Night-Owl Romance
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Note: This marks the 40th chapter of my story~!
40 times the goodness, yet so little plot happened so far – LOLZ *sobs* I had a bad case of writer's block too, it's depressing rofl. Literally started writing on the chapter a lil over mid-february. TwT
Anyway, since we've reached another story milestone, I wanted to ask everybody who is still reading this story and is up to date:
1) what's your impression of it so far? ^o^ likes/dislikes/what you love/ what you hate about the path this story is going.
2) what do you hope to happen in the future + things you wish the game had dealt with differently in Zen's route.
3) And what did you wish MC could have done in-game while visiting Zen's house but never had the chance to see it happening cause the lack of story content.
Too many off-screen things weren't shown, so what do you think they did in those long hours together and alone? I know eating food, stargazing, maybe playing some board game or even watch a musical, but would you wish other stuff to happen while they're both in the same room? OwO
Also, thanks for the support even when I'm having such long breaks in between updates 3 every kudos, comment is dearly appreciated~!
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Chapter 40: Disaster Rhapsody
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Zen's spontaneous reaction was excruciatingly deafening, Mina instantly suffering due to her lack of judgment when revealing such an honest feeling to him – plus, the consequences did not stop there. She had made room for the actor's blossoming laughter to pierce through the receiver, his throat hurting from the intensity penetrating his body. In return, the party planner felt her own reddened cheeks ready to explode from the emerging heat and bit her lower lip out of embarrassment. She had been naively sincere while concerned about the actor's wellbeing and had hoped to use those admissions in order to cheer Zen up but the effect had been fully to her disadvantage.
Regret followed, Mina paying a hefty price due to her carelessness while completely unaware of the twistedramifications that shall spawn into the near future... for both her emotions and senses. The situation would soon be proving to be more than what she had originally bargained for.
"Sure, sure...", the girl started off disappointedly as his hoarse voice kept resonating gleefully. "Laugh all you want, Zen."
"See if I care what happens to you next time you get injured!"
"Hmph!"
The flustered coordinator backtracked in a scolding manner, audibly upset because of the actor's carefree attitude. She was contemplating a bitter end to their phone call when Zen alerted her to stop, an action marking an all-too familiar dance between them. "N-No, no *cough* no, no~! Please, stay for a bit longer!"
His behavior appeared insincere compared to their previous conversations as Zen coughed through fits of laughter, further aggravating the girl's mood. "Good bye –"
"No, wait! Mina!", he shouted again while attempting to catch his breath and relax. "I'm so-sorry for laughing *clears throat* but the reason why is not what you may think!"*clears throat again*
"Ashi, this damn cold...", he shuddered.
"Hah!"
"Sure. Bye –"
"Come on – jagiiiiiya~~~! Don't be mad~!", he sweetly cooed in a sing-song tune however the actor's cutesy apology did not have the desired effect on Mina who continued to portray a stone-like figure, utterly unimpressed by his wording. Disappointedly, Zen hung his head lower while brushing the back of his hand across his forehead. He opted on another strategy in order to eradicate the scowl he imagined was marring her delicate features since the party planner's playfulness wasn't present in her tone anymore.
"Jagi... you know, I truly meant what I've told you before.", he added solemnly. "Thank you for worrying about me..."
"I really am doing fine, so you don't have to go out of your way to do or say things you dislike."
"It's alright~!"
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"I'm alright."
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"...", Mina's heart constricted at the remark – he sounded the opposite of alright.
"Actually, I am already so much better considering the night I just had. Talking to you cheered me up lots~!", his manner of speech had softened abruptly, yet it wasn't soon when Zen began sighing heavily.
"Zen...?", she called out his name confused.
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Was he really doing okay?
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After a lingering pause, the silver haired actor went on admitting how Mina's answer was an unexpected surprise for him to receive this early in the morning. It made him feel genuinely giddy and happy~! Even now, Zen's heart was still fluttering madly which was one of the main reasons why he couldn't stop himself from laughing out loud, bluntly expressing these spirited emotions that were overtaking him.
"O...O...OH?!", the girl was dumbstruck at how little his restraint he was showing, her cheeks gaining a darker shade of burning red. She needed the furniture's support since her legs were close to failing to withstand her weight.
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Unreal.
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Mina crooked her neck lightly and shut her honey brown eyes as the thumbing inside her chest increased in strength. 'Zen's lying, right? He couldn't possibly be this overjoyed by something as insignificant as talking to me...'
'Right?'
'He's clearly overreacting...'
She was trying to convince her mind against the truths of the reality presented in front of her. Pure and utter disbelief as the girl couldn't fathom the concept how a popular and outgoing figure like Zen was able to take so much joy out of their troubled interactions. Surely he had an enormous entourage who, compared to Mina, could be of greater help to him throughout these difficult moments and have their own methods of cheering him up. Heck, the other R.F.A. members could obviously do this job far better than the party planner, not a sliver of a doubt!
After all, she was still but a stranger to the actor who was always causing him grief with her misunderstandings and misreading or mishearing situations.
So listening to Zen's recent confession... it was surreal. Similar to the other times where they've shared private matters between each other, expressing words carrying a deeper meaning than those normally spoken in these early stages of a friendship.
Really...
It was becoming harder and harder for Mina to deny those swarming butterflies popping in the pits of her stomach, the youth allowing the sweet, sweet sensations to roam freely and uncontrolled. She was quite unsure how to follow up with the conversation without sinking into quicksand or stuttering like a fumbling idiot!
One thing stood out in a bothersome manner though, the party planner choosing to focus on that aspect in order to calm down her nerves.
*gulp*
The actor's voice carried faint hints of melancholy and did not reflect the positive reassurances he was offering to the girl, a certainty she was willing to 100% bet everything she owned onto it. Of course, having spent the night in a hospital ward, where Zen's ankle ended up wrapped up tightly in a cast, was no excellent news, Mina subconsciously touching her own problematic wrist which continued to be a major nuisance. Besides walking turning into a tedious process, she did not hear the silver haired male do much complaining.
In fact, he had an optimistic view regarding his recovery rate!
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However...
A problem nudged at the corners of her mind.
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Zen had never once mentioned anything related to the rehearsals he had scheduled these days for the upcoming production that had Echo Girl as the female protagonist. In addition, whether he had informed his musical director about last night's injury or not remained a mystery too. And before she had the tiniest chance in steering their talk towards such a sensitive topic, Zen had suddenly excused himself from the call.
He needed to leave.
The actor did promise to return swiftly to the messenger, hopefully within the hour when he would officially update the other R.F.A. members of the current events. "Until then, my lovely jagi, please stay warm inside Rika's apartment and protect your own health as best as you can!"
"Be safe for me, okay~?", the actor grinned warmly, and rushed to slide his thumb across the screen, leaving behind the confused girl without a chance to react.
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"Zen-"
*END CALL*
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~oOo~
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"Damn..."
The actor's expression was gradually twisting yet the smiling corners of his mouth were left unchanged. Combing a trembling hand through his long silvery mane, Zen tiredly shut his eyes for brief seconds, allowing the fresh wintery air to seep into his pale skin. "I must be going crazy.", he whispered sadly, moving his head sideways while hesitatingly gazing through the window pane of an adjoined store.
He was able to perfectly make out the outline of his reflection.
Zen was a mess.
Noting how poor his condition was, the youth's skin appearing too dry and areas hollow underneath his eyes, should have stopped his heart from beating and sport a frenetic chase towards his apartment – no – towards the closest beauty store in sight where he would empty the shelves of all types of skincare products so he could remedy this tragedy endangering his precious face~!
But what killed him most wasn't the subpar state of his normally flawless skin.
It was his ankle, pulsating and shocking him with electrifying pain despite using a pair of crutches to move around and ease both the stress and pressure put on the injured limb. Zen did not like what his red orbs were picking up as his reflection, the hardened cast a nasty reminder of the actor's shortcomings and inability to train.
...
Did Mina pity him now...?
Or found him pathetic for stupidly injuring himself?
Did she despise him for everything that's happened, from all those misunderstandings to –
Ah...
"So terrible...", he softly cried out, sinking lower within the growing pool of depression filling up his soul, bottom deepening after his red orbs crossed over the latest messenger logs. The Hacker-CollegeStar duo kept teasing the actor's rotten fortune but what they had written down brought him sheer dread because it meant Zen had to start facing head-on a rather cruel reality.
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'Good-bye musical...'
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The thought alone was sufficient in crushing the actor's spirit, Zen feeling as though he had terribly failed at what he loved doing dearest in this world – acting. Seven years and counting but everything the youth had to show in his portfolio were countless minor parts in low-budgeted musicals which barely reached the public in the first place, a few major roles in obsolete plays and a secondary lead role with somewhat positive reviews and audiences. Never was Zen the main lead in a musical until the second half of this year, when he believed lady luck was finally shining her light above his figure.
That's not to say he wasn't appreciative of every opportunity he had received so far!
And mourning every opportunity he had lost...
Zen's theatre company was fairly small, meaning promotional periods were scarce in between performances and breaks lengthy. Thus, the chances to advance and progress were on the lower spectrum, always a gamble for actors to win auditions and take roles of interest within this company. Competition would be fierce and ruthless – especially for the popular acting gigs!
*sigh*
Hard work, talent, good looks could only get him so far though...
Some days, it was hard for the struggles faced were taking a heavy toll. Today it was the worse Zen had ever felt in months, the actor simply loathing the fragility of his body which showed in the direst of moments.
"Tch..."
The more he was drifting through his neighborhood, the clearer his outlook became over the situation at hand –there was no way Zen could fully recover until the major rehearsals-day and be absolutely certain he had practiced his lines and learnt the dance routines by then. He did not have the inhuman abilities to surpass his condition in time regardless of everybody's perception of his healing rate... ;;
*sigh*
Nevertheless, the actor could not stand aside and allow such a golden opportunity to slip away – as Seven and Yoosung called it. Not when so much was at stake!Zen had to find a way to secure this role into the future even if it meant sacrificing his soul to a devil in order to achieve this!
F**k!
Zen's body was twitching while his eyes were burning. Anger levels were also on the rise, the actor blaming the trouble with his reddening orbs on the icy wind harshly sweeping the emptied streets. While drowning in this powerful wave of depression that threatened to completely overtake him and shatter him like the ankle, Zen's attention was soon directed elsewhere as he heard his name on someone's lips.
The actor was quite disoriented until he discovered the source belonging to the barricaded body of old man Kim, the owner of the neighborhood's beloved goldfish-shaped bread stall – and Zen's favorite treat to spoil himself with~! The elder was bravely battling the cold season by wearing layers upon layers of warm clothing to shield his old bones while supervising the small shop.
The state of the troubled youth had alarmed him.
And before the actor knew it, half an hour had gone by until he had returned to his apartment, packed full with yummy fish bread treats and sorrow partially forgotten.
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~oOo~
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Mina had gotten around working on the guests' emails after a somewhat plentiful meal she had prepared for breakfast, experimenting with Seven's strange ingredients from the mystery box and... well, she couldn't do anything about the odd taste of the end result, cursing at her faulty cooking skills. She sucked it up while lightly grimacing but she did notice a significant improvement in her mood afterwards – she was feeling unusually better and dare say stronger, the girl's energy no longer plummeted to the ground despite the distressful night plagued with worries...
So many worries orbiting around the actor.
Her wrist had also been taken care of with ointment applied on the affected area and fresh wrappings, letting the wrist cast sit aside for a little while. Thankfully, writing on the laptop was not a chore and she could leisurely type as long as she supported her hand onto the laptop.
The e-mails had poured into the inbox in an intimidating manner but the girl would thrive and refuel herself with tea whenever she'd have overwhelming sensations! She wouldn't back down, although in the back of her mind, Mina couldn't really focus and kept glancing towards her phone on her lap, restlessly waiting for any updates.
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*BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ*
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A fire could have happened and Mina wouldn't have been as speedy, excitedly unlocking the screen and hungrily reading the incoming messages – "What?", her expression drastically shifted. For the worse.
The person texting her wasn't Zen.
And the information could not have been more dreadful to read.
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~oOo~
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"Morning, Miss Choi.
Long time no seen, I almost forgot about that coat stain from how long it's been.*lol*
My boss couldn't contact you himself because of some important meetings he had to attend to, so I'll be updating you on the important matters on his behalf.
Here it goes: A mix up at the police station had caused your assailant to be released from custody last night and his whereabouts are currently unknown. I've informed that red head in your group of these changes and he said he'll find the guy in no time. Everything is in control, Miss Choi.
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Relax and enjoy your cup of tea in peace~!
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PS: If you need any groceries or other necessities, we gotcha back~!
Or, better yet – ask Jiwoo.
Jiwoo's our go-to member of the Dandelion squad, he's in charge of the babysitting materials and chores. Mkay?
Remember, it's Jiwoo and not me.
Maybe Jihae or Jieun.
Definitely stay away from Jiyeon's shopping, that boy will only buy you crap.
I'm sending you their contacts so you can dial up anyone from the list and anytime there's an emergency.
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Remember!
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Contact tThem and not me – unless it's life threatening~!
Anywho, take care and have a splendid day, Miss Choi.
Jisoo. ^.~"
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~oOo~
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"Huh?"
"Is this..."
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~oOo~
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Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide,
No escape from reality...
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~oOo~
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No escape from reality...
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~oOo~
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*CLINK – CLINK – CLINK – CLINK*
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The clinking of metal brushing against each other was echoing throughout a dark pathway, the poor lighting showing off the navy blue hue of the encapsulating stone walls. Solitary steps were guiding a hooded individual towards the doorway found at the deep end of the corridor, the keys jiggling in one hand while the other twirled a vial containing a brightly colored liquid.
The humming of a children's song was increasing in volume with each taken step and appeared to be in steep contrast with the desolating picture unfolding. Behind the screeching doorway was a grubby man strapped to a massive wooden chair which had been placed right in the middle of a pitch black room.
*CLICK*
A switch had been suddenly turned on, spreading a blinding light that caused a chain reaction in the man's shattered body.
The captured bloke was huffing and puffing heavily, hollow and teary eyes spiraling left-up-right-down in a crazed manner. Once the man's gaze had fallen onto the intruder's figure, who had since dispatched his hood onto the table, his entire body started convulsing madly. The ropes wrapped around it began further eating away at his skin as he tried breaking free from the tight bonding, screaming and pleading for the newcomer to stop.
"N-N-No-", he was choking, almost spastic from fear, teeth chattering and eyes leaking more and more tears.
"Are we that impatient to receive treatment, today? I'm glad~!"
"Very glad!", the newcomer removed the rest of his robe, revealing a pair of mint-colored gems decorating a sharpened pale face. The youth's short white locks were carrying faint remnants of red painting the tips.
"You've been very naughty Believer number A624.", he wickedly grinned at the distraught man who was reacting towards him as he were facing the devil himself.
"Ngh..."
The intruder approached the man closer and gloved hands grabbed onto the chin painfully, forcing him to watch him in the eyes. The grubby man froze into place, too afraid to move a muscle.
The vial was getting closer to his lips.
"The savior is displeased with your actions."
"Nghhhhh!"
The mint-colored liquid was now entering his mouth.
"Pity."
"NGGGGGHHHH!"
The vial had been emptied.
"You were doing so well these past years – just like we'd planned."
"However, you had to go astray at the last minute with the girl and forget your true mission."
"It could have ruined the savior's plans..."
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"Of bringing them all to Paradise."
