Shatter

Bloodlines

SinB held Eunha’s hand quietly, the only gesture of support she could give while Dr Lee tutted under her breath, examining the gravely wounded Yuju. 

“How is she still alive? I’m surprised she hasn’t choked on her own blood yet.” 

Eunha shuddered at the commentary, seeming to fold into herself as she huddled, ball-like, in a  corner of the couch. SinB glared at the doctor.

“Just save her already! We’ll pay double if you do.”

Dr Lee snorted dismissively, though her hands worked rapidly to stabilize the shaman’s condition. The bullet was lodged inside, with extensive trauma to the trachea from the way the pellet had mushroomed open on impact, releasing some sort of fluid that had a paralytic effect. That was probably one of the reasons the brats managed to bring this patient to her at all. Slowing down the bleeding and respiratory process had bought them the extra time needed, but it was still a minor miracle that the girl hadn’t bled out or choked to death even then.

That didn’t mean the situation wasn’t dire still. The burnt flesh was a problem, and not even the most immediate one. Inserting a tube to assist the patient’s breathing, Dr Lee worked quickly to clear the accumulated fluid in the passageways, while her drone assistant managed the IV fluids that were struggling to keep Yuju’s condition stable enough to operate on. 

But Yuju was surprisingly resilient despite the damage suffered. Even when there were moments where her vitals dipped critically low, the shaman held on with the tenacity of a bulldog, the flames of her life force refusing to die out despite flickering dangerously at many points. 

Eunha kept her eyes fixated on the Astral plane, anxiety rising and ebbing with every fluctuation Yuju's soul form exhibited. She barely felt SinB’s presence next to her, so focused she was on Yuju’s condition as the operation went on, that even when SinB stood up and let go of her hand, the tiny mage didn’t so much as spare a glance for her childhood friend.

The atmosphere in the room was suffocating, but it was not for that that SinB decided to step outside. The gunslinger looked around as she exited the private clinic, and finally spotted Sowon leaning against the wall in a shadowed corner. She let her arm drop, message on her wrist forgotten as she stepped towards her tall girlfriend for comfort, but the look on Sowon’s face made her pause when she got a closer look at her.

“What’s wrong?” SinB moved closer, taking Sowon’s hand and squeezing it lightly. Sowon opened her one eye, a deep guilt present in that single dark orb. SinB’s heart skipped a beat, a sudden suspicion falling upon her, but in the next moment she froze in place as the leader pulled her in for a hug, burying her face in her hair.

Despite her vague unease, SinB couldn’t help but be pleased by this turn of events. Sowon rarely initiated any kind of intimate contact, and the gunslinger returned the embrace, patting the tall ex-soldier on the back soothingly. Sowon sighed into her ear, shifting after a moment as she straightened.

“Is Yuju alright?”

SinB looked up carefully at her, a silent question in her eyes. Sowon took a deep breath, and nodded. SinB winced, her grip on Sowon’s hand tightening.

“She’s still in critical condition, but the doc’s working on it,” SinB in a breath, settling her churning thoughts. Eunha couldn’t know about this. If she knew that Yuju had been shot by one of their own, all hell would break loose. SinB didn’t want to be forced to choose a side if Eunha decided to confront Sowon about it. Things wouldn’t end well that way.

“There was no other way…” Sowon looked tired. She had taken a detour to drop Umji off at base, giving the younger girl a sleeping pill to help her rest while she made her way here. The emotional stress of the earlier action wore on her nerves, giving her a throbbing headache. Some of it slipped away on learning that Yuju was still clinging on to life, even if the intent had been to take her down. It would have to be good enough, as long as she was disabled and off the streets in the meantime. They would figure things out as they went.

“We can’t let Eunha know.” SinB decided, already thinking about how to avoid the questions when the time came. Eunha might be in shock at the moment, but she would recover eventually and would likely want to settle scores. An angry fire mage was no small matter to handle, especially not when the only person capable of facing her down was currently on the operating table, her life hanging by a thread. SinB actually wanted her girlfriend to stay intact and unburnt, thank you very much.

“We can’t keep it from her forever,” Sowon sighed, running one hand through her ash blond hair. “She deserves to know what I’ve done, and why. I won’t lie to a friend.”

“Why did you try to kill Yuju anyway? Eunha was getting through to her…” SinB shook her head, worry gnawing at her insides. She knew Eunha’s temper, and if Sowon actually came clean about the shooting, she wouldn’t be able to stop the girl from trying to kill Sowon, and that was the conservative estimate. She would have to try to convince Sowon to let Eunha simmer down first before any confession took place. But Yuju was very close to Eunha’s heart, and even as her best friend, SinB couldn’t estimate for sure how long it would take for her to calm down enough to listen to reason. 

“SinB, Yuju slaughtered a whole unit of Tristar mercenaries without even touching them. And when those markings showed up on her...I couldn’t risk Eunha getting hurt if she lost control again.” Sowon leaned back against the wall, her breath puffing out in a tiny cloud before her. 

“Umji modified the bullet. There’s a sedative in it, as I’m told.” Sowon hadn’t been sure if a single shot would be enough to put Yuju down if it hadn’t been instantly fatal, and while she had enough confidence in her skill to actually nail a headshot, the fact was that she hadn’t been able to take the shot, which left Umji with the role. The leader had known that her baby girl had doubts about killing Yuju this entire time, and allowed the girl to try and figure out a way around the situation. If there was a way to disable Yuju without killing her, she would take it. Drugging her into insensibility was definitely an option, but no one was going to get close enough to do that, which was why they resorted to extreme measures. 

“It still damn near killed her.” SinB massaged her temples in frustration. She had never seen Eunha so distraught before, not even when her own mother died in front of her. Granted, Eunha had been extremely young at the time and might not have understood exactly what was going on, but the point still stood. “You knew it could have killed her, and it nearly did. She’s our friend. How could you?”

Sowon paled at the accusation, shoulders drawing together defensively before she let them droop in defeat. “You were ready to kill her a few months ago too.” Sowon pointed out tiredly. SinB winced. The leader had a point, but SinB also had time to change her mind since then.

“But Eunha was right so far. She never hurt us, even when she could have.” SinB locked gazes with the taller woman. “All this time, Sowon! She’s more than proven herself. I was a sitting duck in the tunnels that one time. She could have attacked me, but she didn’t.” SinB shook her head. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her, but she can still tell friend from foe. That’s good enough for me.”

Sowon stared back evenly, lips tightening into a thin line. “Other people are dying too, SinB. She’s not exactly innocent. At the rate she’s going, the wrong kind of people are going to notice. She needed to be stopped.”

“Look, I don’t want to argue with you right now.” SinB snapped, growling in frustration. “Eunha will be pissed if she finds out, and you don’t want to be there for that right now.” The gunslinger took a deep breath.

“Just...stay out of the way for a bit. I’ll take care of Eunha,” SinB let go of Sowon’s hand, moving to remove the watch from her other wrist and handing it to a dumbfounded Sowon. 

“I know you found us because of this. I should have known.” SinB’s voice was bitter as she let her gaze fall. If Sowon had been responsible for what happened to Yuju, then she was an accessory by association. Eunha might understand, but the gunslinger still felt awful about causing such pain to her best friend. There was no excuse for betrayal, even indirectly. SinB might not be the most ethically motivated person in the world, but she was loyal, and she had known Eunha all her life. If she had to choose, there was no question where she would stand. 

It hurt. By the spirits, it did. But Eunha was the only family SinB had left, and for all that she liked Sowon, she could not condone someone else hurting her sister in all but name. 

That, and Sowon did need to stay away from Eunha. It was all the protection SinB could give her under the circumstances. Eunha was hurting and upset, and likely to lash out if she knew the role Sowon had played in Yuju’s current condition. SinB would rather delay that eventuality for as long as she could, at least until Eunha could control any potential outbursts. There was no better way she could think of to protect both the women important to her, and the outcome still . SinB couldn’t bring herself to look Sowon in the face right now, knowing how hurt by the apparent rejection the mercenary would feel. But what choice did she have?

“You know how to reach me if you need to,” Sowon said softly, regret b in her tone. She saw SinB’s struggle and resolve, understood the pressure the gunslinger was under. That didn’t change anything about how much it hurt to have the girl turn away from her. Sowon hadn’t expected her feelings for SinB to have grown to this point, where the simple act of being pushed away, even with good reason, hurt her almost physically. 

“I’ll let you know if something changes with Yuju.” That was the only concession SinB could give. It wasn’t as if SinB didn’t understand the potential danger Yuju posed, but for Eunha’s sake, she was willing to risk it. In any case, it was still up in the air whether the shaman would survive the night, and whatever the result, they would make new plans from there. SinB never wanted to see that look of utter despair on Eunha’s face again. Once was enough.

“Stay safe,” Sowon murmured, her voice low. SinB already had her back turned, striding steadily back towards the clinic. Her response, when it came, was so soft that if Sowon hadn’t had enhanced hearing, she would have missed it entirely.

“You too.”


Yerin wasn't sure how she made it through the entire encounter with Director Han without slipping up, but she did it somehow, and it was with a certain relief when she was finally allowed to leave. 

The aching silence within her soul felt like an open wound, and a part of her was quietly panicking about Yuju. Something was wrong, terribly so, and she felt the damage from deep within, draining her and leaving her weak and ill with worry. 

Her face remained an inscrutable mask under these circumstances, shoulders tense and just on the edge of picking a fight. Yerin wanted very badly to go look for Yuju right now, just to see with her own eyes what had happened, but she was still on probation and not quite as free to wander as she pleased. The restriction irked her, and she was tempted to find a way to skirt the rules and slip out anyway, but this was a sensitive time with Director Han's eye still fixed on her. If she wanted access to Research, she had to play by the rules and get in his good books. It would be a waste to squander all her previous efforts if she left now. 

Yuju, please be safe…take what you need from me, if you have to. 

Yerin hadn't been blind to the sudden, rapid drain on her core earlier when the pain hit her. It had nearly driven her to her knees, and it was out of sheer will and discipline that she managed to not stagger from the weakness that resulted. The drain cut off after a couple of seconds, but Yerin had always known that bonding with Yuju this way would allow the shaman to tap into her as a reserve should the need arise. They shared more than just their thoughts and emotions; life and magic from their entangled souls were now common property between them. 

Yerin could not use it herself, but Yuju most definitely could, which was why her puppy said it wasn't fair to her. The assassin has essentially given herself over as a mana battery to her lover, and more besides. She had made herself entirely open and vulnerable to her puppy, a step her old self could never have imagined taking. Yerin had changed more than she had ever imagined, though she didn't think about it in those terms. It had been a calculated risk to her rational mind, and she was rarely kind to herself in her own self-assessment. 

She knew the kind of person she was. Director Han had not been very far off on his judgment of her. Self-interest came first, and bonding with Yuju had the double benefit of safeguarding her own mind while also reassuring her puppy that she was always going to be hers. Yerin was not blind to Yuju's growing emotional instability, and mere words were never going to be enough to put the girl's mind at ease. This step was extreme, but effective. 

It was also the only way Yerin could think of that allowed her to share the burden that Yuju had been silently carrying all this time. The immense drain her puppy was shouldering showed in the constant exhaustion outlined in her face and eyes, the terrible hunger leaking out in fleeting moments of weakness. As someone constantly close to her, Yerin noticed all this, and her heart ached for her love. Even after the Bond, Yuju still refused to pull too much from her, afraid of hurting her somehow. 

But it had helped a little. It wasn't much, but Yerin did notice how Yuju had been energized briefly after every time they had been intimate, which was why she had been more than willing to indulge her needy pup every time. Even if that hadn't been the case, Yerin would still be happy to please her puppy for the love of her. The connection they shared was deep, made even more intense by the Bond, which turned every touch into a viscerally edifying experience. 

Yerin had had with other people before, either for pleasure or just as a distraction for a mission. Nothing ever came close to what she shared with Yuju, and she couldn’t imagine ever settling for less now. The assassin was never one to simply make do when she didn’t have to. She might not have a choice in certain things, but in the things she could choose, she would never settle for less than exactly what she wanted. 

Yerin had the rest of the night free, and until she was activated for full duty, her days would likely be just be filled with training, just like back in the old days. She was eager to get back to her quarters though, since she was still a little dizzy from the sudden drain earlier. All the privacy she had in this place was in that tiny, windowless cell, and even if she disliked it, she desperately needed that space to try and reach out to Yuju if she could.

“So what did my old man want with you?”

An unwelcome voice forced its way into her hearing, and Yerin frowned almost imperceptibly, slowing down as a smiling Seo Hee stepped out from around a corner, as if she had been waiting for her to arrive. This was the most direct way to the dorms, so it made sense that the other woman had chosen to intercept her here. 

Yerin had been doing her best to avoid Seo Hee all this time, the hungry gaze on the other woman making her distinctly uncomfortable. It made her feel like a piece of meat, and even though it probably would have been easier if she played along with the spoiled young woman, Yerin wanted to remain loyal to Yuju. There were many lines she could and did cross, but Yerin always left something for herself to cling on to. A bottomline, so to speak. It was the only way one could remain human, when everything else had to be abandoned for the sake of the mission.

“An accounting for some research material.”

Yerin’s response was curt and to the point, and she kept her eyes blank and fixed into a middle distance, as if Seo Hee were just empty air before her. The woman was dressed to seduce, Yerin realized with a certain discomfort. While she wasn’t normally opposed to pretty girls trying to get her attention, this particular flower was most definitely off limits after Director Han’s warning, and even without that, Yerin wasn’t keen on jumping in bed with someone else right now. Not wanting to betray Yuju was one thing, but mostly because she was feeling a little ill at the moment and had little patience to deal with someone as thorny as Seo Hee.

“You’re so pale...are you alright?”

Yerin didn’t miss the flash of annoyance in Seo Hee’s face at her curt reply, but the woman was evidently capable of switching tactics and moved in closer, simulating concern instead. Yerin sidestepped the questing hand that was about to land on her cheek, putting a small distance between them. The cloying scent of perfume made her wrinkle her nose, and Seo Hee looked displeased by her avoidance.

“You weren’t so distant before…” Seo Hee began, looking Yerin over critically, folding her arms before her. Her tone shifted, turning almost reminiscent.

“You used to smile all the time...what happened?”

Yerin’s lips jerked into a mockery of the smile Seo Hee was referring to, her voice growing cold.

“People change, Ms. Han. My friends are all dead, you’ll forgive me if I have little reason to smile now.”

There was more than a little bitterness in Yerin’s tone, and her attitude was perfectly calculated between defensiveness and weariness. Seo Hee’s eyes softened a little at Yerin’s blunt rebuttal, seemingly undeterred by her prickly attitude. She lowered her outstretched hand, putting on an understanding face.

“You’ve had a difficult time on your own outside, it doesn’t have to be this way.”

“So I’m not traitorous scum now?” Yerin questioned mildly, buffing her nails on a sleeve offhandedly. Seo Hee scowled at the reminder of her previous words, though she tried to maintain her approachable demeanour.

“I was upset at the time...I missed you, Yerin. I never believed you died out there.”

The sudden confession was surprising enough to Yerin, who frowned imperceptibly, the corners of tightening as she in a breath. She raised her eyes to meet Seo Hee’s earnest gaze for the first time, a quizzical expression on her face.

“Why? We barely knew each other.” It was just one night. Yerin might be a little cocky and full of herself at times, but not even she would brag about being that unforgettable. Granted, most of the girls she had been with usually did come back for seconds, but the assassin rarely indulged again. She got around a lot back in the day, but everyone who knew her also understood she was never serious about any of her flings. It didn’t stop people from trying, but at least most of them knew what they were getting into.

“So you do remember me.” Seo Hee looked pleased by that. Yerin bit back a sigh. Clingy girls were the worst, except for Yuju of course. Yerin was completely biased when it came to her puppy, but then again, Yuju never made her do anything. If anything, she was the one who had been chasing after the other girl the entire time, a new experience for the otherwise flirtatious assassin. She rarely had to do more than make a few hints to others before they came falling all over themselves for her, something helped along by her natural glamour. 

Not only had Yuju been completely immune to the subliminal messaging of her wild magic, her puppy always recognized her even if she were actively trying to hide. It had been one of the reasons why she had been so fascinated by Yuju back in the day, though she would never have anticipated herself falling so hard for the shaman at the beginning of their acquaintance. The circle turns, and Yerin accepted the change as it came. She would never have seen herself growing this attached to any one person, but her devotion to Yuju had only grown over the years, and she never grew bored of her puppy despite her past tendencies. 

But she wasn’t about to explain the difference to this woman. For one thing, she wasn’t important enough to warrant an explanation, and in any case, the point was to leave her hanging while being superficially resistant to her advances, at least on the surface. Yerin was not above using how Seo Hee felt about her to get her way. It was a thin line to walk, and trying to play both sides was an exhausting feat, but Yerin managed somehow. 

“I prefer not to, Ms. Han. Your company is too exalted for the likes of me,” Yerin deadpanned. A self-mocking sneer twisted the assassin’s lips. “The director has made that quite clear.”

“Father can’t stop me from doing what I want.” Seo Hee scowled, flouncing closer to Yerin, who flinched away, looking reflexively at one of the cameras along the hallway. The action was not lost on the older woman, who narrowed her eyes.

“Are you scared, Ms. Jung?”

Yerin nodded without hesitation. “I very much prefer to stay alive this time,” she said, stressing the last two syllables as she shot Seo Hee a meaningful glance, before moving past her with barely a pause, leaving the woman behind to chew on what she had just said.

If she did things right, the spoiled brat might even realize that the last suicide mission she had been sent on was hardly a coincidence. Yerin smiled grimly. She might not be able to retaliate against the Hans very much at this stage, but she could make things a little more interesting between father and daughter. It might be a little petty, but Yerin had every right to hold a grudge when it came to attempts on her life. Small inconveniences might be all she could manage for now, but she was patient enough. Plus, nothing was stopping her from having a little fun along the way. 

The assassin let out a breath as she stepped into the relative privacy of her cell, the stoic front collapsing the moment no eyes were on her. She slumped onto the tiny cot, hanging her head as she focused inward, trying to reach out to Yuju for the umpteenth time since the sudden shock earlier.

There was naught but silence. Yerin closed her eyes, head bowed over tightly clenched fists. Yuju had to be alright, she would know if something bad happened. Still alive. That was the only thing she could cling to. It was enough, it had to be. 

She didn’t know what she would do if it wasn’t.


Darkness.

Of the kind that aded your every sense, leaving behind no sense of space and proportion. One could lose yourself in that void, empty and weightless, without direction.

It was almost too easy to fade into nothingness, disconnecting from self and body and drifting away, scattered. If not for the pain, she would have been lost.

Pain was the reminder of being alive. Like a reed buffeted by the wind, yet rooted in place. Yuju was uncertain how much time she lost in the void, submerged in the dark. 

Why do I hurt?

The thought was vague, an effort to even focus into coherence, words struggling to piece themselves together to form a sentence. There was an unreality to her, as if she were not quite there, gazing upon the broken pieces of herself like a puzzle to be solved. Not quite an out of body experience, but close enough. 

Splintered images, impressions really, oozed into her consciousness, like sludge leaking from a toxic pool. Killing intent, a familiar aura, a piece of herself tugging her awareness into alarm. 

You wanted to kill me, but why?

It should have been too far for her to notice, but Sowon still carried the talisman Yuju had made for the team, and while Yuju didn’t actively keep track of them, the piece of herself she left within the charm was sensitive to external threats, particularly when it was aimed at her. Danger, it screamed, blazing a trail from halfway across town to warn Yuju of the threat.

She could barely believe it at the time, eyes snapping towards the far distance. It was too far to see even with eagle eyes, but her gaze was unerring with the talisman as an anchor. Confusion, pain, betrayal shone through, and underlying it all, an understanding of why Sowon was taking that stand.

I am a monster. She has every right.

She felt Sowon’s hesitation and guilt, tasted the fear through the talisman, even as a b fury at the injustice of it all raged to let loose from within. 

The shot, when it came, was as much a surprise as it was a relief. Relief, because it hadn’t come from Sowon, that much she could tell from the open connection. Surprise, because she hadn’t seen it coming, had no idea where or who it came from, and most of all, because it didn’t hurt as much as she thought it would.

It had taken her a few seconds to realize she had been shot. Shock, mostly, numbing the entry and leaving her mind dumbfounded while her body caught up to the trauma it had just received. Her magic reacted almost instantly, even without her active command, trying to repair the damage, but the numbness spread with terrifying efficiency, leaving her consciousness locked out of her body as it fell, still confused by what had happened. 

The strange disconnect persisted, even as she started to choke on her own blood, body spasming out of her control. It was as if she were watching it happen to someone else, wondering if death was imminent, and feeling oddly detached about the whole outcome.

Wouldn’t be a first.

That thought leaked in out of seemingly nowhere, and bodiless Yuju considered it, wondering where it had come from. A cynical voice, but still her own. 

Maybe this time we could actually die.

She was so long in the darkness that she felt like she was the dark, formless and empty. She wanted to curl up, but couldn’t muster up the will to even twitch, hanging instead in oblivion as errant thoughts flitted like wayward birds through the tattered fog of her consciousness.

So tired everything hurts just let it go and…

A gentle tugging, deep within the unseen places. A small reminder, of love and obligation. It was soft and barely present, but filled with a deep longing. There was safety, understanding, and a tender acceptance. It was a whisper of everything she had ever sought.

Yerin was still out there. She couldn’t fall now. Not yet. 

A deep weariness sank into her very bones, the first indicator of embodiment she has had in a long time. How long? She couldn’t tell. There was no perception of time in that space. It could have been five minutes. Five hours. Five months even. She couldn’t know for sure, but it was a good sign. 

She was alive. Still alive, somehow. But the crazy whirling of her disembodied thoughts was starting to slow, as physical sensation merged into her mental state, exhaustion finally making itself known as a real factor, and not just a distant figure. 

She could rest. If she was alive, she needed to heal, to recover. The last thing she remembered seeing before her external senses switched off was Eunha’s crying face hovering over her. Something ached within her, lost and wistful. 

That’s right, someone else who cares.

Why would they care. What do they want.

Everyone wants something.

The sudden twist in her emotions was vicious, stabbing her where she was vulnerable and making her curl up, helpless and terrified, within her own mind. 

There was no escape from that cold, cruel voice, the sound of her own. The biting, bitter doubt. The cynicism was like a living thing, insidious and hurtful, digging into her deepest insecurities with the sadism of a torturer wielding a scalpel.

That pain was familiar. Lost, alone, hurting. Dark whispers of barely remembered memory, dragging her down, unable to scream, back into the hell she thought she had escaped from, once upon a time. 

Make it stop. I’ll be good. Don’t hurt me anymore.

Please…

It was always easier to forget. Yes. Her mind blurred into a fugue state, shielding herself on instinct, trying to distance itself from the cutting edges and cold stares. She retreated deeper into herself, unwilling to see the things that would only cause her more pain.

She had never truly forgotten. Some wounds cut too deep. But she could separate herself. Split away the pain, the suffering, lock it behind a door and never touch it. Cut it off, wall it away. Starve it, hopefully. Let it die in darkness.

If that left her a stranger to herself, so be it. She could not, would not, go back. This was her reality now. Not that other thing. Not the other her.

She would deny it to her last breath. Not me, not I.

But the truth was always waiting in the dark, where she was now. There was no escape, not forever. She could run only for so long. The terror in the deep raised its gnarly head now, sinking its claws into her vulnerable self, clawing, tearing, ripping…

No respite, no escape. She couldn’t even scream.

There was always unconsciousness. As always, she fled. Coward. Dove deep, running into the labyrinth places of her soul, splitting herself further to lose the monster in the dark. 

She was five again, needles stabbing into her skin.

Eight, on a ritual circle, bleeding.

Ten, hot irons blazing.

There was only so much she could take. She splintered further, losing herself in the maze, mirror echoes in a spider’s web. Distantly, a soul-rending sigh in the silence.

Here we go again.

Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!
Estrea88
I REGRET NOTHING

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
Andrea_97 #1
hope you can continue this some day! , really miss your updates
shrexy
#2
oh wow this is really interesting
FishnRead
#3
Chapter 31: Yuji my poor poor child. I'm so proud of her for trying to live by her values, but honestly if anyone deserves to go berserk it's her! Like if it had been Eunha in her shoes lmao good luck and farewell to all the villains and trapped souls. The parallel advancing of the three groups is really fun to follow and I can't wait to see how it all resolves. Welcome back btw! Always eagerly waiting for the next update :3
Andrea_97 #4
Chapter 31: oh...you left us in suspense😔, thank you so much for coming back! will be waiting the update~
Kariza #5
Author nim when will you update again? 🥲
FishnRead
#6
Chapter 30: Oh Han you sick . "How many of my friends are you?" I was... not mentally prepared to read that line. I can draw a little bit of a parallel between the open consciousness link between Yeju and the dual consciousness of the golem, but kids see how much better it is with reciprocity and consent? As usual I do so love your action sequences (though this time served with a steaming side of gut-punch and body horror) and I look forward to more kicking to come. And of course, OF COURSE, SinB is the type to cultivate a rugged worn-leather-jacket look xD Anyways I'm so late to this chapter (SHAME!) but this story still excites me all the same. Good luck for the next chapter!
Andrea_97 #7
Chapter 30: I came too late but finally I had time to read the update, just wow, I have to reread the las chapter for remember more the story, and just reminds me how amazing is this, the way you ended this chapter...poor yerin ,she have to fight against this golem-joy for protect her new family. As you know I love your stories I'll gonna be waiting your update!
kc_copper #8
Chapter 30: "New update!! weee~" was how I started this chapter but by the end of it I was DISTRESSED. Seems like Oscar Wilde was on point when he said that the truth was rarely pure and never simple.
So this was what was going to happen to Joy who was frequently taken away and was starting to change huh? I'm sorry but this is so messed up that I'm genuinely surprised Yeju are kinda(?) still sane.
Anyways I wonder what Heechul is upto? Looking forward to how things will unfold. Your new updates are worth the wait and good luck for the next chapter!
_NightDrive #9
Chapter 30: just reread everything from the start..... damn ur such a good writer! wondering tho what would eunha's fate be..... all of this one sided love is so heartbreaking D: thank u for the great stories hehe
urmamaroxs #10
Chapter 30: Coward Han! That’s what he is! Please let him die in the most painful and cruel way that exceeds what he did to everyone else! And that Lee too! Poor Seo Hee, she is just Han’s puppet and a tool... and what did you do to Joy!
Forever waiting for Sowon as always...