Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The house sat on a hill all by itself and was silent the way mourners were at a funeral. There was an air of expectation, as if it was just waiting for the next step in a ritual that was yet to be complete.

Gaon looked across the wide empty yard where the forest was threatening to encroach, the grass overgrown and dried in browning patches. He could hear waves crashing in the distance, a sound that only emphasised how far away and remote the location was. There was a profound bleakness to the property; he could feel it in the air like wisps of rain against his skin but it wasn't malevolent like he had feared.

He had parked his car outside the gates and now he strolled down the pathway to the porch, gravel crunching underfoot, the house - a mansion really - looming ahead. He could feel it watching him, murky windows like eyes, gauging, waiting.

A woman stood on the porch, back ramrod straight, hands clasped in front of her. She wore a severe high collared blouse and a long skirt, looking every bit the part of the house.

"Kim Gaon?" she stretched out a hand as Gaon approached. "Ji Youngok. You may call me Mrs Ji."

Gaon took her hand. "Nice to meet you. Thank you for your email."

Mrs Ji looked over his shoulder. "Are you here by yourself?" Her throat bobbed, a slight tremor to her thin lips.

"Yes, sorry. Professor Min is away on another case. I know you wanted someone with more experience. But since it was urgent, I thought I'd come regardless. I am not at the Professor's level but I can hold my own. Do some preliminary checks." Gaon felt his face heat as he spoke. He knew he was young but he didn't like justifying himself. He had always been careful with the cases he took and Professor Min had agreed that Gaon could handle this one on his own.

"No, it’s alright," Mrs Ji nodded. "You… you''ll do very well." She smiled at last, eyes softening. "Come," she beckoned, turning to unlock the large ornate front doors.

--

Gaon had been to more than a dozen properties whose owners had claimed were supposedly haunted but only a handful ever proved to be true.

The mansion was different from all the rest.

From the moment he crossed the threshold, all the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. It was like stepping into a vacuum; sound, light, life even, was dulled. Gaon pushed, felt the house shudder awake, pushing back trying to smother him, testing, squeezing.

He held firm, frowning, until the pressure gave, and slunk away, the house's curiosity sated for now. Breathing was easy again and Gaon exhaled once, satisfied, the tension seeping out of him.

"Is everything alright?" Mrs Ji asked, concerned. She stood on the base of the stairs, ignorant or unaffected.

"Yeah," Gaon managed a tight smile. "You say this place is… cursed?" He asked trailing her up the creaking stairs, lifting a hand to catch the nature of the curse in his fingertips but it slipped away, elusive as a silk ribbon stolen from his grasp. Powerful. "How many years has it been?"

"Decades. It was all over the news. Before your time, I should think," Mrs Ji explained. "I have served the Kang family for many years. Many, many years." She sighed. "Such a tragic family. First Master Isaac dies in a fire and then Master Yohan and Miss Elijah just vanish into thin air. Just like that. All their belongings were still there. Master Yohan's half read book was still on his desk, Elijah's bed was still rumpled….."

Gaon listened attentively even though done all the research beforehand, seen the footage and heard the recordings, read the papers, the articles, the interviews.

"We did not suspect foul play at first. After the police investigations ruled out the usual, the practitioners came… and then it was a matter of the council. They said they had never seen the like. Untraceable, unbreakable. I am not gifted myself. I do not understand these things but we had some of the best in here, day in and day out. Nothing. They did not understand the curse. And eventually fervour and interest died down, as these things often do."

"Curses can weaken overtime," Gaon pondered as they came to a stop in front of a locked room. "But why now?"

Mrs Ji unlocked the door to reveal a large bedroom. There was a massive bed facing large floor to ceiling windows. A writing desk in one corner and a partition which led to a walk in closet. "I had it cleaned for you. There's a generator in the basement for electricity and the kitchen is stocked for a week. I’ve made sure there’s hot water as well."

Gaon shifted, a bit overwhelmed by the space and her hospitality. "Well I don't know if I'll be staying that long. Mrs Ji, I don't want to get your hopes up. I've read every report, every journal I could get my hands on of the previous people who came here over the years…. Some were much more talented than I. I'm not sure I can offer anything new."

"It's alright. You're the first person who has bothered to respond to my emails and calls after so many years. I'd be happy even if you just tried."

Gaon looked around again. The walls were listening, the mirrors were watching. He would just have to get used to it.

"You should drive your car over to the basement parking lot or to the porch. Just in case. And here," She passed him a set of keys. “For every room.”

“You don’t live here?” asked Gaon, surprised.

“Oh no. No one has lived here for years. Not since…,” she trailed off. “I have a place nearby. I only come by once a month or so. To make certain everything is as it should be. But, if you need anything, do call. You have my number.”

Gaon walked her to her car since he was going to move his as she had suggested. He couldn’t help but notice she seemed agitated, restless, like she was eager to leave. Perhaps the house did that and Gaon would start to feel the same over time.

“Take care,” she said, squeezing his hand in thanks.

“Mrs Ji? You haven’t told me why… why are you looking to break the curse only now?” Gaon asked, remembering the question she hadn’t answered.

Mrs Ji paused, eyes searching his face. “Would you believe me,” she said softly, “If I told you Master Yohan came to me in a dream?”

It was not unusual but there was a difference between the wishful dreams of normal people and the Dreams of Sight; sometimes it was difficult to tell which was which. “Did he say anything?”

“No. But I knew.”

“Was he… was Kang Yohan - I read he dabbled -”

Mrs Ji laughed, a little sharply. “Oh, Master Yohan didn’t just dabble,” and there was a slight sneer in the twist of her lips, a proud light in her eyes. “No, Master Yohan was one of the best.”

Chapter Text

The basement was dark, dusty and damp but was not unwelcoming. He had been to places where the basement held something apart from darkness, something that lurked in the cold walls and slithered on the floors.

This basement, thankfully, was not like that.

When Gaon got the generator working, the light bulbs flickered on bathing the space in an orange glow, illuminating shelves of books, a rusty cot and a small table with uneven legs. There was something lived in about the place although he could tell from the dust and dirt that no one had been down here in a long time. Gaon ran his fingers over the dust molted books and the cot but could sense nothing apart from the general ongoing feeling that he was being watched. His fingers drifted to the books again, hovering, and choosing one at random.

There was a photograph between the pages of a young man and a little girl. Gaon studied the photo under the light, felt a ripple of unease, the inescapable tightening of Fate’s strings. The back of the photograph was blank, no epithet, no date. Carefully, he slipped the photo back into the book and placed it exactly where he had found it.

He went back upstairs to settle in. Professor Min always said it was important to establish a base, a safety zone so to speak and Gaon went through the usual ritual of commandeering the bedroom as his.

So far the house was quiet and did not resist. Gaon hoped it remained that way,

There was still light. He took a walk around the perimeter of the property to see how far the curse extended. Satisfied, he went back in and made himself a simple dinner. Mrs Ji had prepared all sorts of meats and fresh vegetables, microwavable dinners and ramyeon as well if he was so inclined. Gaon cooked a simple meal, had an early dinner, keeping one eye out on the setting sun.

He could feel the change as darkness fell. The shadows grew longer, the air tinged with unnatural chill and the silence had taken on the stillness of a mausoleum. Not even the humming of electricity or the whirring of the generator could be heard even though all the lights remained on. The house pressed down, oppressive.

Gaon turned off the faucet, dried his hands and listened. There was breathing somewhere behind him - no, not breathing - panting, undercut with the occasional chuffing, like an animal. A huge animal. His heart was pounding in his chest, sweat beading on his forehead. Gaon turned around.

There was nothing.

The kitchen was empty and the hall beyond, still brightly lit, was also empty. But Gaon had almost Seen it. He could feel it though, hidden between layers, hidden within shadows. He had read the reports too, surprised no one had been killed so far which was strange by itself.

Gaon took an empty glass and filled it with water, held it to eye level and whispered, “Show yourself,” peering through the distorted refraction.

Through the glass the room was dark. He swiveled around, unable to catch the Sight of the creature, only a silhouette, a darker shadow against the shadows. The shadow shifted, drawing itself up, up, up.

It was large. Larger than it had any right to be. Gaon caught a flash of teeth, white and sharp, edging nearer -

His phone rang, startling Gaon badly enough that he nearly dropped the glass. The Sight vanished.

"Hello, Soohyun?" He answered shakily, keeping his eyes on the spot where the creature had been.

"Hey, Gaon, how's your first day? Everything okay over there?"

"Uh, yes," Gaon placed the glass down, took a deep breath to settle himself. He reached out but could feel nothing except the cold slimy residue of the curse. “I'm, um, staying at the mansion for a night or two. It's not as bad as we thought."

"Are you sure that's safe?" He could hear her worry, see her frowning face. "Maybe you should wait till I'm done with this dumb job -"

"Soohyun, I'm fine. Just… keep talking. I feel better when I hear your voice." Carefully, Gaon walked towards the stairs, turning off the lights as he went. He could feel eyes boring into his back. "Tell me about your case."

"There’s not much to tell. I’ve spoken to the previous owners but the painting has passed through so many hands since… I’m not sure how I’m going to track it. Might take a while. Ugh. I should have gone with you. Please don't be reckless. If you get even a hint of -"

"Yes, mom. I'll be careful." He made it to his room without incident, immediately felt better once he stepped inside the barrier.

"Kim Gaon!"

Gaon chuckled. He let her rant for a bit, playing along before they said their goodbyes. As much as he loved her, there were times when Gaon felt the need to withhold information that would cause her to worry. When it came to him, Soohyun's instincts were to always ask him to leave even if she herself would be the first to jump into the fray had their positions been reversed.

He could still feel something outside his door but decided to ignore it for now. If he wanted to get any sleep at all, he had to remain a little indifferent, focused on staying calm. Fear is the relinquishment of reason, Professor Min had warned, everything operated on certain rules. Even curses had a system, a pattern. Gaon just needed to learn them.

--

It was a Dream.

Dreams were fluid and malleable. If you were good enough like Professor Min you could walk in and out of your own and others, without being Seen. But people with gifts weren’t the only ones who liked to walk through Dreams. One of the first things Gaon had learned was to safeguard his own. A person who didn’t have control of his Dream left in his most vulnerable state/ Gaon wasn’t the best in this but he had always managed to keep his Dreams safe.

And yet he found himself with no control over this one.

He was still in the same bedroom, except the walls had taken on a dizzying suffocating quality that seems to be pressing in on all sides. At the foot of his bed, the creature from the hall prowled relentlessly, it's large mass blocking the moonlight from the windows. Gaon couldn't move, couldn't lift his head to See, truly See it's nature so he might find some way out of this predicament, wrestle back some control.

All he could do was lie under the covers, sweating, immobile, heartbeat racing in his ears.

Back and forth. Back and forth, claws clicking on the hardwood floor, massive shadow drifting over the bed. Sometimes the creature tried but could not get close. Then it would snarl and growl, fur bristling.

"Go away," Gaon whispered to the ceiling and willed it so, willed it strong. This was his Dream, his space, his domain and the creature was Trespassing.

He could feel the creature halt but did not heed. He could not make it leave but neither could it come any closer. He could feel it's frustration and anger, the hunter with its prey just out of reach.

The Dream lasted a long time as Dreams often did.

Gaon awoke exhausted as dawn's weak light filtered through the curtains. In his Dream, the windows had been curtainless and the moon was bright as an orb in the sky.

On the hardwood floor were scratches, and deep gouges as if an animal had been pacing the whole night through.

Chapter Text

The strength of a curse did not rely on the strength of the caster but on the strength of their ill intents. There was always a way to break a curse. It just depended on how twisted and extreme one had to go. The more complex the curse the more layers and rules had to be followed. And if all else failed, one could always resort to brute force of will but the backlash was usually unpredictable and often deadly, unless one was very skilled or very lucky.

Gaon wasn’t either and so he fell back on plain old investigation.

After some light breakfast, with the curse slightly mellowed as a sleeping bear, Gaon decided to go exploring. The mansion was even bigger inside than it looked outside. Most of the rooms were unlocked, furniture covered by large white sheets to keep the dust off as if the owners would return one day fully expecting to put everything to good use again.

The Kang family were not known for having any sort of gift in the arts but it was becoming clear that someone in the family had more than a modicum of talent. Whoever it was had left traces even after twenty years, smothered as it was under the curse. Gaon could feel it strongest in the study and on the books, objects much handled and well loved.

He found more traces of it in the remnants of a protection spell carved into the doorframe of a bedroom, the sigils long faded over time. Gaon traced them with his finger, teased a wispy strand out and breathed it in. It was warm on his tongue, and settled in his chest like whisky, burning a little as it went down and spreading the warmth into his limbs.

He could envision the complexities the spell it once held, now faded to its barest form.

"Are you eating paint?"

A girl stood at the end of the hallway. She looked to be fifteen or sixteen. Her long hair was tied in a neat braid over one shoulder and she wore a light dress with long sleeves gathered at the end.

Gaon stared.

The girl took a few wary steps forward, eyes narrowed. "What are you doing in front of my room? Are you a pervert?"

"I, uh," Gaon said weakly, collecting himself. She wasn't a spirit, that much he could tell.

"Are you lost? We get lost people sometimes."

"No. I'm not lost," he stopped himself, dredging through his memory for a name. "Elijah, right?"

"How do you know my name?" the girl asked suspiciously.

"I read about you," Gaon admitted.

"Read about me?" Her lips pursed in thought. "Oh, you're one of those people. Well, I suppose you must have questions. Come along," she started walking away. "It's almost time for tea."

"What?" said Gaon, alarmed. It was morning wasn't it? He studied his watch and saw with some shock that it was almost three in the evening. There was no time for panic. Elijah was almost gone, the top of her head disappearing down the stairs.

Gaon hurried after her, afraid she would vanish but she was still there, her footsteps echoing through the house. A house that was no longer dreary and dilapidated but clean and bright like he had taken a step back in time.

Gaon swayed at the foot of the stairs, shaken.

He had not felt the change.

"Come on!" Elijah called from the kitchen, her tone laced with impatience. She had two cups set up when he entered. "It's not poisoned," she muttered, noticing his reticence. Professor Min had always cautioned against taking food under these circumstances.

Gaon sat, bringing the cup to his mouth. The scalding liquid touched his lips and he winced but he didn't drink. Elijah was blowing on hers. "What's your name?" she asked, taking a careful sip.

"Kim Gaon."

"Gaon… Gaon. Never heard of you.” She tilted her head to one side, studying him “I was really shocked when I saw you. Thought I had died."

“You… saw me?”

“From the window. When you arrived. You look like my dead dad.”

Gaon chewed on his lower lip. He had seen the photographs, read the family history. It wasn’t pretty.

Elijah hummed and went on. "He died in a fire, you know. Along with my mother. It wasn’t a special fire or anything. Just bad luck. But Yohan refused to accept that for the longest time."

Gapn hesitated. He didn’t know what she was or what she was capable of and he didn’t want to risk making her upset.

“Elijah… how long have you been here? Do you know the date?”

“It’s been awhile... I’m not quite sure what year it is anymore,” she shrugged. “I’m not sure I want to know either. It’s just going to upset me. Time moves differently here. Did you hear me?”

“Yes?”

She looked enormously relieved. "You're the first person I’ve managed to talk to about this. There were others who came before, but I couldn’t get them to understand. Sometimes they couldn’t see me. And even if they did, I just… I couldn’t get the words out.”

“Coincidences are a force to be reckoned with on their own. I think me looking like your dad… might be a reason too,” Gaon said.

Elijah gave him a watery smile. “It’s been so long since I’ve talked to someone. Yohan tries. But he’s even more trapped than me. I don’t get to see him much. And when I do… he’s usually not himself.”

Gaon leaned forward, took her hand. It was warm and soft, nothing extraordinary. He could feel the life in her blood, flowing through her veins, flowing to her beating heart; alive. "How did it start?"

Elijah swallowed, she took a deep breath but her mouth opened and closed. Then she shook her head. When she spoke, her words were slow and strained like they required much effort on her part. "After my parents died, it was just me and Yohan. And we were okay. We got by." She took another deep breath. "Yohan had always been… a talent. But after the fire… he got a lot stronger. Strong enough to do things most of us could not. I don’t really… know exactly what he was. Learning.” She paused. “Practising. I know the things he was doing, those Arts, they weren’t something you did in the open. And he might have… attracted the wrong crowd. That’s when -” she broke off, eyes wide staring at Gaon her mouth open.

Gaon flipped her hand, palm up, blew on it and pressed her fingers into a fist. "Tell me. You have nothing to fear. You can tell me."

Elijah's nose started to bleed. She was fighting the curse and even with Gaon’s help, it was too strong. "I cannot say her name,” Elijah whispered. “I never liked her but Yohan let her stay. Here. For a while. Maybe he thought… or maybe he was just using her - he can be mean - or maybe she was using him. I don’t know. But he wouldn't give her what she wanted. So she took it.”

Gaon felt a chill at the growing fear on her face. She was somewhere else, seeing something he could not see. Her hand was trembling. “What did she take?”

Elijah's throat bobbed. “His heart, Gaon. She took his heart. And she,” her voice was so low Gaon had to strain to hear her. “She ate it. In front of us. She made us watch. That's why he can never break free," she gasped, panting. Her face was pale and covered in a sheen of sweat.

Gaon had never heard or read anything like that in his life. It didn’t sound possible. There were limits, rules, structure. He licked his dry lips. “Is Yohan… here?”

“Not here,” Elijah said. “You’ve met him.”

Gaon realised quite suddenly that dusk had fallen.

Elijah drew her hand back and wiped the blood from her face. "You shouldn’t be out when it's dark. Sleep in my room tonight. It's safer." She turned to look out the window, the sky awashed with lurid orange and pink hues. and stood abruptly. "I must go."

"Elijah,” Gaon pleaded. But the kitchen was shifting, the bright light turning dim, the tablecloth now fading to gray, the shiny countertop turning dull. “I have so many questions. How do I meet you again?"

The shadows grew and very faintly, the distinct sound of a low rumbling growl. Elijah looked up into the distance. Gaon followed her line of sight but could see nothing. He heard Elijah say firmly. "Go now," but when he turned back she was gone and he sat alone in the dying light.

--

Elijah's bedroom was all pale pastel colours and frills. There was a painting of her on the wall and Gaon felt self conscious under the portrait's gaze but he also felt safe. Like she was looking out for him.

When he touched the painting it felt warm and real, like he was holding her hand. He had touched her and knew she was good, felt her fear, her desperation and her hope. And now that he knew her he could feel her hidden in the layers of the curse, buried in the walls, under the wallpaper.

She was trapped but he had no idea how to free her.

He fell into an uneasy sleep, plagued with the sound of someone calling his name, a wet tongue licking his fingertips, the smell of a large hunting animal, it's shape drifting in and out of focus...

Gaon woke up and stared into a pair of yellow-gold eyes, animal breath huffing hotly on to his face, unnaturally long canines inches away. It towered over him, massive paws pressing dents into the mattress on either side of his head, dangerously real.

Oh, thought Gaon before fear took over and sent his heart into overdrive. I See you now.

Chapter Text

If it was a wolf, then it was the largest wolf Gaon had ever seen, with long lean legs, a snout that was longer, hungrier; its fur matted and thick, with a heavy ruff that bristled and shook with the low rumble of its growl. The yellow eyes seemed almost too human in the dark.

The bed creaked dangerously under its weight.

Gaon didn’t dare to move. He didn’t even dare to breathe.

The creature huffed, a wet muzzle pressed against Gaon's cheek and down to his neck. He could feel its teeth graze his throat. Gaon’s fingers dug into the sheets, twisting them as he tried to stop himself from trembling. He squeezed his eyes shut as the creature nosed lower, breath hot in the hollow of his throat, drool dripping onto the collar of his shirt.

The pressure vanished.

Gaon opened his eyes in time to watch the creature land deftly on the floor. For something so large it barely made a sound as it slunk out the door. It took fifteen heartbeats for Gaon to spring into action, stumbling to his feet, uncoordinated limbs still shaking as he dashed out into the hallway only to be met with empty darkness.

--

Gaon knocked on Mrs Ji's door with a little more force than necessary. He had told her he was coming but she had kept him waiting. He knocked again.

The door finally opened but only a crack. Mrs Ji peered out at him, recognition alighting in the one eye he could see before she swung it further wide and said, "Oh, Gaon-ssi so sorry I was in the kitchen. Do come in.”

Gaon bowed to her, apologetically for his impatience before entering. Mrs Ji did not seem to notice, she was busy fretting over the state of her living room. Her house smelled like a.mixture of bitter herbs and the clean smell of antiseptic that reminded him vaguely of a pharmacy.

“Would you like something to drink?” she asked then noticed the tensed energy in the way he was shifting on his heels. “What's wrong? Are you done with your investigation?”

“No, no. I wanted to ask….” He broke off and blurted, “I met Elijah.”

She gasped, her hand jumping to her chest. When she recovered, her eyes were wet. “How is she? Oh my god. How is she?”

Gaon didn’t quite know what to tell her. Mrs Ji stared at him then shook her head softly and looked away with a sniffle, brushing the corners of her eyes. "I need to ask you about Kang Yohan,” Gaon said. “Did he have any... lovers?”

“Lovers?” Mrs Ji blinked, taken aback. "Master Yohan was dedicated to Miss Elijah and his work. He didn’t have time for lovers."

"Not even one? Someone he expressed interest in?" He asked desperately. “Someone who was interested in him?”

“Well there were many who desired the master. I'm not sure about the opposite. He was a private man. I don't know…”

“A woman,” Gaon interrupted. “Someone he invited to the mansion. She would have stayed a while.” Mrs Ji must have remembered someone like that if Kang Yohan was as ascetic as she claimed.

Mrs Ji seemed to be thinking hard. “There was someone Master Yohan rather took a shine too. I’m not sure if she stayed over… it was after I had moved out. As I’ve said, Master Yohan required privacy. It was not necessary for me to stay after dinner.”

“What was her name?”

“Jung Sunah,” Mrs Ji replied with confidence. “She used to be a maid. I think she had a crush on him then. But he pushed her out the window.”

Gaon gaped. “He… what?”

“Master Yohan had his eccentricities,” Mrs Ji said, smiling faintly. “SHe was not badly hurt. And Miss Jung must have remembered him fondly since they reconnected as adults. Although, I do not think anything came out of it.”

“You’ve met her? Did she seem… suspicious in any way? Did the curse start shortly after she left?”

Mrs Ji mouth parted, clearly startled by this frantic line of questioning. “No, as far as I remembered she was gone a whole year before... .” She paused, eyes growing wide. “Exactly a whole year,” she whispered.

--

-

Gaonn called Soohyun on his way back to the mansion.

“I need a favour, Soohyun. Could you dig up everything you can on a Jung Sunah? What she did, where she went… she might be the key to breaking this curse.”

“Okay… but why? Who is she?”

“I don't know yet,” Gaon admitted grimly. “Just… be careful.” But if he was right… he shuddered. Finding her would be one thing. Getting her to break the curse was something else entirely.

--

Gaon decided he wasn't just going to sit around for something that would or would not pan out. There were some documents and files in the house he could check and he went through each one only to find that they were mostly from an older time, records of accounts, bookkeeping, invoices.

Unlike Professor Min and most practitioners of the arts who kept meticulous journals on his cases, Kang Yohan did not make a habit of writing anything down. That made things extremely difficult for Gaon. He had his research and he went through that again hoping he could find something that he had missed, some clue or pattern. He traversed the rooms poking and prodding, hoping to stumble into Elijah again without any luck.

One curious thing about the house was that the day always seemed short, as if the house could not wait for darkness to fall and so had distorted time within to suit its needs. All too quickly, Gaon found himself watching the sun set warily, wondering where the hours had gone.

He packed his books and went up to his room.

Elijah's room might be safe but it was somewhere the creature could all too easily enter. Gaon resolved to strengthen the protection spell in his own room by pricking his finger and drawing a bloodied circle on the door. The house did not like that. Gaon could feel it resisting, pushing back until at last the blood seeped into the wood and vanished.

He had taken one of Elijah's ribbons that he’d found in her room with him to bed. Maybe he could try to call for her in his dreams.

Sleep did not come easy but Gaon was determined. At some point the moon rose, pearlescent light pouring into the room casting an eerie glow on the furniture.

The door creaked open.

Gaon held his breath. He was absolutely sure that he had locked itt. Maybe he was asleep and the Dream had already begun but the fact was, he could no longer tell and that scared him more than anything else.

The creature stood at the threshold for the longest time before it finally managed to enter. Unlike the night before, there was no spark of human intelligence in its eyes, only a cold animalistic violence. He could feel its rage just below the surface. Its growls went on and on, incessant like the oncoming rumble of thunder, each strand of fur upright.

Gaon couldn't move again. He clutched the ribbon tight. Eyed the creature from the corner of his eye as it started to pace.

Very slowly, Gaon sat up. The creature flicked its tail, anger, frustration but also despair and grief. “Kang Yohan,” Gaon said softly, speaking its True Name. He had felt the resonance within the creature and the books, the spells, the house. And the way the creature reacted, ear pricked forward in sudden stillness, confirmed his suspicions.

Yohan is not always himself.

“Kang Yohan,” Gaon called again, feeling braver now that the creature has fallen silent, watching, no longer snarling. Even sitting on its haunches, it was almost Gaon’s height. Gaon swallowed and got slowly to his feet.

"It's okay," he whispered, reaching out with Elijah’s ribebon wrapped between his fingers. “You're okay. I'm not going to hurt you. Yohan, can you understand me?”

He had a split second to stare into the creature's eyes and then he was on his back, knocked off his feet, winded and disoriented as the back of his head burst into pain.

There was no time to scream. Gaon had one moment of horrified realisation, vision filled with gleaming yellow gold before massive jaws crushed his throat. He could hear the snap of bone and blood flooded his mouth, choking him.

Gaon flailed awake, hands jumping to his throat, heart hammering so hard it felt like it might explode. Heaving dry, he checked himself all over then stumbled to the bathroom and threw up. It had felt so real, so very, very real. He could still feel the phantom teeth, the sharp pain as his neck broke. Gaon staggered towards the sink to splash some water on his face.

"What did I tell you? I said you should stay in my room, didn't I? Yohan likes my room the best. It’s where he's most sane."

Gaon spun around at the sound of Elijah's muffled voice through the door. He nearly tripped on his feet getting the door open but even before he swung it wide, he knew she would not be there.

--

The cafe was bustling with university students and couples enjoying a bright Saturday morning free of work and classes, drinking coffee and eating pastries. The sound of conversation and the clink of cutlery flowed and ebbed around him, oddly soothing. Gaon had almost forgotten the normalcy of everyday life after just three days in the Kang mansion. It has felt like the netherworld compared to the cafe he was currently in.

He was trying to read one of Kang Yohan’s books; Nietzche’s Beyond Good and Evil - one of his favourites. Gaon could tell because Kang Yohan had handled it often to leave a trace of himself on the pages. It was heavy stuff and Gaon was struggling with it when his phone rang.

“Soohyun, what did you find?”

“You're not going to like this,” Soohyun said. “Jung Sunah, was listed as a minor practitioner nothing big but she had her license revoked twice. There aren’t any records as to why. After she left the Kang's employ, she worked odd jobs here and there and finally ended up with the Foundation as Chairman Seo’s personal assistant.”

Gaon frowned. “The cult-y Foundation that was charged with ritualistic murder ten years ago?”

“She was never implicated,” Soohyun said. “And there's nothing to show she was ever involved with Kang Yohan on more than a professional level.”

“Okay… so maybe I was wrong.”

“There are rumors though. Not about their relationship. But about Jung Sunah. The nature of her gifts tend towards the… not so good stuff.”

If Jung Sunah had been under the Foundation, it was unsurprising. But the organisation had been defunct for many years now. It was still a fairly popular case. Professor Min was fond of bringing it up as a warning to keep their purpose and conscience clear.

“Any luck locating her? I could talk to her, maybe -”

“Gaon, I wouldn't recommend it. She was committed to a sanitorium a while ago.”

“Soohyun -”

Soohyun sighed. “I know nothing I say will stop you once you’ve set your mind on something. But luckily I won’t have to worry about you doing something dumb like seeking out a dangerous, insane suspected criminal because she’s dead.”

Gaon froze. “What?”

“Jung Sunah died five years ago, Gaon. She killed herself.”

Chapter Text

It took a whole day for Gaon to set up the ritual. Professor Min did not approve of using blood but it was the quickest and strongest way to impose one's will on another. Gaon buried little sachets of strands of hair and blood in the four corners of the Kang property. Then he went to every room marking a sigil on the wall with his blood.

He had to cut himself three times before the whole process was complete. The house and the curse which was now very much part of the house had yet to react, perhaps due to the fact that it was still daylight. Gaon had the upper hand for now.

With the curtains drawn in the hall, Gaon lit a candle and tied a makeshift blindfold around his eyes and Elijah’s ribbon around his hand to guide the way. In the darkness of the blindfold he could feel the warmth of the candle, balanced in a small plate as he held it in front of him, groping his way up the stairs.

Liminal spaces worked best as a doorway, poised between one experience and the next, suspended between two possibilities. As Gaon took one step after another, the staircase seemingly endless, he felt a tug on his wrist, the ribbon stretching out into the darkness for him to follow.

He walked up and up some more, nearly stumbling onto the landing, expecting another step but finding none. Gaon paused, reached out and was met with a solid door. He felt around for a doorknob and pushed it open. Elijah’s presence was a faint pinprick of light in the darkness like the candle in his hand. He had her ribbon to guide him and so he followed, opening door after door deep into the house.

Sometimes he felt as if a strong current was pushing him back. The candle would flicker, and he would have to stop to shield the tiny flame from going out.

Behind each door, Elijah’s presence grew stronger and stronger, And he knew when he reached the last one she would be there. The door was warm to the touch, warm as if it had been bathed in sunlight for an afternoon.

Gaon twisted the knob and opened it.

As he removed the blindfold, he could hear birds singing, smell the sweet scent of flowers and grass and baked pastries. Bright sunshine sliced through the open windows in shafts of light. The mansion never looked more welcoming.

“Gaon!” Elijah gasped, running towards him from the kitchen like a dream. WHen he took her in his arms, his doubts vanished. The scent of her hair, the solid warmth of her washed all his doubts away. Of course she was real, a young living girl. “Oh my god, Gaon, you found me,” Elijah cried.” How did you find me?” Her hands cupped his face, eyes shining with unshed tears even though she was grinning so broadly it hurt to look at her.

“I can't stay long.” Already, he could feel the place trying to push him out, the curse stirring and churning and squeezing.. Gaon didn't belong and it wanted him gone. “Elijah, the woman who took Yohan’s heart, was her name Jung Sunah?”

Elijah gaped eyes wide in excitement. “Yes! How did you know about -” She broke off, swallowing, still unable to say her name. “Did you find her?”

Gaon felt his own heart sink. “Elijah, she's dead. She’s been dead for five years. I confirmed it myself,” and watched as her happiness dimmed, her face growing paler with each word.

“Then… why isn’t the curse broken?” Elijah asked, her voice trembling as she clung to him desperately. “Gaon, don’t curses break when the caster dies? Don’t they?”

Her grief stung him as he had no answer for her. Instead he asked, “What else do you remember about the curse? What are the specifics?”

Elojah shook her head and didn’t look up again. “I don't know. Does it matter now?” she whispered, defeated.

Gaon took her hands. “Yes, it does. Some curses don't fade, there are rules to follow if it’s to be broken. We need to find the loophole. Did Yohan ever say anything?”

“He said he could break it if he had his heart back. But she ate his heart and now she's gone. And we’re still here.” Elijah started to sob.

“Elijah,” Gaon said wanting to comfort her but just holding himself in place was taking all his effort. “Elijah, listen to me, I need to speak to Yohan. Is there a way to communicate with him?” He tried to keep a tight grasp on her hands, but she was slipping away, her cries growing smaller and smaller as the hall stretched longer and longer and there was only oily darkness all around.

Gaon blinked, staring up at the ceiling of Elijah's bedroom, his back on the cold floor. He felt drained, slightly ill and he was sweating profusely. Yet he could not find an ounce of energy to move, his limbs like lead, fingers twitching.

He didn't know how long he lay there watching through half closed eyes as shadows flitted across the walls from an orange afternoon glow to the blue dusk of evening until finally the sun had set entirely.

A shadow loomed large at the open door out of the corner of his eye. Fear was a distant thing, too exhausted to even scream. Gaon let out a whimper, willed his useless limbs to move.

The huge bulk of the creature padded into the room. A tongue lapped at the sweat on his face. Teeth closed gently on his shirt and Gaon was half-dragged half-carried atop the bed. The bed was blissfully soft after hours on the hard floor. Gaon groaned as the creature settled down beside him, docile and warm, tail flicking as it seem to study him. Gaon was too tired to care. Whatever strange hold the house held on him was broken and he could finally close his eyes and sleep.

--

“Here,” said a man's voice when Gaon sat up, squinting into the dim daylight and then at the hand holding a glass of water. He had a massive headache, like that time he took on a gang of bullies in middle school and had his ass handed to him.

“Thanks,” he rasped before remembering he was supposed to be the only person in this house. Gaon jerked his head up, water sloshing over the rim of the glass.

The man peered at him beneath a messy fringe, amusement evident in the curl of his lips. He was dressed in a mauve colored shirt which clashed terribly with the blue dressing gown he wore. He had on loose pants and fluffy indoor slippers.

Gaon knew the man’s face; had seen it countless times over the past week in photographs and newspaper clippings. Except he had never seen this version of Kang Yohan, with his perpetual bed hair and mismatched socks. Gaon tried to look a little less slack jawed.

He drank some water to cover up his surprise and then realised he shouldn't have drunk anything offered by Kang Yohan of all people. It was too late now. The water made him feel a lot better, like drinking a restorative. Gaon drained the glass.

Yohan settled onto the window seat, legs stretched out on the bench and crossed at the ankles.

"Um," said Gaon, twirling the glass in his hands. "I… how?"

"Oh, I thought it was obvious," said Yohan snidely. "You’re dreaming. Except you're in my Dream."

"Right… so I'm still dying of thirst somewhere out there" he sighed and set the glass on the nightstand. "I still don't understand. Why couldn’t I See you before?"

"You did See me. You Saw more than anyone else has in a decade. And the reason we can talk like this now is because your little spell worked. It was a good spell. Where did you learn it?"

Gaon flushed. "I made it up, kinda mixed it with some stuff I read."

Yohan tilted his head, eyes alight, clearly impressed. "You have good instincts Kim Gaon. And you're not half bad in terms of strength. It's a pity you're low on self preservation."

"What do you mean?"

"The curse knows you now. Intimately. Blood works both ways. The reason you can meet me here, even in a Dream, is because you are being consumed. You've given a part of yourself over. Stirred a bit of yourself into the mess. The more you give, the more it takes. Keep this up and you won't be able to leave." Yohan gave him a humorless smile.

"But… you're here. Mrs Ji and Elijah, they said you had some real talent, and you clearly know a lot. Maybe we can work something out."

Yohan hummed, unbothered and shrugged.

"You've given up," Gaon said through a tight jaw, realisation dawning, making his heart clench.

Yohan turned to him curious. "Why do you care so.much, Kim Gaon? You don't even know us. Why go so far for a couple of people you have never met?"

"Helping people is part of what I do," Gaon shot back.

Yohan rose to his feet and sauntered over slowly to loom over Gaon. “When I first saw you I thought Isaac had returned from the dead. You are just like him. The same self sacrificing martyr bullshit.”

“Now you're just being rude.”

Yohan's dark gaze turned piercing, the intensity boring into Gaon. Then he smiled again, infuriatingly calm. "Sorry about your throat," he murmured, fingers sliding under Gaon's jaw, tracing down his neck and over the bob of his Adam’s apple. Gaon swallowed, nervous. They were just fingers but he couldn't help but feel teeth, grazing sharp as a knife on his skin.

"I just want to help," Gaon said as Yohan drew his hand away.

"You're going to get yourself killed."

"Jung Sunah’s dead."

Yoham lifted his shoulders, the corners of his mouth ticked upwards, eyes glittering with satisfaction. “I know. It was slow and painful just like I promised her. What did she think would happen?" He mused more to himself than to Gaon.

Gaon stared at him for a long time. He pushed her out of the window. “Did she really eat your heart? Why?”

Yohan reached for his hand and Gaon couldn't help but flinch. Yohan took his wrist anuway, his touch was gentle. "Feel for yourself," he said, placing Gaon's palm on his chest. Where there should have been a heartbeat there was nothing but stillness. Gaon frowned and pushed his curiosity in, wanting confirmation. Felt an answering warmth, smooth like the finest whisky. oaky fragrance blossoming on his tongue in his nose, complex and rich with different notes. It was beautiful and powerful and incomplete.

“Gaon,” Yohan's hand was on his. He sat down, weight solid and warm against Gaon's legs.

“I’m so sorry," Gaon choked out, voice tight. He could not imagine losing a piece of himself like that.

“It's alright," Yohan said as if comforting him. “She's dead. There's no getting it back. She should have known after the first bite that she would be cursed too. Blood works both ways, remember that."

“Yohan, there has to be a way.”

“It doesn't matter. As long as I have Elijah, nothing else matters.”.

“But, it’s not right.”

“Gaon,” Yohan said firmly, his fingers circling Gaon’s wrist. “It’s time for you to wake up.”

“Wait - “

Chapter Text

Gaon came to slowly under a heavy warm furry body. It was sweltering, sweat soaking through his shirt, sticky and uncomfortable. The creature rumbled when nudged, vibrations running through Gaon like the bass from a loudspeaker.

"Get off," Gaon grunted, gasping for breath. His chest had difficulty expanding under the press of the creature’s weight. The creature rolled onto its front, huge bulk pinning him to the bed. Gaon was too weak to give more than a garbled protest. A wet tongue darted out to lick Gaon from his neck to his hairline, hot breath blowing under his chin. "Seriously, get off. I need water,” Gaon groaned, turning his head away.

The creature huffed as if irritated and nosed under Gaon's shirt, licking a hot wet stripe across his stomach, saliva cooling rapidly after. Gaon yelped and floundered so hard, he ended up crashing to the floor.

He staggered to his feet, spluttering in outrage and disgust. Face hot, Gaon snapped, "Don't do that," and limped out of the room where it dared not follow. He was starting to realise the creature could maintain its intelligence only in Elijah's room. It wasn't surprising. It was the room Yohan had poured most of his energy and love into. The room kept him sane, Elijah had said. Kept him linked to himself.

It was daylight at least. In the kitchen, Gaon chugged water down like a man freshly escaping a desert. Then he made.himself some ramyeon barely tasting the food he choked down, ravenous and so hungry his hands were jittering. .

--

It was tempting to try and try, now that he knew it worked. Gaon wanted to go back, see if he could meet Elijah again or even Yohan. As exhausting as it was, he could not help but try to reach them. All hours of the day, he Wandered through the house and followed Elijah’s ribbon, hoping to find her again.

When Gaon took off the blindfold, it was not Elijah who stood in front of him.

“What are you doing here?” Yohan asked. The room was different this time and Yohan was dressed differently too. He was, Gaon noticed, an unfairly attractive man; illuminated as he was from the windows, one hand in his pocket the other holding an open book, in his messily rucked up sleeves, black suspenders and loose white shirt highlighting his lean muscled frame.

They were in Yohan’s study, the smell of books, old and new permeated the air, a strange soothing perfume that reminded Gaon of libraries and bookshops.

Yohan snapped his book shut and turned fully towards Gaon with narrowed eyes. “You must be genuinely a genius to find me like this.”

“I was looking for Elijah actually.” Gaon hesitated. “This isn’t a dream.”

“No.” Yohan approached, his hands suddenly empty of any books, reaching for Gaon's arm. Gaon took a step back but Yohan was faster, fingers clamping around his wrist and tugging his sleeve up.

Gaon met his gaze, refusing to be shamed for his methods.

Yohan sighed. "When will you cease to be an idiot?" He lamented, slapping a palm over the cut that had Gaon yelping in surprise and pain. When he removed his hand, the wound had healed leaving only a thin pink scratch.

Yohan huffed, eyes narrowed like he was unsatisfied with the results. "Don't you have friends and family out there? Why are you wasting your time here?" he demanded, pulling away. "I don't like repeating myself. Do you wish to be stuck here?"

Gaon bit his lower lip to stop himself from telling Yohan that his family was long gone. Instead he said "It's the only way I can see you or Elijah."

"Ah, Gaon," Yohan said, running his hand along the wall. "It knows. That's what it's using to lure you."

"I know that," he said defensive. "I wanted to speak to you. No one knows the nature of this curse better than you. And you didn’t exactly tell me anything last time." He looked around again, perplexed. The last time he used this spell Gaon could not hold on longer than a few minutes and had been forced out. He did not feel the same pressure now. "Am I really not dreaming?"

"You're not dreaming," Yohan confirmed, circling around to pinch him on the cheek then burst into laughter at Gaon's affronted look, his eyes alighting with mischief, the bark of his laugh warm and rich.

It took Gaon's breath away.

"You can stay here as long as I will it so. I still have some control," he sounded rueful. "But I don't want you to stay. You should leave, Gaon. Leave the mansion."

Gaon ignored him. "The spell I did. I was thinking we could reverse that. You can tether yourself to me and follow the path I've set."

"It's not that I cannot leave here," Yohan gestured around. "You've seen what I become when I do. This place is locked to me once the sun sets and I must go out there."

“Elijah said you could break the curse if you had your heart.”

“We’ve been over this -”

“Is that one of the conditions she set?”

“One of them, yes,” Yohan agreed, “Gaon, the details of the curse does not matter. I can’t break the curse because I’m a shell of my former self.” He stared thoughtfully at his palm, fingers flexing. “She was devious, but not as powerful as you might imagine. As I am, even a simple spell wears on me.”

Gaon considered his words, thought back on every text he had read. "What if," he said slowly, pressing his palm over the place where Yohan’s heart would have been beating. The silence was cavernous and disturbing. "What if I made you a heart? Like the Wizard of Oz?"

"He wasn't really a wizard. And that story has been researched intensively, there's no basis of truth in it."

"No but the principle works. I could dig out her remains and fashion you a heart out of it since she ate yours."

Yohan removed his hand gently. "What a frightening mind you have," he said with a smile. "Interesting and not entirely impossible. But then I would have her in me and that disgusts me more than I can bear."

Gaon stayed as long as he dared. There were many books on the Arts that Gaon had never read before or even heard of. He poured through them with Yohan’s teasing and mocking him as he read.

"Don't be obstinate. Do you not think I haven’t tried everything? I’ve read every book here twice."

Despite that he seemed genuinely pleased to have Gaon's company, eager to answer queries on obscure texts and rituals. Yohan knew a great many things and when he spoke, his hands fluttered fluidly through the air, demonstrating this and that. He seemed interested in everything but the predicament he was in.

When the sun started to dip, Yohan rose to his feet, the tower of cards he was building collapsing as he shifted. "Time to go."

"Just a while longer," Gaon pleaded, an open book in his hands.

Yohan shook his head, took the book back and slipped it into its place on the shelf. He studied Gaon for a long moment, gaze soft. "Isaac was never as stubborn as you. Or as foolish."

Gaon felt a lump settle in his throat. “I’ll find you. You and Elijah.”

The space between them stretched and slowly but surely Yohan was further away, growing smaller in the distance.

"Spill no more blood, Kim Gaon. I don’t want to see you here again."

--

Try as he might, Gaon could not - would not - heed Yohan's warning. He didn’t know if it was a compulsion or an obligation but he was determined.

Elijah always welcomed him when he appeared but he could never stay long. Yohan was a lot harder to find, difficult to See in Dreams even after a blood spell. It took him four successive attempts before he caught Yohan again in a Dream. It was not a pleasant meeting. Gaon was surprised at how genuinely angry Yohan was, calling Gaon an idiot. Before Gaon could explain himself, Yohan ended the Dream with a snap of his fingers.

When he awoke, the creature had pressed Gaon to the bed, nipped him hard enough on the back of his neck that pain flared bright and sharp, making him clench his teeth but not so hard that it broke skin. It bullied and rolled Gaon around in a show of temper then leaped off the bed, slinking out with an irritated snort, leaving Gaon breathless and flushed, mortified with shame.

He had been careful with his blood after; wasn’t sure when just enough might become too much.

Always there was Yohan whether as a beast sharing his bed or as a man sharing his dreams, Gaon couldn't get him out of his head. Time had rather lost its meaning, coalescing into an endless loop of dreaming and waking, waking and dreaming. He found that he didn't mind all that much. He wanted to see Yohan and he wanted to see Elijah. He wanted to see them together but he never could.

There had to be another way to break the curse. Gaon was going to figure it out no matter what it took.

Chapter Text

Gaon stood on the porch, staring down the driveway shivering slightly despite his jacket. The morning was a cloudy one, a breeze blew from the sea bringing the briny smell of salt and shifting clouds like large sails stretched across the sky. He wondered if Elijah could see the same from her window; it was always sunny when they met. He’d spent the whole of last night talking with Yohan, trying to devise a method so Gaon could stay with Elijah without the curse kicking him out.

He’d almost forgotten himself, forgotten to read the messages and missed calls left by Soohyun, forgotten that there was a world beyond the walls of the Kang mansion. It had been slightly more than a week. Gaon felt as if he had lived here forever. Until he noticed Soohyun’s text: Case done. Coming tomorrow.

He’d been waiting for her the whole morning.

The white SUV drove up to the house a tad faster than necessary and jerked to a violent stop. Gaon shifted, the apology ready on his tongue as he watched Soohyun jump out of her car, her face deathly grim with worry. Her eyes narrowed when she spotted him.

“Hey,” Gaon greeted as she marched over and braced himself for an earful. “Soohyun-ah --”

Soohyun pulled him in for a tight hug. Gaon hugged her back, feeling both relief and guilt. She always made him feel better, calmer, more in control.

“Kim Gaon,” Soohyun said when he released him. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”

“I’m sorry, Soohyun, I was… there’s a lot going on,” he sighed.

Soohyun studied him, her eyebrows furrowed in worry. “You look awful,” her hand touched his face. “Have you been eating? You’re so pale.”

“I’m okay. Just kind of at a roadblock. Thanks for coming. Could really use a second pair of eyes on this. Come on, I’ll show you around.” He turned, leading her towards the mansion. Soohyun gazed around, taking in the tall trees bordering the yard, the grass seemingly grown even wilder in the past week, the creepers climbing up the walls of the house lending it a haunted air.

“How was your case?” Gaon asked, trying to make light conversation. “Did you find the painting?”

“Hm? Oh, yes, turns out - “ She stepped through the open door and stopped. “You’ve been staying here for the past two weeks?” she asked, voice small and unsure, looking around at the dark wood panels and paint, the heavy curtains, the light that suddenly looked grey when filtered through the windows.

Gaon stared at her in surprise as she curled in on herself, shivering and growing pale. “It’s only been a week, Soohyun.”

She stared at him, the muscle in her jaw ticking. “Gaon, have you been losing time?” Her breathing was turning laboured, eyes blinking rapidly. “How do you stand it?”

Gaon took her gently by the elbow, pulling her close. “You just need some time to get used to it.” He tried not to wince when she clutched his arm, fingers digging into the bandaged cuts hidden under his sleeves.

Soohyun was pulling away and pulling him out of the house at the same time. Her sneakers skidded on the gravel, dragging him halfway down the path before she let go and heaved, gasping for air. She shook her head as if to clear it.

Gaon met her fearful eyes. “You can’t go back in there,” she said.

“I can take it. Maybe it’s different for everyone but I’m fine.”

“Gaon, there’s no point in you staying there when you can’t solve anything. Professor Min is coming back from Busan tomorrow. We can regroup, get him in on the case and come back the next day.”

He chewed on his lip. Her reasoning made sense. And yet… He gazed back at the house, could almost make out Elijah’s lithe figure through the upper windows. She had seen him when he first arrived. Yohan and him were about to put together a spell later today. Gaon shook his head, turning back to Soohyun. “I can’t leave. Look, you can bring Professor Min here tomorrow, once he’s back -”

Soohyun seized him by the front of his shirt with both hands, dragged him so that they were face to face. “Kim Gaon, look at me,” she growled. “Look at me.” Her eyes studied his face frantically, grabbing his head in her hands when he tried to shake her off. “It has you,” she whispered, forehead pressed to his, staring into his eyes, unblinking even as tears threatened to fall.”It has you.”

“Soohyun -” He fell abruptly silent as she slapped her palm over his eyes, and he was plunged into sudden darkness, tongue heavy in his mouth, too heavy to speak another word; limbs even heavier.

“Listen to my voice, Gaon. You’ve had a really long week. You’ve done your best and you’re tired. Really tired. We just need a moment away from this place and you’ll feel a lot better. Do you trust me?” Her voice was lulling him, like a mother’s warm embrace. He could smell his mother’s scent suddenly, something he had thought he’d forgotten. She used to sing him to sleep, tucking him under the covers where it was safe and warm and loved.

“I trust you,” Gaon said softly. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I...”

“It’s okay, Gaon,” she slipped an arm around him. “When I take my hand away, keep your eyes closed. I’m taking you home.”

--

Professor Min was exactly how Gaon remembered him and had seemingly remained unchanged since their first meeting all those years ago. He was an elderly gentleman of greying hair and modest attire with a gentle face and eyes that were sometimes kind, sometimes mischievous and at other times deeply calculating. The Professor was well known far and wide as a repository of knowledge of the Arts and though no one could say he was particularly gifted or particularly creative, he made up for it with his great skill, honed by years of experience to a hunter's precision.

Gaon accepted a mug of barley tea from the Professor with a grateful thanks. Now that he was away from the mansion, the kaleidoscope of the past days had realigned with clarity and he felt almost normal.

"I must see thr place for myself before I can advise you further," said Professor Min when Gaon had finished telling him everything. As usual he took notes while Gaon talked, rarely interrupting except to clarify a confusing point or two. "Gaon-ah, you have done much. But I do not think it is wise for you to return until you are fully rested," Professor Min suggested, patting Gaon on the knee. "I will go tomorrow. Alone," he added when Soohyun opened her mouth to protest.

“It’s not safe," Soohyun went on regardless. “The place has a hold on Gaon. I felt it.”

“I’m not possessed,” Gaon said as calmly as he could.

Professor Min smiled. "Ah no. No. It is not a haunting but a curse. You’re not possessed but," here his gaze turned sharp, assessing. "What you've been doing, Gaon… you have spilled blood to the house and it has marked you. We will have to break the curse soon or you will start to suffer the effects."

“What effects?” Soohyun asked sharply.

“It’s a good thing you got him out, Soohyun. If he had stayed any longer, he would have been trapped.”

"Sorry," Gaon mumbled, ashamed. Yohan had said as much and he did loathe to disappoint the Professor.

"It's alright," Professor Min's fingers were cool and dry when they squeezed his hand. "You did your best. Now try to get some rest."

The Professor seeped into his skin like cool water and washed away his worries, leaving only a drowsy soothing need for sleep. Gaon nodded, calmed. Deep in his mind, he couldn't help but draw a comparison to Yohan's warm touch, all intense heat and cleansing fire that burned bright as a tiger's orange coat in the night.

--

Professor Min returned the next evening, a troubled expression on his face. He summoned both Gaon and Soohyun to his study without any preamble.

The Professor’s study was more akin to a small library than an office. Books, journals, articles filled several rows of bookshelves to the point of bursting. Apart from his desk, he had a meeting table set up where many a time they had gathered round to discuss various cases and done much research.

He beckoned them into their respective seats. "Gaon-ah," the Professor began, his tone grave. "I've been at the Kang mansion the whole day. It is as you say. Impossible."

Gaon sat back, the sinking feeling he had been carrying now sat like lead in his stomach. He’d been anxious and fidgety the whole day thinking about Yohan and Elijah who must have been expecting his presence at some point. He had left so suddenly without warning. What would they think? Would Yohan realise that Gaon had failed to keep his appointment or did he not notice since time ran in such strange ways in the house?

He could not hide his dismay. If there was one person he was counting on to find a solution, it was the Professor. "Professor -"

"Not only do I see no loophole, the curse has seeped into the very foundations of the house. The house and the curse are now one."

"Did you See anyone? Anything?"

Professor Min shook his head. "No one showed themselves. If Kang Yohan and Kang Elijah are trapped in the curse as you say, then they are buried so deep that the curse has consumed them entirely. Gaon-ah," his eyes were sorrowful. "The only solution here… is to destroy the house."

Before he even consciously realised it, Gaon had jerked back and was on his feet. "No." He spoke the words with force, breathing hard, anger and panic welling inside of him. "What about Yohan and Elijah?"

Professor Min stared at him unfazed. "The Kang's are so deeply entwined in the curse, they are essentially a part of the curse now. There is no ripping them out and there is no way to end the curse without killing them. If they are even alive and not vestiges of the curse."

"They are alive," Gaon said firmly. "I have felt them." He turned to Soohyun, desperate. “You felt them too, didn’t you?”

Soohyun’s voice trembled as she said, “Gaon, all I felt was malevolence and pain in that house,” she whispered. “I felt how it hungered for life. It wants you.”

“I’ve spoken to Yohan -”

Professor Min frowned. “Listen to yourself. How can a man without a heart be alive? Gaon there are limits to what we can do."

He felt a gentle tug on his shirt. Soohyun’s tearful eyes met his and all the fight left him as Gaon slumped back into his seat.

Professor Min leaned forwards in a beseeching manner. "In your heart of hearts, you know this to be true. The only way to end the curse once and for all is to burn the place down. Think about it Gaon, Kang Yohan and Kang Elijah have been trapped for more than twenty years. If there was a solution, smarter men than you and I would have found it by now. Kang Yohan himself told you there was no way."

Gaon’s throat was so tight, he could barely speak. The tears were already falling hot and salty. "Please, Professor. They've never done anyone harm -"

"They are doing you a great harm, my boy. You have been marked. The curse wants you. Even this," he gestured to Gaon. "We do not know if this is your genuine feelings or the workings of the curse."

"I know what I felt. They are good people. We can't just burn them!"

“Gaon, please," pleaded Soohyun. "You need to think rationally. Professor Min is right. We need to put your safety first."

"No," Gaon spat, on his feet once more. "No. I can’t. I won't. I shouldn't have asked you - either of you for help." He shook Soohyun off when she reached for him, her face stunned, stricken.

"Kim Gaon," Professor Min had risen as well. He lashed the name like a chain and Gaon was rooted, only his eyes could move, burning with indignation as the Professor approached. "I am sorry, Gaon. This is my fault. I should not have sent you alone. You were not ready," his eyes wet with remorsed. "Rest now, my boy."

Soohyun caught him as he fell.

Chapter Text

When Gaon was younger, his parents had brought him hiking in Bukhansan National Park, just on the outskirts of Seoul. The trail they took had been a familiar well traveled one, used by tourists and amatruer hikers alike, who preferred more of a scenic walk than a challenging hike. It wasn’t in any way remote or dangerous and still somehow, Gaon got lost.

One moment he could hear his parents chatting behind him while telling him to slow down and next he knew he was alone surrounded by massive trees. Gaon didn’t remember much about the day. He knew wasn't frightened even though his parents later told him he was gone for more than three hours. They had a search party and everything.

Gaon.

The only thing he remembered was the wolf or a wolf-like creature. It was huge with yellow eyes and had very sharp teeth.

Kim Gaon.

The creature watched unmoving. Gaon reached out to touch it and stopped, turning around. Someone was shouting his name. It sounded like a girl, her voice carried by the high winds from far away.

"Gaon-ah."

Gaon whipped his gaze in front to find Yohan standing where the creature had been.

Yohan smiled, his eyes glimmering, a hint of yellow-gold in their depths. "It's time to wake up."

--

He jerked awake in a small familiar guestroom of Professor Min's, his wrist rattling painfully against cold metal. Outside, dusk was falling. Gaon didn’t need to look out the window to know, so familiar he had become with this particular time, the day drawing to an end and the night rising. Professor Min had returned last evening around the same time, which meant Gaon had been asleep for a whole day.

His heart started pounding.

Soohyun was seated on a nearby chair, startling as Gaon tried to stand and tumbled back down from a restraint on his wrist. He stared at the handcuffs, tugging ineffectually with increasing ferocity.

"Gaon, Gaon! Don't. Please don't," Soohyun begged, holding his hands tight. "You'll hurt yourself."

"You have to let me go. I can't let him burn that house. He'll kill them."

Soohyun shook her bowed head, still holding on tight, drops of her tears falling on to the back of his hands.

Gaon's heart clenched and he touched her head, carding gentle fingers through her hair. He didn’t blame her. She only ever wanted the best for him but she didn’t understand. She hadn’t met Yohan and Elijah. If she had, he knew she would have helped him in a heartbeat. But there wasn’t time for that now.

"I need to do this," Gaon said softly.

Soohyun’s shoulders started to shake. "Kim Gaon, you're not yourself. Just stay here. Everything will be okay in a few hours. Gaon, I am begging you." More tears fell. Soohyun could not lift her head, her whole body trembling from the effort before settling once more under Gaon’s hand. Gaon swallowed. He didn’t like doing this. But he didn’t have a choice.

"It's okay. I'm not going anywhere," Gaon whispered, trying to keep his touch and voice steady. Moving slowly, he tipped her chin up and wiped away her tears with his free hand. Her eyes were glazed, eyelashes clumped with tears as he closed them with his palm. "I'm staying right here. You can rest easy." Gently, gently, he brushed her hair back, weaving his fingers through the strands, locking the spell into place.

Soohyun slumped into him.

He didn’t know how long it would hold. The handcuffs were still an issue. Yohan would have unlocked it with a brush of his finger but Gaon still needed a ritual. Luckily, this time when he fumbled through Soohyun's pockets, he found the key, saving him some much needed time.

He layed Soohyun onto the bed, made sure her head was pillowed and the sheets tucked around her, swept her hair back and wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes.

Then, Gaon ran. He grabbed his car keys and jacket, jumped into the car and slammed his foot on the gas, driving like the Devil himself was on his heels.

He called Mrs Ji while enroute. He had no idea what a nearly sixty year old lady could do but surely she must have some legal rights on the property. Professor Min would have to get the council’s approval with sufficient proof that the property was dangerous before he could destroy anything on private property without Mrs Ji’s specific consent. That would have taken time. He hoped he wasn’t too late.

"Professor Min is going to burn down the Kang Mansion."

To Mrs Ji's credit, she did not react further than a shocked silence. "I'm on my way," she said, voice just on the edge of panic. "Where are you?"

"I'm driving there too but I don't think I'll make it in time. You have to stop him."

"Alright, thank you Gaon-ssi," she breathed and the line went dead.

-

The fire lapped the night sky like a flickering orange tongue. Gaon could see it in the distance even though he was miles from the hill, embers were already drifting in the winds, bright as fireflies.

He had broken at least a dozen traffic laws getting here and was about to break a few more.

By the time he arrived, part of the roof had caved in, flames had spread throughout the lower floor, blazing from every broken window. Gaon sprang out of the car and ran, shoes crunching on the gravel path. He could hear Mrs Ji frantically shouting and Professor Min trying to restrained her, both of them only noticing him as he dove straight first into the porch.

“Gaon! Kim GaonI,” roared Professor Min. There was no force of will behind his panic-stricken shout, only fear. He had never heard Professor Min sound so terrified.

But Gaon didn't look back.

The house was screaming, wailing, crying in throes of agony. Gaon stumbled through front doors, and into flaming debris and burning furniture, fire hot enough to melt even metal, smoke so thick he could barely see. Within seconds, his face was covered in tears and sweat from the heat and smoke.

“Yohan!” he screamed and choked. “Elijah!”

Through the hallway, he saw Yohan’s study going up in flames, the shelves of books, countless books alight, pages curling and shriveling into ashes. The wood beams groaned like a dying beast crashing overhead, shrouding the kitchen in more flames. The stove exploded in a fury of burning metal but Gaon was far away enough that he was spared any possible shrapnel.

His chest felt like it was on fire, the heat licked at his heels, at his face, singeing his hair.
Crouching low, choking on smoke, Gaon crawled up the stairs, stumbling on his hands and knees towards the landing.

Elijah's room was still intact, the protection spell holding even now Gaon reached for the door knob, swallowing a shout of pain as the brass burned his palm. He twisted it open and staggered inside.

The creature rose to its full height, snarling at the intrusion, its eyes burning bright as the flames outside.

"It's me, Yohan. It's me,” Gaon rasped, stumbling forwards. He grabbed fistful of fur and tugged. “Come on, we have to go. Come on! Let's go, we have to -” Gaon babbled. He knew it was useless. Yohan could not leave the house. The curse would never let him and leaving the safety of Elijah’s room was only death and animal madness. But what else was there but to try. “Yohan, please, please,'' he begged, ignoring the blisters on his hand, barely feeling the pain as he tried to drag the unmoving bulk towards the door. “Let’s get out. Just try. Please.” Gaon was on his knees now crying and begging, words nothing but a scratchy wheeze, his throat raw from the smoke.

The creature nudged him towards the door and growled.

“No,” said Gaon, grabbing on. “Not without you. Come on.” Resisting the next push, the next warning growl. Jaws clamped on his jacket and tried to drag Gaon towards the window instead but Gaon buried his hands into the ruff of the creature’s neck and held on with all his might. Gaon wouldn’t let go; the creature did not have the strength to shake him off; neither did Gaon have the strength to force it out of Elijah’s room.

After a moment of pushing and pulling, the creature let out a frustrated howl, snarling angrily at Gaon.

“It’s okay,” Gaon whispered, pressing his face to the creature’s; he felt incredibly worn out, sucking in smoke because he had no other choice and feeling his lungs burn in return. “Yohan,” he said softly stroking the fur with his burned hands, a growing calmness at the inevitably of their situation creeping over him.

The creature laid down with a soft whine, panting. It seemed to be in pain too, shuddering and twitching every now and then as the flames got higher and the walls started to crumble. The house was dying and so were its inhabitants. Professor Min was right; Yohan and Elijah were so deeply buried in the layers of the curse, locked within the house, there was never any guarantee that breaking it would not have killed them both.

Elijah’s portrait on the wall was starting to burn as she gazed down on them, her eyes gentle and sad.

He could feel the heat from all sides, the walls, beneath the floor, from the roof, and knew the spell would not hold much longer. Little embers drifted around the room. The ceiling had caught fire.

Confusion, doubt, uncertainty; a strange sudden compulsion to get up and leave that was not his own. Yohan was trying to make him leave, the warm sweet whisky scent apparent even through the smoke, like nothing else Gaon had ever known in his life and would never know again. “Stop,” Gaon said, laid a hand on the creature’s head and redirected its will, let it ease into him, mixing its warmth with his own, breathing it in like the first time he had touched Yohan's magic.

He cradled the large head on his lap, felt tears that were not caused by stinging smoke, falling from his eyes onto the fur. Yohan was dying and the house was dying. Elijah was gone, probably. Even if she survived there would be no way to reach her without the house.

The creature was quiet now, panting heavily, eyes closed. “Yohan,” Gaon said, voice barely above a whisper, unwilling to give up, unwilling to fall into despair. This was not how it was going to end. He had a last ditch desperate idea. He pressed his palm to the creature’s chest. “Yohan, I'll give you my heart. I think.... I think you could do a lot more with it than I ever will. You’re smart and brave and wonderful. I’m so glad I met you. You and Elijah."

He didn’t know if it could hear him. He didn't even know if the spell would work. But he had to try. Gaon carded stiff fingers through its fur, feeling his own heart fluttering, straining in his ribcage. “Say yes, Yohan, You have to say yes. You have to take it.”

The flames were at his back, scorching heat more wild and hungry than any creature. And still the creature did not stir.

“Say yes, Yohan,” Gaon pleaded, desperately, crying now, curled over the creature’s head to protect it from the growing flames. “I give you my heart,” and pushed, will it with all his might. His heart was beating so hard in his chest, beating hard enough to escape. He could hear nothing but the pounding of blood in his ears, feel nothing but heat, taste nothing but smoke, and still he pushed, fingers splayed on the creature’s chest.

The building groaned one final time, shuddered and shook, falling to its knees, burned away to the final bare bones, clinging to life. Gaon braced himself. Under his hand, just before the roof collapsed, he thought he felt a beat.

Chapter Text

Pain.

Pain with every breath, every movement. Smoke and heat.

A cool drop of water on his cheek, drop after drop, all over his body, drenching his clothes and skin. Gaon tried to open his eyes, but they were glued shut and he couldn’t find the strength to lift his arm to wipe his face. The rain was coming down in a torrent now, no longer soothing, heavy drops falling on his raw burned skin like needles.

Soft lips on his cheek; the place they brushed tingled with warmth. “Gaon,” a voice whispered. “Hang in there. Stay with me.”

He was being lifted and the pain was almost too much to bear, too much that Gaon wanted to scream, wanted to beg just leave me but his chest and throat could not do more than release a thin whistle of air. It was hard to breathe; water was coursing into his mouth, into his nose, choking him.

Just as abruptly the rain stopped. Warmth, birds singing and very distantly the sound of a girl crying.

Yohan! Gaon!

The warmth of the sunlight vanished, and it was dark again, and cold. So cold. He couldn’t curl in on himself without moving, and he couldn’t move without being in immense pain. Even shivering was agony. But oh, it was so blessedly Dark. The Dark was soothing, comforting, called to him, lulled him with promises of rest and respite. In the Dark there would be no more pain.

The Dark reached out and Gaon let it claim him.

--

Orange glow behind his eyelids, the heat of sunlight on his face. Gaon basked for a while, unwilling to open his eyes. He felt as if he had been submerged in an underground cave for a long time, bones and limbs stiff, and now he was slowly learning to breathe again.

“I know you’re awake.”

I am Gaon wanted to say but no words came. His eyelids were heavy, and he struggled.

“It's okay. Take your time.” A cool damp cloth was pressed to his lips. Then a straw was pushed between his lips. Gaon sipped and swallowed. His throat hurt.

“Am I dead?” he whispered, then very slowly he managed to open his eyes a bleary slit.

“No,” Elijah’s face swam into focus. Her eyes were very bright but she was smiling. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, spilling onto her pale yellow dress. The sun flecked her hair with gold, tinged her cheeks with a rosy glow.

Gaon wanted to reach out and touch her cheek, just to make sure she was real. “Where are we?” he croaked, turning to look upon the lake that stretched out in front of him. He was snug under a blanket, in an inclined chair on a wooden porch of a lakeside house. There were trees all around, and the sound of birds and insects, the rustle of leaves from the breeze. It felt surreal.

“We’re at my parents’ holiday home,” Elijah explained. “It was pretty run down… but you were asleep for almost a week, so we had time to -” She broke off, tearing up. “Gaon, I was so worried. You weren’t waking up and….”

“It’s okay, Elijah. Don’t cry. I’m okay,” Gaon whispered, and with some effort he managed to reach for her hand; his own was wrapped in bandages.

She sniffed, took a few deep breaths to control herself. “We thought you might like some sun but it’s a bit windy today. Do you want to go inside? I’ll get Yohan,” she turned to the house and called. “Yohan!”

“Elijah, it’s okay -”

There was the sound of footsteps on the wooden floor. “How is he?” Yohan asked breathlessly, appearing at the door. He saw Gaon attempting to sit up and schooled his anxious face into something more neutral.

“Hey,” greeted Gaon, taking him in. The cream sweater was a size too big on his wiry frame, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, faded jeans. He looked different but the same. Gaon couldn’t place it. Maybe because he was finally seeing Yohan in the real world, flesh and blood.

Yohan walked over, gaze assessing and carefully placed a hand over Gaon’s chest. Warmth spread from his splayed fingers, and when Gaon exhaled he could taste whisky, nectary and sweet. “Stop staring,” said Yohan, removing his hand and helping to prop Gaon up on a stack of pillows. Gaon felt his face heat. “How do you feel?”

“Stiff,” Gaon admitted, wincing as he shifted into a more comfortable position. “What happened? Is Mrs Ji okay? Professor Min?”

“Mrs Ji is fine. She wired us some money. We’re working out the details on my accounts. As for your Professor,” Yohan said the word with derision as he sat in the empty chair beside Gaon. “He is unfortunately fine as well. The only person who’s seriously injured is you.”

“You broke the curse, Gaon,” said Elijah with an excited grin. “I knew you were special. No one else could have done it.”

“Technically, I broke the curse,” Yohan retorted. “Gaon just made it possible.”

“Oh my god,” said Elijah, rolling her eyes. “I'm going to get you some juice, okay?” She patted his knee, gave him a sweet smile and a dirty glare at Yohan before she left them alone on the porch. Gaon nestled back against the pillows, watching the sun glimmering across the lake, more at ease than he had ever been in a long time, keenly aware but ignoring the fact that Yohan was watching him.

“You know,” Gaon said after a while. “I still don’t understand what happened.”

“Your gambit worked,” Yohan said. Gaon felt his palm press against his chest again, over his heart. He could still feel his own heart beating, steady under Yohan’s hand. “That was an insane risk you took,” Yohan said softly. “It wouldn't have worked under any other circumstances.” He slid his hand up to Gaon’s shoulder, then to his neck, thumb rubbing gentle circles against Gaon’s collarbone. There was quiet wonder in his voice and Gaon shivered - it had nothing to do with the cold breeze - meeting his eyes. They were still flecked with gold.

“I thought we were about to die,” Gaon said, voice hoarse,

“You were ready to die.” Yohan’s hand was warm on his face. “You are a very foolish person, Kim Gaon.”

“It worked, didn’t it?” Gaon breathed.

“You gave me your heart,” Yohan went on, and there was an intensity to his gaze that Gaon couldn’t look away from even if he wanted to. It held him, entranced, entwined, falling into unknown depths. “Do you know what that means? There is no place you can go that I will not follow, and parting will always be followed by pain. I will know you as I know myself. I will live as long as you live, and should Death claim you I will gladly go too. That is what it means to share a heart.”

Gaon shuddered, the words flowing through him as sure as a lover's caress. They were more than an Oath, more than a Promise.

“I'm not an easy man to love, Kim Gaon. And the Binding would compel you to want me even if you didn’t love me.”

Gaon stared at him and realised the uncertainty, fear, worry that was faintly pulsing in the back of his mind wasn't actually his. He felt a burst of affection for the man in front of him. But more than that he felt as if he had known Yohan his whole life, would have known him had they met as passing strangers on the street, with nothing more than a secret glance.

He didn’t know if it was love. It felt more profound, deeper, just…more. But he leaned forward, close enough to taste Yohan’s breath on his lips and said, “I was willing to give my life up for you, Kang Yohan. That has to count as something, right?” Besides there were so many ways to love someone and to be in love. They could spend the rest of their lives learning.

Yohan made a soft hungry sound, lips parting and Gaon breathed him in, the familiar taste of oak, whisky and with a hint of smoke. Kissing Yohan felt inevitable, like unraveling, like being made whole, all at once. Their lips met again and again, breathing suddenly an afterthought because Yohan was breath itself, hand buried in his hair, fingers dragging against his scalp and Gaon had never felt so alive.

When he pressed a hand over Yohan's chest, he could feel his heart beating in the same unfaltering rhythm as his own and knew that even if everything else had faded, and the world had spun out of its axis, come what may and all that - he would always have Yohan's heart.