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neokids · 3 years

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Fortune's Fool: Act VII

Masterlist

Act VII

Tw: Lots of blood, character death, violence, murder, guns, knives, weapons, foul language, self-inflicted wounds, suicide, overall graphic content

In just a span of a few days, whispers have already spread. At first, it was only suspicions that it wasn’t something natural or a person but the bible repeating itself. People started to believe that it was something like 10 the plagues of Egypt, this time happening in Seoul.

Then people started to see things.

Couples who had their afternoon strolls reported seeing a slimy creature dive into the Han river. Some Viper workers said they had heard low growling and grumbling noises they thought came from the machines, but when they turned it off, the bizarre noises only grew louder. Fishermen who worked late at night reported to see silver flashing eyes in the water. Perhaps the most terrible “sighting” would have been near the Poculum. A customer was passing by with the intentions of having a drink late at night only to see a panting, struggling creature near the garbage disposal. It was unnatural for sure, the shadow it cast resembled nothing like the creatures and animals that walk the face of the earth today.

“It has eyes of the devil, mama!” Yeji heard the little boy in front of her exclaim. They were currently waiting in line to get hot buns from a fast food restaurant. Yeji watched the boy as he excitedly told his story to his mother, guessing he had heard it from a playmate. “The monster had a spine as sharp as knives” The boy added, causing his mother to look at him disinterestedly. There have been numerous deaths added from the original incident, causing people to speculate. But the more people talked, the more the truth has been twisted.

Yeji would have brushed off the rumors, ruling it as a way to keep children frightened when they were being unruly. But the fear people have been feeling is very real, their lives were in danger. There must be a reason to why people had started talking, speculating.

“Nonsense.” The mother scolded her child, as she fiddled with her bracelet. The mother was obviously scared as well, hearing her son's stories did not help whatsoever.

“They say it is like a modern day dragon!” the boy added, not even bothering to listen to his mother, “It attacks the gangsters at night when it smells their blood. It hides in the shadows, waiting for the perfect time, then boom! It attacks.” The child said, his hand motions accompanying his exaggerated story.

The mother could only look and sigh at her son, “It is not only the gangsters who are dying, nae adeul,” The mother paused, looking at his now terrified son. “No one is safe now.” She continued as she placed a hand on her son’s shoulder.

That’s one comforting mother alright,

The son suddenly stopped in his tracks. He looked at his mother, fear replacing the jolly expression he had before. “Am I going to die, mama?” The boy asked.

“Of course not.” The mother said in a defensive tone. She quickly got the two bags filled with steaming buns in front of her and left, with her son still quite scared.

Who wouldn’t be in a time like this?

As they left, Yeji couldn’t help but stare at their disappearing figures. A child, no older than five, was already worrying about whether or not he would live another day. A child like him should be worrying about what flavor of ice cream he should get, or what he should play with his friends. He shouldn’t fear for his life. How much time did they have left until the city of Seoul became nothing but a mass graveyard?

“On us, miss.”

Yeji snapped out from her train of thought to see a bag already in front of her, filled to the brim with steaming hot buns.

“Everything for the princess of Seoul.” The old baker said with a smile. Yeji took a better look at the place, then at the old man in front of her. The bakery was very old, to the point where you could see loose wires everywhere. The man in front of her was also very old, it looked like the bakery was all he had. The only reason why Yeji was here in the first place was because Lia wouldn’t stop bugging her about trying the famous steam buns in Hongdae.

“You have a family, ahjussi?” Yeji asked as she took the bag, the man’s face lighting up immediately.

“I do! I have a lovely wife I come home to everyday and five children! Two girls and three boys!” The baker answered as he perched his elbows on the window.

“I see,” Yeji paused as she took something out from her pocket, it was a red envelope with gold lettering. The man’s face grew in shock. “No miss Hwang, it is in the house! We have been affiliated with the Vipers for a long time now and I owe everything to them. Please it is okay.” The man said as he pushed the envelope back.

“No, please do take it. You have worked hard enough.” Yeji said as she placed the envelope in the baker’s calloused hands. With a smile, Yeji left.

As she browsed the streets of Hongdae, she couldn’t help but let out a breath of relief. She was relieved she was able to have a few hours to herself. She had just finished visiting the drug den her father had sent her to, and it was more boring than she thought. She expected a top secret lab, like the ones she would always see in movies. Only for her to be greeted with a smelly and sketchy apartment. When she had collected the money, the man passed it to her half-asleep, he too looked high on whatever he was on that moment. She had only been there for a solid 30 seconds and her duty was done for the day. Hongdae was filled with lovers taking their strolls, family spending some quality time together, friends on dates, and native weirdos too.

“The end is near! The world is going to end! Jeremiah 11:11! There is only one cure!”

Yeji grimaced as she tried to quickly pass the man. She tried to cover her face in hopes of not getting seen by the shouting man, but to her misfortune, the man had locked his eyes on her. The man started to head her way as she quickened her pace. She thought he had lost the man following her, only for him to suddenly jump in front of her.

Does this man not know who I am?

“Salvation!” The man screeched, causing Yeji to freeze in her tracks. The man flailed his arms in the air, as if he was waiting for someone to pick him up. “Spread the word of salvation, miss!” He exclaimed as he took another step towards her.

Yeji was quick to back away, she was getting weirded out by the old man, “I’m not that religious, sorry.” She decided unsure on what to say, the man’s eyes suddenly grew wider until it could pop out from his socket anytime.

“The doctor can give us a cure.” He said. “I’m not quite sure a doctor has found a cure yet,” Yeji said carefully.

“The doctor saved me!” The man further added. This time, Yeji wasn’t sure if he was referring to doctors, or a particular doctor.

“Hey you know what, a doctor saved me too.” she said as she placed her hands on her hip. “I was like what, seven years old?” she continued, amusing herself now. “I bumped my head on my mother’s picture frame and let’s just say she was worried more about the picture frame.” She said, remembering it like it was yesterday. “Ever since then, I started eating apples.” Yeji said as she looked at the man, waiting for him to catch her joke.

“Because you know…” She trailed off, the man only looking at her in a blank manner. “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away!”

The old man only stared at her. He looked at her like she was speaking some sort of foreign language no an on earth had ever heard of.

“Corny joke?” Yeji asked, speaking Korean a bit more slowly for the man to understand. “Come on, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? Come on, I deserve a chuckle at least.”

The man groaned and stomped his foot, signaling for her to take him seriously.

“The doctor is only one person.” he hissed, his face contorting into a weird facial expression Yeji couldn’t quite figure out. “A person of great passion. He gave me the cure and I am now immune to this madness. An injection! I am supposed to be dead! When my friend had clawed himself and lay dead next to me, I should have been next! But I am here! Alive and well!”

Yeji took another step back, one she should have taken before the man had started talking.

“Good for you,” Yeji said, thinking of an escape plan. “But I, uh, have places to be.” Before she could turn around, the man had already grabbed her wrist.

“Salvation!” The man screamed, “Only the doctor could bring salvation!” She quickly jerked her hand back away from the man as she hurried off.

She took sharp turns every now and then, making her route in a dark alleyway. She passed by groups of men who seemed like they were all ready to kidnap the next person they see. She passed by men throwing knives at each other, she also passed by a group of women aiming their guns at each other, but she was not scared. She was in her territory, she was above all.

Just as she was in the middle of another alleyway, Yeji immediately stopped to the feeling of a cold metal pressed against her neck. She knew it wasn’t a threat of any Viper, no Viper dared. Her mind ran wild, thinking of all the possible people who would try such thing,

Until a familiar voice had said: “Don’t make a sound. Keep walking, and I won’t shoot.”

The feeling of uncertainty immediately was replaced by the feeling of rage. Did he really wait for Yeji to enter an isolated place? Until she was far from the crowd? Did he really think that would work on her?

“You don’t know me as much as I thought you would.” Yeji said quietly, maybe Jeno didn’t know her at all when they were still friends. Maybe he never really cared to know about her. Maybe he just agreed to be friends to get information from her, and he did.

“Walk,” Jeno demanded.

Yeji stood still. As she planned, Jeno thought she was scared and so he eased the press of his gun against her neck. She slowly brought her hand to trace Jeno’s gun, her sudden caress took him by surprise. From his gun, her hand trailed to his own. Touching his long fingers, to his prominent veins. Her touch was light and held no danger whatsoever,

Or so he thought.

She whirled around, faster than Jeno could even process. In a blink of an eye, she had already slapped the gun from his grip causing it to drop on the floor somewhere. She had bent his arm in a way no arm should be bent. She had him quickly pinned to floor, her legs on both sides of his hips with a knife pressed to his throat.

“Let’s try this again, shall we? Like normal civilized people.” She breathed. Jeno too was trying his hardest not to breathe too much, or else his throat would come in contact with the knife. His dilated eyes narrowed at her, as he took a breath.

“Normal civilized people?” He mocked her tone, his voice a bit raspy. “You have a knife pressed against my throat.”

“You had a gun pressed against my neck.”

“Does it look like I have a choice? I’m in your territory.”

Yeji glared at him as she pressed the knife further into his skin causing a drop of blood to appear.

“Stop! Stop!” Jeno flinched. “I’m sorry.”

With one quick motion, Yeji could have sliced his neck open. She had been dreaming of this for four years, she was almost tempted to give it a try. Although she was fighting all thoughts she had of killing him, one thought had crept up in her mind.

Jeno still smelled like he used too. He smelled like smoke and mint, with a hint of his perfume. Noticing this particular detail made Yeji think how possible it was for everything and nothing to change.

“Well go ahead then,” Yeji prompted, “Explain yourself.”

She could feel Jeno trying to fight, but with one press of her blade, he would stop. She could track his every movement just from the tip of her blade.

“I needed information,” Jeno managed.

“Surprisingly.”

His eyebrow arched, “If you let me go, I could explain.”

“Well let’s see…” Yeji said, pretending to think. “How about no? I prefer if you explained like this.”

“Oh, Yeji”

Click.

The sound of someone pressing the trigger echoed all throughout the alleyway. Yeji looked to her left to see the gun she had disabled a while go still in its position. She looked back on Jeno to see him smile, his smile was almost mocking.

“Did you really think I would only bring one?” He asked in a teasing manner. “You don’t know me as much as I thought you would.” He added, mocking her. Famous eye smile a contrast to his actions.

The feeling of cold hard metal suddenly touched her waist. It was as if the gun had started to burn through her clothes and made its imprint on her skin. With no choice, Yeji had to remove her knife against Jeno’s kneck. They both stood up and in unison, put their weapons away.

“The man who died in the Poculum,” Jeno began as he dusted his polo shirt. “Do you remember his mismatched shoes?”

Yeji rolled her eyes, she couldn’t believe she was actually having this conversation with the Jeno Lee, then nodded.

“I found the other shoe in the Han river the other day, the same spot where the first men had died,” He continued, “I think he was able to escape, only succumbing to the madness the next day, in your club.”

“Impossible!” Yeji denied, “What kind of science is–”

“This is no longer in the fields of science, Yeji.”

Her hands had quickly balled into fists, bunching up her blouse in the process. Jeno was really on a whole other level of stubbornness when he was focused on something. She let out a sigh as she closed her eyes,

“What do you want?” She asked, opening them again to see Jeno’s serious expression.

“I need to know whether or not if he is indeed the same man. I need to see his shoes, see if they match, if they do, this madness might be even contagious.”

Contagious,

Meaning to say that the man who had died in her club, his blood spraying in a room filled with her people, might be infectious. If that was the case, the Viper Gang is in huge trouble.

Yeji’s panic started to kick in.

“Maybe they were in some type of cult,” Yeji suggested without much persuasion. “Maybe he didn’t want to be apart of whatever they were doing, only for him to decide that he actually wanted to a day later.” But she had seen the terror of the man during his last few moments, he couldn’t speak but his eyes told everything Yeji needed to know.

Oh dear God she knelt beside the man, looked him in the eyes, and asked him what caused it. What were the chances of her getting infected?

“You and I both know that something’s not right here.” Jeno said, breaking Yeji’s small panic attack. “By the time this has alerted departments, many more innocent people will have died.”

Jeno accidentally realized what he had said, causing him to fall silent. Yeji stared at him for a while, her gaze blank, void with any emotion.

“As if you care,” She said quietly, almost inaudible. But he still heard her. “About innocent people dying.” She looked away from him in case he could see the slight water in her eyes.

Every muscle in his body tensed.

He inhaled sharply, “Fine,” he paused, “My people.”

Hearing it from him definitely felt worse. She let out her breath she didn’t know she was holding and turned around.

“Move.” She said, walking away. Only this once would she allow herself to help him, she needed the answers too. “The morgue closes in a few hours.”

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jd-arts319 · 5 years

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Academiaverse

In this series is where najverse & collegeverse takes place!!!!

while the characters are the same the plot is changed!

in this is that there are two prestigious Academy,one is once called the lightvale Academy now is Underhigh,the principal Toby wants a normal school life so,all the students whore normal ordinary highschool style & life despite their school is pretigious.

however their rival Academy is different

the delta Academy once called the lumiscent solitaire Academy,they kept the academia style but they lived a normal highschool life,however they are seems some secrets that both Academy didn't know except.....

#3rd series of OV&SV#

Chapter 6:the parents & the kids

__________________

With the parents~

While the teachers are doing Their time,meanwhile In a cozy neighborhood,two unexpected couples woke up & do Their daily routine.

In a beautiful light indigo blue & purple house,there are two skeletons having Their breakfast,one was on a couch was a hybird dragon skeleton,sitting as he was just woke up from his peaceful slumber smelling a splendid scent woke him up.

Meanwhile another Skeleton,almost a cyber organic,was making a two cup of warm coffees as a last thing he done for the breakfast he made.

He heard a certain Skeleton woke up from Their slumber & he chuckles & says"glad you finally woke up,sleeping beauty~" he chirped up.

The said "sleeping beauty" made a irrated whine at the statement & said"shut it mecha,I just woke up*yawns* where the kids?" he asked.

The cyber organic skeleton known as mecha wraith says"already way to school,you look peaceful when you are sleeping while they get ready,seriously though you worry me,kin" he chuckles as he brings Their breakfast on the coffee table as the Skeleton known as kin muse,sits on the carpeted floor as mecha sits besides him.

Kin then said"I don't really thought sending our kids to Our old school was a good idea to begin with,I mean is fine is just...." mecha saw this & he knew what he was talking about,he softly sighs & says"kin,is ok they will be ok they can handle Themsleves,I know is hard of what happened to all of us back then but we are still here,having a normal life again..."

Kin then says"I know but still geo.....he....?!" he was stopped at his sentence by mecha hugging him,he blinks for a moment then hugged back,while mecha says" I know....is ok he can handle it" mecha pulled away & nuzzle his forehead,while kin's tail flicked softly at the action.

Mecha then says while smiling"c'mon let's eat,we got a day ahead of us!!! Sides we should See what the others up too for this pass few months! Honestly it's been awhile" he says as he starts munching on his buttered toast.

Kin softly grunted while trying to keep his flushed face down & he eats his waffles,thinking "maybe it's a good idea to see others,i haven't seen beats after the departure we had after we had the kids,maybe I should talk to him & see how is he doing" he thinks as he eats another waffle.

Meanwhile with the kids

A bunch of highschoolers are walking towards outside,as they talk about their daily lives.

The highschoolers are bunch of freshmans while some are either 2nd or 3rd year students.

One was a teal haired cyber organic named geo,he was a freshman year with his sister giya,while his Lil brother ampel was in his middle school year.

Another student,was following behind him was feral,he is the child of firefly & Brute,childhood friends with geo & his sister along with ardent or his real name chasm,chasm was another freshman & the child of abyss & ganz along with his Lil brother drift whole dash is with ampel & bezerk.

These four had been together since childhood because of Their parents being family friends.

Another bunch of students came this time they are the 2nd years,one was from the echo Academy named ari dreamzy,she was a 2nd year student & the school's perfect with her friends lux lumiscent & malachite Druzy,she was talking with two solitaire students named Cordelia & lynnsyl,the two are also 2nd year Students.

In Underhigh

The four,Di,jester,lavender,& faith is another class,history with nightmare.

Lavender was not listening,Di is daydreaming,faith is wiring down what he said as he as jester.

Later the three chatted when nightmare left,jester is scribbling on one of his other notes,while waiting for the teacher to come back.

Meanwhile with the parents

When mecha & kin got out of the house & goes to the old place where they used to go back then,when they had gone through their first time knowing each other.

They got into a small cafe shop on the beach side named echo fragments,they got inside as they looking for a seat they heard a fimiliar voice called out.

"hey guys over here!" Both looked at the other side to the cafe & saw brute & firefly along with V & abyss & ganz there.

Both mecha & kin goes to Their table & mecha greeted"hey guys,it's been awhile! How are you all doing" he greeted happily as kin sat down besides brute while mecha sits besides with firefly.

V then spoke up & said"we're doing fine,we just got busy a lot now due to being a parent & having work took much of our time" firefly says"bummer,we could have time to try & get the stressed out of our system but it seems the time isn't the right place on the right time"he says as he stretches,abyss chuckles amusingly & says"true I suppose,with me taking over my parents work with ganz is hard to take breaks though" Ganz then hums in agreement.

Kin then looks around looking for someone,V saw this & said"hey don't worry he'll come Around our lives busy for a little while so he'll probably be busy" kin sighs as he leans back.

Brute just pats his shoulder & says"HeY, I know the feeling of wanting to see the person they care for,believe me I'm already silently praying for dezor to come too" he says.

Then all of sudden a soft yet deep voice called out"kin?" all seven flinches in suprised when they heard the voice,when they looked at the entrance,they we're schocked to see a taller ver.of beats standing there with dezor his side.

Mecha rubs his eyes sockets & says"beats? Is that you?" he says shockingly beats nods awkwardly,kin stood up & calmly walk up to him & says"you grew taller than me now"he says fondly & beats just straight up hugged him while dezor comes up to brute who hugged him as well.

Both dezor & beats got in Their respective sits,all of them starts talking about Their lives & what they do now.

In the Echo Academy

"you sure you'll be alright?"asked by a female anthropos marine being named endine towards a vampire squid named stellar.

Stellar then said"will be fine auntie,sides cliff will be Their as well as ava & his brother Novia"he says cheerfully.

Endine looked a bit doubtful but sighed & smiles,then said"alrighty! Just be good & don't do anything stupid or I'll pound you,got it!" she says firmly yet softly to stellar.

Stellar sighs & said "alright,whatever you said auntie",endine then said"I mean it"

Stellar laughs & says"alright,alright geez!" he says as he hugged endine who also hugged him back & says"well I'll be going now! Bye auntie!".

Endine waves him goodbye as he joins his friends,who he started a conversation with.

Stellar then says"hey guys what do you think we do around the start of the year of our first high school life?" he asked,cliff then answered"I don't know but I suppose we should it for ourselves then" he says as he adjust his messenger bag,while ava said" eh,I think we will be fine as long as we don't do too much damage in the school" he laughs nervously.

Facts:

Some of the last name came from Their creator's username.

Dezor lived with beats,who worked at the echo Academy now.

geo is connected to kin's & mecha's time together in highschool

There was a incident that happened in the school called the twilght acadamey where all the parents of the kids goes to back then.

Mecha is like a organic cyber,looking like a organic Grey colored skeleton but he is run by cyber/tech magic,that means he can still crashed & reboot like error.

kin got most evolve in a incident had happend around school

firefly & Brute had gotten together the same way as mecha & kin but differently,because firefly is Brute's personal therapist back in highschool.

stellar was my adopted oc,who I turn into a vampire squid.

Endine is genesistale undyne(my Au)

Cordelia,lynnsyl,ari are 2nd year Students with lux & malachite(my ship kid)

Lux & malachite are in a relationship like Michiru & haruka from sailor moon

Kin still act himself but when it comes to his kids,he shows immense worry for them especially geo since he was evolved in the incident beforehand,he also shows affection towards mecha when they are alone or with Their friends with no one watching(it's awkward)

Bezerk,dash,& ampel are middle school years & are in 8 gr.

Novia is 2nd year depsite his brother,ava is older,he had his first year while his brother was homes schooled.

_______________

Geo,giya,stellar,ava,Novia,feral,bezerk,chasm,drift,dash,malachite,endine belongs to me

Kin,ampel @bun-bunmuse

Mecha @wolf-wrathknight

Brute,dezor @clacy2812

Firefly @waterdragonangel

V @hammie-heart

Beats @phaunicier

Ari @sweetzdreamyzblogs

Cordelia @smp1123

Lynnsyl @cutecountingcc

Lux @jakei95

Cliff @domino-doodles

Noted:be advised I just did this after my writers block was gone for a minute so yeah I tried sorry if something was off....qwq

#undertale #oc #undertale au #original & stableverse #inspiration #undertale aus #academiaverse chrono chapters #academiaverse chronos #fanfics #genesis/neoverse #chronoverse #archiveverse

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insywrites · 1 year

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welcome to my storehouse ♡

Hi~

My name is Insy and I write kpop fanfic au stories as a hobby. ♡

Here’s a little introduction about myself:

♡ filo | early 90s line lols

♡ exo ot9, rv ot5, nct ot22 (+ future neos that will be added in nct)

♡ my biases are kyungsoo, seulgi, jaemin, renjun, taeil, taeyong, chenle, johnny, ten and hendery.

♡ i write fluff, angst and slice of life; my stories tends to be a bit of cliche because i’m more comfortable writing that kind of story and most of the time, i do base my plots on songs/movies i love.

♡ my updates are uncertain (lols) because since this is a hobby, i only get to write in the pace that i am able to and am comfortable with, so head’s up hehe

♡ my main characters are mostly exo, rv and nct but i sometimes write about nct dream x aespa and nct dream x itzy

♡ we all have ships that we prefer, so i would like to ask for respect in whomever ships i write. (ship responsibly!) if it’s not your cup of tea, please do not continue reading (◠‿◠) ♡

(っ＾▿＾)っ soc med: twitter | ao3 | curious cat

(っ＾▿＾)っ story masterlist: here

xx insy~

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neokids · 3 years

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Fortune's Fool: Act II

Introduction

Cast

Act I

Act III

Act IV

Act II

Tw: Lots of blood, character death, violence, guns, knives, weapons, self-inflicted wounds, suicide, overall graphic content

There was actually no point in hiding,

If anything, Jeno should be the one walking away. Yeji was safe walking on the grounds the Vipers ruled over, Jeno was not. All eyes were on him as he stood in the middle of the Poculum, which was Viper territory. Everyone was ready to whip out their guns to shoot the heir of the Neos. No one cared about his status or high rank, he was in Viper territory and he was a Neo, he was at the bottom of the food chain. Anyone, Viper or Neo, could easily recognize him. His tall and muscular figure with his jet black hair and his dark eyes, no doubt it was him.

Jeno had lost sight of Yeji or where she was. Everyone in the bar had stilled as Jeno made his way across the club. Business men stopped their conversations, girls stopped flirting with the merchants, the merchants stopped drinking just as Jeno passed their tables in hopes of finding Yeji.

Meanwhile, Yeji had to stop and lean against the wall in order to maintain her composure. She stole a quick glance to see that Jeno was as clueless as a lost puppy. In that moment, she had wished for one of the gangsters to shoot him right then and there. It wasn’t bizarre for a random gunfight to begin at the club, in fact it would be more bizarre if a night or day had passed without a random person dying in this club, it was just how things went in Viper territory.

Yeji started to walk closer to him, forcing a lump in her throat to stay down. Fighting every instinct in her body to kill him right there and then. Damn these new shoes.

Just as she was close enough, she reached out to touch the sleeve of his leather jacket. “Hey there big guy.”

Jeno turned around to the all too familiar sight in front of him, a young woman dressed in Viper colors. The scene felt way too familiar for him. His lips parted to say something, but nothing came out. Yeji arched her eyebrow higher, a sign for him to continue what he was supposed to say, yet nothing came out from his lips again.

The thought of him, standing in the middle of the club, in Viper territory, surrounded by Viper associates, in front of the Viper heiress, suddenly registered to him, and it was as if a bucket of cold ice had been dunked to his head.

“Yeji,” Jeno said way too easily. A name in which he had not spoken for so long suddenly rolled out of his tongue as if he said it everyday. A name that if called by any other name would smell as sweet. A name only unique to her.

Jeno cleared his throat. Based on Yeji’s look on her face, they were no longer on first name basis. “Ms. Hwang, how long have you been here in Seoul?”

Bold of you to assume I ever left, she thought to herself.

That was partially true. Although 4 years back she had moved to California, her mind still wandered here. Seoul was her city, her life, her kingdom. Seoul was all she grew up knowing and serving. She has been preparing all her life to finally rule this city, she could never leave it for some other town. She was ready to die and sacrifice her life if it meant that the people of Seoul would stay safe. She couldn’t bear any moment away from this city.

And it was all your fault

“Not for long but do forgive me for asking Mr. Lee, what are you doing here?”

Jeno was the reason Yeji had to leave Seoul, for Yeji’s safety and to ensure that nothing would happen to the heiress of the Vipers. Now that he was in her territory, the audacity to show his face to her after what he had done, nothing would have felt better than sticking a knife straight to his heart.

“I need to speak to Lord Hwang,” Jeno said as if asking to speak to a longtime friend, “It is urgent.”

Yeji stepped closer, her dress wrinkling at the side since she was gripping it too hard. She looked at him from head to toe, judging the way he entered her territory as if it were his, as id they were still friends. She took a deep breath and looked at him in the eyes once more.

“I see how urgent it is if you have come all the way here.” Yeji said while arching her brow. “But that urgency has to wait for Lord Hwang is handling international affairs as we speak.”

Jeno looked at her, puzzled. That was not the answer he was hoping to get. “Speak to me instead and I’ll try to pass the message. Speak, Lee.” The way she had said his name was as if it was the nastiest curse in the Korean language. To her, it felt foreign, speaking his name after so long.

“You don’t have to worry about anything spreading, Lee. You can trust me, right?”

Her vexing tone was one thing, but her icy and cold stare was another. They were the last people the other would trust, and it should remain that way. It should always be that way.

But whatever Jeno needed, it was serious. He didn’t argue.

“Can I talk to you?” he said in a much more quiet voice. Yeji let out a puff of air and turned on her heel. She didn;t even bother to wait and see if Jeno was following her. He was. Jeno made sure to keep his distance from her. It’s not everyday you encounter someone who has been waiting 4 years to kill you, it’s better to take caution.

Yeji stopped right near the dressing room of the performers. The place was more secluded and less chaotic, if anyone were to die right now, no one would even notice. Yeji turned around to see Jeno right in front of her. She crossed her arms and started tapping her foot.

“Well, get to it then.” She sounded rather impatient, she didn’t even bother to hide it in her tone.

Jeno scanned the place, looking if anyone was listening to them or if anyone followed him. He lowered his voice to an almost inaudible sound, Yeji struggled to hear him and struggled she did. There was no way she would come any closer to him.

“Last night, at the dock near Han river, 6 Neos had died.” He said carefully.

Yeji looked at him as if he said the most stupid thing she had heard.

“And?” Yeji was getting impatient. She coudln’t believe Jeno really came all this way just to tell her that his men died. And?

I hope you were one of them

“And,” He added rather defensively, “Two policemen and two of yours.”

Strange, Yeji thought to herself. Surely if a Viper death had occured she would have heard from her cousin who claims he knew everything and everyone. She tried to recall a mention of any death yesterday, but her mind was blank. It was a little weird to find a crime scene that involves both sides to end up dead. One side should’ve walked away bragging, not ending up dead. Still a matter like this was very unintersting for Yeji, Jeno could sense her walking away at any moment.

“Do you know anything about it?” Jeno asked, hoping to get some sort of answer.

“Are you serious?” Jeno was taken aback.

“What?” He asked, not sure why Yeji was reacting this way. A few years back even if a dog died that was owned by a Viper would cause Yeji to cry for days, and now she was standing here as if Jeno was telling her the most nonsense story she had heard.

“I said, are you serious?” She repeated, this time sounding rather more annoyed than she was when they first started talking.

“I need an explanation, does your father know anything about this?” He said as he stepped forward towards her, she took a step back.

“I already told you, my parents are abroad right now handling business affairs. Also why do you care so much about what happened last night? It’s not like you don’t see crime scenes on a daily basis.” Yeji said leaning against the wall while rolling her eyes.

“The cause of death was all self-inflicted.”

What? Yeji looked at him to see if he was messing with her. To her dismay, Jeno’s expression was rather solem and mournful.

“No gunfight nor violence was initiated by any side. They all had self-inflicted claw marks at their throats.” He added.

Yeji looked away with a scoff. 10 people, with claw marks on their throats, lay dead on the port near Han river? Yeji swore that was a plot of some old shitty Hollywood movie, and he expects her to believe and find him an explanation? Well I’ll be damned.

“We can not help you.” Yeji said firmly.

“If you know anything Ms. Hwang, I’m sure it would help to know what had happened that caused them to die like that.” Jeno persisted. It was obvious that he was getting irritated with her already, they were getting on the same level.

“Two of your people had died and–”

“We will not help nor cooperate with the Neos.” Yeji cut in, her face rather showing a much more hostile rather than an annoyed expression. “I will say this once and I won’t repeat myself again so you better listen. Even if my father knew something, I would still not tell you even if you begged. I do not care if any information my side knows can help and solve whatever you are stressing about. You and I both know the last time we had told each other information from our sides that it did not end up pretty. So if you have no more matters to discuss, I’m afraid I need to end this conversation. A pleasant day to you sir.”

Obviously, Yeji wanted him to leave and never come back, yet he remained where he stood. Yeji couldn’t stand any other moment with him so she decided to leave. Just as she was making her way towards the exit, she heard Jeno whispered rather sadly, “What happened to you?’

What happened to me?

Yeji could have said anything right now. She could have said the same words she had been preparing herself to say for the past 4 years when they finally meet again, she could have said anything that she felt or anything she could have thought of in the moment. She could have reminded him what he had done to her before she had left for America, putting the blame all on him. She could have said so many things right now, but she said nothing.

Just before she was out of his sight, a deafening scream echoed all through out the club. A scream so loud, it was heard above all noise, making everyone and everything in the club freeze.

“What the hell is happening?!” Yeji started to move to the center of the chaos, but right as she was about to weave her way towards the crowd, a hand had grabbed her arm, making her stop with a burning feeling where his hands were. Things may have changed over the past years, but his touch still set a burning sensation to her.

“Don’t,” He warned Yeji. His tone was on the calmer side, as if implying that he wouldn’t care if Yeji listened or not, but his eyes told a different story. Filled with pleading and caution. If you please just listen to me this once.

Yeji has never jerked her arm from someone so fast, it was as if she indeed got burned. She was on fire, no doubt her eyes didn’t fail to show what she felt when she looked at Jeno. He lost the right to care or even protect her.

She tried her best to weave through the crowd currently going into panic, trying her best to ignore Jeno’s persistent presence trying to stop her. Just as she was close enough, she saw a man currently rolling on the floor, going insane.

He started clawing at his own neck.

“What is he doing?!” Yeji exclaimed as she took a better look, “Well what are you all doing?! Somebody do something!”

But the man was already too far gone. He had clawed enough for some muscle to be exposed, blood already starting to seep to the floor. The man kept scratching and scratching as if there was something there that only he could see and feel, his nails dug deeper and deeper. People watched the man’s ragged breaths slowly decrease, until nothing could be heard at all. It was deafening.

People halt in their tracks, not muttering a single word. Everyone far too scared to even make a single move, they could only stare at the violent sight in front of them.

A sight of a man who had gone insane, causing him to collapse and violently scratch his neck, until the soft muscle was scattered all over the floor.

Then what once was a scene so quiet, quickly turned into a scene of chaos.

People started panicking and screaming, getting as far away from the man. They started to push themselves, causing the others to trip and lay next to the man. Soon enough, mass hysteria had began.

“Mr. Lee you need to leave right now.” Yeji said, facing Jeno who was right behind her when the scene unfolded. Yeji had waved for two Viper men to come and clean up the mess, they didn’t verbally complain, but their face said all. Yeji almost fired them on the spot, how dare they for complaining to do their jobs, until she had caught a glimpse of Jeno frozen like a Greek statue, not leaving.

“You have got to be kidding me.” She rolled her eyes, her attention turned towards the two Viper men mopping the floor, “Please show Mr. Lee the way towards the exit? Please?”

The two men looked at each other, then looked at the Neo heir. Their faces had contorted into a weird, almost psychotic way. It was the moment they have finally been waiting for. They immediately shoved Jeno roughly infront of them, causing Jeno to lose his balance and almost lay next to the dead man.

“I said show, didn’t I?” Yeji said, causing the two men to look completely confused.

“But madam, he is trespassing and he is not welcomed–”

“Why can’t you understand?” Jeno cut in abruptly, nodding towards the dead man and back towards Yeji. He looked at her and only her in the eye. Pretending that no one else was present in the room, not even the two men behind them, not even the dead man on the floor. At that moment, it was only as if Jeno and Yeji were there. “This is what exactly happened to the Neos and the Vipers last night!” He pleaded just for her to try and listen to him.

But with a swift move of her wrist, Jeno was quickly dismissed. The two men shoving him towards the exit. Jeno couldn’t afford to fight back. Considering how lucky he already was for leaving the Poculum with no blood dripping from his body. Yeji knew he couldn’t fight back, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t dare.

Just as he was gone from her sight, only then did Yeji take in the scene in front of her. Turns out, the man wasn’t dead afterall. He was muttering something. She knelt forward to listen to his words, but a feeling of nostalgia came upon her.

This was exactly what the picture was like 4 years back. Her kneeling to a pool of blood already staining her dress, beside a dead–well in this case, dying person. She glared at the place where Jeno last stood, as if he was still there. She then glared towards the door in where he had been escorted out.

She knelt closer to the man in hopes of finding out what he was saying, “Oh dear heavens above, what in Lucifer’s–” Mr. Liu apparently never left and here he is peering over Yeji’s shoulder, too scared to come closer.

“Shut up.” Yeji said in attempts of figuring out the man’s last words. She had focused so hard that her background was starting to blurr, the hysteria fading slowly, until nothing but the man’s words were heard.

“Goemul, goemul, goemul, goemul”

Goemul? A monster?

“What monster? What monster are you talking about?” Yeji tried to tap the man in order for him to regain his consciousness, but with one last look at her, his eyes fell dull.

Now this time, he truly was dead.

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neokids · 3 years

Text

Act IX

Masterlist (read previous ones here!)

Act IX

Tw: Lots of blood, character death, violence, murder, guns, knives, weapons, foul language, self-inflicted wounds, suicide, overall graphic content

“You know what, I think he’s faking it,” Jaemin said as he nudged the corpse with his foot. “He looks asleep or something, I don’t know.” he added as turned to look at Haechan.

Haechan immediately rolled his eyes, it was already obvious that the man was long gone. The man already turned gray, not to mention his fingertips were turning black, he was also cold as ice. Haechan couldn’t tell what was worse, the two of them in such close proximity with a dead infected man, or Jaemin’s sense of humor.

“Your paintings could wait, you know?” Haechan sassed, “Besides, Jeno specifically told us to be the ones to do the inspecting.”

“I think Jeno is a pathological liar,” Jaemin replied with a huff, “He just can’t find it in himself to look at dead bodies with us.”

“Just shut up,” Haehan shot back, patience running thin from all of Jaemin’s whining, “You’re distracting me from said task.”

The sun had just risen an hour ago, yet the streets of Seoul were already bustling with activities. The fishermen were already at the boardwalks finishing their nets, students already walking to their schools hand in hand, couples already having their morning breakfast, and alas here stan Jaemin and Haechan inspecting said dead bodies.

Haechan frowned as he kneeled towards the corpse in the hidden alleyway. As per usual, they were assigned cleanup duty. That same cleanup duty also included paying and bribing any policemen from trying to pick at whatever they were doing. Jaemin crouched down as well, not to inspect the corpse, but to further bother Haechan instead.

“Distracting you?” Jaemin asked as he raised a brow, “If anything, that’s actually good if you ask me. I’m distracting you from the morbidity of this all.”

“Last time I checked,” He looked at Jaemin with a bored expression, “I didn’t ask you anything. I would thank you if you actually helped me.” This time, it was Jaemin’s turn to roll his eyes.

“I am helping you,”

“Whatever. We need to identify these bodies before we go back and report everything to Jeno and–By God are you listening to me?!” Haechan snapped when he saw Jaemin completely ignoring him. He was counting something and looking at someone, before Haechan could see who Jaemin was looking at, he immediately turned his attention back to Haechan.

“Six people, Donghyuck.” Jaemin said as he looked at him with solemn eyes. “Another six people have died, how the hell are we supposed to identify said people when–”

“Shut up,”

“No I won’t shut up because I–”

“I said shut up, look,” Haechan said as he spotted a strange black object near the corpses. “It’s the same insect we brought to Kun’s lab.”

The discovery made Jaemin instantly shut up.

“Oh fuck no,” Jaemin said as he sat against the wall, holding his knees close to his chest.

Along the cracks in the cement of the road, you could see black dots everywhere. At first glance, those black dots could easily blend in with the gravel. But just like how collectors could detect a minor defect in their collections of thousands, the moment Haechan laid his eyes on the cracks, he knew those insects weren’t supposed to be there.

“It’s the exact same,” he said as he picked up one of the insects and showed it to Jaemin, who instead of whining or complaining, just grimaced upon the sight.

“Do you remember Daegal?” Jaemin asked, still not letting go of the insect.

“Of course,” Haechan answered as he remembered Daegal. Daegal was their dog who had died when they were kids. It was strange when they found out she had died, not a speck of blood anywhere to be found. Haechan was cut off guard from the sudden change in topic, which was not bizarre of course when it came to Jaemin. Who knows how long that guy could talk about something for so long?

“Do you remember when Lord Lee first got her?” Jaemin continued, “Do you remember how much we let her outside? How much we played with her?”

Jaemin was trying to get at something, but Haechan still didn’t know what. Haechan could never understand how people like Jaemin converse with other people on a regular basis, so random and all at once.

“Yeah, no one wanted to bathe her after every time we played. She had caught so many fleas that they were already jump–”

“Knife,” Jaemin motioned to Haechan, “Give me your knife.”

Without missing a beat, Haechan immediately tossed his knife to Jaemin. He crouched closer to the corpse as he sliced the knife straight across the corpse’s hair. When the piece of skin fell limply on the ground, Jaemin and Haechan leaned closer to examine the corpse’s scalp.

“Now that,” Jaemin said as he desperately tried to find the right words, “Is disgusting.” Haechan continued.

The scalp revealed many black dots on the corpse, it was the home of the said insect Haechan was holding a while ago. The skin was raised, causing many black bumps to bulge from the first layer of skin. Haechan’s scalp itched just by the disgusting sight in front of them. This caused Jaemin’s grip on his knife to become tighter. Damn his curiosity.

He slowly sliced another two lines from his original incision, with his blade, he gently pushed at one of the raised bumps. Jaemin hesitated, he held his breath. He was expecting for the worst, but as he pushed harder, nothing happened.

“Go on,” Haechan said, unsatisfied with the result. “Give it a pull,” Jaemin looked at him to find any signs of teasing, but he was dead serious. “You, you must be joking”

“My hands are full, Jaem.”

“I fucking hate you.”

With his blade, he cautiously inserted the knife between the slit. Jaemin was dreading pulling his blade out, so with a nudge from Haechan, he had no choice. After poking around, he withdrew his knife. Only causing hundreds of black dead insects to splatter all over the ground, they went silent.

“Who would have ever thought,” Haechan said, breaking the silence. “We might have discovered what’s causing this madness.”

Jaemin immediately threw his knife and stood up, afraid that he himself might catch the said madness. He wanted to get out of there and he wanted to get out of there fast. “Let’s go,” he said, panic lacing his voice. “I’m sure this piece of information will gladly satisfy Jeno, let’s go.”

“We still need to identify the bodies,” Haechan countered just as Jaemin was already walking away from the scene. “I don’t care, and surely Jeno wouldn't either when he finds out what we found out.” Jaemin said, turning around to face Haechan, he was already a few steps away from the latter, and he had no plans of coming closer.

“Let’s. Go.” He said as he motioned for Haechan to leave. Haechan had no other choice but to follow. The two walked in silence, mostly because Jaemin was still irked to his core and Haechan was still thinking about the previous scenes.

“Who were you looking at?” Haechan asked, Jaemin was confused. “Huh? What do you mean who was I looking at?” Jaemin asked as well.

“Huh? A while ago when we were inspecting the corpse you looked like you were looking at someone,” Haechan said as they came to a stop. “Who was that someone?”

To be really honest, Haechan never saw Jaemin look at something or someone like that in his entire life. He looked like he had seen a living saint or an ancient artifact, all hope in his face that he had ever had in his life was present. Haechan never saw Jaemin look as hopeful as he did a while ago. He would have figured that maybe if they weren’t so occupied at the moment, Jaemin would have easily sprinted towards the person.

“Ah,” Jaemin said, looking away to look at their surroundings. He looked uneasy with the slightest hints of regret. “A family member?” Haechan asked.

Jaemin only grimaced as he looked at him, “Seriously, a family member? You know damn well all my family members were burned to ashes.”

“Well then who was it?” Haechan asked, hoping for a better, a more solid answer.

“No one,” Jaemin said as he continued walking, “Just somebody who I thought I used to know.”

#jeno mafia #jeno mafia au #jaemin mafia #jaemin mafia au #yeji x jeno #yejeno au #nct dream mafia #nct dream mafia au #haechan mafia #haechan mafia au #itzy mafia #itzy mafia au #dreamzy #dreamzy au

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neokids · 3 years

Text

Fortune's Fool: Act VIII

Masterlist (read the previous ones here)

Act VIII

Tw: Lots of blood, character death, violence, murder, guns, knives, weapons, foul language, self-inflicted wounds, suicide, overall graphic content

They walked in an uneasy, tense silence.

They weren’t awkward– In fact, they would have preferred that instead. It was because of how Yeji was keeping her pace up with Jeno trailing five steps behind her, keeping his distance. He needed to keep his distance to avoid being seen, even worse, being seen together. Their situation felt way too familiar, and the last thing Yeji wanted to feel towards Jeno was familiarity.

Yeji mustered up the courage to glance at him as they were threading through the busy streets of Hongdae, when she looked back, he was already staring at her. He quickly arched his brow and turned his attention to the shops they passed.

“Careful, don’t trip.” He warned.

Yeji threw him a glare only for Jeno to stay oblivious, his attention still directed to his surroundings. She forced herself to keep her gaze straight ahead, she knew that any form of obliviousness from him was just an act. When they were still friends, nothing would go unnoticed by Jeno Lee. He noticed and pointed out everything. She once knew him more than she knew herself, able to predict his every move. That is until, when it truly mattered.

It was a scene like this, when the sun had just started to set and the moon was just about to rise, was when Jeno and Yeji would meet up to see each other. The busy streets were just about to die down, people rushing home to their families. People were so occupied with their own concerns that they would fail to see a Viper and a Neo, together. Yeji could feel her whole chest tighten as she remembered those moments with him, she exhaled a sharp breath into the night, hopefully shaking her mind from these thoughts.

“Are we there yet?”

“Calm down,” Yeji said, refusing to turn back in case he could see her expression in the dark. “I’m not leaving you.” She suddenly stopped as she realized what she accidentally had said.

Back then, Yeji didn’t know who he was, but Jeno already knew her. When Yeji first tripped in front of him, he already knew. If it wasn’t for the bright violet ribbon on the top of her high ponytail, then it must have been her distinct Hwang features. When he helped her get back on her feet and as she turned to leave, Jeno had reached for her hand.

“I’m here every afternoon, same time.” He said with his eye smile, “We can ride our bikes together, if you’d like.”

Yeji let out a laugh as her fingers slipped from his hands, “We shall race then!” she yelled, as she started riding her bike. “Only if you don’t fall!” He yelled back, causing Yeji to turn his direction and stick her tongue out, causing little Jeno to laugh.

She would later find out that the kid she was riding her bike with was actually Jeno Lee, heir of the Neos and the son of their greatest rival, but she would find herself coming back to him everyday. Yeji remembered asking why he had helped her in the first place, he revealed that because it was his first time making friends outside of the Neos. For months they had flirted, carefully balancing the line between friends and enemies. Both knowing the consequences if they got caught, but neither had the heart to leave the other. When they rode their bikes near the Han river with the sun setting in the background, they were just Jeno and Yeji, not Jeno Lee and Yeji Hwang, heirs of their gangs. It was funny how just a name could prevent them from being something more,

They fell in love.

At least Yeji did

“Yeji!”

Yeji stopped, she gasped as she realized she was just about to step on wet cement. If she had been a moment too late, she would have been a living statue. Jeno pulled her back instinctively, causing her to look at him. His facial expression was sharp and cold, except for his eyes, they never lied. His eyes were filled with concern, caution, and certainty.

“Let go of me,” Yeji glared as she jerked her arm away from his grip. “The hospital is near, hurry up.”

Yeji had quickened her pace more, but of course Jeno was quick to follow. Her arm burned from where he had touched her, the feeling lingered but she refused to take notice of it.

The futuristic building stood tall, “We’re here.” Yeji announced in an agonizing manner, “Keep your head down.”

As if he didn’t hear anything, Jeno looked up at the grandiose building in front of them. Yeji briefly glanced at him and she immediately felt the blood boil in her veins. He stood there so comfortably, like a foreigner admiring a tourist destination. He had no fear whatsoever, he should have since he was in her territory.

She had believed that she and Jeno were on the same side once, both wanting an end into this divide that ruled over Seoul. She had believed that she and Jeno could hopefully create a new world, where no one had to pick a side. Where names did not matter, nor dictate who you should and should not associate with, a world with no blood feud.

But it was stupid of Yeji to believe him.

Lies. Nothing but lies. The bombing of the servants’ wing was the most severe thing that the Neos could get away with. They would have failed in bombing the main mansion, where all the Hwangs and high-ranking Vipers had resided, instead they chose to strike the servants’ wing. It was unwatched, dismissed and was no one’s concern. So many innocent people had died that day,

And it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Jeno Lee.

The Neos had snuck in through many windows, careful not to leave a trace. Jeno could have only instructed these important details because of intel gathered spending many days with Yeji.

Yeji had been betrayed. Yet here she was, four years later, with the person she had sworn to kill. Here she was, forcing the fire in her veins to stay at bay because she had been robbed of an explanation, a reason, a confrontation. Here she was, an arm’s-length away from him, and she still couldn’t find it in herself to sink a knife into his chest.

I am a coward, she thought.

Not even the amount of hate she felt towards him was powerful enough to melt away every instinct she had to keep Jeno away from harm.

Maybe she had to wait. Maybe the strength to kill Jeno Lee would come in time, and she needed nothing but to wait for the time to come.

“I said keep your head down.” She warned him again as she pushed the glass doors.

“Miss Hwang!” A doctor greeted as soon as she stepped foot into the establishment, “Do you have an appointment today? How may I help you?”

Yeji approached the front desk and placed the key of the morgue in front of the doctor as she quickly placed a finger to her lips. The doctor looked at her and nodded, going back to typing away.

Soon enough, they had reached the end of the hospital. Yeji stopped in front of a marble door and turned back to Jeno who had been walking while staring at the floor. Even at his best to try and hide his identity he still failed. He was born with pride and dignity etched in his bones.

“In here?” He asked, unsure of where Yeji had led him. Without muttering anything, Yeji turned around and slid the key in, unlocking the door. As they both stepped in the room, she quickly turned on the lights, revealing a single corpse right in the middle of the room.

Jeno briskly approached the corpse as he rolled the sleeves of his jacket. He lifted the sheet covering the dead man, only for him to hesitate.

“You should better hurry up before anyone else dies,” Yeji said as she let out a huff of air, “Someone could transfer that man into a funeral home any moment now.” She finished as she placed her hands on her hips.

Jeno eyed her impatient stance she had on, causing him to look at her in a displeased way.

“Do you have anywhere better to be?”

“Yes,” she said immediately with no hesitation, “Anywhere else is better than here. Now get along with it.”

At this point, Jeno’s patience was running thin on Yeji. He yanked the sheet that covered the man only to find him bare feet, Jeno’s brows furrowing in the process.

Yeji looked at him as she studied his next move, he only stood there frozen. “For crying out loud,” Yeji said as she pushed herself from the wall. She marched beside Jeno and knelt to get the box underneath the table the dead man lay. After rummaging around a few bloody items, she finally came across a sealed bag with the man’s mismatched shoes. She stood up and waved the bag in front of Jeno’s face.

“Yes?” Yeji asked as she took the nicer pair of the shoe. Jeno’s lips had thinned, shoulders high. “Yes.”

“Then can we finally confirm that this man was indeed present during the first attack?” Yeji asked as she saw Jeno nod.

That was the end of that. No more words were exchanged as Yeji put everything back to its original place. Jeno had his eyes fixed on the wall, as he was unsure of where to look. Yeji figured that Jeno couldn’t wait to get away from her and this place as soon as possible. Just as she had stood up and placed her trembling hands behind her, Jeno spoke.

“After you,” He motioned towards the door

Four years. Four years should have been enough. As time passed and as leaves grew, he should have been nothing but a stranger. Yeji should have been met with a Jeno who had grown to act differently like Lia, or perhaps to walk differently like Karina, or maybe even become more obnoxious like Hyunjin. As they looked at each other now, the only difference was that he had grown older. Jeno looked at her, and Yeji found the same stare with the same expression–unreadable unless he let her in. Unbreakable unless he allowed himself to.

All this time spent alone, time spent in denial, time spent plotting revenge, she had quickly missed that her outrage would not change Jeno Lee even if she had gone insane.

He had remained and stood tall. Jeno did not change. The same Jeno who loved her, and the same Jeno who betrayed her.

Yeji forced herself to take a deep breath in hopes of maintaining her composure. With a brief nod, she walked towards the exit of the morgue. She waved for Jeno to follow her as he stepped outside the door. The feeling of bidding Jeno a firm farewell settling into her heart, but she did not care. She should not care.

Before she could even say the said goodbye, deafening sirens had echoed all throughout the hospital. At the far end of the hallway, where they first came from, they could see doctors and nurses all in chaos. Jeno and Yeji exchanged one glance at each other and immediately ran towards the scene. They reached the lobby with the thought of expecting something bad, only for it to be worse.

The floor was completely coated in a sea of red.

Everywhere they looked, patients, doctors, nurses, Vipers and alike had already clawed themselves, screeching in a tormenting pain. The count must have been more than forty, dying or already dead.

“Oh God,” Jeno whispered. “It’s starting.”

A/N: Again, this is just a work of fiction. All credit goes to Chloe Gong and her amazing retelling of Romeo and Juliet in her debut book "These Violent Delights". Make sure to grab a copy! The next book comes out this November so watch out for that!

#jeno mafia #jeno mafia au #yeji mafia #yeji mafia au #nct dream mafia #nct dream mafia au #itzy mafia au #itzy mafia #yeji x jeno #yejeno au #dreamzy au #aespa mafia #aespa mafia au #jeno smut #jeno angst #jeno fluff #yeji smut #yeji angst #yeji fluff

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neokids · 3 years

Text

Fortune's Fool: Act V

Masterlist

Act V

Tw: Lots of blood, character death, violence, murder, guns, knives, weapons, foul language, self-inflicted wounds, suicide, overall graphic content

“I just don’t understand” Yeji exclaimed as she was pacing around her room back and forth, “Who does he think he is? Who is he to walk these grounds like he owns the place?!” Yeji finally sighed as she sat just beside Karina and Lia on her bed.

Karina and Lia could only sigh in return, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that the twins also despised Hyunjin. It wasn’t because of Yeji’s reasons, but because Hyunjin would never let them forget they weren’t, and never will be, Hwangs.

“You know, worse comes to worse, you could just easily slip a drug in his night tea and pretend it was–Ow! Lia!” Karina tried, only for Lia to accidentally tug a little bit too tight on her hair.

“Stop moving so much when you talk then, Jesus…” Lia said as she gripped Karina’s hair tighter, only for the latter to let out another yelp in pain. “Do you want two perfectly even dutch braids or two ‘I-look-like-I-came-home-from-a-long-night-out’ braids hmm?” With that said, Karina’s face started to slowly morph into a sly smile.

“Depends on what I was doing in that long night out,” She paused as she batted her eyelashes, “I don’t mind spending a few hours with a stranger,” Karina said as she wiggled her eyebrows towards her sister and her cousin. Yeji let out a short chuckle as she threw a pillow to her face, due to Karina’s fast reflexes, she was immediately able to dodge it. Her statement earlier only made Lia tighten her grip even more, causing Karina to immediately shut up.

“You know what I think, dearest twin of mine? I think you should learn to loosen up.” Karina said as she tried to look at her sister, only for Lia to jerk Karina’s head back to its original position. “What were you saying again, Yeji?” Lia said as she wanted to quickly get on topic.

“I was saying that who does Hyunjin think he is, I just don’t get why he desperately wants to take what’s mine.” Yeji said as she rolled her eyes, just thinking about her cousin already made her a little irritated.

“The way I see it, he doesn’t really have a say in this gang, he’s just a nuisance–”

“Hush, stop talking. I think someone’s outside.” Yeji immediately cut Karina’s sentence as she stood up and placed her ear on the door.

It wasn’t an uncommon thing for maids to eavesdrop on what they had to say, but when someone would eavesdrop while they were talking in fast English, was. Not everyone in the Hwang household had the ability to speak the said language, even if the person outside was listening, they doubt they could actually understand them. In the silence, the footsteps sounded again, only this time the sounds were actually faltering, a sign that said they left already.

“They’re gone, anyway as I was saying, I doubt everyone would agree to his stupid strategies, I doubt no one would even listen to him. ” Karina said as she stood up and looked at herself in the mirror, satisfied with how her braids turned out.

“Yeah, I mean at the end of the day, Lord Hwang would always have the final say, your dad would always have the final say.” Lia added as she cracked her knuckles after braiding Karina’s waist-length hair, “But I worry, times like this cause people to act without thinking.” Yeji admitted as she rose from her seat and headed towards her balcony.

“We may have not discussed it out loud, but the deaths already have been piling up. How long before we have no one or nothing to rule over?” She added as she gripped the railings harder,

“That won’t happen,” Lia tried as she combed through her own hair, “Seoul is under our–”

“Seoul was under our power.” Karina corrected, causing Yeji to look at her. ” Now we have those stupid Neos to fight while trying to maintain our power over everything and everyone else.”

“Oy didn’t you go to school with a Neo before?” Lia suddenly asked. The question had startled Karina, she didn’t expect for a question like that to be thrown to her face. The question only made Yeji gulp in anticipation as well, no one knew she had loved the heir of the Neos, not even her two most trusted people standing right in front of her.

Karina had to blink a few times before she could answer, “Yeah… But I realized only after transferring to your school that he was a Neo, he wasn’t vocal about it I guess…”

Karina didn’t originally attend the same school as Yeji and her sister did. She had to attend this other school since she was too bad at Korean. She had spent only a year there, only keeping to herself since she saw no point in trying to make friends only for her to leave them. The school she had attended was unfortunately run by the Rovers, meaning her title as a Viper had no bearing there whatsoever. And so for the first weeks in school, it was just her. Not until a certain boy had approached her, and suddenly started talking. Karina looked at him in surprise, how could he keep talking and talking for so long about something the person he was talking to had no idea about? He was talking about this painting that he had wanted to desperately buy, yet couldn’t since it was placed on bidding, and he said he was too young to attend one of those, but he still kept going. Everyday he would approach Karina and tell the most random stories imaginable, from what he had seen going to school, to asking Karina whether or not she believed in the La Llorona.

As the school year passed, Karina kept her distance. She didn’t want to make friends, obviously. He was too much for her, he was all over the place. Everything was going fine one day, until he came into school. He had changed entirely. He was stoic, face blank, void of any emotion whatsoever. Karina almost remembered her trying to approach him, but she had stopped herself. Soon enough, the school year was over, and it was her time to leave.

“Was he nice?” Lia had asked, causing Karina to snap out of her trance. She could only shrug, “Eh, he was fine I guess, I didn’t really care. Different from that arrogant Jeno Lee, I guess.”

This time it was Yeji’s turn to snap out of her trance. Her eyebrow had twitched, blood rising to her head. Just hearing his name made Yeji’s vision hazy with rage. Just as she could say anything, a knock made its way to their ears. “Come in.” Yeji answered. The new maid took only one step in her room. “There is a visitor downstairs, miss” The maid asked, hands fiddling with the hem of her skirt, Yeji could only groan.

“So? It is not I who entertains guests in this household, my parents are the ones responsible for that.” She asked as she crossed her legs. “Sh-should I just ask Hwang Hyunjin? Your parents are not here so I assume you were the next per–”

“No it’s fine, leave Hyunjin alone. Alright, I’m coming.” With that said, the maid immediately fled from her room. Eversince Nurse died, Yeji had learned her lesson. The maids were always being replaced every month. This was for their safety, and to prevent them from knowing too much.

“There it is again,” Lia said, making Karina snicker. “There is what again?” Yeji asked, oblivious why the twins were suddenly giddy. “The expression on your face that looks like you’re about to strangle someone,” Yeji feigned a hurt expression and exaggerated a gasp, “You bi–”’

“Shoo.” Lia said standing up, pushing Yeji towards the door. “Go attend your duties.”

As Yeji went downstairs, she stopped by her parents’ office only to see them discussing something. “I thought the maid said you weren’t here?” With that, Lord and Lady Hwang only looked at each other.

“They say what we want them to say, the visitor specifically asked for your presence.” Lady Hwang said as she flicked her wrist, signaling Yeji to go.

“Secretary-general Jinyoung Park has been growing in power recently, the whole rover side even.” His father said in a hushed tone, causing Yeji to freeze just outside their door. “I don’t see how and why the people of Seoul choose to side with them, why now when there is this madness happening.” Her mother added, stressed and confused.

“Word on the street says they have made a vaccine.” Lord Hwang said as he turned towards Lady Hwang who was now more confused than ever, so was Yeji outside the door.

A vaccine? To this madness? How could they make a vaccine so soon?

“What?” Lady Hwang asked as she removed the hand resting on her forehead. “A vaccine?”

“Indeed. Times like this when people are scared, they cling to almost everything. They need reassurance, comfort, anything they need to make them feel they still have control over the madness.” Lord Hwang concluded, sharp and quick.

Yeji could only stare at them for a while before actually moving. She had to process everything she had heard. As she bound the last step, she already saw a figure sitting.

“Hello!” Yeji shouted, “I am here! What is it you need, stranger?” She entered the room only to find the same figure already looking up at her with a gummy smile. The stranger quickly rose to his feet, he was around her age, and he extended his hand.

“My father couldn't make it today, so he sent me.” He said, expression very bright with his gummy smile. Yeji almost found her smiling at the stranger in front of her, but before she could, she quickly brushed it off, maintaining her sharp expression.

“I’m Yangyang, Yangyang Liu.”

Oh, he’s the son Mr. Liu was talking about.

Yeji accepted his hand and shook it. Just before she was about to let go, he brought Yeji’s hand to his lips and smiled.

“And you’re Yeji Hwang.” He concluded before letting go, Yeji wasn’t flustered at all. In fact, she was more surprised by the fact that he sounded like native Korean speaker, a very different contrast from his father.

“I suppose you’re here for the same reason?” She asked as she sat down a few seats away from Yangyang, the latter following suit.

“Yes actually. We have much more supply of Kryocrom and I promise you you won’t find better quality and price elsewhere.”

Yeji sighed, this would have been much easier if the man beside her wasn’t as charming as he looked. Just as she was about to answer, she saw Karina and Lia enter the living room. Lia was so focused on reading her daily horoscope that she had failed to see Yeji. Karina on the other hand, was thoughtful enough to stick her tongue out for her cousin, she could only playfully role her eyes.

“You have sisters?” Yangyang suddenly asked, his smile not faltering. “Oh hell no,” Karina said, walking towards them.

“I already have a twin who’s such a pain in the ass. I don’t need another to add to my misery.” Karina said, a bit too exaggerated, causing Yangyang to laugh a little and for Yeji to send a glare. Hearing Yangyang’s laugh only made Karina smile and wink as she took a piece of candy from the jar on the table in front of them.

“Good luck,” She said before she left to catch up with Lia.

“Please, Mr. Liu, do take one.” Yeji said as she motioned towards the jar of candy.

“Thank you, don’t mind If I do,” Yangyang said before getting a piece and popping it into his mouth. “And please, do call me Yangyang, Mr. Liu is my father. We are a new generation, aren’t we?”

Yeji could only grip the armchair of the seat she was sitting on. She let out a steady breath to shake off the feeling of cringe. “Well most certainly, Yangyang.”

“We have been admiring the Vipers for a while now.” Yangyang said as he swallowed the candy, “My father has high hopes of a partnership.”

A visible annoyed expression was displayed on Yeji’s face. A loud sigh could also be heard from her, she looked away for a moment only for her to look back to see Yangyang’s enthusiastic face.

“I’ll give you the same reply that I gave your father then.” She continued as she crossed her legs. “We are not accepting any new offers from new clients. We are already so busy enough with our current ones.”

Yangyang only exaggerated a sigh and leaned forward, thinking it had made any influence on Yeji. “Oh come on, Yeji.” Yangyang said with puppy eyes.

This only made the urge to roll her eyes harder to fight. He did not look pleasing whatsoever, thoughts she had when she hadn’t known that he was Mr. Liu’s son all came upon her in a wave of regret.

“I told you, we don’t want to.” Yeji said, making sure her tone was sharp and firm. “I hear there’s a rival business who might be more willing to accept our–”

“Perhaps you should try them then.” Yeji said, standing up as she adjusted her dress. It wasn’t their loss anyway. In fact, the Lius were actually a client they wanted to lose. The threat of going to the Neos did not matter at all, Yeji was glad even.

“Wait wha–”

“I appreciated you going all the way here…” Yeji pretended to think, “Winwin? Yiyang? Ningning?”

“Yangyang… but close enough, I guess.” Yangyang said as she stood up.

“Ah yes of course!” Yeji tried her hardest to charm a smile, “Have a great day, Yangyang!”

She went to the door in three large steps, eager for the Chinese visitor to leave. She motioned for Yangyang to come to the door, her hands already on the heavy door handles.

Yangyang, who quickly reacted, immediately stood up and made his way to the door. He was now face to face with Yeji.

“As you wish,” He stepped out and took one step, before turning around to meet Yeji again. “But may I make a request, Miss Hwang?”

“My apologies, Yangyang but I already–”

“May I see you again?” He asked, full gummy smile on show.

Yeji had to blink several times before she could answer “If it does not have anything to do with business…” She trailed off before looking at Yangyang.

“Then I guess we may,” Yeji thought it wasn’t possible for the boy to smile brighter, but she was wrong. He looked like a child who was finally entering Disneyland for the first time.

“I’ll see you then, Yeji.” With one last smile and last nod, he left. Just as Yeji closed the door, she was immediately greeted by two faces.

“Who was that?” Lia asked, all curious now. “Is he a suitor or something?”

“He’s cute, Yeji. I thought you had no interest in him.” Karina said with a huff.

“A stranger, Lia. He’s just a stranger.”

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neokids · 3 years

Text

Fortune's Fool: Act VI

Masterlist

Act VI

Tw: Lots of blood, character death, violence, murder, guns, knives, weapons, foul language, self-inflicted wounds, suicide, overall graphic content

Jeno wasn’t having the best of days,

The moment he woke up, he already stubbed his toe on the door while leaving his room. Then, as he went down the stairs, he had caught a splinter on the railing. Then, he accidentally smashed his mug because it had slipped and fell from his hand. As for the cherry on top, he had to go investigate a new crime scene with the possibility of it being supernatural. The crime scene was nothing but eerie. Not to add it was near the alleys near the docks in Han river. Now, however, he was already on his way home, with his cousin’s backpack. Haechan refused to get his backpack back without getting a proper wash.

As Jeno went inside the living room, a slam of the door suddenly echoed all throughout the house. An annoyed Jeno turned around, about to curse the person who slammed the door, only to find out it was Lucas.

“Jeno Lee!” Lucas shouted, “Where were you this morning?”

Jeno and Lucas were only a year apart from each other. What irked Jeno the most was that Lucas acted as if he were much older, wiser, smarter, and experienced. Lucas acted as if he were far more superior and higher ranking than him, the actual heir of the Neos. Just as Jeno rolled his eyes and passed him, Lucas had reached out to ruffle his hair.

Jeno jerked back and slapped his hand away from him. Jeno Lee was the heir to one of the most powerful gangs in Seoul, but when Lucas was anywhere in sight, he was back to being a five year old.

“Get out.” Jeno had quickly said. Growing up, Lucas would always be the one to rat on him. He had told Lord Lee so many things that Jeno had done. From the smallest of things, such as cheating on a test, to the biggest of things, such as his relationship with a certain heiress. It was all because of Lucas that his father wouldn’t trust him anymore. It was because of Lucas that Jeno wasn’t allowed to fuck up. It was because of Lucas that wouldn’t allow Jeno to become soft.

“What do you want?” Jeno asked in an annoyed tone as he bit into his apple.

“Don’t fret.” Lucas crossed the room until he was right in front of Jeno. He poured himself a glass of water, and drank it all in one gulp. “I was just about to leave.”

He fought the urge to roll his eyes yet again. Just as took another bite into his apple, he turned around ready to go to his room, did he see two brown eyes staring right back at him.

He almost threw the apple he was holding to her face.

“By God, Jasmine. You’re gonna give me a heart attack someday.” Jeno said as he extended his arms to get his sister. His sister was sitting by the kitchen counter all along. Neither Jeno nor Lucas had noticed. He didn’t know how she was able to fit in that tiny space, along with all the other condiments, but he would rather not ask. He also didn’t know why she was there, but again, he would rather not ask.

“Come on, off you go.” Jeno said as he held his sister. “Hey!” she whined when Jeno set her on the floor. “I just got this dress!”

Jeno had looked at her as he arched his brow, it was indeed, not. It had holes and random stains everywhere, a product of how she would fit into the smallest of places. If people didn’t know she was a Lee, she would have been mistaken for a lost child on the street.

“Got your dress from where? The thrift store?” He jokingly said as he bent down to his sister’s height. He had tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, only for him to freeze when he saw a familiar necklace on her sister’s neck. It was their mom’s necklace. The last time he saw that necklace was in the morgue, when they had said their last goodbyes to a very burnt Lady Lee.

Lady Lee had succumbed to tuberculosis not long after giving birth to Jasmine. Jeno could only visit her once a month, due to the fact that he could get infected anytime as well. Jasmine was only a baby then, so she had never known her mother. Jeno remembered Lady Lee to look worse every time, she looked like she was about to breathe her last breath at any moment.

What they didn’t expect was for her last breath to be a breath of shock, just as the Vipers had bombed down the secret location. When the whole place had burned down, nothing was left but a single lavender flower placed in Lady Lee’s burnt hands. The Vipers had struck back, and it was the start of a war.

Jeno should have despised the Viper gang far before they had killed Lady Lee, but he could never bring himself to do so. After his mother died, he still couldn’t do so. It was a blood feud, that’s how blood feuds worked. If you strike, expect a strike back. He should have expected it, to say the least. It was his fault, he could never not blame himself for the death of his mother. If only he hadn’t bombed the servants of the Vipers, then maybe, his mother would have been alive, and Jasmine could have grown up to their mother’s love.

Jasmine nudged Jeno’s sleeve. “Earth to Jeno?”

Jeno snapped out of his trance. With gentle hands, he examined the necklace. “Where did you get this?” He asked softly.

“I found it hidden in our stock rooms while I was on an adventure.” She answered, eyes bright with a smile. When Jasmine smiled, it only reminded Jeno of his mother’s smile, causing him to smile as well.

“It’s very pretty, do take care of it, yeah?” Jasmine nodded as she touched the necklace. Jeno then kneeled in front of her and gave her a quick hug. “Adventure calls then, just be back for dinner.” Jasmine gave Jeno a big thumbs up with the brightest smile before she started to skip around the house.

When she was out of sight, Jeno begrudgingly headed up the stairs to his fathers office. He filled his lungs with air as he stood outside of Lord Lee’s office, and knocked.

“Enter.”

With one last sigh, Jeno opened the door.

“So?” His father said in place of a greeting. He didn’t even bother to look at his son, he was so busy writing a letter. “I hope you have something to tell me.”

Jeno mustered all his strength, and walked in. He cautiously took out the shoe from Haechan’s bag and placed it on the table. Lord Lee had abruptly stopped writing his letter, causing the ink to bleed and create a very hideous blotch. He looked at the shoe and then he looked at Jeno.

“What is this?” He asked, as if Jeno had placed a hybrid animal in front of him. “It’s what you asked for.” He gulped before continuing, “I found it in the first crime scene when 10 people died, it belonged to the man who died in the Poculum, meaning he was present there as well.”

Lord Lee could only slam his desk, causing Jeno to flinch obviously. He had forced himself to stare blankly ahead of him, making sure his face showed no emotion whatsoever.

“I asked you to bring me answers, not a lost and found. For Christ’s sake Jeno, I ask you one thing and you can’t even give it to me!” He yelled as he sat back down. He rubbed his temples for a few seconds, taking a moment to calm himself down. “Get this out of my face.”

Jeno took the shoe and shoved it back into the bag. “This is what you asked for, appa.” Jeno thinned his lips, careful for his next choice of words. “10 men had clawed themselves to death with only 1 who had escaped. It just so happens that the man who was able to escape died the next day, does that not sound like a spreading contagion to you?”

Lord Lee could only rub his temples again, he did not respond for a while. Jeno watched as his father crumpled the ruined letter and wrote a new one. Just as he finished signing the letter did he decide to speak.

“I do not wish to be part of this contagion or madness or whatever you believe it is,” he concluded. “Just figure out what is happening. That is all I ask from you.”

Jeno slowly nodded, “I’ll see what I can find out about this man.”

Lord Lee could only remove his glasses as he looked his son in the eye. “Don’t jump into conclusions, Jeno. Make sure that that shoe you have indeed belongs to the deceased man.”

Jeno only nodded again. “The man is currently kept in the morgue of a Viper hospital, I’ll see for myself.”

“Find a way in,” Lord Lee said with a shrug. “When I asked you to obtain information about the first attack, you seemed to enter with ease.”

Jeno froze. Was that really necessary? The only reason why he had come to the club to speak to Lord Hwang was because Lord Lee couldn’t do so. If the two Lords had faced each other, everyone would have been dead by now. Jeno was simply a messenger on a mission. A mission sent by his father.

“What do you mean?” he asked. “The Poculum is a very public and busy bar, a lot of people were busy. A privately-owned hospital makes it har–”

“Find someone to take you in then. The Viper heir has returned hasn’t she?” There was an odd feeling bubbling in his stomach, but he could not decipher what feeling it was. He only maintained his blank face.

“You certainly must be joking, appa.”

Lord Lee only shrugged before taking another paper to write a letter on. Before he actually started writing, he looked his son dead in the eye.

“It is not a bad idea,” Lord Lee said before actually starting the letter. “Surely you can ask her one favor. She was your lover, after all.” With that said, Lord Lee had turned all his attention towards the letter, it was Jeno’s cue to leave.

He left the office and trudged downstairs. He quickly passed through the underground passages that lead to the house where his cousin and best friend stayed. Just as he approached the living room, he already heard the laughter of his friends. Haechan was currently busy reading the newspaper that had the headline of what had happened at the Poculum. Jaemin on the other hand, was too busy painting away on his canvas.

“We could hear you a mile away you know?” Jaemin asked, gaze not leaving his work of art. “What is it this time?” Haechan asked before folding the newspaper and setting it aside. In front of these two could Jeno only let out his frustration as he threw the bag with the shoe across the room. “Woah excuse me?! What is with the attitude young sir?!”

Haechan exclaimed as he went towards his bag, picking it up. “I think you’re forgetting this is new and limited ed–” Haechan stopped abruptly, causing Jeno and Jaemin to turn their attention to him. Haechan had suddenly realized that he was holding the same bag that Jeno had used to stuff the dead insects and the dead man’s shoe with.

“You know what? On second thought, throw it all you want.” He said, dropping the bag with a loud thud on the floor. He wiped his hands before sitting next to his very stressed out cousin.

“What’s got you worked up?” Haechan asked, observing the sight of Jeno elbows on knees as he continuously rubbed on his temples. “My father wants me to go to the morgue where the dead man is.” Jeno said simply, voice lacked any emotion.

“So? What about it?” Jaemin asked as he put down his paint brush and turned towards Jeno and Haechan. “Just go then, don’t tell me you’re scared.” Jaemin tried to make his best friend’s mood lighter, only causing Jeno to look up and narrow his eyes at him.

“I think you’re forgetting the man is in a Viper hospital? Plus my father suggests Yeji to be the one to take me.” Jeno said as he sank further deeper on the couch.

“Oh.”

“I see.”

Haechan and Jaemin could only look at each other, unsure of what to say.

“Very well then, I wish you good luck my friend.” Jaemin said, standing up to go back to his painting.

“My best wishes.” Haechan said as he pat Jeno on the back. “What the hell am I supposed to do? How the hell am I supposed to ask, or even approach her?!”

Haechan and Jaemin only looked at each other again. “Listen Jeno, to be honest with you, you sound like a middle schooler trying to figure out how to confess to their crush. I don’t know about you, but I don’t see you having to be so stressed out and worried about a simple matter like this.” Jaemin said as he added a few brush strokes to his painting.

“A simple matter like this?” Jeno echoed, his tone a bit alarming causing Haechan and Jaemin to gulp. “I killed her mother figure, the only person she had actually ever loved, and you say I have nothing to be stressed or worried about?” Jeno was now standing, almost close enough to strangle Jaemin.

“That’s not true… she had loved you right?” Jaemin asked with an awkward smile, trying to calm Jeno down. It was not helping at all.

“You,” Haechan suddenly said to Jaemin, “Stop talking.”

“Got it.” Jaemin said as he passed Jeno quickly. “Consider it a business meeting,” Haechan paused to look if Jeno was listening, thankfully he was. “Rule number one of business is to never let personal lives interfere. Stay professional, that’s all.”

“I agree.” Haechan shot a glare towards Jaemin, the latter immediately shut up again.

“If you both wish to find answers, I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not like only you would benefit from this, I’m sure the moment you two go your separate ways, she would automatically tell daddy dearest what she had found out.” Haechan said, making Jeno sit back down and nod in agreement. Jeno was feeling a bit more relaxed.

“Call it a partnership if you will.”

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neokids · 3 years

Text

Fortune's Fool: Act IV

Introduction

Cast

Act I

Act II

Act III

Act V

Act IV

Tw: Lots of blood, character death, violence, murder, guns, knives, weapons, foul language, self-inflicted wounds, suicide, overall graphic content

“I don’t see anything.”

Jeno decided to further poke at whatever he was looking at. They were currently on the boardwalk near Han river, where the very first gruesome incident had occurred.

“Shut up and keep looking.”

They had yet to find anything suspicious, or anything “monster” related, the dock just seemed normal to them. No signs of tragedy even. They had been wandering around the docks for hours now, and the two were getting bored. Jeno, however, persisted.

“Ya Jeno. Jeno-ya. Jeno Lee–”

“For fuck’s sake what?! What is it Jaemin? If you don’t stop, I will not hesitate to throw you in this river right now.”

Jeno turned around to see a crouching Jaemin, obviously wanting to go home. If they weren’t at the docks right now going on a search, Jaemin would sure be enjoying painting whatever it was on his mind. Jeno couldn’t go home without anything to present his father, he could already imagine the look on his face, disappointed yet again. Earlier this morning, Lord Lee had met Jeno just before he left. He gripped Jeno’s shoulder while muttering the words: “Don’t let me down, son.”

To a passerby, the scene was normal, just a father and son having a conversation, but Lord Lee had actually gripped Jeno’s shoulder a little bit too hard, causing a red and almost bruised grip mark to form. Thinking about it made him touch his shoulder again. The word son actually felt more like a threat to him, rather than a word of affection.

He was too lost in thought only to be brought back by the sound of Jaemin groaning,

“You know you volunteered to go with us, right? You were even so excited to go on what you call a ‘mystery hunt’” Jeno said, causing Jaemin to look up at him.

“That was because I thought this case would be interesting, we’ve been here for hours looking for nothing! This is starting to feel like a game of hide-and-seek where everyone was already inside while the person was still counting to a 100,” Jaemin huffed as he stood up, now maintaining eye contact with Jeno.

“All too familiar with that situation, are we?” Haechan decided to butt in their conversation after hearing what Jaemin had said causing Jeno to barely hold back his laughter.

Back when they were kids, all the Lee children decided to play hide and seek, with Jaemin being the person to find them. They agreed upon this since he wasn’t a Lee, so he should be it. Jaemin started to count to ten, only to hear Haechan scream that he should repeat it and count to 100, and so he did. What Jaemin didn’t know was that Haechan had silently told everyone to go back inside to their respective rooms, and only show up until it was time for dinner. Let’s just say that Jaemin spent the whole night crying because he was so stupid, he even refused to eat dinner, he was so sure that he would be met with Haechan’s teasing nonstop. That is until a very thoughtful Jeno had brought food up to his room, and apologized on Haechan’s behalf.

“Shut up before I throw you into this river.” Jaemin said, challenging Haechan only for the latter to just shrug and continue his search.

“Christ it reeks in here.” Jaemin further complained, “At least it smells like rotten fish, not like rotten bodies.” Jeno countered. Jaemin stopped in his tracks to look at his best friend, “Is there a difference?”

“Jeno,” Haechan called and waved for him to come closer,

“What? Did you find something?” Jeno immediately went to his cousin’s direction.

“Of course not.” With that, Jeno smacked his cousin right on the head.

“Look, I don’t think there are any more places we could search. I mean we searched this place top to bottom already, I don’t think we missed anything.” Haechan said, looking up at his cousin.

Well technically, even if they did manage to find something, what would they do with it? There was no one to question, no one to blame, no suspects to interrogate, this was a tragedy caused by the victims themselves. The people who had died were the only suspects.

“People say that there was another attack here last night.” Haechan added as he stood up, Jeno tearing his gaze away from the waters of Han river and back to his cousin.

“Well then that’s great!” Jaemin exclaimed quite too enthusiastically. This only caused the Lee cousins to look at him as if he was the craziest man alive. Jaemin on the other hand, had just realized what he had said, he didn’t mean it that way.

“I mean– the new location, not the attack… Sorry ‘bout that. Let’s move along to the new crime scene shall we?” Jaemin finally exclaimed, fully ready to get going. He was already making his way towards the alleged crime scene when he was pulled back by Jeno.

“We can’t, it happened in Viper territory.” This only caused Jaemin and Haechan to look at each other then back at Jeno.

“And how did you know exactly where it had happened?” Jaemin asked, crossing his arms, Haechan just eyed him suspiciously, “My father had sent me to obtain any information they had regarding the very first attack. The second attack happened in the Poculum, a man suddenly collapsed and… well you know what happens next.”

“Well? Was any information obtained?” Haechan asked, his turn to cross his arms. Jeno only shook his head no. “She said they knew nothing.” A moment had passed in confused silence,

“She? She knew nothing?” Haechan echoed, Jaemin tilting his head rather very confused. “Who’s this ‘she’ we’re talking about?” Jaemin decided to also question Jeno. Jeno looked at the two of them, only to turn his gaze towards the murky waters of Han river. “Yeji Hwang,” He answered rather quietly. The two could only blink at Jeno, then suddenly a loud bang could be heard all throughout the dock, Haechan had accidentally knocked over the crates he was leaning on.

“Yeji?!” Haechan exclaimed,

“Yeji is back?!” Jaemin decided to add as well.

Jeno could only keep his gaze on the water. A sudden sharpness towards his chest, made its way to his head. The feeling did not go away no matter how hard he tried, hearing her name out loud definitely did not help. It hurt to even say her name.

Actually, not too far from here is where he had first met her. They were both still just kids, hoping to get away from their respective households. Jeno had decided to take a break from riding his bike to stop and sit by the Han river. Back then, it was much more clean and much more fresh. A very shocking contrast to the polluted and dirty water now. It was funny how the water, just like them, turned darker and darker over time. It was a symbol of how unclean and impure the water was, just like them. As time went on, the more bad things they had done. Causing their souls to get tainted. If people were all born with pure white souls, theirs would have been pitch black by now. Dark as the water in Han river.

Yeji just so happened to lose her balance right in front of him, cliche they know. Thankfully, a very sweet Jeno had helped her get back up. Ever since that day, they would meet everyday to just play and bike around. They were not Lees nor Hwangs, but simply just kids who played.

“Yeah, she is.” Jeno confirmed as his fists were balled against his sides. He let out a shaky breath as he stood up.

He had heard rumors of what Yeji had done, all the lives she took, crimes committed causing the people of Seoul to become terrified of the heiress. He had hoped that maybe those were just rumors, nothing but lies to scare enemies away, but when they confronted each other last night and had looked each other in the eyes, he knew that they were all true.

She was a killer, a criminal, violent, callous, and ruthless– that is what she was now.

He felt sorry for her, he didn’t want to, but he did. He couldn’t help the fact that the Yeji he knew way back was slowly disappearing now. If not, had completely disappeared. It didn’t settle nicely to him knowing that he was the cause of the sudden change of heart in her. In those 4 years she was gone, Jeno had still dreamed about her. In those 4 years, who couldn’t help but miss her. Her laugh, her smile, her eyes, her everything.

But he does not regret what he has done.

“What in the animal planet is this?” Haechan said as he crouched down to pick up the crates he had previously knocked over, only to find mysterious looking objects scattered on the floor.

At first glance, the mysterious objects looked like scattered peppercorns on the ground, maybe a merchant had unfortunately dropped their spices and refused to clean the mess up. But at further inspection, the so-called “peppercorns” had tiny legs and with dysmorphic bodies the size of an infant’s fingernail. It was pitch black and shiny as well. Haechan, realizing what he was holding were in fact, dead insects, had instantly dropped the insects on the floor with a loud yelp. The insects fell on the floor similar to how grains of rice were if they had been dropped.

Hearing Haechan suddenly yelp in disgust immediately alerted Jeno and Jaemin to head toward his way. When they reached the sight, all three were silent. The mysterious insects scattered on the ground were nothing like what they had seen before.

“Are those… dead flies?” Jaemin asked, unsure of himself.

“How are those dead flies when they can’t even fly? They don’t have wings,” Jeno said while he pointed to the closest insect near him. “Jaem check the other crates and Haechan give me your bag.”

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Jeno only glared at him as he extended his arm out in order for Haechan to give him his bag. “But I just got this and it’s limited edition and I had to search–”

“Haechan,” Jeno warned, “Give me your bag.”

With a disgusted look on Haechan’s face, he gave Jeno his bag. He watched as his cousin scooped a handful of the insects and put them all in his bag. “Why couldn’t you just put them in your pockets for Christ’s sake.” Haechan complained as he was given his bag full of unidentified insects, “They would get squished obviously. Plus my pants are new.” Jeno said, giving Haechan a playful wink,this only caused Haechan’s eye to twitch.

“There’s nothing here,” Jaemin said as he was carefully putting the crates back in place, the two Lees were already making their way towards Jaemin when they heard voices of merchants coming their way. There was no sight of any Neo-owned fishing boat, that only meant they were in the vicinity of the Vipers.

“Perfect timing, might I add.” Haechan said as he looked at a panicking Jeno and Jaemin, and before the two could react, Haechan already gave them both a rough push. Soon enough, all three of them were quickly submerged in the polluted water of the Han river. They swam underneath the boardwalk in hopes of not getting seen by the incoming merchants. They heard distant voices quickly fading out in the background. As soon as the coast was clear, Jaemin grabbed a fistful of Haechan’s hair and submerged his head in the water.

“Ya! You didn’t have to push me! We could have just opted to hide behind the boats stupid-ass.” Jaemin said, as he released Haechan. “They were walking towards the boats smart-ass.” Haechan retorted as he splashed water towards Jaemin’s direction. While the two were arguing back and forth on what they should and should not have done, Jeno was busy scanning the whole area. Suddenly, a floating shoe had caught his attention. Leaving the two behind, Jeno swiftly swam to the said object. Upon further inspection, the shoe was what he thought it was.

“Oy!” He quickly called out, causing the two to stop and turn their attention to him. “Do you know who this belonged to?” The other two tilted their heads. “A stingy man who decided to take a swim here in Han river who managed to forget his shoe?” Jaemin asked sarcastically.

Haechan could no longer stand any more of their current situation so he started to swim towards the land while the two were quick to follow suit. As soon as they were back on their feet, Jeno called for the attention of the two.

“This belonged to the man who clawed himself to death last night, the man who died in the Poculum.” He grabbed Haechan’s bag as he started to walk away fast. “This means that the man was here too. Let’s go, we need to take this to Doyoung and Kun.”

“Can’t we at least change into some dry clothes?” Haechan said as he squeezed his polo shirt. Jeno only turned back and rolled his eyes, “You’ll be dry by the time you get–”

“Oy,” Jaemin suddenly interrupted, he suddenly narrowed his eyes at the water they were previously submerged in. “Did.. did you see that?”

When the two looked at the water, all they saw were their silly reflections staring back at them. They looked at Jaemin as if he was a mad man, but when they saw the look of confusion and disbelief on his face, something told them that Jaemin wasn’t trying to be funny.

“Are you trying to be funny right now, Jaem?” Haechan asked, quite annoyed causing Jaemin to look back at them. There was something on his dead-serious face that caused an uneasy feeling to settle in their guts. “Never..never mind. I thought I saw eyes in the water, holy shit I need to lay off drinking too much espressos.” He said, scrubbing his eyes.

“Where?” Jeno asked as he scooted towards Jaemin. “In the water, but it could have been just my imagination,” Jaemin said as he looked at Jeno.

“But why would you imagine eyes in the water?” Jeno asked as he grabbed Jaemin, a sign to get going.

“You’ve heard the whispers right?” Haechan asked, only causing the three of them to halt, yet again.

“A monster.”

Only then, when said out loud, did Jeno realize how unbelievable it was. A monster? Running loose in the city? Only for it to jump in the river? In broad daylight? Jasmine was right, it did remind him of all the scary stories he would tell her when they were younger. Jeno then beckoned his friends to start moving.

“You can’t seriously believe that, can you?” Jeno asked Haechan, picking up his pace.

“Hey you never know, you know? For all I care this madness could have been from the river or something like that.” Haechan said as he tried to match Jeno’s awfully fast pace. “Whatever, let’s just keep moving.”

By the time they arrived back near the Neo mansion, they had already been completely dried. Jeno had stopped abruptly in front of their lab, panting trying to catch his breath. This caused Haechan to accidentally topple and collide with Jeno. Jaemin in the meanwhile, lost his balance and was now holding on to Jeno’s arm like a lost child.

“Sorry, tripped on this.” Jaemin said as he regained his balance. It was a flyer from the rovers, aka the people who didn’t side with neither the Vipers nor the Neos. It had this written in big bold red letters: SAVE YOURSELVES FROM THE MADNESS, GET VACCINATED!

“Give me that,” Jeno demanded as he snatched the flyer from Jaemin, he quickly folded the paper and stuck it in his pocket. “Come on, they should be closing up by now.”

As they entered the building, no Neo employee bothered to tell them off. No one should be entering the lab at this hour, especially now since they were all excited to head home. But of course, Jeno Lee was above all laws, he was the Neo heir after all. The only reason these employees were even getting some sort of pay was because of him.

“Doyoung? Kun? Are you still here?” Jeno asked as they reached the second floor of the lab. The second floor was for the more trusted scientists such as Doyoung and Kun. They were the ones responsible for making powerful weapons that could bomb a whole house down.

“Up here!” A voice had exclaimed, Jeno immediately following the said voice in a quick motion. Jaemin and Haechan were already on the verge of collapsing, but they still followed him.

Upon their arrival, Kun could only furrow his brows. It was usually only just Jasmine or Jeno, he didn’t expect for other people to arrive. Nonetheless, guessing they were with Jeno, they were of high ranks as well.

“What brings you here today hmm?” Kun asked as he set down the tablecloth he had just used to wipe his counter. His part of the lab was much more organized and clean than what was presented downstairs. He and Doyoung would always fight on who had a cleaner workspace, only for Jasmine to mess both up. “If you’re here for the cartel, we’re not yet quite finished with that.”

Jeno could only wince. Of course Kun had assumed that Jeno was there to follow up on the drugs, what else could he be there for? Just before Kun could answer, his attention was already on Haechan and Jaemin, but more of the latter.

“Ah, Jaemin Na, at your service.” Jaemin said as he extended a hand, Kun had paused since he wasn’t used to none-Lees visiting, but he still accepted. He then turned his attention to Haechan.

“What?” Haechan asked, did he expect him to introduce himself? But he was a Lee, was he not? Surely he knew me, Haechan thought. Jaemin nudged Haechan by the rib causing him to extend his hand as well. “Lee. Haechan Lee.” Kun only stared at him for a second before bursting into a fit of laughter. The three boys looked at each other, then looked at Kun. “I know.”

Haechan’s brow never twitched higher, causing Jaemin to laugh as well.

“We’re not here to nag you about the cartel, we need your opinion.” Jeno said as he set down his cousin’s bag, causing Haechan to grimace since he remembered what Jeno had placed inside. Jaemin also had a look of disgust on his face since they could hear the dead insects rattle inside.

“My opinion? Opinion on what?” Kun asked, a tad bit perplexed. “On this.”

Jeno dumped out all the contents inside the bag causing the insects to scatter all over Kun’s table. With no hesitation, Kun started poking and touching the insects, no sanitary measures whatsoever. This caused Jaemin to silently gag, and for Haechan to step back. “What is this exactly?” He asked, picking an insect up causing Haechan to further step back.

“We found them at the crime scene, where the first attack had happened.” Kun only looked at the insect closer. “So is this what you think may have caused the madness?”

Jeno, Jaemin, and Haechan could only look at each other.

You never know, you know? The words from his cousin suddenly echoed in Jeno’s head.

“I don’t know, I was hoping you could tell us.” Jeno admitted, “It was the only evidence present anyways,”

“Or maybe a monster from the Han river had resurrected and decided to start this contagion.” Kun looked at Jaemin in a very, very, bored way. “Stop talking.” Haechan whispered to Jaemin, making him immediately shut up.

“That’s...interesting.” Kun suddenly said. The three thought that he was referring to Jaemin’s suggestion, turns out, he was referring to the insects.

“What’s interesting?” Jeno asked coming closer, beckoning Jaemin and Haechan to do so as well. Haechan had to shove Jaemin since he did not want anything to do with those mysterious looking peppercorns.

“I’ll show you.” Kun grabbed a lighter and lit one on fire. When the insect he had lit on fire started moving, so did the others left on the table. For a mere moment there, they thought that the insects were still alive. But when Kun put out the fire, the insect had stopped, and so did the ones on the table. “Whatever this thing is, it’s definitely not acting alone.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jeno had asked, hoping that he had not.

“It follows something. Whatever that something commands.”

Oh this was definitely not a work of nature.

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