Lady Stardust, Pt. 2

Starlit

    “Five years?” Seulgi asked, a tightening, suffocating sensation working its way through her chest.

    Sooyoung gave a grave nod, tipped her glass of gin to Seulgi in a toast, and drained four ounces of liquor in a single gulp. Seulgi did the same, nearly gagged, then chased the drink with water.

    “I tried to contact Joohyun when I got your text,” Seulgi said, flourishing her ring. “But I didn’t get an answer.”

    “Well, keep trying,” Sooyoung said, pouring out more gin for them both. “Yeri said Joohyun would be able to give the best answers. And given what happened to you Saturday night, it’s definitely not safe for us to go back to the Lounge yet.”

    Seulgi ran a finger along the length of her ring, thinking. “It might not be safe for you to go back to the Lounge, but with this power, maybe…”

    Sooyoung gave Seulgi a flat, dry look. “Isn’t Joohyun the one who told you to run away to begin with? If she’s scared of this dude, we definitely should be as well.”

    A lull in the conversation. Both girls sipped their drinks. Mid-afternoon sunlight streamed through the open window of their dorm, the voices of students drifting in its wake, riding the same breeze as the tiny dust motes that spotted those pale rays.

    “This is just like a movie, huh?” Seulgi blurted out. As soon as the words left , she felt a wave of self-consciousness.

    “You could say that,” Sooyoung said in confusion, “A horror movie, maybe.”

    “Maybe not,” Seulgi said, tapping the side of her glass ponderingly. “The whole thing about horror movies is that the main characters are helpless.”

    “You weigh one-hundred pounds soaking wet and are afraid of your own shadow,” Sooyoung said with a bitter laugh. “And I’m an incompetent alcoholic. Even with Joohyun’s ring, we can’t do anything to Eodum. You barely know how to use it.”

    Seulgi felt a hot spike of annoyance at the dismissal, but couldn’t find any flaws in Sooyoung’s argument. She would have to practice with the ring, if that were possible. But where would she find the time? Between her studies, her tutoring, and this upcoming trip home...

    With an awful lurch, Seulgi remembered the conversation she’d had with her brother.

    “This has nothing to do with the apocalypse,” Seulgi said slowly, “But I’m going back to Cali for spring break and my family wanted to know if you were joining.”

    Sooyoung looked up from her phone, expression unreadable. “I… I think I’ll spend this break on campus. A couple of my friends are having get togethers, you know, people I don’t normally see during classes…”

    “Ah. That’s good,” Seulgi said, staring pointedly at the swirling clear liquid in her glass. “Like, unfortunate that you won’t be able to see my family, ‘cus they’ll definitely miss you, but I mean, good that you get to see your friends, and-”

    “It’s okay, Seul,” Sooyoung said, holding up a hand. “I understand what you mean.”

    The silence that followed was pointed, sharpened by the edge of unspoken words, broken only by the disrupting slurp of the girls sipping their drinks. Seulgi wanted to say something - anything to address their past - but she was unable to. How could they so easily talk about the end of the world, yet their past affairs were so taboo?

    “You should try contacting Joohyun as much as you can,” Sooyoung said, standing from her bed and moving to the window. “I’ve been speaking with Yeri whenever I’m able to. She’s been sending much of her time in the Lounge. She’s risking a lot by talking to me while Seungwan is around.”

    “She gave you a piece of herself?”

    Sooyoung pushed away the sheet of her hair on the left side of her head, revealing a thread of gold hanging from her earlobe. At its end was a glittering white gemstone of identical cut to the ring at Seulgi’s finger.

    “That’s not really how she worded it,” Sooyoung said, running her hand over the earring. “She called it a ‘Charm’. She hasn’t given me the powers of Christ himself like Joohyun did to you, though. Yet.”

    “From what Moonbyul and Solar told me, making these things is pretty difficult,” Seulgi said. “Apparently only really strong Representations can create them.”

    “If Charms are pieces of them, then that requires a lot of trust, right?” Sooyoung said, removing her earring, twisting it about so that it threw shimmering, miniature swaths of rainbow around the room. “I literally met Yeri three nights ago and have gone on one date with her. Maybe you know Joohyun a little better, but it seems like a big step in a relationship, don’t ya think?”

    Seulgi shrugged. She had indeed thought this true, and had come to a specific conclusion, but it was a bit… corny.

    “Maybe, we’re like… chosen ones, or something?” she said, tensing at the doubt she betrayed in her tone.

     Sooyoung didn’t scoff or otherwise appear skeptical. “You know more about this stuff than I do. Does it seem that way?”

    Seulgi gave a noncommittal grunt, grabbed her guitar from its hook beside her desk, and began some leisurely, unfocused strumming.

    “I guess. The ‘experience’ I have with this is all from fiction. Who knows if there are any similarities?”

Sooyoung shrugged in response, then sighed, strode away from the window and placed her empty glass in its designated spot on the shelf above her laptop.

    Seulgi continued to play, feeling herself becoming lost to the chords. She slipped into a rhythm, shutting her eyes and allowing the music to come from within. Thoughts and worries attached themselves to each of the six strings, runaway emotions seeping through the spaces between, filling and bursting like tar-bubbles of volcanic gas. Seulgi felt a smile spreading across her face. She began to hum.

    “Seulgi, what are you doing?”

    Seulgi’s eyes sprang open to Sooyoung wearing a quizzical expression before noticing the series of white beams that danced on the walls of the room. They moved like rays of silver thrown from a revolving disco ball. At their center exuded a sphere of funneled alabaster, its end burrowed within the gemstone of the ring.

    “I… have no idea,” she muttered, watching the silver shapes as they folded and withdrew into the jewelry. “I wasn’t doing it on purpose.”

    “It looked like the ring was reacting to your music,” Sooyoung said. “I’m not surprised. You’ve gotten really good at playing and singing.”

    The glow of receiving praise bloomed in Seulgi’s , and she gave a soft smile. “Thanks. I haven’t had time to practice much, to be honest, but lately things have just been… clicking when they do.”

    “What song was that?”

    Seulgi opened to answer, closed it, furrowed her brow. “Huh. I don’t know. I just kinda rolled with it.”

    “Gonna give your brother a run for his money, huh?” Sooyoung said with a manner of light humor.

    Seulgi felt the grin melting from her face. She looked down at her guitar, pretending to adjust the strings. Sooyoung pushed the window open, allowed a glut of fresh breeze to enter their room, and lit Seulgi’s bowl. She took one of her wasteful, showy hits - thumb fluttering over the carb, thick clouds of opaque obscuring her cherub face - then poured them new drinks. Seulgi was reminded of her sophomore year of college. A lighter workload, more free time, more days where she and Sooyoung would sit around, smoke weed, and shoot the breeze for hours on end. Perhaps they’d get a bit of studying done, perhaps order a cheap takeout meal, perhaps just watch a dumb movie on Seulgi’s laptop. Their relationship (Friendship, Seulgi corrected internally) had changed drastically since then. With the fading of their pseudo-romantic affair, something else had been lost.

    “Let me try something,” Seulgi said, taking the still-burning pipe from her roommate.

    She resumed the same song she played before. It took effort to allow her body to “flow” with the music again. It was a mindless, yet not necessarily absent endeavor. She began by playing a melody that was an approximation of what she’d produced before. Discordant, subdued, with an upbeat lilt that hinted at an underlying hope. It took a moment, but she found her mark, and continued where she left off. She watched as the ring began to emit that steady, rotating sheen it had taken before, matching the tempo of her playing. The song became unconscious, as insentient as the course of a river or the winds of a gale. She hummed along to it, found that her voice had gained a vaguely angelic quality, choir-like despite its sole source. 

    “Whoa, Seulgi… look,” Sooyoung said, voice filled with awe.

Without breaking from her serenade, Seulgi followed her friend’s pointing finger. Within the shadows formed by her ring’s projections, she saw the Astral Plane. Angled sections of dark violet tableaus, flecked with smeared chips of diamond, expanding and receding from view.

“How are you doing that?”

Seulgi shrugged, adjusted her hand on the neck of her guitar. No longer was it a simple instrument; her guitar had become an extension of herself.

Sooyoung shrieked as the Astral Plane bent toward them, filling their room, expanding, blocking out the dimensions of their reality. Seulgi understood what was happening, wanted to reassure Sooyoung, but her ability to speak independently of the song had gone. 

Then, a voice in her head.

Seulgi? Is that you?

Unable to respond, Seulgi continued to play, kicking up the tempo, matching the notes to the words she wished to speak.

Joohyun? Seulgi answered through the strumming, humming thrills of her song.

    A lavish beam of tenderness shone on Seulgi. She opened her eyes without skipping a beat. Sooyoung was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Joohyun sat at Seulgi’s feet, bobbing up and down in the cosmos, swathed in that same white shift that she’d worn the last time they’d seen each other.

    “You’ve learned how to tap into the Astral Plane already?” Joohyun asked. “You must have a great Cosmic Presence.”

    I didn’t really do it on purpose, Seulgi admitted, the tint of her playing downturned by embarrassment. I was just playing guitar, and it kinda happened.

 Joohyun laughed, and Seulgi could feel the woman’s presence drawing nearer, brilliant afterimages following her movements as she stood. A hand cupped the side of Seulgi’s neck.

“The nature of the Astral Plane is a mystery even to the most powerful of Cosmic Representations. Perhaps you were able to cross over because of your song. It sounds so visceral. It truly comes from your soul, doesn’t it?”

Uhhh… sure.

Joohyun giggled and kissed Seulgi on the forehead.

“It reminds me of a mixture of Pink Floyd and Don McLean,” Joohyun said thoughtfully. “Or rather, the best sonic aspects of both. Too bad you do not have any horns to add. They would compliment your playing perfectly.”

Seulgi expressed a wave of melodic humor. I can teach Sooyoung how to play, maybe?

A chill breeze from Joohyun reminded Seulgi of the last interaction the Representation had with Sooyoung.

By some innate instinct, by a desire to touch Joohyun without ceasing her performance, Seulgi modulated the notes, adding a physicality to them that hadn’t been present previously. She nearly gasped at the suddenness of the sensation.

Seulgi’s new playing allowed her to project from her body, control the motions of a separate, ghostly version of herself that existed both within her and outside of her. This Seulgi formed from a cascade of surrounding stars. She wore silver hair in a tight bun atop her head, with two stray streams of green-tinged hair flowing down to frame her cheeks. Beneath her eyes were streaks of black liquid that seemed to endlessly flow from her bottom eyelids to the angle of her jaw. An inky shift covered her torso and some of her upper thighs, calves hugged by high socks and feet adorned in a pair of leather boots. This Seulgi was proud and ladylike. Chin tilted at an angle, well-muscled frame, a self-satisfied smile on her saucy lips.

    Seulgi beheld this ideal, beautiful, perfect model of herself, left dumbstruck by awe.

    “And so, Seulgi Stardust was born.” Joohyun said, taking the Ghost Seulgi’s hands in her own. Seulgi could feel Joohyun’s touch, yet she could also feel the silky, metallic strings of her guitar as they ran beneath her fingers.

    “Is that my name now?” Seulgi Stardust asked, voice reflecting across the planets around them, bouncing between asteroids, breezing across the surface of stars.

    “It has a wonderful sound to it, and she looks absolutely beautiful,” Joohyun said. “Though, I think I would say that about any version of you.”

Seulgi Stardust grabbed hold of Joohyun, pulled her close. For the first time, Seulgi realized how small Joohyun’s body was.

“I have a question for you, Joohyun,” Seulgi Stardust said, placing a hand on Joohyun’s chin, tilted her head up to appreciate that pixie-like beauty. “Your youngest sister, Yerim, told Sooyoung that by visiting a planet, Eodum dooms it. Is this true?”

Joohyun gasped and looked around in surprise. Seulgi - the regular Seulgi, the one that now existed in the background - was shocked at the words spoken by her cosmic avatar. There was a confidence in Stardust’s words, a brashness that Seulgi herself had never been able to exude.

“You mustn’t say his name, Seulgi,” Joohyun whispered fearfully. “He still watches me closely.”

Seulgi Stardust glanced away, staring into the depths of the Astral Plane as though she could see the universe laid out before her. “Has he noticed us?”

Joohyun shut her eyes, paused, opened them. “No. Not yet.”

    “Okay, then. I won’t mention him again,” Stardust promised, giving Joohyun a kiss. “But is it true?”

    Joohyun sighed. “Yes. It is.”

    Stardust remained silent, waiting.

    “I know… I should have told you,” Joohyun continued reluctantly. “There simply was not enough time, and I was being watched. I am not as reckless or naive as Yerim is.”

    “Reckless and naive?” Seulgi Stardust asked incredulously. “She didn’t kill a planet of seven billion people.”

    Joohyun inhaled sharply. “I can keep you safe. You don’t have to die here.”

    “What about all the people? What about Sooyoung? What about our families? Our friends? The children-”

    “Stop!” Joohyun said, voice cracking like glass beneath a sledgehammer. She had begun to cry. “Please. Stop.”

    The song changed, and Seulgi felt herself gain a measure of control over her alter ego.

    I’m sorry, she whispered. Acting through Seulgi Stardust, she held Joohyun’s face with both hands and kissed her again. It was nice to feel herself - and only herself - kissing Joohyun. I didn’t mean to be so brash about it, but it’s true. Did you really doom everyone on this planet just so you could… I don’t know, defy him?

    For a while, Joohyun was quiet. She folded herself within Seulgi’s embrace, head pressed to the taller woman’s chest like a frightened child. It was a stark contrast to the Joohyun from the Galactic Lounge. That Joohyun was impressive, directing their conversation and interactions with poise and ease. This Joohyun hid from the looming shadow of her husband, suffused with paranoia and borderline hysteria.

    “I believe I have a plan. It’s something I’ve been giving thought to for a while, but given the circumstances, I feel that I should enact it,” Joohyun said finally, speaking into Seulgi’s chest, where she had buried her face entirely. “I can’t speak of it right now, though. Maybe when I’m able to return to Earth.”

    “When will that be?” Seulgi asked, Stardust’s personality shining through. “According to Yerim, we have only five years left.”

    And then, through her music:

    I can’t wait five years to see you in person again.

    “Soon,” Joohyun said earnestly, wrapping her arms around Seulgi’s waist. “Within the next week, I should be able to return. We can speak more freely then.”

    Seulgi felt her stomach drop.

    I’ll be in California then, visiting my parents.

    Joohyun smiled, and in that smile was a hint of the unfazed, self-assured Joohyun that Seulgi had longed to see.

    “There are many points where the Astral Plane is close enough to your planet that Representations can cross over. So long as you’re wearing my ring, I can locate you, and find a nearby point to meet you.”

    Good. Seulgi said, relieved. I don’t want to upset you again, but-

    “-you need to be completely honest with me. All of this stuff about Cosmic Representations and the end of the world is out of my depth. I’ve never had to deal with something like this. I’m just-”

    -a human.

Both Seulgi and Joohyun blinked, taken aback by the odd synchronization of Seulgi’s personalities.

Joohyun cleared , attempted to compose herself.

“I am sorry for keeping these things from you, Seulgi,” she said. “You cannot imagine how hard it is… the decisions I’ve had to make, the places I’ve had to leave behind…”

This isn’t the first time this has happened? Seulgi asked, heart sinking. She was ashamed to admit to herself that the majority of her horror stemmed not from the idea of other worlds suffering Eodum’s wrath, but of Joohyun seducing women across the universe at her leisure.

“Not like this,” Joohyun said, Seulgi’s hair, that mixed sheet of silver and black that indicated Stardust’s lingering presence. “I’ve never been involved with a mortal before. But often, when my sisters and I visit planets, they are destroyed directly after.”

Seulgi swallowed, but Stardust took the helm, said what needed to be said. “Are your sisters aware of this?”

“Yes. Yerim doesn’t realize how often it happens, but Seungwan is nearly as old as I am, so she is wise to the nature of things.”

How old is that?

Joohyun’s subtle laughter vibrated against Seulgi’s body. “Isn’t it considered rude in your culture to ask a woman about her age?”

“You promised to be honest with me,” Stardust said before Seulgi could stop her. “But you’re just dodging my questions again.”

“I don’t think I like Stardust much,” Joohyun said as Seulgi tensed. “Not nearly much as my Seulgi, anyway.”

Seulgi nearly gasped at Joohyun’s use of the possessive pronoun. She was Joohyun’s Seulgi.

“But to answer the question, I am roughly as old as this universe,” Joohyun said casually. “It’s difficult to keep track. There were those of my kind that came before me, a mother and a father who birthed me and my sisters, but I have little memory of them.”

I know you probably have to go soon-

“-I have one last question for you-”

-though it seems that all I do is ask you questions, I know.

“Go ahead,” Joohyun said, undeterred by the transient shift between Stardust and Seulgi. “The longer we’re here, the longer I can hold you.”

Seulgi found herself melting internally at Joohyun’s endearment. Stardust appreciated the sweet honesty but pressed on.

“Why me?” she asked even as she pulled Joohyun closer. “What was so special about me that you decided to take the risk of your husband finding out about us?”

The piercing gaze that Joohyun gave was enough for even Stardust to hesitate. It was as though the woman was staring through Stardust, through Seulgi, passing the muddled conjoining of their presences and into their shared spirit. It sent a soulful quiver about Seulgi’s body, and she was nearly overwhelmed by its potency.

“I do not know, not for certain,” Joohyun said. Seulgi could feel the woman’s hands clutching her, almost groping the space right below her lower back. “But your presence is so demanding that I was intrigued by it. Like a universe of its own, with a million different planets, each with its own unique role within that dimension. So much to explore, so much to discover!”

Joohyun’s voice was growing breathless, and fevered crimson rose in her cheeks, painting her countenance, betraying the fervency of her desire.

“Seungwan doubted that, thought maybe it was a fluke, but I knew. And isn’t this proof enough? You opened the Astral Plane by playing guitar, and created your own Representation by accident. There’s something special about you, Seulgi Kang, Seulgi Stardust.”

    Panting, Joohyun gripped Seulgi as though she were the last stable piece of that great, rotating, uncaring universe.

    Seulgi kissed Joohyun hard. A feeling of hot connection rose between them. Hands raked through hair before dropping to caress bare skin. Where there was clothing, it was pushed aside. The liberating freedom of their near-ness was matched - and outpaced - by the sensation of flesh meeting flesh. Seulgi dipped down low, kissed the individual bones of Joohyun’s rib cage, began working her way to ascension. Joohyun sighed and leaned her head back as her shift was yanked and wrinkled upward, then gasped softly as Seulgi found a wanting peak of pleasure. Joohyun’s flavor was rich and inviting, spiced with sprinkles of galactic sugar and cosmic cinnamon. Heart quickening, tongue working with a vigor that was out of her control, Seulgi ran her hands over the creases of Joohyun’s hips, appreciating the hard lines that could be felt through the woman’s thin shift. Joohyun held Seulgi’s head, cradled her with soulful tenderness, her hair as she rested her hand at the center of those perfectly shaped hips. Seulgi ran her fingers along the thin, slick shape, nearly losing herself when she sensed the great heat that awaited her there.

    “Oh,” Joohyun whispered, placing a hand over Seulgi’s. “Not here. We can’t… we can’t do this here.”

    Lost in the worship, the seance, Seulgi was finally unable to continue her song. In less than an instant, Joohyun was gone, the Astral Plane was gone, and a series of crystalline shimmers engulfed her. They too faded with rapidity, and she found herself sitting on her bed, sweat clinging to her underarms and the creases in her thighs, guitar laying uselessly across her lap.

    A distant giggle sounded at the back of her mind, along with sensuous parting words.

    Maybe next time… 

    “What the was that?” Sooyoung demanded, rushing over and kneeling before Seulgi. “Where did you go?”

    Still reeling, Seulgi looked into the concerned face of her roommate, reordering her thoughts.

“I went to the Astral Plane.” she said effortfully. “Joohyun was there…”

“By the looks of it, you had a good time,” Sooyoung said with a smirk. “And you dyed your hair, too?”

Despite her flustered stupor, Seulgi started. “What?”

Sooyoung took her phone from her pocket, switched it to the front-facing camera, and flipped it toward Seulgi.

It took a second for Seulgi to notice the change. The majority of her hair was still jet black, and there were no smears of makeup dripping from beneath her eyes. Neither had her face taken on that fuller, more comely look that Stardust had. However, upon closer inspection, Seulgi could see two ribbons of forest green hanging on either side of her face.

----------------------------------------------

Thanks for reading! Remember to comment with your thoughts and upvote if you like the story! (:

Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!
JamieStardust
Hey guys! If you enjoy Aespa fics in a fantasy setting, check out my newest fic, "Black Mamba"! It's a Winrina fic that will also feature Red Velvet members.

Check it out here:
https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1471733/black-mamba

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
Fire_trek 274 streak #1
Chapter 24: Stardust is still tripping I see lol she is really “violent flirting” with Seungwan as Moonbyul put it. But besides that her saving those people was comical like Seulgi said why was she talking like that? This chapter was full of information but also a few chuckles. The bickering back and forth between Stardust and Seulgi was comical. I still want to know what see how Joohyun is going to react when she finds out the girl she is destroying the world for kissed her sister…
Fire_trek 274 streak #2
Chapter 23: Aye, what is with Stardust? 😂 is she infatuated with Seungwan because she bested her? I can see it being lust at first sight.. and not to mention she kissed her! That was a surprise, seems like Stardust is full of them, even Seulgi was surprised. I wonder how Joohyun will take it? I also liked the inner dialogue of Seulgi/Stardust, very entertaining
Fire_trek 274 streak #3
Chapter 22: I love Bogum, I wish he was my brother. He totally freaked out when Stardust brought up the whole magic thing but he was cool with it after a while.. he said maybe he dropped too much acid lol that’s the only way this would make sense.. but no, it’s true and Stardust/Seulgi’s going to help the girls and save the world!
Fire_trek 274 streak #4
Chapter 21: Damn, Joy is a savage.. just reading Joohyun her rights for life lol but she’s not wrong though, all for Seulgi she would risk killing seven billion people and an earth that’s been around for millions of years? She’s kinda like a love sick puppy, not to mention she has daughters with this man… she’s in way deeper than she thinks she is..
Fire_trek 274 streak #5
Chapter 20: Yass, Joy is giving annoying younger sister vibes haha I’m surprised we got POV from Joohyun but it was nice to see where her head was. And what did she mean when she said if Joy was fully human she wouldn’t have made it through the astral plane? What are Seulgi and Joy? Are they halfers?
Fire_trek 274 streak #6
Chapter 19: Wtf? They are her daughters?!? What does that mean? Does that mean her and Eodum actually had a real relationship? I’m so stupefied right now… and the Cade situation is bothering me, they need to rescue Yeri ASAP! This is so full and action packed like a marvel movie!
Fire_trek 274 streak #7
Chapter 18: Did Cade take Yeri to Plastic Beach? lol I hope she’s okay and not dead. I love it when my ship fight for each other and the people they love. MoonByul and Solar were cool helping them, too bad about Thomas tho :( and Joohyun and Seungwan were seriously badass coming in like that, if only Seulgi/Stardust was there, I know for a fact that Yeri wouldn’t have been taken..
Fire_trek 274 streak #8
Chapter 17: It took a near death experience for her mom to lighten up ☠️ but idk I’m kinda confused on why Joohyun wasn’t more upset with the way Seungwan decided to handle things.. doesn’t she know she’s the chosen one? And Stardust with the save again today lol I’m starting to like her more and more.. hopefully they get in contact with Joy and Yeri next chapter because some stuff is definitely going down..
Fire_trek 274 streak #9
Chapter 16: This was awesome! Some serious kicking in this one.. and my ship is like a old married couple like seriously.. I love how they just flow together and accept each other’s boundaries and flaws and almost near death experiences lol
Fire_trek 274 streak #10
Chapter 15: Joy just punched Joohyun in the face!! What! Didn’t expect that but I also didn’t put into account how Joy would feel. She felt like Joohyun was playing with Seulgi and using her and not only that she was having them all killed by proxy. So I get it. My ship is so cute and pure!! I love them and Summer is talking about the big final boss fight right? Like they all know what’s going on at this point..