[capture]

Crescent
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San and Jongho squint to read the list of items they'll have to take from Byul's house provided by her, and the top two items that she had kept on insisting they have to bring made blush colour their cheeks. Both of them blink and they proceed to shove the list to each other, trying to avoid becoming the person who'll be taking them.

"Uh, do we really have to take them?" Jongho tries to reason out as he struggles to keep the list away from him. "Everything else is fine but the top two..."

"Are the most important," Byul says matter-of-factly. "There are 8 men living in this house and no grown woman, so I doubt you would have them lying around."

"True..." Yunho says absent-mindedly. His eyes shoot upwards, as if he's imagining something.

"What are you imagining, you ert?" Mingi slaps a hand to the back of Yunho's head, making his head jerk forward.

He retaliates, "I am not imagining anything!"

"Both of you are packed with muscles and you're scared of some female sanitary items and undergarments."

"Oh shhh don't say it out loud!" San puts up a hand and closes his eyes as he swats at something in front of him. His reaction doesn't stop as he keeps waving his hands around, trying to keep the image away from him.

"I can't wear the same thing everyday," she deadpans. "Seonghwa said you can help me take my items from my house and they're important and expensive. All of you can provide me with everything else but... these."

Mingi nods firmly, agreeing to her every word.

"I keep both items in a closed box so you don't have to actually look at it. Just throw open my wardrobe, grab it and shove it in the bag. Don't worry your eyes won't burn. Don't even think about looking at it or I'll make sure they haunt you for the rest of your lives."

San holds his breath and widens his eyes, his entire 24 years of life flashing before him. He questions his life decisions as he goes through the list again. He and Jongho are tasked with the mission to go to Byul's house, and he should have seen this coming.

"You guys are really acting like it's the end of the world," Yunho chastises. "Those items aren't cursed, they won't kill you."

Byul feels embarrassed the more they talk about it, and she feels herself shrinking back. She had second thoughts about putting those two items on her list, but a girl has to keep on living.

"Uh, yeah. We've never went near them," San sniffs. "It's easy for you to say but we're not experienced like you."

"That's how he got Hwayoung," Jongho agrees.

"What the heck are you guys saying? Stop being so explicit in front of our guest," Mingi exclaims.

Mingi immediately clamps his hands over Byul's ears, trying to block out whatever they're saying from reaching her. She can't help but laugh at their reactions, but her smile dies when she notices Yunho's face.

His face turns sour at the mention of Hwayoung, and it seems that Mingi has noticed it too. The bespectacled man quickly turns to the two and shakes his head, prompting them to chuck the topic.

"Oh fine, we'll do it. Just grab the box, shove it into the bag and run. Got it."

"And don't get caught, always be alert at all times. Anything suspicious, abort," Mingi reminds them as he removes his hands from clamping over her ears. "We'll be watching and guiding you from the control room, alright?" As Yunho lowers down his head to look at the floor, Mingi quickly motions them with his head to go and get ready.

"I'll be down at the cafe," Yunho announces. "I wonder what's taking Hwayoung and Wooyoung so long."

Byul notices the change in the atmosphere but the men don't address it.

San and Jongho go upstairs to change their clothes, looking slick as they dress in all black - tight pants and leather jackets. Jongho has parted his hair to make way for his forehead to show while San gelled his hair back.

"We're not going for a fashion show kids," Mingi gestures to his own attire - baggy pants and an oversized t-shirt.

"You're not, we are," San replies. "You'll only be sitting behind your computer but we'll be showing ourselves to the world."

"Why is every single one of us so dramatic?" he chides, but waits for no answer as he stands up and goes to the laundry room. "Oh right," his voice comes from the room, "because we all need to be good actors."

San and Jongho follow him without hesitation, leaving a confused Byul at the living room as she's wondering why they would be gathering there. They won't be washing clothes together will they?

"What are you doing?" Jongho asks, hands on his hips as he stands at the doorless entrance leading to the laundry room. "We're about to go into your house and we need you."

"But... why the laundry room? Wouldn't it be much more logical if it's one of your rooms instead? Is the signal there better so Mingi could hack the cameras easily?" she asks nonchalantly, brows creasing as she tries to find a reason.

San's laugh comes from behind Jongho as he had heard every single one of Byul's questions. He flashes his dimples as he rests his chin on Jongho's shoulder. "Byul, you're so innocent and that makes you so cute." Jongho rolls his eyes at this. "Didn't you notice Wooyoung coming out from here? He just went back from a mission just now."

"Well yes, I did. Was it the balcony?"

"Are you really asking that or are you just playing dumb?" Jongho lifts up his eyebrows, his face showing that he's seriously asking the question, and that he can't believe she would be.

"Give her a break, she's new." San punches a playful fist at his shoulder. "Come on, Byul. We'll show you a whole new world. And no, Jongho. Don't sing it."

Byul follows San's invitation which is full of excitement, as he lightly guides her while pulling her sleeve. He looks too excited that it makes her unnerved when thinking about what they're about to reveal to her.

Mingi is waiting beside the unoperated washing machine, hands on his stomach as he looks like he's about to spit the sickest bars of the century. He fixes his glasses and knocks a hand on the machine, but it does nothing. It seems that it's only some exaggerated gesture as he ducks behind it and disappears.

"What the frick where did he go? Is there some kind of chambers of secrets behind there?"

"Not quite, but close," Jongho addresses her before following suit.

"Watch your head and steps," San cheerily instructs her. "The opening is a bit low and the pathway is a bit dark. We wanted to put burning torches along the way because it looks cool but Hongjoong said no." She can literally hear the pout in his voice. "So we're stuck with LED lights at every 10 metres or so. Doesn't brighten up the place too much, but I'm here to light

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Magbuull5245 #1
Chapter 70: By far the best book I have read. Laughing, crying, deep thinking. Just amazing!
jeongsclown
#2
Chapter 3: LMFAO THEY'RE SO CHAOTIC I LOVE IT
Manna-chan #3
Chapter 70: This story is amazing! You are so talented, the flow of the story, the way you managed to tell about all of them without it seeming forced or weird. I love it, thank you for making me smile, cry, smile again and cry happy tears at the end. Thank you for sharing this story with us <'333
WiltedStar
#4
Chapter 1: You're such a great writer.
Jade_Flower #5
Chapter 70: Loved it!!
TaeTae_wife
#6
Chapter 70: I so love your story! It's the fist Ateez story that I read and it's WOW!
Congratulations!!!! <3
MsPinKai
#7
Chapter 70: THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME SHED HAPPY TEARS ??? this was EVERYTHING!!!! One of the best written stories & plotline ever! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Animeakume
#8
Chapter 70: prepared my heart for a tragic ending but tHANK GOD ??? shed happy tears instead but it’s all worth it

i love this whole story so much! defs one of my go tos for rereading <3 thank you so much for this amazing story
Animeakume
#9
Chapter 57: i cracked and bawled my eyes out when yunho and byul repeated that they said back then as trainees ??? the whole “Dont you wish everything here is an illusion” “us, being here?” “No you idiot” back and forth conversation ohmyheart
MsPinKai
#10
Chapter 51: just when I was already believing that she 's not eunbi.......OH. MY. GOD.