you the spawn of Satan to begin with. What kind of thoughts are those?! I'm not in the habit of wondering what people talk about to their wives but now I'm very curious. I might follow him home some day to find out and it will be all your fault.
Everything is your fault these days. Jongdae frequently asks after the ants in my room. I might throw him into the cobra pit with you, or not... Maybe something less venomous, it's only fair...
Yours, arranging for another snake pit, but it's all your fault actually,
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
Yixing ge says it's good to write these. I don't see the point of it. It's not like I could send any of these any way, but apparently it good to get my feelings out instead of keeping them locked up. It's true I suppose, I'd never be able to say these things to you otherwise.
Take for instance, what happened in that hour after lunch when the students of the fourth and fifth forms study in the library. My students and I walked the long way, admiring the trees with their leaves all in the colors of fall. We arrived a good fifteen minutes late. I admit it was rather indulgent of me to agree but I wish you hadn't punished the children, and then told me off for being irresponsible later. Who put you in charge?! I told you that I'd never let it happen again. What I wanted to ask you was that if you perhaps leave your nature appreciation outside with your canvas when you come in with your military airs and your stiff upper lip. Did you ever serve in the army? I'll bet you an entire box of the best cookies that you did; and they were terrified of you and happy when you left.
Chocolate is good for the children. We can't ration on that completely! What else do I hand out to the little ones when they miss home and the elder ones when they don't want to go back?! You had your way, supported by Joonmyun, who by lieu of being our doctor, had a final say. So good for you, you horrible man, the children don't have chocolate any more. Try bribing them with oatmeal. I'm sure it'll work. I hope the children mutiny and eventually barricade you in one of the classrooms... or outside the door, yes that sounds better. I hate you. I miss my nightly chocolate.
In the evening I saw you sitting on the steps with one of the little ones. She looked like she'd been crying. For a second I jumped to the conclusion that you'd told her off, until I saw you give her that sugar candy. Did you visit the village and buy a stash? She looked happy, that child, not because of the candy but because you were kind and you made her feel at home. I couldn't tell you this but I don't think you're all that bad, at least not to the children, and that's fine by me. Yes, Do Kyungsoo, I think you're alright as a person.
Some day maybe I could tell you what I think, instead of looking like a deer in the headlights, like Jongdae says I do. Till then,
Yours sincerely, preparing an angry speech,
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
Well, well, well.
How the mighty fall... and face the earth. Literally.
Finally one fatal flaw.
Apparently, Mr. Perfect cannot ride horses. People might think that's not really a big deal, and it isn't but trust me I took great pleasure in watching you try to mount that horse, and fail miserably.
I think I noticed it sometime while I was walking aroun class, making sure the students in the first form were doing their grammar work when I caught a sight of Rainbow. You might think it's a bit odd to name a black stallion, "Rainbow" but no one wants your opinion really. You should know, Rainbow is my favorite horse, so when he threw you off his back and into the mound of hay, I was secretly willing to buy everyone champagne to celebrate. I believe it's called "poetic justice"?  I don't remember how many times I happened to look out the window (I'm a busy person, I have other things to do) yet each time I looked out you were in some stage of falling off. I wonder if you managed to stay on the saddle long enough to catch a breath? You probably didn't, and that's great news. 
Small joys of the world come from unexpected places.
Yes I might sound perfectly mean saying any of that but it's the truth and I'd rather be truthful here than slowly lose my mind in denial. I liked watching you suffer. I wish the children hadn't bothered me with corrections so I could have watched some more. I saw Tao laughing nearby. I thought I was going to sleep happy knowing at least someone did.
Before lunch I was going to slip Rainbow some extra sugar cubes but then I saw you, sitting on a mound of hay, caked in dust and looking world weary. I pretended not to know anything, though I was really gloating silently. If you could hear my thoughts... I'd probably be dead. So I politely nodded and walked past, petting Rainbow's soft mane and giving him the sugar.
"Great, it likes you too," I heard you mutter.
"He." I snapped, and I probably gave you a good glare too. But then I saw the shafts of hay sticking out from your black hair and the streaks of earth down your shirt and I felt a little awful for being so mean.
"He's not used to strangers really," I explained, "if you like I could help you sometime?" The offer probably mystified you, given our established status as enemies now. Actually it was pretty evident from that raised eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Sure, it's no big deal. What about Saturday?" I meant it, it wasn't a big deal but I was honestly rethinking my decision and some part of me was hoping you'd decline my help with some other jibe at me.
"Thank you." I was waiting for the part where you decline the offer, but you walked away. You walked away and now I'm stuck teaching you horseback riding on Saturday!
What do I do?!
I shall be in Yixing ge's office for the next half a day trying to sort this one out.
Yours sincerely, ready to set up temporary camp in the counselling room,
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
Autumn rains are beautiful, with the dull gray skies, and the sudden need for added warmth. I can't believe I spent my first autumn rain with you. Alone. In the stables. With silence as our only form of conversation.
Weren't we supposed to be getting you to remain seated in a saddle for more than three seconds? I don't think we even got to mounting the stirrups before the rain set in and I decided to run Rainbow back to the stables. Trust the rain to ruin the one thing I'd looked forward to after my talk with Yixing ge yesterday. I was certainly mentally prepared to have the first hand joy of seeing you crash face first into hay, or mud, or both. Whoever the rainman is, he doesn't have my thanks.
So we waited, for heaven knows how long, rotting in the stables amidst the horses who were blissfully unaware of the steady descent into awkwardness by us humans. I doubt they'd understand at all. Do horses ever get awkward?
I don't believe I've ever seen a man who could glare holes into a bucket of water with his eyes alone. Are you quite sure you've never killed a person? You have the makings of a natural killer. That's a compliment, by the way, since so many killers have such weak dispositions these days. Absolutely unfit to be killers.
So we sat there in silence, nothing to hear save the steady drum of rain on the roof, the occasional snorts of the horses and my footsteps, going up and down the expanse of the stable. Would it have troubled you much to perhaps open your mouth and attempted at a conversation? I've never heard one as monosyllabic as you. If possible, you were more monosyllabic today.
"It's sudden rain we're having."
"Yes."
"I wonder if they'll come looking for us."
"No."
"I wonder why Tao doesn't keep food in here..."
"What?"
It was excruciating, not romantic like Jongdae hinted at. There is nothing romantic about watching a man kill a bucket with his eyes. Or breathing in horse scented air. But of course Jongdae doesn't care for logic like that. He's quite adamant to prove we had the most scandalous time in the stables, not agreeing to the logic that the most scandalous thing that might happen between the both of us is a handshake. Or murder.
You almost bolted out the doors when the rain slowed down to a drizzle after what seemed like eternity but should have been only and hour or so. That was mildly insulting. I should like to think of myself as good company. Not to you apparently.
Yours rightly insulted,
Cho Ara.
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ENGLISH ROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
24th September
Dear Tao,
I'm sending this through a little one because I have to run to class. In short, I think you need to look at better ventilation for the stables. It's stuffy and gets musty in the rains. I don't think that's good for the horses. If you're wondering how I know, I experienced life among the horses for an hour and a half during the rain. It's not hospitable. Maybe you should talk to Kris ge. He never says no to you.
Excuse the illegible letter,
Ara.
P.S.— is it possible for you to make a secret stash of food for anyone who is stranded in the stables? I look forward to the day I can be stranded but without the pains of an empty stomach.
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WHITEHALL ACADEMY
25th September
Dear Minah,
For the sake of my sanity, please do not send so many angry telegrams demanding to know why your letters have been going unanswered. They terrify me. I can almost envision you shaking my shoulders and yelling at me. I am a busy woman. The future of a hundred and fifteen young ones rests in my hands— or my English teaching abilities at least— and that doesn't give me much time to breathe.
A lot has happened since I've last written, and yes the new art teacher is here. Prince Charming, you ask? He's the perfect Spawn of Satan. I call him that in my head only because it might be rude to do so in front of anyone else. He's awful! Not really... more of a granite statue, that paints... he lacks feelings. Everyone loves him and I can't seem to understand why. It's difficult to hate the one person everyone loves. I don't understand why he singles me out to be horrible to. He's really detached from everyone, but it's only myself that he's downright mean to.
What does he look like...? Well he's not much taller than me, which is politely saying he's not very tall at all and that that's good because he's much too intimidating anyway. He has really wide eyes that remain half lidded for the most part and his coal black irises stare out from beneath them, smoldering everything in their path. He's pale and on the occasion that I've seen him smile, I think it resembles the shape of a heart that children so love to draw. For the most part he resorts to smiles that are mere upward tugs of the left corner of his lips and not much more. I wonder if he gets charged to smile. Which is probably why he doesn't. Or... He's an escaped felon with an art degree, using us as asylum. Ask Donghae to find out. Actually, I'd much appreciate it if you could trouble your husband to find out any piece of information about him. The more scandalous, the better. He's much too perfect to be real. But then again he's horrible so that's fine, I suppose.
As for what has happened since I've last written, we've had Jongdae's birthday, heard some good news about Minseok ge and I've gotten myself embroiled in a rather ridiculous scandal. Jongdae's birthday was a small affair, and I helped the cook bake him a cake. Do Kyungsoo was surprised to know I can bake. Why should anything and everything I'm capable of surprise him?!
Since I've already mentioned Jongdae and Do Kyungsoo, I might as well tell you of my scandal. It transpired to the teachers that the Spawn and I had been stuck in the stables for over an hour yesterday because of awful rains. Nothing, I assure you, could have been more unromantic than being forced to inhale the scent of horses while being stuck with someone who was busy incinerating a defenseless bucket with his eyes. Jongdae has been not-so-subtly hinting at scandalous happenings each time the Spawn is out of earshot. Why must I suffer?! If it's a scandal then so should he! Too many people have fallen in love with that man, I tell you. Too many people.
About Minseok ge, we heard he's engaged to be married next year! Which is great news because Minseok ge is a lovely person who deserves the nicest person possible. Unlike a certain other person who right now needs a fury from hell. He's too mean to nice people. Actually he might get someone nice and be nice to her. He's just pointlessly not nice to me— but I digress. I asked Minseok ge what she's like and he leaned back into his armchair with a soft smile on his face and a farawy look in his eyes and it took me all my willpower not to squeal in happiness over rthat sight. You can tell he loves her.
"Jung Danbi is one difficult woman," he smiled. It must be nice to call someone difficult affectionately and not out of pure irritation. "She's probably going to drive me crazy."
He really is in love.
She's apparently been to college and comes from a long line of professors, but chose to go against everything and become a field journalist. She sounds smart, and ge says she riles his nerves sometimes, but I know he loves every bit of her from the look in his eyes. Usually when I say a certain person riles my nerves I don't mean it the same way, contrary to Jongdae and Luhan ge's opinion. I have not been spared the slightest slip (no matter how far and few they are) since that man has arrived— any and all feelings, but annoyance, are out of the question.
Life at school is slowly settling down, soon I might have Kris ge allow us to keep a cat or two or maybe a good dog for the children. They feel so homesick at times and I was hoping we could cheer them up with something to look forward to. It will also teach them to be responsible, we hope. We being the Spawn and myself, since pets were our solution to the loneliness and homesickness problem. We're not really working together. The alliance is temporary. He's much too much of an army general. Well... I don't have a choice, Kris ge put us in charge of the thrity orphaned and abandoned children, since we were the only two who were going to stay on campus throughout the year, apart from Kris ge and Joonmyun ge. Apparently, a literary and an artistic mind would be the perfect combination to find solutions to all of the academy's pressing problems. I am now a permanent mother to thirty children. The responsibility is daunting.
When you're done settling in, I hope you'll come up to the village for lunch sometime. It'll be nice to catch up in person.
I hear a terrible commotion in the hallways and I fear Doomsday is nigh. I must go see. I hope this letter makes up for all the missing ones. Say hello to your smitten husband,
Yours happily,
with hopes to see you soon,
Ara.
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STAFFROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
25th September
Do Kyungsoo,
Ji Sungah fell down the stairs. Front teeth broken. Bleeding.
Dentist, immediately. Get the car. Come at once.
Cho Ara.
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STAFFROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
26th September
To,
The Headmaster,
Kris Wu,
Whitehall Academy.
Dear Sir,
This is an application for the reimbursement of dental fees paid for the student Ji Sungah, yesterday, the 24th of September, paid from the pocket of teachers, Do Kyungsoo and Cho Ara. The child in question had fallen off the stairway on the first floor and broken her top incisors. She had to be taken to the village to the emergency room with bleeding gums. The child is well now, under the care of Kim Miya. Enclosed within is a copy of the receipt, including the medicine bill. 
Thank you.
I remain,
Yours faithfully,
Cho Ara.
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SECOND FORM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
26th September
Dear Kris ge,
Only moments after I dispatched the application, I realized you might be in a flurry and since I may not have the time to visit you, I shall write this while my second forms write their essays and then send someone with this to you. Before I say anything else, Miya is taking care of the child. She is on a few sedatives to numb the pain but the doctors say she should be fine within a few days. I give her till today afternoon and then she'll be wrecking havoc again. Don't worry. She's in safe hands. She was in safe hands last evening too. Do Kyungsoo has  a superbly cool head in times of trouble. You know how queasy blood makes me... but I still tried to do my best in putting ice on her gums to make it numb. Once Do Kyungsoo arrived though, it seemed as if he'd been taking care of broken teeth all his life. I've never seen someone so calm in the face of a howling child. I wonder if that man is made of stone sometimes. Really, I do. Having said that, I could not have begged for help from anyone more capable for the task. Don't tell Joonmyun about this new-found talent of his. I'm afraid he might be permanently put to work in the infirmary. Joonmyun is much too smitten by him to begin with.
If you must know, I have come to realize that as the days grow shorter and shorter and the weather impossible to play outside in, the children are becoming restless. The their form children decided to play leapfrog down the steps and Ji Sungah was the unlucky victim of circumstances that could have hurt anyone. We must put an end to this. Kyungsoo-ssi and I talked about it in the car yesterday on our way back when Sungah was blissfully drugged asleep. We think you need to introduce something indoors for the children. Something that will exhaust them without putting them in danger. We cannot be running to the village with a bloodied child every other day! What will people think we do to our little ones?! Save your students, o wise headmaster. Your response is much awaited.
Willing to plague you with letters till you find something,
Yours lovingly,
Ara.
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STAFFROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
26th September
Dear Jonginnie,
Urgent news! In order to avoid any future accidents like last evening's, our illustrious headmaster has devised a plan to wear out the children, though I do believe the idea must be Haneul jie's.
Do you know ballroom dancing? You must! Or make it up as you go along! But tomorrow you must teach all our children how to dance. Two hours in the evening before tea in what would have been their play hours or after tea in what would have been their free hours. Do Kyungsoo and I are to list out at what time which forms will be in the hall since it cannot accommodate all hundred and fifteen and leave room for dance. Tell Baekhyun he has to play the piano or to stock up the record player with music.
Send in your quick reply with the child I send to you.
Yours, eagerly waiting,
Ara.
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STAFFROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
26th September
Do Kyungsoo,
Jongin and Baekhyun are both willing to devote their evenings in the pursuit of dance. Meet me in the library as soon as you end your classes for the day. Much work is to be done.
Cho Ara.
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
We had not had much of a chance to be alone since the stables and frankly I'm glad for it. We sit in awkward silences for the most part, communicating mostly while showing each other timings and such things. Even then must you have everything your way?! The third forms would have been better off with the first and second forms. But you disagree. So we have it your way, of course. Then you disagree on the music to be played. Is there anything we might agree upon? I forget, we agreed upon this— maybe we shouldn't have.
I will agree that we make a good team when we are not verbally having fist-fights. I do believe that we have a good arrangement. The library feels so empty since you've walked out. I don't mean it in the slightest nostalgic way. Only that perhaps we need to yell at each other less.
I feel like I'm starting to understand you more, unearthing the layers as it were and no matter how much we might fight, I will stand by my words when I say you are a good man. Except I'd rather not say it to your face. I'm not sure how I would say it or when I might— we need to stop arguing for me to say something like that.
I like writing these even though no one will read them, but I must go and pin the notice on the notice board before the teachers come in. I wonder if Jongin won't be the most exhausted person at the end of the day.
Yours, eagerly waiting tonight's first dance lesson,
Cho Ara.
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STAFFROOM, WHITEHALL ACADEMY
27th September
Dear teachers,
This notice is to remind you that there are dance classes today onwards for all the children, to be conducted by Kim Jongin the the assembly hall.
The following teachers please accompany the following forms to and from practice—
Before Tea:
First Form- Kim Minseok
Second Form- Oh Sehun
After Tea:
Third Form- Kim Jongdae
Fourth Form- Lu Han
Fifth Form- Zhang Yixing
Thank You,
Yours Faithfully,
Cho Ara
Do Kyungsoo.
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WHITEHALL ACADEMY
16th November
Dear Minah,
One... two.... three. One... two... three.
If you happen to come by our walls in the evenings, that's the only thing you might hear before and after tea. Don't worry, we're not turning our children into marching soldiers! This week, Jongin is teaching everyone how to waltz.
It's a new plan the Headmaster came up with to wear out the children who can't go out due to the steady torrent of rain. So every evening, the allotted time, the children are bundled off to the assembly hall to be instructed in the fine art of ballroom dancing. For the last few weeks, Jongin has been teaching the Foxtrot and Quickstep to excited young ones most of whom have never so much as whiffed the air coming from a ball. It's enjoyable to spend my evenings sitting by the piano, listening to the gramophone play lively music while the children laugh and giggle and trip over each other's feet.
Then, last week, some of the older girls, came up to me, one of them tightly clutching onto a cop of Pride and Prejudice and her eyes glittering with romantic dreams.
"Do you think we could get Mr. Kim to reach us how to waltz," she asked, her cheeks turning pink. How nice it must be to be so young and have no cares for anything in the world. So I asked Jongin, who looked equally, if it more, excited as the girls. So now, we are all pursuing the noble art of Waltz.
Art... speaking of Art... Would it surprise you if I say that the Spawn and I have called truce for a while? He doesn't point out anything and I try to keep out of his way as much as possible, except it isn't working out very well since Kris ge has now constituted a Students' Welfare committee and we're the only two who constitute it. So whether we like it or not, Do Kyungsoo and I are forced to work together a lot more than either of us enjoy. We don't talk much save the pressing needs of children and solutions to it. My evening hours have been consumed between supervising the dances and holding meetings in the library with the Spawn. Well, at least he appreciates my ideas in child welfare. You see, we have over thirty abandoned children here, with no family or relations to claim them. Some of them are in their final years now... and we wonder what to do with them after they graduate. How will we send them to college if they so wish? How will we send them off anywhere with nothing to support them with?
Do Kyungsoo thinks we should hold some sort of pre-Christmas show for the trustees, in hopes of showing off the skills of these children and hoping that they might open their hearts and wallets out to us. I think in addition to that we should invite the other parents and maybe they might be willing to give a little extra to support the not so fortunate ones. So now, before we close for Christmas, we shall be having a day for the parents and trustees who will be shown the academic and artistic as well as sporting skills of the students. Everyone is busy with something special for the day— we only have a month's time.
It has been for days since I started writing this letter. I barely have time to catch my own breath. Something rather... odd happened today...
Usually Jongin gives the children a few minutes break halfway through their dance rehearsals. Today Jongdae suddenly wanted to learn how to waltz and I graciously obliged. It turned out to be the worst mistake in all my years, far worse than the time we tried to pet a baby kitten while it's hissing mother was right beside. My feet still have blisters from all the stepping on my toes. He really is awful at it. Almost everyone was laughing at his poor ballroom skills, save me, who was wincing in pain and dreading to take of my shoes and look at my feet. According to Jongin, the waltz was something even a monkey with two left feet could dance.
"Fine then, let's see Kyungsoo have a go."
I don't know if this means that Do Kyungsoo is the equivalent of a monkey with two left feet or that Jongdae has sinister designs in his mind but at that moment my mind went blank from the horror of it all. One look at his face and I knew that the open challenge would be too much of a blow to his ego for him to drop.
So we danced.
I'm not sure what was happening, but we were dancing. To music. Watched by our fellow teachers and our students. I'm glad it did not last for long. It was most certainly awkward and one should not have to dance with one's enemy.
I shall finally end this letter, don't complain of myself forgetting you.
By the by, would you and your husband be interested in a little charity for Christmas?
Yours lovingly,
Ara.
•
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Dear Spawn of Satan,
You should have said no. NO. That's what you should have said. Damn you and your dammed ego. You should have said no because I can't possibly say no to anything!
I hated you. It should be socially unacceptable to be that close to the person one hates.
I hated you then, when you walked towards me and held out your hand, I hated you when you led me to the center and placed your arm around my waist and I hate that after a while we fell into a gentle pace without having listen to count the beats, in spite of being novices at the dance.
Did I tell you I hate you?
I haven't been this embarrassed in a long time. Not since I crashed into a table on my first day here. My ears grew hot with each passing moment and my heart drummed louder. My mind felt so blank after we stopped and everyone started clapping. I must have been terribly embarrassed.
I hate you for that.
Yours, ready to throw you into a pit of cobras with Jongdae because he deserves it too now,
Cho Ara.

She's the One

Kyungsoo takes another swing from the glass and lets himself bring it down upon the table with a bang. The incessant buzz of chatter and the constant boom of the subwoofer does little to drown the annoying voices in his head. He taps the glass against the countertop.
"Rough day?" Luhan asks, pausing to look at Kyungsoo's intent eyes before refilling the glass. Kyungsoo lets out a sigh, drumming his fingers on the mahogany in a sequence.
"Tell me about it," he groans, running his hand through his hair. Luhan pats his shoulders.
"Still haven't caught them then?" Kyungsoo shakes his head.   Luhan whistles. "I read they found another one dead? What's that now? Five?"
"Six...." Says Kyungsoo grimly. Luhan rubs his chin thoughtfully.
"It's kinda sick you know... killing all those women.... I guess you don't know if its a man or a woman. Is it even safe out there...?" Kyungsoo takes another swing, downing the rum in one gulp, the burn at the back if his throat bring tears to his eyes. He clinks the glass wordlessly with his nails. Luhan fills it up and moves to a woman sitting a little away. The said woman looks over at him and batters her eyelashes, simpering. Kyungsoo politely returns a tight lipped smile and takes another swing from his glass.
"Hello," he hears a murmur a moment later. Kyungsoo resists the urge to slam his head on the bar. The woman, in a voice that he is sure is three octaves lower than her normal, continues, "mind if I sit down...?" Kyungsoo gives a light nod of his head. She does, bending forward and Kyungsoo stares at his drink, as the neck of her red dress dips too much. He does not need this now. "You a cop?" His gaze drops down to the side of his trousers where his badge is clipped on.
"No, detective."
"Oooo," she bites her lower lip slowly, letting her teeth drag over it. "That's kinda hot." There's an increasing buzz inside Kyungsoo's head, whether from the rum or exhaustion, he doesn't know.
"Really now?"
"Yeah, I mean what woman doesn't love a man with a badge and a gun." She twirls her hair between her thumb and index finger. The headache is getting progressively worse as Kyungsoo tries to maintain some semblance of politeness while she tries his patience. The constant buzz in his head is now at the pinnacle of unbearable. Not now, he thinks to himself, I don't need this now. He flexes his neck and loosens his tie, while she takes it to be a signal for proximity and edges close enough to have their legs pressed together. The noise in his head can only be described as angry as she murmurs something about the recent killings. Kyungsoo doesn't realize when his knuckles have turned white with his death grip on the glass. She takes a moment to trail her finger down his arm and he finally snaps, crushing the frail tumbler in his palm. The sound of breaking glass barely makes any impression upon him. His senses have had a dull filter cast over them. Almost as if he's watching it happen to another person, he notes the scratches on the skin of his palm and the fragmented remains of the glass on the table as Luhan rushes forward to clean it up. The other patrons give him a wide berth as he rises with apologies, leaving behind extra money to pay for the glass.
"I could drive you home," he feels her fingers close around his biceps and the overpowering smell of her floral perfume.
"I'm fine."
"Or we could go to my place, it's closer..." She puts a hand on his chest, getting too close to his face. Kyungsoo screws his eyes shut and reminds himself to be calm.
"I'm fine actually, and," he adds, pushing he away to an arms distance, "I'm taken."
The night air is cold inside his lungs, he gulps in a few large breaths, realizing how stuffy the bar was, with breaths of hundreds of people amalgamated in the air. Fresh air was good. Being on his own feet again was not.
Every lamp post, every bush, every stone upturned turns into an obstacle. He swears the road is moving underneath his feet, causing him to lose his balance ever so offer and have his knees smash into solid concrete. This is not good.
The annoying sound in his head is overpowering now, along with his dulled senses and clouded vision. He finds himself staggering and briefly clutching at air before his knees crash into the pavement. He doesn't need need this feeling tonight. He counts his steps, hoping to distract himself, and somehow his body turns him into a lane that is not his own and he raps his knuckles on a door that doesn't belong to him, but yet not unfamiliar.
She opens the door, in a state of sleep induced dishevelment, rubbing an eye on a knuckle. Kyungsoo has to only run his eyes over the red lips and the watery eyes before he pulls her upward by the collar if her shirt and smashes his lips against hers. He pushes her back, ignoring her muted gasp as he moves his lips against hers hungrily, tumbling through the door. The door slams shut with a kick of his heels, and Kyungsoo vaguely feels the taste of coffee mix with the alcohol from his mouth as his girlfriend grips his shoulders, trembling from the suddenness and force of it all. He lets her go and she staggers back from lack of air, not yet wholly awake or aware, gasping for air.
"Ky- Kyungsoo?" She blinks. "What are you even—? Have you been drinking?" He raises his eyebrows at her.
"Didn't you taste the rum?" She makes a motion to smack his shoulders.
"Arrgh, why do I even bother?!" She watches him rub his temples and notices the cuts on his hand. "What....?"
"Crushed a glass... It's okay, barely know it's there." She sees the tired, defeated look in his eyes and softens her voice.
"Want coffee?" Kyungsoo nods weekly, barely able to keep the pain in his head under control. How many glasses has he had again? She offers him a small smile and turns to leave. His body acting on its own accord Kyungsoo wraps his arms around her and places a kiss on her slightly bare shoulder. This definitely feels more comfortable than the bar. She looks at him in surprise.
"Nice to see you too," she murmurs, detaching herself from him before she walks over to the kitchen. Kyungsoo drops down on the couch, and sits splayed across it for a while allowing the smarting from his right palm to become the focus of his attention, anything would be better than the constantly of a loud, irritating chorus inside his head. Clearly the alcohol had not done it's job. Something nags him at the back of his mind.
'She's the one.'
He starts at the thought. Raising himself to a proper position, staring into the kitchen. Her shorts are barely visible under the oversized tee, was it his?
'She is the one.'
No, he muses, she is not, and he doesn't need this tonight. He cracks his knuckles and grits his teeth. His hands are turning warm and clammy, his breath turns shallow as he looks over to her again.
'She is the one.'
He tries reasoning with himself. No, he loves her, it can't be her.... anyone but her.... This is not the way it is going to play out. He tries suppressing the anger bubbling up, flexing his wrist and then closing his eyes. He tries humming a tune to distract himself......?
The nagging in his head grows louder and louder  until he can't hide the frustration anymore and slams his fists down upon the table.
She hears a growl and a crash simultaneously, whipping around to see Kyungsoo with his hands on the table, head lowered. She notices his body shaking, as he takes ragged breaths and raises his eyes.
"Come here," his voice is so low, so gruff and so foreign that she shirks back in fear. His eyes darken and take on a carnal look. "Come here," he repeats, this time in English, speech slightly lilted. She wonders if she's done something wrong and then walks towards him.
Kyungsoo seems to tower over her as he glowers at her. She drops her gaze to his shirt instead, unable to withstand the ferocity. With a sharp jerk of her chin, he presses his lips on hers again as she chokes out a protest.
Damned be it all, curses Kyungsoo, as he runs his hands through her hair. She staggers backwards under his pressure, crushing the fabric of his shirt in her palms. The taste of rum still sits strongly on his tongue. His hand running over her the skin on her back causes her to tremble. In an intoxicated haze, he forgets his own strength, almost ramming her into a cupboard. She manages to break free for a second, lips a swollen pink.
"Kyung—"
He pins her to the glass, trapping her between his arms on either side of her head as she finds herself kissing him again, while his hands shift to her waist, gripping her thin frame so tightly it almost hurts her. He feels her shiver as he bites her lip, her hands curling around his shoulders. She feels his desperation, aware that for some reason he doesn't want to let go. She begins to shove at him, finally pushing him away when her air runs out.
"Jeez— Lord— Kyung.... soo...." She manages to choke out, repeatedly gasping for air. He straightens himself, and walks closer as she finds herself unable to move. He tucks in a stray strand of hair behind her ears and wraps his arms around her waist, burying his head in her shoulders. For a while she stands frozen, not knowing how to react and almost feeling him slip away, out of her  comprehension. His breath comes out in jerks over her skin and she gingerly puts her head on his shoulders.
"I'm sorry," he says, after what seems like an eternity. She pulls back, looking into his eyes, quailing under the anger in them. "I'm sorry you're the one...." She stares at him uncomprehending, as his breath ghosts over her lips. He reaches into his trouser pocket.
"I'm sorry."

Jongin catches up to Kyungsoo early next morning as both detectives get their early morning cup of coffee.
"They're calling it the Jack the Ripper of Seoul," mutters Jongin darkly, throwing the paper over to his partner. "Sensationalists." Kyungsoo casts a customary glance over at the paper before taking a sip from his cup.
"Any news from the office?"
"Nope... I hope we don't, I don't want to see another mangled body of some poor woman." Kyungsoo picks up the paper and opens it, scanning the news. His head feels much better. It was for the best, he argues, remembering the slashing and cutting he'd seen his own hands inflict last night, almost as if controlled by another. The blood had taken some time washing off. They would find another body alright, in the bath, eyes gouged out because he couldn't possibly take the betrayed looks she gave him.... That and the incessant begging, and pleading and incomprehension..... She didn't understand, she never did, not even when she was bleeding out, clutching at his trousers like it was some sort of lifeline. Kyungsoo sighs inside.
"That's Sehun calling," Jongin says, "please don't let it be another body...." Already? Thinks Kyungsoo. His tongue darts out and runs over his lips. Jongin utters a horrified gasp on the other side of the paper.
Oh well, at least the voices were quiet for now, and if they stirred again, he'd always find another one.

First Flame

Love stories. Luhan has seen plenty of them play themselves out before him within the walls of Nemo. He supposes it's only fair considering people and their romantic notions of a coffee shop. In fact he remembers the very first love story he'd witnessed. The boss and his girlfriend, back when it had been only himself, Minseok and their boss, Donghae. That was when Nemo hadn't even been known, it was just a small cafe tucked away between an apartment and a florists'.
Luhan and Minseok glare at Donghae.
"Are you a man?" Asks Luhan, crossing his hand before his chest.
"What the—?!"
"Are you," shoots Minseok. Donghae flounders and emphatically nods.
"Then today is your day hyung!" Luhan grabs him around the shoulders. "Today is the day. Today she walks in for coffee and walks out with a man— that's you by the way."
"What if she already has a man.....?" Pouts Donghae. Luhan shushes him.
"I'm not done with my speech! Today is the day when she walks and you wow her with your smooth words and your flawless smile— did you brush well?" Donghae glares at Luhan. "What? I was just making sure, you had better be safe than sorry. Anyway, so you're going to make her swoon and sweep her off her feet okay? You're the man hyung!! You can do it—"
"Hey isn't that her?" Asks Minseok, jerking his head head towards the door. Donghae utters a very high pitched squeak and makes for the kitchen door while Luhan grabs his collar and drags him down to the floor behind the counter. They hear Minseok say "one moment Miss, someone will be with you soon."
"Listen to me hyung!!" Hisses Luhan as they haunch behind the wooden counter, a fork almost takes Donghae's eye out as he jumps at the sound of Luhan's voice. "You're going to talk to her and you're going to do it today!!"
"I'll forget how to talk!"
"Aargh!! Fine!! Plug your earphone in! You'll seem cool, listening to music, BUUUUT I'll be the one talking to you. All you have to do is say what I say, okay?"
"And how will you know what she says?" Asks Donghae suspiciously.
"Seokkie will help with that, won't you?" Minseok's thumbs up appears behind the counter. "See, now hurry, plug in and call me!" Once the connections have been established, Luhan pats his hyung on the shoulders while the hyung in question suddenly had his throat turned into sandpaper and his IQ reduced to that of a jellyfish. "Go hyung!!" Says Luhan giving him a little push, but Donghae's body is so slack by then, he falls over and out from behind the counter, audibly enough for the girl under consideration to lift her head and give him a horrified look.
Donghae brushes himself off, scrambling to her, knocking a few chairs out of the way.
"Are you okay.....?" She asks, her eyes turned wide.
"What a klutz," he hears Luhan laugh.
"I can hear you!" Hisses Donghae. The girl raises her eyebrows.
"I.... meant for you to hear it....?"
"Oh yeah... yeah..." Donghae flashes her a nervous smile. "I'm fine, totally."
"Tell her you get hurt all the time while playing soccer."
"You get hurt all the time while playing soccer," repeats Donghae.
"What?"
"I— I mean I get hurt... hehe..."
"Oh... okay then... umm... what do you guys have today on the menu?"
"Ask her if she wants something hot like her."
"What the?! I can't say that!!"
"You— you can't tell me the menu...? Is it a surprise menu today."
Donghae sighs internally. There goes all hopes of a date, he probably sounds like a raving lunatic by now. Luhan would pay dearly after this. But he still needed the other's help.
"Something like that.." he says.
"Okay wow me!" She beams up at him. For a moment Donghae forgets how to form words with his mouth.
"Don't just stand there!! Tell her you could wow her in so many ways~"
"YAH!!" She flinches in surprise before him. "S-sorry I mean yeah, we could cook up something..." For a while he doesn't know what else to say, in spite  of wanting to say so much. She looks over the paper napkins with exceeding interest.
"Geez hyung don't just stand there, tell her— Oh. My. Holy. Gods. What the hell is that?!"
"Oh my holy gods what the hell is that...."
"What the hell is what?" She asks looking around her table in wonder.
"Get— get away from me!!!!!" Hisses Luhan.
"Get away from me....?" Donghae wonders what new tactic of wooing this is. She stares at him first and then rises, furrowed eyebrows and lips pursed.
"Look, uhh... I'll come back sometime when you're not feeling so repulsed by me," she says tartly. "I'll be leaving now." Donghae's eyes widen in horror as she picks up her coat and purse.
"Wait— no— I—"
"OH MY GOD IT'S A BEE!!!!"
Silence..... and then the whole cafe (which is not many people anyway) bursts into hellish pandemonium. Suddenly Donghae feels someone grip his waist tightly and feels a pressure on his back and he realizes that she has her head buried at his back, holding onto him for dear life. Luhan is, on the other hand, is backed up against the wall, fumbling for the door latch to the kitchen as he brandishes Minseok in front of him like a human shield all the while uttering banshee-like shrieks each time the bee moves on the counter.
"IT'S MOVING!!!! IT'S MOOOOOVING!!!!!"
"It's a bee Luhan it's SUPPOSED to move!!! Let. Me. Go. You oaf!!" Minseok tries to get out of the choke hold Luhan has him in to no avail. Some of the customers duck under tables. Donghae surveys the chaos, heart drumming from the person against his back and then yells—
"STOP IT! ALL OF YOU!"
There café quietens down to nothing but the background noise of the street outside. Donghae takes a deep breath, loosening her hands from around his waist and gently saying, "wait here, I'll be back, okay?"
He walks up to the counter and grabs a plastic up, placing it over the bee as he looks over at Minseok and Luhan.
"Luhan, let him go. Seok, throw this out, I think it came from the florists." He turns to the cafe. "Now if everyone could just please get back to eating, everything is okay here."
"Are you okay?" He asks her softly. She nods, as he picks up her coat and places it around her. "Can I get you something warm?" She looks into his eyes, her lips quivering a little and Donghae wants to hug her.
"No umm... I'll be going home..." His face falls as she picks up her dropped purse. "Will you be here tomorrow?"
"Y-yeah, I own this place," he laughs.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then...." She turns to go as Donghae's smile widens. Then she turns back and envelopes him in a bone crushing hug which he is too shocked to return. "Thank you! Okay. Bye." She runs off, leaving Donghae to walk back to the counter in a dragged daze.
"That's my man!!" Whoops Luhan as he claps Donghae on the back. "You got a hug and everything! Not bad~ You even saved my life from the horrid bee. I could marry you!"
"Bee....?" Echoes Donghae.
"Hey hyung, I got rid of the bee," says Minseok with a bright smile.
"Bee..."
"You were so cool! You were THE man! I mean did you see him Seok, all 'stop it, all of you'? She must have been— Hyung?"
"Oh my god....." Says Donghae and slips down to the floor, curling up in a fetal position.
"Hyung are you okay?!"
"Bees.... I don't like bees...."

Luhan snickers at the memory, watching his boss bicker playfully with his girlfriend over what the new coffee should be named. Donghae pinches her cheek after a moment and she laughs, swatting his hands away.
"Ewww... so much sugar," says Sehun, pretending to gag.
"Oh shut up, Hun," laughs Luhan, looking over at the couple again. "Don't be such a killjoy."
"Too much mush for me, okay?"
Luhan shakes his head as the maknae seats himself behind the cash register, texting on his phone. He sighs, looking over at Donghae share a latte. When would someone walk through the door for him?
_____________________________________________________________

A/N— to Ryukai, have a happy Hae :3
This is a part two to the Café fic for ChenMin, probably going to be more parts if I get ides.

Pluviophile

"There is a man up in the clouds darling, he's the kindest man I've ever known and if you're ever alone, he'll watch over you...."

Rain.
He watches her from above. She, who runs through the torrent of water, orange skirt blazing in the dull gray-green of moss and damp earth, not once stopping or looking for shelter. Then she pauses, turning her face skyward, allowing the drops to meet her skin. Her features relax into a small smile, as she lowers her head and carries on, no longer running, but slowing walking though the trees as her skirt trails on the ground. He doesn't follow her, but the smile remains etched in his mind.
He catches himself watching her again, as she sits in the marketplace, a basket full of vegetables and fruits, washing themselves clean in the rain. The apples pale before the red of hr cloak and hood. He watches her, fascinated by her lack of rush, lack of desire to keep herself dry. She looks skyward again, hood slipping off her head as the rainwater trickles down her face in little rivulets. He wonders what makes her so happy amidst the sickly cobblestones and hurrying cart horses.
Suho sits on his dark cloud and watches. He's watched humanity grow since it's creation, knowing them to curse and draw everything in as soon as he starts pouring the water down to the earth. Sure, there are the farmers, who can't live without him, but since the moment he was awakened to the present day, he has never seen anyone enjoy rain for itself.
Rain.
He wonder if it's allowed, for the immortals to visit earth and mingle with humankind. Jongdae flicks his finger next to him, causing the sky to burst into blinding white, purple and blue streaks. Suho doesn't notice. Jongdae raises an eyebrow in wonder.
"You want to visit the earth...?"
"Yes."
"Why...? That's Kyungsoo's realm..."
"Is it allowed, though?"
"I don't know, I've never really wanted to know..."
"Why do you want to?" Yixing's quiet voice sounds behind them. Jongdae looks but Suho remains unmoving, staring down to the earth. "She's a beautiful mortal," says Yixing, following Suho's line of sight.
"I just want to know... Just once, just one question..."
Jongdae and Yixing exchange glances. When they turn back, Suho is gone.

Rain.

She sits under a tree, sobbing, coat spattered with mud. The sky darkens a little, lightening flashing, electricity charging across the sky. She rises, feet shaking, and follows the path up to the road, eyes blinded with a concoction of rain and tears. There is a sudden drum of hooves on pavement and she feels someone pull her out of the way.
"Are you okay!!" She blinks, shocked out of tears as she watches the horse carriage pass by.
"I'm..." It's only then that she realizes her savior is a man unlike any she's ever seen before. She stares wide eyed at the milky skin and blonde hair, too perfect to be real. "...fine."She straightens herself out of his firm hold and takes a step back. "Thank you." She smiles at him. "You're not from here, are you mister...? I've never seen you before."
"I..." Just once.
"You must have traveled for miles then.... How are your clothes not wet?"
"I..." Just one question.
"Anyway, thank you for saving me, would you like to have cake? My mother makes the best cake."
"What... what is cake?" She breaks out into a peal of laughter, wiping the corners of her eyes. He's a little awed by the sound
"You're a strange one mister." The rain stops. She turns to go. "Are you coming?"
He looks at the sky once, and follows her.

Rain.

"Oh it's you again." She moves aside allowing him to enter the warm interiors of the shed.
"Hello."
"Hello. Passing by?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
".... why is it staring at me." She bursts out into laughter, clutching her belly.
"Don't be afraid, it's just a cow."
"It's looking at me suspiciously...."
"It's a cow! It can't get suspicious!" She watches him waver, then choosing to go stand in the farthest corner. He looks so very unreal amongst the drab interiors. "Would you umm.... would you like to come inside?  Mother made some fresh jam, you could have some for your journey."
Suho looks at her while she stares nervously at her feet, and picks up the milk pail next to her. Maybe next time he'd ask....
"Sure, which way?"
'Next time' becomes the biggest lie since the dawn of time. Three times turns into four, which turns into a regular occurrence till she expects to see him leaning against a tree or standing outside her house every time it rains. She never asks who he is, or where he comes from but learns to expect him each time the skies open and pour out. Then one day he asks her.
"My father...." She says, casting her eyes towards forest floor, "he used to love the rain... said the rain-man went thankless for all the work he did... at least that's the story he used to tell me when I was a little girl." She smiles at him softly. He returns the smile.
"Your father is a clever man," he says, "the rain-man doesn't get his fair share of thanks."
"Was. Yes... he.... went for the war and never returned home with the others...." Her eyes mist over and she pauses, pretending to straighten her apron. Suho's smile drops as he watches her clench her jaws and brush her skirt of the few raindrops from the light drizzle around them. She raises her head and looks at him, and for a moment he sees the fierce look in her eyes that he had seen from the skies. "I don't know where he is now... but someone needs to thank the rain-man now." She laughs and gently lifts her skirt to stop it from grazing the ground.
He knows, he knows now, but yes he's back with the next rain, helping her with berry picking in the forest while she talks of how tired her mother is with all the work. Suho stays even after it stops raining.
"Don't." Jongdae grabs his shoulders as he's about to leave for the umpteenth time. "Don't do this to yourself."
"Do what?"
"You're falling in love! Don't you see, you rain clogged cloud. No... you're already in love. You have to stop."
"I'm just..."
"She's going to die, and you never will." Jongdae spins him around to look directly into his eyes. Under his fierce glare, Suho feels an electric current run down his spine. "She has to live out her life, and she will die someday. Do you understand me. You can't go." But Suho's eyes are already earthbound.
"Just once more...." And he's gone. Jongdae growls in anger, and the skies are cracked open by thousands of brightly charged streaks.
She looks up, flinching at the multiple flashes of lightening, fearing for her life ask she walks to her house. There's another stab of light, this time closer and she breaks into a run.
"Get in here!" Someone drags her inside the cowshed.
"Who—?! Oh.... hello again...." Thunder growls a warning from above. Suho shuts the door.
"Hello." It's only then that he notices the worry on her face. "Is everything okay....?"
"It's awful weather… I hope it won't last long...."
"I thought you liked the rain..." She fidgets and sits down on a pail. Suho puts away the lily he's brought for her.
"I do... I love it...it makes everything new and fresh and... I meet you each time it rains.... But..." She twists the cloth from her skirt into little knots. He raises an eyebrow expectantly. "I'm getting married tomorrow." She barely meets his eyes.
"Married....? That's— that's great!! Congratulations!"
"Thank you... He's really nice..." Her eyes were still on the floor. "Will you come? I was waiting for you.... it's been months..." She looks at him finally, eyes lighting with expectation and a certain feeling he can't place.
'She has to live out her life...'
"I— I can't, I have to be somewhere else, sorry..." She watches him move to the door.
"Is this goodbye?" He stops.
"What?"
"That look in your eyes, I've.. I've seen that before. This is goodbye, right?" She stands up looking at him questioningly. He leaves the door and walks back to her.
"Well..."
"It's okay." She smiles. "I don't even know your name, or where you come from, just that you come each time the rain does, you're always smelling of it.... and you're so mysteriously dry.... and you don't even look real..." She trails away,looking at his face. He smiles down at her softly.
"I'll make sure it doesn't rain tomorrow.... have a happy life."
"You're strange mister," she says, like the first time they met, smiling as brightly as she could. Suho remembers the lily he has been carrying from her, tucking behind her ear and leaning closer. She closes her eyes as he kisses her cheeks. When she opens them, he's gone, leaving behind a lingering scent of the rain and lilies.

Rain.

Several years later, she sits in the rain, worriedly looking at the forest.
"Mama!!" She turns her head towards the high-pitched voice. "Mama!!" A little girl of six bounds towards her in the rain.
"Oh thank god!" She wraps up the child in her arms, then kisses the top of her head. "Don't you ever do that again sweetheart! I thought you were lost!"
"I was mama, but then a nice man helped me, just like the man from your stories!" She smiles down at the little one.
"Just promise me you won't run into the forest like that again. Did you thank the nice man?"
"Yes mama," she nods vigorously, pigtails bouncing. "I did and he gave me this,"  she says, then holds out a flower in her hands. Her mother stops and stares at the flower. It's a snow white lily.... Just like the one on her windowsill that hasn't wilted in the last seven years. Her child keeps chattering while she looks up to skies and smiles brightly.
He smiles back.

Thank you rain-man.

Barista Bashing

Stab. "Die..." Stab. Stab. "Die....." Stab. Stab. Stab. "Die!!!"
"Minseok!!"
All eyes land on Café Nemo's star barista, as the coffee machine splutters and spews drops of the dark liquid everywhere behind the counter. Minseok blinks. Registering the mess he has created for the first time. Usually it would be Tao, the new intern, who destroyed everything he touched. "Err.... you okay...?" Asks Luhan with an awkward smile, still keeping his distance from the other.
"Yeah...." He sighs, surveying the damage. Wiping the countertops, while Luhan takes over the brewing, Minseok glances up at the clock. Nine twenty-five.... a few more minutes and—
"Ooo la la~ Look at this mess~" A vein pops on Minseok's head as the sing-song voice plays out. He raises his head just enough to shoot a glare through his bangs at the man in the suit show as grinning at him.
"What do you want Jongdae?"
"Tut, tut, so rude, Kim Minseok-ssi. Customer. Barista. You're supposed to treat me like a God."
"You shoukd be the customer at a psych ward. I'll ask again— What. Do. You. Want. Jongdae?"
"One americano to go, extra sugar, a little stirrer and 'Lord Jongdae, Vanquisher of all Evil' written on the cup." Jongdae flashes him a smile, his eyes turning crescent and his cheekbones highlighted. Minseok grits his teeth and places a plastic cup with the coffee and stabs a stirrer into it causing Luhan to flinch. Jongdae's smile doesn't waver.
"Here," mutters Minseok through gritted teeth.
"Nope."
"Nope?!" Asks Minseok incredulously. Luhan takes a step away from him.
"Nope, you need to write something on that first."
"Take. The. Coffee. Or I'll personally vanquish you!!"
"It's americano actually. You should know that."
"Just take the damn coffee!!"
Luhan sighs as he watches the exchange. There was a time when Minseok was the go to barista. Not just for coffee brewed to utter perfection, but for friendly chatter and a smile that could turn even the most depressing of days around. Well, Minseok was still like that, except from nine am to ten am. Luhan still remembers the day it started, about a month back when Kim Jongdae, an IT expert from the office two blocks down, walked in and ordered fifteen espressos to go. He then proceeded to recite fifteen different preferences for each of the fifteen cups till Minseok had to stop him to take down the order, after which Jongdae made changes every now and then saying things like "Kyungsoo likes sugar.... Or doesn't he...?" and "Would it be rude if I get Jongin a tall black....??" or "No sugar in that one, sugar makes Joonmyun hyung lose his marbles." In all it had taken Minseok about half an hour to get everything down at the end of which, Jongdae had decided to cancel all the orders, saying his workmates might not like coffee after all and decided to settle on cookies for everyone and an americano for himself. That was the first time Luhan had seen him snap plastic coffee stirrers in two halves, but of course now it's something he sees on a regular basis. There are times when Jongdae just stares at Minseok unblinkingly and loudly announces that the barista has cute Baozi cheeks, then there are times when he messes up the sugar and ketchup sachets on realizing that it upsets an obsessive-compulsive Minseok greatly and then there are those when he comes up with generally nefarious schemes to get under Minseok's skin, much to his own glee, Minseok's annoyance and the widespread fear of the other baristas and patrons.
The next morning, Luhan walks out of the supply room to see Jongdae already flashing his cheekbone-accented smile at Minseok who was glaring holes into the other's head.
"Say that again." Minseok says, his patience growing thin.
"Bip bip.... Bip beeeeep bip bip.... Bip bip.... Beeeeep bip beeeeep.... Bip.... Bip bip beeeeep."
"In. English." Luhan flinches as Minseok snaps another coffee swirler between his fingers and wonders if his boss is going to notice the sudden rise in swirler consumption, but he's probably too busy with his girlfriend.
"Oh, I didn't know you didn't speak Morse. One caffe latte to go, extra sugar." Luhan watches curiously, as Jongdae scribbles something on a tissue and hands it to Minseok when he receives his drink and then walks off without another word.
"What's it?" Luhan asks, peering over the other's shoulder to see the tissue filled with dots and dashes.
"He's trying to piss me off, that's what," replies Minseok as he stashes the tissue under the counter and stalks off. "Someday I'm going to stab him very slowly with every stirrer I can get my hands on." Luhan shudders. Acquaintance with Jongdae has definitely turned Minseok over to the darkside.
The next day, when it's almost ten and Jongdae doesn't show up in spite of it being Tuesday, Minseok drums the counter impatiently.
"Missing the cheeks guy?" Asks Sehun, lazily chewing his gum, from the cash register. Minseok shoots him a glare.
"The what guy?" Asks Yixing, entering with a tray of cakes.
"The guy with the sharp cheekbones," says Tao, pressing his own. "Minseok hyung has a very volatile relationship with him."
"What on earth?!? Shut up Tao before I stuff you in the ov—"
He pauses, hearing someone curse very loudly, having bashed into a chair. A very disheveled Jongdae runs up to Luhan's side of the counter, leans against it panting and manages to say, "one tall black, high caffeine, extra extra sugar." Luhan raises an eyebrow but pours the coffee out from the machine, dropping twice the normal amount of sugar in it, and hands it to him.
"Busy?"
"Meeting in five. Gotta run, thanks!"
Minseok watches as Jongdae rushes out, without so much as a second glance at him. Sehun lets out a low whistle. Luhan looks at him apologetically and Minseok glares at him fully aware of his implications. It's only then that he remembers the tissue from the previous day.
"Is that Morse code?" Asks Yixing, causing him to start and drop the tissue which Yixing picks up. "Who do you like...?"
"What?"
"Who do you like...? It says 'I like you', so I'm asking if you like someone."
"I didn't write— wait!!! It says what?!?!"
"I like you...."
"I.... What the hell?!" Yixing stares uncomprehendingly, Luhan bursts out into a fit of laughter while Sehun pops a bubble and says,
"Ooo la la~"

On the following morning, Jongdae walks in barely able to stand on his feet, dropping into one of the stools before the counter rather heavily.
"You're early." Minseok hovers above him.
"Really....? I don't know what time it is...."
"About eight."
"Oh.... I've been auditing all night...." Jongdae looks like a small child, rubbing his eyes. For a moment Minseok wavers. But only for a moment.
"You could use some coffee."
When Minseok returns, Jongdae has just about dropped off to sleep on the counter, using a pile of tissues as his headrest. Minseok puts the cup down as hard as he can, enjoying the satisfaction of seeing Jongdae start awake and flounder for a moment. Jongdae takes the cup and takes a gulp of the liquid inside it— and gags.
"What the freaking hell is this?!?" The bitter taste spreads in his mouth. "Where's the sugar?!" He makes a grab for the sugar sachets, emptying one on his tongue, and a few I to his cup.
"That's double brewed coffee, all black, no sugar. And here's a tissue. In case you can't read the Morse in your current state, it says 'you jackass'."
"What does that mean....?" Mutters Jongdae, still shuddering from the bitter taste.
"It means, first, I'm going to pay you back for every moment you've tormented me, and then I'm going to maybe agree to go on a date. Enjoy your coffee."
If this were a movie, muses Luhan, there would be cheers and clapping as Minseok walked back into the kitchens and Jongdae would wear a goofy grin. This wasn't one though, and no one cheered because the cafe was still empty (though Sehun popped a bubble) but Jongdae had the grin on.

Look Me in the Eyes

Kyungsoo sits in his usual spot on the couch and waits. The sunlight filters in through the white drapes and casts a golden glow around the living room. His eyes brighten at the slight of a lithe figure exit the bedroom, yawning and rubbing his eyes. Kyungsoo smiles fondly at the other boy.
"Jongin ah, morning. Do you sleep well?" Jongin doesn't respond. He makes his way to the kitchen, setting kettle on the stove and taking cups out of the cupboards overhead. "You slept so late, you have to go for class." Jongin stares at the kettle a while and then whispers,
"I don't want to go..." He raps his knuckles against the counter and Kyungsoo tuts.
"You missed a whole week! Who's going to give you notes? You can dream if you think Sehun is going to. That kid pays even lesser attention than you!" Jongin sighs at the kettle.
"I'll ask Sehun for notes...."
"Didn't you hear me?! Jongin! Jong-In!!" But Jongin walks into his room, slamming the door and locking it. Kyungsoo curses, that kid was eventually going to suffer. He notices the gas and turns it off knowing Jongin would have forgotten about it. If there was one who could burn water, it would be him.
He waits for a few moments on the couch and then the bell rings, and rings once more. On the fourth ring when Jongin doesn't respond, Kyungsoo decides to call out to him but is beaten to the punch by whoever is at the door.
"Kim Jongin!! Open the goddamn door!!" Kyungsoo recognizes the voice as Tao's. There is the sound of pounding on the door as Tao continues to yell for Jongin. "Open the door you little— Aish open up or we'll break it down!!" There's a muffled yell of annoyance from Jongin's room and he emerges with a dark scowl, crossing the living room with hasty strides, knowing fully well that Tao could and would break down the door.
When he opens the door, Kyungsoo spots a glaring Tao and Kris leaning against the wall with a displeased look. Kyungsoo grins broadly at them from his seat. Tao pushes past Jongin and walks in.
"Ugh... Why do come in," grumbles Jongin closing the door behind them. Tao stands in the middle of the living room, arms folded across his chest, glaring at the younger boy.
"Why aren't you dressed for class yet?"
"I'm not going."
"Why the hell not?" Interjects Kris.
"You know why—" A flicker of understanding passes between Tao and Kris but Tao decides to interrupt.
"No we don't, so shut up and come on."
"No." Tao sighs and turns away. For a moment Jongin does a cartwheel in his head.
"Alright, let it be known that I gave him enough warning..... Gege." Kris nods and then both of them grab Jongin on either side and haul him off to his bedroom in spite of the victim's horrified screams. Kyungsoo sighs. The neighbors might call the police.
"LET ME GO!!! THIS IS ASSAULT!!!"
"Sure. Take off your clothes."
"WHAT THE HELL?! I'M SUING YOU GUYS FOR HARASSMENT!!! Also I haven't taken a shower...."
"Who cares, put on your clothes."
"YOU CAN'T JUST STAND THERE! LEAVE THE ROOM!!"
"Nothing we haven't seen before, now hurry up. Tao grab his bag." Kyungsoo snickers, under the facade of 'cool' Kris and Tao really did care for everyone. He looks at the kitchen and remembers Jongin hasn't had breakfast; so he takes out an energy bar from the secret stash he has in the cupboard and places it on the counter. Moments after he has shut the cupboard, Tao and Kris emerge from the room dragging Jongin in between them as the latter has the attitude of a defeated martyr.
"I haven't had breakfast people...." he offers weakly. Tao's feline eyes scan the room and lands on the energy bar.
"There, breakfast done." Jongin curiously looks at the bar and then at the gas before shaking his head. He gives into being hauled out, pausing at the doorway for a second to whisper, " Hyung annyeong" to the couch. Kris looks over at the couch and then shuts the door behind him.
Kyungsoo smiles at the shut door. If only Jongin looked him in the eyes...
Kyungsoo spends the rest of his day setting the room in order, throwing Jongin's clothes in the wash and keeping some ramyun packs within the younger's normal line of sight. He then sits and waits as he always does, humming songs to himself and looking at people passing by on the street. He laughs at a couple walking by, the girl swinging the arm of the much taller boy, both blushing but happy.
"Shouldn't you be in school??" He laughs but they don't hear him.
It's late evening before Jongin is back. He enters, flinging the door open, laughing like Kyungsoo hasn't seen him laugh in a long while, with his eyes creased into crescents and his whole body shaking.
But then he looks into the house... and stops.
He closes the door behind him silently.
"What happened?" Kyungsoo smiles. Jongin slips past him without a word. Kyungsoo's smile drops a little but he follows Jongin to the kitchenette where the younger grabs the ramyun and puts a water to boil.
"Sehun is an ass," he mutters after a while, letting out half a grin. Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow. "We went out to buy Chanyeol hyung gifts, and the idiot decided we buy hyung a hello kitty toothbrush, says we don't want to burden him and that he needs to keep his teeth shining for that creepy smile. I need to see his face when he opens it!" Jongin let's out a tiny chortle. Kyungsoo snickers. Sehun and Jongin could be very cruel when left to their own devices. Jongin begins to cut the packet of ramyun and then notices a drawer, to his lower right,  half open. He stops, and stares at the packets of ramyun poking out from it. Wasn't that where he had put them to begin with....? Taking a step back he checked top shelf. No, he had certainly never organized packets within easy reach. That had never been his style, it was more.... He takes another step back, now slipping on a dropped dishrag and falling backwards. Kyungsoo's eyes widen as he reaches out to steady Jongin and watches his arm pass through the other. Jongin manages to steady himself against a countertop but feels a cold shiver down his back. He looks around frantically behind him as Kyungsoo screws his eyes and utters a frustrated sound. Jongin moves to the couch and sits down on it gingerly, keeping an eye over his shoulder. With shaking fingers he unlocks his phone and makes a call.
"Sehun ah, it's me." Kyungsoo seats himself on the other end of the couch. "Yeah— No— Shut up and listen." Jongin eyes the kitchenette warily and continues. "There's something weird going on dude...." Kyungsoo rubs his temples with the tips of his index finger. "I mean for example this morning I could have sworn I left the gas on..... yeah but when I came back a while later it wasn't.... no, wait, and then there was an energy bar on the counter. I hadn't left that. When I came home there were ramyun packs on the top shelf.... Just like the way hyung used to leave them for me...." He looks past Kyungsoo at a photo frame behind him, with a picture of the two of them. Kyungsoo eyes it with a sad smile. "No Hun, I'm not losing my mind.... yeah I miss him, I really miss him. I wish he'd never gone on that blasted backpacking trip.... I mean hello!!! He's supposed to contact us every week!! It's been a month since we've even heard from him. I hope he's okay.... yeah I know, he has a right to his life.... I just want to know he's okay, that's all...." Jongin pauses to clear his throat, Kyungsoo rubs his misty eyes. "You'll do that? Yeah bring dinner... I don't feel like cooking... thanks...." He clears his throat yet again and then let's out a small laugh. "Sorry no, I'm not going sentimental on you, get over here fast you idiot. Bye." He grins at the receiver as he replaces it. His eyes wander over the room and come to rest on the picture.
Kyungsoo watches Jongin's eyes glaze over and his shoulders slump. He sees the other draw his knees up to his chest and rest his chin on it. If there was a time he had put his faith in Oh Sehun, now would be it. But he waits till then, watching the younger boy from a good distance, biting his knuckles to keep himself from pulling him into a hug. But finally he gives in and reaches his hand out gently to the tan boy's face, fingers almost grazing skin.
The doorbell rings. Jongin lifts his head and sighs languidly. Kyungsoo curls his fingers into a fist. He hears Sehun's boisterous chatter in the doorway. The agony of death suddenly hits him. He knows he doesn't belong here anymore, not with Jongin, no in this house, not in this life.... that mountain slop had been too slippery in the snow.... the drop too lonely. He takes a moment to look at Jongin's lean back. Then, he turns and leaves.
___________________________________________________________________

A/N- what can I say, KaiSoo!Angst is my lifeblood ~

Like

Kyungsoo likes her. He likes her a lot in fact. He likes lots of little things about her. He likes her short hair and the way it leaves her neck exposed. He likes to see her eyes grow wide and her lips turn round when she gets surprised by his presence. He likes it when she squirms as he gets closer, when she wants to say no but says yes anyway and when her cheeks turn an angry red. But most of all, he likes to see her run. He likes to see her run from him, knowing she can't escape and he can catch up to her each time. So he plays a little game with her every now and then.
"Go, you're free," he tells her the first time. She snaps her head up to the sound of his voice, her unseeing eyes lighting up as she scrambles to her feet. He decides he likes that look too. She takes a few steps forward before the shackles at her left foot become taut and she falls to the floor again.
"Such desperation," taunts Kyungsoo, while kneeling and unlocking her foot. Then lifting her chin to look at her face, he whispers, "but if I catch up to you after ten minutes, you're still mine." He pauses for a while before touching his lips to her ears and uttering, "run."
She shivers, throwing off his hand and scrambling to her feet again. She misjudges the doorframe and bashes into it. For a few seconds she hears a faint buzz in her ears before she takes a step outside her cell and bolts off into her darkness.
Of course it ends when, at the end of ten minutes, she hears, "hello" right behind her in the velvety tones that fill her with horror and dread. He wraps his hands around her waist and kisses the skin on her shoulders, a hint of cologne assaulting her nostrils. She stiffens. He laughs softly and leads her back by her hand. Her resolve shatters a little when she hears the click of the cuffs around her ankle and feels the cold metal touch her skin again.
So when for the nth time when he leans really close, lips grazing her skin lightly, sending jolts through her frame, and whispers, "run," she learns not to waste a moment, and bolts off, ignoring the rawness of her ankles as they burn, begging her to stop.
She stumbles through the first corridor, reaching to the end and feeling around for the door knob, shoving the door open roughly when she finds it.
"Nine more minutes...."
She counts in her mind. The room is familiar, she's been through her a few times before, so she carefully avoids the bed and then miscalculates. The side table stands in her way and she knocks it over, sending a China flower vase crashing to the floor with her. The sound twists her heart with fear and the fragments stick to her skin, leaving smarting scratches all over her arms. She feels a sharp sting on her cheek before she can raise herself, and then something warm trickling down.
"Shit."
She curses, having lost count of the seconds. She lifts herself up and then falters. How much more time left for her? Which way was the other door? She reaches out trembling fingers to the wall, feeling along it, hoping to chance upon the door. The paint feels cool and smooth beneath her fingers. The minutes tick by. She feels tears burning the cut on her cheek. The roughness of wood  appears beneath her touch. She fumbles  around for the lock, turning it with shaking fingers as she manages to get it open. Then, she tears through the darkness, ignoring the pain from crashing into everything in her way. Smashing into a solid wall stops her finally; reeling from the pain, as her legs give way and the blood pounds in her ears. She drags herself across the floor,  the throbbing in her temple increases with every passing second, becoming harder to ignore. Blood from her cheek trickles down to her lips.
"Not today.... Not..... today.... please not...."
There's a door by her side. Was this it...? She pushes against it. What if it was the one? It refuses to budge. She tries again, then again, and yet again, resorting to pounding and clawing at it furiously.
"Open dammit!!! Open! Open! Open!!!! Open please...."
She screams, letting out choked sobs. She tries to run in another direction, tripping over the edge of a carpet and falling straight into his arms. His tapering fingers close around her back.
"Still mine then?" She lets out a strangled sound before bursting into tears. "Did you hurt yourself again?" He brushes a finger across her cheek. She flinches from the pain and under the cold touch, curling her toes inwards but allows him to carry her, to his room this time, as someone dresses her cheek and arms and leaves.
"Does it hurt?" His voice hovers above her and she feels him tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
"No..."
"Liar," he snorts and lifts her chin up. He pauses for a second, looking into her blank eyes, before pressing his lips down against hers. She tastes a little of blood, and salty tears and mostly of herself, he realizes as he wraps his arms around her waist. There's no way he would admit to her that he ended the chase a minute short. She lets out an almost inaudible whimper as he bites her lower lip. He had to end it. She clings onto his forearms for support as he presses harder against her lips and she begins to fall backwards. He had to end it because she had made it to within ten feet of the entrance. Her back hits the bed. No he couldn't let her leave. After all he liked her didn't he.
________________________________________________________________

A/N: As usual I'm not sure what the hell happened but Kyungsoo did and well..... yeah.... *goes into hiding for the rest of life*