Let's do damnation.

Duality: Mamamoo & What Is To Come
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damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

I

 

it is impossible to expect a certainty
from an uncertain place like this world.

 

Jung Wheein knew that. Who doesn't?

 

In one of the desolate arcades where
lights were dominated simply by neon tubes,
pink and red intertwined to create a suffused, messy tanglement
of circumstances,
two bars flipping up and down as the player
only focus at the solitary metal ball dropping against
plastic obstacles and stairs.
The machinations went several time until
the electric numbers in the board said YOU WIN

 

Wheein let go of the buttons she's been tapping out
vigorously, leaving the pinball machine to spy on other 
games in this arcade, weighing the quarters inside her palm,
the crinkling sound almost fitting enough to turn into a melodic tune
by its own accord.

 

The plastic cheerios clock hanging on the wall
shows 11.45,
and nothing in the sky above this arcade but an absolute,
suffocating darkness.

 

And in the same darkness Wheein wait for 
someone who would never miss 
playing for a chance in the world.
Beyond world,
whatever.

 

The sound of engine shuttled down
outside the property made
Wheein's ears perked on end,
That's her.

 

Her.

 

It's a long story,
the kind where Jung Wheein didn't know where to start.

 

Maybe it was all started
on that fateful night.

 

II

 

In the realm 
of that fateful night,
Jung Wheein let a plastic bag
of art supplies and a can of cider
hanging around her wrist,
ready to snap at any second,
whichever it is at the moment.

 

Until she saw something dreadful 
happening in front of the arcade.

 

A man standing listlessly
around the door,
his eyes are the containing the same energy,
and in the corner of Wheein's crazy mind
is a thought on whether she should tap him 
on the shoulder and ask,
"Is everything alright?"
Like everything can actually be it.

 

She's halfway into doing that
before realizing what's happening
next.



From the gap between buildings,
(this arcade and the next),
a hand jutted out and grab
the top of his head,
and you can almost imagine
a force that can break a skull,
but instead

 

 

A freaking blue ball of flame,

 

 

ooze out of his mouth
and the man fell to the ground.
unable to hold up
the lightness of his being,
so light, so light
without a soul,
Who knows one can be so empty?

 



And the owner of the deathly hand
stepping out,
showing herself (perhaps inadvertently,
and it's a mystery why Wheein can witness all
of this in the dark),

 

 

a blue ball of flame
floating in her palm,
she kept ducking down to
scrutinize the curious thing 
before crushing her palm shut.

 



Like a candle that's blown out,
Jung Wheein
feel the world
covered in black
at that very moment.

 



III

 

In the present,
In this arcade,
Wheein is sure the roaring of the engine
put down is the sign 
of someone she has been waiting 
to meet.

 

The owner of the dreadful hand strides into
the arcade dressed in all black:
Black leather jacket,
Black boots 
Black everything except for
The blonde ponytail swished back and fro when
she sit in front of one game in the arcade,
Two seats further from where she’s sitting,

 

 

Obviously not interested to start a conversation,

 

 

Let alone acknowledging Wheein’s presence
In this arcade.

 


Safe to say,
Jung Wheein is offended.

 



The only best course of things to do now
Is to get up from the ripped seat
And stride forward,
Jutting her fingers to a spot around her skull,
Searching around the blonde locks
Before grasping onto something right before
The woman noticed what just happened
And jump away from her spot,
The expression is an epitome of uneasiness.

 



The sensation of roughness and pointy end of the surface
confirms the suspicion Wheein has been having in her wildest dreams.

 

 

 

"Is that a horn?"

 

 

Wheein shut
with both hands instantly,
the moment she almost regret 
her decision.
Almost.

 

 

 

The woman stand in her spot
and bite into the collar of her leather jacker,
unfasten the clips and stripping it off,
throwing it haphazardly
at the top of the other game machine
in the arcade.

 

 

 

Before she can put her hand near the spot
Wheein grasped, the voice calls out.

 

 

 

"You are the devil."

 

 

There is no way of escaping this,
and seems like the blonde knew it well.
Who doesn't,
when this woman has been
here almost every midnight,
at the same pinball machine?

 

 

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p_ha_ine
Ideas keep coming in this condition which might be one of the ways we are coping in this situation. Let me know what you think, I guess? #stayathome

Comments

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1nsomn1ac #1
Chapter 12: This is so good omg
Pinkidler #2
Chapter 12: And i am hooked.. waiting for ur updates.. Happy New Year to you ❤️❤️❤️
Pinkidler #3
Chapter 10: Stay safe 💚💚😲
chipchap
#4
Chapter 10: ❤️🧡💛
alinuu
#5
Chapter 10: I am so very sorry for your loss! That‘s so sad to hear. I hope you‘re able to cope somehow!

And to the chapter: I loved it as always! I just love how you write Hwabyul. I found the idea of them video chatting very sweet, and due to the situation atm it made total sense as well.
I‘d love to read what happens when they‘re actually able to meet again too!

As always, stay healthy and take care, love ❤️
sa_1109 #6
Chapter 2: Omg .... My hwabyul heart ♡♡ :(
velahohoho #7
Chapter 9: Ooo
velahohoho #8
Chapter 5: Excited reading this update!!!
velahohoho #9
Chapter 4: Love this
velahohoho #10
Chapter 2: Awwwww