Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Hey have you heard? There was another riot just outside town.”

It was quiet that day, nearly dark but quiet. The guild hall was busy as usual, adventurers and parties leaving after finding a job offer posted at the board and others just returning from their own respective quests. Nearly every table was filled with groups of all types of mages enjoying a meal and their rest after a long day of work.

Just by the bar is where Chaeyoung has decided to stay for the time being, resting her battle axe and bag by her feet and drinking her orange juice.

If you want a break from the normal chaos that is found elsewhere in the hall, the bar is the place to be. It was one of her favorite spots in the hall, one of her biggest reasons were the group photos of every party formed under the JYP’s name posted at the wall just past the bar counter.

Currently, what caught her eye was a photo of 9, messily huddled together each with big smiles despite them being covered with bruises and dirt. Just below the photo was a short message on a separate piece of paper.

Twice will remain in history.

Eyeing the photo brought a sad smile to her face, as she read the familiar handwriting. It was Jeongyeon’s handwriting. Too bad they never got the chance.

Son Chaeyoung was a member of what was to be one of the fastest rising adventurer parties, formerly known as Twice. A group of 9 young adventurers, steadily growing to become one of the powerhouses of the magical world. A group of 9 young girls who would always be there for each other, through thick and thin no matter what.

Nine or none. They used to say that. It was their personal mantra, cherishing each other's presence and refusing to leave anyone behind.

“Wasn’t there another one just 2 months ago? I wonder what's with all the trouble lately.” One of the staff members behind the bar had loudly asked the adventurers he was serving, causing Chaeyoung to be brought back from her musing of past memories.

“Exactly, and it's the same again. Just petty criminals and delinquents causing trouble.”

“Dude, there’s a rumor that there’s a fresh new supplier at the black market that sells this insane elixir that boosts your stats by like a million.” Another one chimed in, his words starting to slur as he continued to speak.

Chaeyoung sat there for the peace and quiet, but instead she got the latest gossip instead.

Currently this is where the young adventurer is rethinking her decisions, she just wanted some peace and quiet before leaving off to attend her next errand. Unfortunately for her, she is forced to hear some drunk men gossip as if they were still children. Chaeyoung had to control herself, already feeling her face unconsciously starting to form a scowl and her grip tightening on her glass of juice.

Of all days the bar had to be filled with noise, it had to be today. Chaeyoung had made plans to meet before dinner with Dahyun and Tzuyu, her two best friends and former members of Twice just like her, and she was starting to get impatient. They were late and she didn't need to look at a clock to know, she had her grumbling stomach to do the job for her.

Another loud gasp has come from the now growing group of gossiping drunks, and Chaeyoung was starting to reach her limit today, clenching her teeth and tightening her grip on the now empty glass.

She is almost certain that if she hears another round of over dramatic chatter coming from the groups of drunks that she would tear their throats out and burn the whole bar down. To hell with the consequences, Chaeyoung just wants dinner and that can’t happen without her two late friends showing up.

“Chae!” The girl all but jumps from her seat as she hears the familiar voice. Chaeyoung turns to see Dahyun about to put down her pack, and decides to join the already fuming tiger of a human. “Were you here waiting lon-”

“Save it, let’s just get out of here.” Chaeyoung slung her axe and bag across her back and shoulder, basically dragging her confused friend far away from the bar.

“You ok?” Dahyun asked, noticing that the person having a grip on her arm was getting increasingly warm. She did not miss the way that Chaeyoung's glass was cracked upon leaving.

“Stupid question.” Chaeyoung chuckled humorlessly as she brought them near the main entrance of the hall. “Where’s Tzuyu?”

“You’re heating up, and I just got this jacket so please don’t burn it.”

Dahyun made a show of checking her jacket for burn marks as she was let go patting her arm as if it was covered in soot. It wasn’t, her jacket was still spotless.

Chaeyoung rolled her eyes at her dramatics. “Haha, funny. Where’s Tzuyu?”

“Probably still with the newbies. She said to go on ahead and she’ll just follow or go on her own if she was too late.”

Chaeyoung groaned, hearing that there would be just one person less going with them this time. “See this is why I wanted us to move the tour for the newbies to some other day.”

Dahyun followed Chaeyoung, listening to her longtime friend fume as she started to basically stomp down the already familiar path, the gemstone forged into the axe slung by her back was starting to glow red from her magic.

“It’s bad enough that the others are refusing to visit or at least acknowledge it, I would probably be less pissed with them if it werent for their lame ass sorry excuse of having dumb stuff to do–”

“Chae, Tzuyu is just gonna be late. You know she’d never bail on us.”

“Pfft, yeah unlike others.”

Dahyun has opted to carry her friend’s axe instead, subtly rushing when she caught the way Chaeyoung’s eyes flickered red and how the gemstone was now brightly glowing. She didn’t want them to be charged for arson today. She watched as Chaeyoung continued, her hands were swinging around animatedly as she kept fuming.

“I mean it’s not like they are required to work every second of every day, but the fact they choose to drown themselves in it and avoid–”

Every time they decide to visit them, without fail the conversation takes this turn. No matter how happy they were at the start of the day, when they took this specific path their chest would start to feel heavy. Their hearts mourning for the injustice and loss they experienced.

Unfortunately for them, they didn’t have the luxury for all of them to break at once. Someone had to keep calm and try to see the reason for the other’s action if they ever hoped to feel whole again.

Well, partially whole.

“Chae, they’ll come around. Plus Jihyo actually has a reason, she’s the busiest out of all of us and she still makes time to visit.”

It was getting warmer despite the weather forecast expecting a drop in temperature the next few weeks. Dahyun knew what this meant. Chaeyoung was getting her emotions to control her.

“Come around?” Chaeyoung scoffed. “As if! Jihyo, fine I’ll let her pass, but she doesn’t even come with us when we offer. She still actively avoids the rest of us, just asking how we are out of politeness as if we are her ex.”

“She probably just wants to be alone when she visits. Bet that her flowers are already with them, perfectly organized and chosen just like anything the great Park Jihyo does.”

Dahyun could just imagine Jihyo going through all the effort making sure each flower in her arrangement was perfect and worthy for her friends. She probably would start growing her own flowers, not trusting anyone with something so dear to her.

“It's been two years Hyun,” Dahyun carefully eyed the way Chaeyoung started to tense and how she kept her gaze low. “It’s been two years and we haven’t even talked to each other ever since they pa— it happened.”

Chaeyoung hesitated. She couldn’t even mention it.

Dahyun's eyes softened as she noticed this, wrapping her arm around Chaeyoung’s shoulder. “I know, I was there too.”

“How about we just say our quick hellos and we can go get dinner early and continue to talk smack about our old friends?”

Wanting to lighten the now gloomy mood, she had started to walk with a little more bounce in every step. If Dahyun was being completely honest, she has her own grudges she wanted to voice about as well but she didn’t want to do that here.

Not here. Dahyun glanced at the words that greeted them overhead.

Hydrangea Memorial Cemetery

Chaeyoung had visibly started to calm down upon hearing Dahyun’s suggestion, no longer emitting the heat her small figure would carry. “I don’t want to just say hello then leave, dinner can wait.”

“I want to tell them what we’ve been up to, how we are and what food we’ve been eating lately.”

Dahyun let out a small laugh. “You claim that you can wait for dinner, yet all you wanna talk to them about is food.”

“They’d appreciate it.” Chaeyoung nodded in finality. She knew they would love to hear about what food they were eating recently.

Back then, it was an unwritten rule to always eat together and taste new dishes. Every meal was filled with laughter and peace with stories of their latest quests or just reminiscing on the past.

“They loved it before, they will love it now.”

Dahyun sighed in agreement, coming to a halt as they finally reached their destination.

They both became quiet as they stared at the tombstone in front of them. Hearts heavy and the air tense as if the names engraved were mocking them. Mocking them of something they wished they never lost and something they never got to say goodbye to.

All Dahyun and Chaeyoung could do was stop and stare at what was written in front of them.

It’s been two years since they passed away, unknowingly bringing a piece of 7 hearts as they left. It hurts.

The two had left for a quest together, only for a search party to be sent right after and to return with the news of their unfortunate passing.

After the news had spread not only to all their guild, but to all other neighboring guilds in the magical community and to the council as well, it was too much for the rest of the girls to bear the loss of their dearest friends.

Eventually they started going their separate ways, only sparing a glance to each other as they passed by, acting as if they were strangers once more.

It was nine or none. They were no longer nine, so they became none.

The three youngest of the group were the only ones to remain in close contact with each other, with the exception of Jihyo, who was actively still around to at least greet them and not ignore their whole existence.

They were the only ones to keep their bond standing, and not only because of their seal but because they needed each other truthfully.

It was just the three of them left standing.

Chaeyoung will forever hold the grudge against the older members for leaving them without even glancing back at them. Dahyun had tried her best to understand why the others left, but it still stung that they chose not to stay with them either.

Every time Dahyun would discover a new delicious meal, her automatic response would be to share it with her 8 favorite people in the world.

Every time Chaeyoung would find something funny, she would share the laughter she felt with those same 8 people.

With the current absence of their youngest with them right now, the two undoubtedly know that she feels the same. That Tzuyu misses the comfort and presence of the older members, especially the presence of the ones they had permanently lost.

Those left had made it a point to update both Jeongyeon and Mina about their days every chance they got to visit them. They tried to move on and look at the silver lining of things, knowing it was what they would've wanted for them, but it was hard.

The three youngest also know that both Jeongyeon and Mina would want all of them to be together like how they used to be, but they would have to live with the fact that they could no longer do that.

For now all they have is what is left of them. Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu. They have each other.

“Told you,” Dahyun gestured towards the neatly placed flower arrangement near the tombstone, “never doubt the great Park Jihyo.”

There were lilies, yellow roses and pink camellia. Dahyun wasn’t that knowledgeable in the flower language but she could tell that Jihyo deeply misses them.

“Would’ve been better if she came with us.” She heard Chaeyoung mumble beside her before taking a step back and letting the younger talk first.

“Hey Jeong, hey Mina.” Chaeyoung squatted down wanting to be closer to them ,”I gave a tour to two new recruits today, Dahyun and Tzuyu as well. Tzuyu is still finishing up hers since she got 2 like me while Hyun got one.”

“The ones I got were sisters, one is just like us Jeong, you’d probably like her. She was quite shy at first but I could tell she was mischievous just like you. The other was tall. Like really tall. It was unfair.”

Chaeyoung continued smiling as she recounted and told how her days have been to Mina and Jeongyeon. She took her time telling Mina all about this new big card game going around, explaining all the rules and the handbook to her.

When she was finished, she stood up silently giving the floor to Dahyun.

“Mina, I bought you your own deck of the game Chae was just telling you about. I think you’d like which one I picked out for you. It’s like a smart animal theme kind of deck, I don't know how else to describe it. The three of us have been playing it when we can, but we just know you would definitely beat us despite just learning the rules.”

A chuckle escaped Dahyun’s lips as she recalled the time they tried their best to understand the rules.

“Without you here Tzuyu is starting to get cocky. She keeps winning against us, even when we cheat she still beats us.” Dahyun felt her eyes prickle, imagining what it would be like if they were still alive was hard.

“Oh, and Jeong, the newbie I toured today is just like me, you and Chae too. She is very talented and gifted. It’s cool that there are more who are like us. She has those tongue slip ups and mixes up words like how you used to do every now and then. I guess I should thank you for that since I was able to understand her perfectly.”

Dahyun had to briefly look up, refusing the tears to fall.

“We miss you guys. Not just the School Meal Club–”

Her throat was starting to close, despite grinning at the old nickname they gave themselves.

“--but everyone else as well.”

She knew how Chaeyoung felt towards the other members for leaving them, and that she did not hesitate to voice this at all when given the chance. Despite her small stature, she can carry a grudge for a long time. But Dahyun had to mention them as well, no matter how much she resents them for leaving

Jeongyeon and Mina would want to know where they are and how they are doing. Dahyun can’t help but imagine how the two would wonder why the rest hasn’t come to visit them. Blaming themselves for their disband

Oh how Dahyun desperately wishes she could give them an answer, but she doesn't even know why herself.

She felt a hand grip her shoulder tightly, automatically clutching onto it to ground her. Chaeyoung had handed her a napkin, confused, she took it anyway.

When she felt a droplet of water land on her hand, she then realized she was crying.

“Tzuyu promised to come by a bit later, so just wait for her, ok?”

She stopped there, not trusting her voice to continue without breaking more than it already has. Chaeyoung had pulled her towards her, now hugging her best friend, feeling her own eyes

It took five minutes for the two to eventually calm down and say their goodbyes with the promise of visiting soon. They headed out with the hopes of dinner to fill their now constantly grumbling stomach.

“I wonder what’s taking Tzuyu so long?” Chaeyoung mused as they made themselves comfortable.

“I don’t know, but let’s order for her while waiting.”

Dahyun had gone ahead and ordered Jeongyeon and Mina’s favorite food as per the new tradition they have made.

Everyday gets harder for those who have lost someone dear to them. People say it gets easier over time, but that is a complete lie. Everyday is just a reminder of what you have lost, and everyday you just hold on to what's left of them.

Sitting at the booth, two friends wait for the third, as they all but desperately cling to what they have all lost.

Yoo Jeongyeon.

Myoui Mina.

Not only did they tragically lose their friends, they have lost their family and home.

Twice. They have lost Twice.

Chapter Text

“What were the members of your party like?”

“Lia!” Chaeryeong stared scandalized and eyes wide open at her friend.

“What? I kinda know who they are thanks to the news outlets and magazines but I want to hear about them, well from them.” Lia defended, her voice growing softer and losing it’s previous confidence as she continued talking.

Tzuyu could hear the nervousness in Lia’s voice and saw how Chaeryoung stiffened, assuming it was rude to bring up the topic, as she was adjusting her gloves since it was getting uncomfortable. She wasn’t a stranger to being asked about her former party, and it was still a long way before they all returned back to the guild hall as they walked through the trees.

So with a genuine smile, she decided to entertain the curious and hesitant looks from the two new recruits she was incharge of today.

“It’s ok, you guys can ask me anything. I am after all your senior now that you are part of the newest party.”

Technically they weren't new since they were recruited somewhere at the start of the year, but it was a habit for the rest of the guild to treat them as fresh recruits for at least a year or two. It was like an unspoken tradition.

Lia and Chaeryeong waited patiently, both anticipating what Tzuyu was about to tell them with hidden excitement. Tzuyu fondly shook her head at them and cleared her throat before she started.

“Well, we were 9 members chosen through a tournament made exclusively for the students that the guild has taken under their wing. Chaeryeong was one of the contestants, do you remember?”

Magic guilds would take in children who have shown promise at a young age through their magical abilities to train and guide them. Chaeryeong shyly nodded, having joined the tournament when she was around 14 while Lia had been listening with open ears and nodding along beside her, fully immersed in what Tzuyu was saying.

“Our party was named Twice as per Guild Master Park Jinyoung decided. The nine of us were like family, even when we had our disagreements we were always there for each other.”

She then started to talk about the members of Twice.

“Park Jihyo was our leader, she was promoted to an S-Class Mage just a bit after we were formed and was the second member to do so. She specializes in both spatial and gravity magic. Jihyo has always been blessed with a body that can withstand and handle an incredible amount of mana ever since she was born.”

“Im Nayeon was like our big sister, she was the oldest among us and specialized in nearly all types of elemental magic. I remember Jeongyeon once called her the avatar or something at some point and we all had no idea what she meant. Nayeon is considered to be one of the most flexible and versatile mages in the guild and she was also our ace.”

“Minatozaki Sana specializes in marionette magic and charmspeak. Sana has the magical ability to be able to control someone like a puppet. With a single touch she can attach her mana infused wires to them and then they are under her control. She also has the ability to charmspeak and make people believe every word she says, which only makes her all the more dangerous and cunning.“

Lia and Chaeryeong watch as Tzuyu sighed upon describing Sana. It looked like she was annoyed upon recalling this specific member, but in reality Tzuyu just remembered all the shenanigans Sana got herself into when she didn’t realize she was using her magic on others.

She remembers a specific event wherein Sana unknowingly used her magic on Momo and nearly made her stab herself with the fork she was holding. Luckily it was blocked by the piece of chicken at the end of it. She gave Jihyo a lot of headaches whenever this happened.

“Hirai Momo was our party’s official weapon specialist. She is an expert in basically all types of weapons, her favorite were dual swords. Momo specializes in beast tamer magic and has tamed two beasts, which she had named Boo and Dobby. They may look like two cute little dogs but they are actually hell hounds in disguise.”

There was something about how Tzuyu suddenly had a fond expression that brought identical small smiles to the other two, as she was talking about all her members one by one. What they couldn’t see was how her heart felt tighter as she spoke.

As she was talking, it was obvious how much she cared for them with the way her voice carries such pride. It had still stung deep down that she was always reminded that they are no longer together. With a push, she continued to talk about the people that have consistently stayed by her side.

“Both Kim Dahyun and Son Chaeyoung are demi-humans.”

Demi-humans are considered to be a broad subclass species of humans with many categories. They have limited use of their magical ability, only able to use their magic when shifted to their respective non-human forms. They can only use their magic in their human form if they are in possession of a specially customized mana crystal that is fit for them.

“Dahyun shifts into an eagle and specializes in wind magic, while Chaeyoung shifts into a tiger and specializes in fire magic.”

Tzuyu could see that Lia and Chaeryeong wanted to ask her something else with how fidgety they became. She nodded encouragingly as Lia spoke up and asked her question carefully. “May we ask who Dahyun and Chaeyoung are sealed under?”

Since demi-humans are deemed as lesser beings than human by majority, it has become law that they should be serving an active mage under the influence of a slave seal. This law has been tolerated more so for the protection of the demi-humans from hunters and entitled bastards. If they are sealed under someone, no one can touch them or treat them less. This topic and their rights has been a popular and active debate among the population.

Because of the requirement to be sealed, demi-humans join guilds through a whole different process compared to how human mages do. Certain mages, preferably the new students who are yet to be part of a party, are carefully chosen by the guild master to go and find a demi-human from a shelter to seal under their name. This practice is done to help the student and give them a second or a partner. How the demi-humans are treated is entirely up to the sealer and cannot be interfered by anyone else. This is how Tzuyu ended up finding two of her best friends that she had come to cherish both deeply.

“They are both sealed under me. I understand that you both have demi-human members that are under your seals so feel free to talk to me about this.” Chaeryeong and Lia both nodded gratefully.

Tzuyu understands that having members that are under a slave seal can be awkward at first, espeically with how the world views them as less than human. The seal can cause insecurities and misunderstanding between each other.

The seal is shown as magical runes that are marked along the demi-human’s neck, acting as a collar with the name of the sealer enscripted right in the middle of the neck. Tzuyu makes sure that both Dahyun and Chaeyoung’s seals are always invisible, so as to not remind herself of the cruel reality of how others would see her best friends.

“Yoo Jeongyeon was also a demi-human, she was sealed under Myoui Mina, another member of ours. They were both really talented and skilled but–”

Tzuyu paused, wanting to push down the lump forming in her throat.

“But they passed away in a quest gone wrong two years ago.”

From the all knowing looks from Lia and Chaeryeong, they have known about this. This accident wasn’t a secret at all, spreading like wildfire throughout all the news articles and gossip two years ago. It was hard hearing about it wherever they went.

The air had suddenly dropped, becoming solemn at the mention of two cherished members passing.

“It’s an occupational hazard when becoming an adventurer. There are a lot of risks involved wherever we go.” Tzuyu didn’t want to seem pessimistic to the new adventurers, but she had to be realistic.

“My advice to you both is to take care of each other and have each other’s back, no matter what.”

The two adventurers had looked up to her with awe and eyes filled with promise. At their sure nod, Tzuyu could just tell that they will follow this advice to heart.

Some time had passed, navigating her way through the all too familiar forest, a lone raven is what stole her attention away from her company. Just ahead of her, Tzuyu watched the new recruits guide themselves through the tree roots and bumpy soil.

“Lia, Chaeryeong, you both can go back to the hall without me.” Tzuyu called, “I just have to check on some things.”

After making sure the two knew their way back to the guild, they had left their tour guide, albeit hesitantly assuming Tzuyu needed some time for herself before returning.

Tzuyu made sure that she was all alone in the clearing, turning towards the stray raven perched at a nearby tree branch.

She was already late to dinner with Chaeyoung and Dahyun and she still had to stop by the cemetery before meeting them, but the young adventurer couldn’t help but stop and stare at the bird that was staring back at her with just as much interest.

As the moon provided light in the darkness, Tzuyu took a step forward towards the tree, careful to not spook the bird. It was weird that she was staring so longingly at it.

Every time she sees a raven or just a black bird in general, she can’t help but think of Jeongyeon. Her signature magic form being a raven is the perfect explanation as to why that bird would remind Tzuyu of her.

If it wasn’t for that, an ostrich would be a better reminder since the members used to compare her to one back then.The same way a penguin would bring Mina to the front of her mind. Sure Mina couldn’t shift to a penguin, but she sure moved and acted like one.

She really should get going if she ever hoped to make it in time for dinner, but the raven was still staring at her, tilting its head curiously, almost asking why she was feeling sad that day. Tzuyu softly smiled at the gesture. It was weird that she was staring so longingly at it.

She had tried to communicate with the bird by sending a signal, being a telepath as one of her magical specialties, but all she got back was radio silence. If the animal were to be a demi-human, she can communicate with them through telepathy, but if it were actual normal animals she’d hear nothing back.

Tzuyu had always wished that it was her friend, every time she saw a raven. Desperately hoping that her along with Mina will just magically come back some day. Wishing won’t get you anywhere is what she concludes, forced to face the reality of her current life.

But she can at least pretend, even just for a second.

Pretend that she was greeting a familiar face and that everything was how it used to be 2 years ago.

Tzuyu lets her eyes examine every single detail she can commit to memory of the bird above her, given the limited light source of the moon, as if she were staring at her former older member before speaking.

“Hello Jeongyeon, how are you?” was what she whispered in the dark.

“Hello Tzuyu.” was what she heard.

Nayeon was exhausted. No, exhausted was an understatement.

She had just finished up her current quest, tasked to basically hunt down a criminal group that has been causing trouble just outside a small village.

It was fairly easy to track them down, restraining them was a bit more troublesome. They were very messy with how they used their magic, resulting in a few accidents on their side causing Nayeon to basically handle this situation as if she was taking care of a bunch of hyperactive toddlers.

“Ugh I just got this too.” Nayeon inspected the fresh tear on her new coat before throwing it towards her piling stuff at the corner of the room.

She had rented out a room for this specific quest, and her stuff was already scattered around.

I’ll just fix it later she convinced herself.

Entering the ensuite bathroom, Nayeon stared at her disheveled self through the mirror. The group she just fought was like literal child's play, making her look like she needed a week worth of sleeping.

Looking at the mirror, she could see some dirt on her face and neck but nothing that penetrated her skin enough for it to bleed. Maybe a small bruise or two but that was it. She wasn’t an ace adventurer after all for nothing.

With the way she had been working nonstop, training her abilities at every given free time, she might be able to be promoted to become a S-Class Adventurer in no time.

I can soon stand beside you. No, I will be better than you, just you wait.

Nayeon released the breath she was unknowingly holding in, as she bent over the sink to wash her face. She was just about to shower when movement reflected in her mirror caught her eye.

Just outside the window behind her, she saw a flash of black flying across it. She would have ignored it seeing it was just a random bird or possibly even a towel swept away by the wind, but there was something about it that made her on edge.

She had decided to ignore this feeling and concluded she was just tired from the mission and was about to close the window blinds. A small shriek escaped from her mouth as it happened again, but this time a lot closer to the window and there was something different about it. Something that made her stop everything.

There was a faint green glow accompanying the movement.

Nayeon was sure she saw it.

With just a hunch, she sprinted out of her room and tried to follow the glow that brought her to the edge of a forest. She was being reckless, Nayeon knows that. Nayeon didn’t even think about gearing up or at least bringing her support items, she just went with her gut and ran.

She must have gone crazy, and even she didn’t want to entertain the fact that that is quite possible especially during this time of the year where it would always affect her more than she’d like to admit.

Trees are what surrounded her as she kept chasing the unknown. She wasn’t far from the village so at least she wasn’t lost.

Nayeon scanned her surroundings, darting her eyes to everywhere she could see in the night looking for the same faint green glow. Was she just imagining it? There’s a possibility she had just imagined it. She was tired after all.

Her wishful thinking must have caused her to hallucinate. It was October after all, the same month she lost them. The same month where she started desperately wishing they were still alive, at least by some miracle.

Nayeon sighed, disappointed, turning to walk back where she had come from. Why was she disappointed? It has been two years since she had last seen Jeongyeon and Mina alive so why should she still hope. She scoffed at herself, maybe she was disappointed in herself.

“Are you leaving us again?”

Nayeon froze. A chill going through her spine and her heart started to pound as she heard that voice behind her.

“Why are you leaving? Am I not worthy of your time anymore?” The voice came from her left.

Nayeon whipped her head towards the direction, scanning across the trees only to find nothing. She was certain who that voice belonged to. Nayeon would always remember it no matter how long it’s been. But why would Chaeyoung be here? Why? Why?

“Chaeyo–”

“Are you not gonna talk to me?” A scoff was heard from behind her this time. “You used to talk non-stop, what happened to you now?” It was Dahyun’s voice this time.

Nayeon turned once more, nothing. Was Dahyun here too? She rolled her eyes because of course Dahyun would be right beside where Chaeyoung was, they were a packaged deal.

“Dahyun…Chae…can you both just come out–”

“Why? So you can ignore us again?” Chaeyoung interrupted.

“So you can pretend you never knew us?” Dahyun followed.

Their voices were surrounding her, staying hidden behind the trees, and pissed.

“I am not ignoring you!”

She was. Nayeon knew she was ignoring them on purpose but she still made a feeble attempt at defending herself anyway.

“I’ve just been busy.” An excuse. “Work and all that.”

“But you still never made an effort to see them.” It was someone new, a third person.

It made sense that Dahyun and Chaeyoung would always be attached to the hip, and it was to be expected that Tzuyu would follow. Nayeon can’t say she wasn’t surprised, she was wondering where the youngest was.

“You left us when it happened. You abandoned us as if we meant nothing to you.” This was new, the sheer anger in Tzuyu’s voice was new. Nayeon couldn't recognize it, almost as if Tzuyu wasn’t herself.

“Tzuyu, you know that’s not true…” Nayeon’s voice softened immensely, looking around her to try and point out where the youngest was hiding.

“NO!” Nayeon flinched by the sheer volume that surrounded her.

“Everything was your fault. Everything bad that ever happened to us all started with you.”

That hurt. Having the blunt truth slapped to your face hurts. Nayeon held her breath, she wanted Tzuyu to stop but for some sadistic reason she wanted her to continue. All the while she was being surrounded by the harsh words of the dubbed school meal club, Nayeon couldn’t stop thinking.

Something wasn’t right about this whole confrontation. How did they find her so easily?

“You ignored us, left us as if we were a burden to you.”

It was Momo talking now and Sana was next. How were they all here?

“Fought with us every time we didn’t follow your ideals or went by your thinking, as if you were so high and mighty.”

Nayeon couldn’t exactly pinpoint where any of them were, it was as if there were multiple of them circling her.

Then it clicked. This is someone disguising themselves using a voice changing mask. She was being targeted, being followed. It was the only way to explain how this mystery person knew all the ways to push her buttons.

“You wouldn’t even let us talk to you.” Still Sana.

Nayeon closed her eyes, listening carefully to the sound of the wind and the leaves rustling, ignoring the familiar voices that continue to taunt her. She could hear rapid movement from tree to tree. There were no footsteps she anticipated to listen for, instead it was as if whoever this was were flying around, tree to tree, branch to branch.

“You were always never good enough.” Jihyo was now talking.

To my right.

This isn’t the real Jihyo, she knew now. Her girls aren’t actually here, this was all fake.

“You were reckless, no one could trust you.”

Behind me.

This was a bastard who thought they were smart enough to go against the former ace of Twice. A bastard who knew too much.

“You were never fit to lead us, you never took care of us. Everyone knew that.”

Jihyo’s voice stayed exactly right behind her, hiding among the trees as she heard the thud on the ground indicating that the faker was now on land. What an idiot. Nayeon forced down her lips from grinning for how sure of it she was. She wasn’t after all considered the ace for nothing. It was the perfect moment, with just a twist of her foot she can spell the earth below to enclose itself around the faker. She can end this ridiculous encounter and go back and shower like what she is supposed to be doing. If only she took action quicker.

“You’re the reason we are dead.”

Her blood had run cold, feeling as if she was just slapped in the face. Mina?

The rational part of Nayeon knew that it wasn’t real, that it wasn’t Mina speaking to her right now. Mina, with her soft spoken nature and delicate voice, was blaming her for her unfortunate death.

“No one else is to blame but you. You pushed me away first, and you won’t even admit it.”

Not real, not real, not real.

Yet she continued to listen.

“Were we ever even truly friends?.”

This must be hell. This must be her punishment for everything she has done. Nayeon couldn’t think at all, her head was a total blank. Her hands were shaking, her breathing was uneven and she didn’t even notice.

She needed to calm down. No, she had forced herself to calm down.

Curling her fists even tighter, letting her nails dig into her palms in order to feel the physical pain and bring her back to reality. The reality that there is nothing she can do for them now. That she was dealing with an idiot who thought it would be fun to mess with her using her dead friend’s voice.

Her eyes clenched shut and the air had left her lungs in an instant as she heard the next voice.

“Did you not love us Nayeonie?”

Jeongyeon.

Jeongyeon sounded so broken with a crack in her as she spoke. It wrenched Nayeon’s heart just listening to it. Hearing her voice after so long made her dizzy, but most of all she was starting to get pissed off. Who does this psycho think they are to use her voice? To make her sound so broken.

“Did you even love me?” Nayeon didn’t mean to let out a pitiful whimper, desperate to answer.

It sounded so real, the voice had carried so much sadness and fear in such a familiar way. Was it real? She sneered at the idea that it was the real Jeongyeon talking. It wasn’t.

"Did I mean anything to you?"

Nayeon twisted her foot, spelling the earth to rapidly enclose where the faker had stayed behind her almost desperately. With another flick of her wrist, she fully enclosed the bastard under their solid prison.

Her heart was pounding, chest heaving as if she had just ran a marathon and fought a hundred people. Fists shaking by her sides as she took steady steps towards the cocoon. This battle had taken a greater toll on her compared to the one earlier that day.

Whoever has decided to mess with her is gonna pay. To hell with the consequences, the Magic Council can kiss her ass. She was furious, she was vengeful and she was grieving. A dangerous combination for one Im Nayeon.

She was finally face to face with the earth prison with a small flame emitted from her left hand as a light source, she spelled a small portion of the top in order for her peak inside with just a flick of her free hand.

“Dammit.” Nayeong cursed.

No one was inside. It was empty.

Nayeon could make out tiny scratch marks along the top of the cocoon, indicating that that must've been how the faker escaped. A last minute spell most probably, but she couldn’t care any less about that now. With a shout, she kicked the cocoon to pieces with so much force, flinging the earth towards innocent trees and disfiguring them down in the process.

She had failed. Again.

“Hello Tzuyu.”

Tzuyu felt as if her body had been drenched in cold water. This is not supposed to be possible. She is not supposed to be here, Tzuyu isn’t supposed to hear her voice. She is supposed to be gone. She has been gone for two years without saying a single goodbye. She left all of them behind when they were at their worst.

Turning around did she finally face her. Sana was here.

Sana who left her was here.

She felt uneasy, vulnerable even. That feeling only grew more as turned around only to face Sana looking at her ever so softly, as if she still had the right to.

How long has she been standing there? How long has she been back in town? Has she been following me?

“How have you been?" Sana smiled so sweetly, so comforting, just like before.

"Have you grown taller?” She took a tentative step forward, but stopped once she noticed the other flinch. “You seem taller.”

“What are you doing here?” Tzuyu tried to hide the slight tremble in her voice as she stepped back, overwhelmed by her presence, eyes wide and searching desperately to know why. Why was she here?

Tzuyu thought she had finally grown strong enough and was ready for the moment she had to face the others. She was supposed to refuse them. She was supposed to be mad at them all for leaving. She was supposed to be strong like Chaeyoung and Dahyun. Tzuyu had every right to hate them and despise them, but she couldn’t no matter how hard she tried.

All she felt was the sudden surge of loneliness.

Was Sana back to pay a visit? Was she back for good? Was she back because she missed them? Missed her?

“I need your help.”

No, she wasn’t.

“I found a lead.”

Of course Sana was still on about that. Determined to find out the real truth about Mina and Jeongyeon ,or so she claims there is, where she eventually became obsessed with it and ultimately left all of them behind in order to find it.

Sana still believed that Mina and Jeongyeon were still alive. That there was something that didn’t make sense. She was wrong though, they were all shown the photos, they all saw the blood.

“Sana...” She didn't mean to carry so much pain in her voice as she softly called her name.

Tzuyu wanted to stop her so badly, wanted to stop this useless hunt Sana had left them for, but the look she was being given was stopping her. It was as if there was a new flame in Sana’s eyes, a new hope. Sana seemed more confident with whatever she found and her eyes told her that she believed in it wholeheartedly. But hoping can only go so far, and it may end up destroying everything you built around it.

“They are still alive.”

Tzuyu didn’t want to go through this again, she didn’t want to listen. It had hurt them too much in the past and now she had finally started to move on, or so she thinks.

”and I need your help.”

Chapter Text

“FAAIIIYYAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!”

Chaeyoung roared, swinging her axe at an arc downwards and sending a burst of flame towards the rogue mages she was tasked to capture. It had been a couple days since She and Dahyun had visited the cemetery, with Tzuyu following afterwards. Both her and Dahyun had decided to go look for some extra cash at the request board of the guild and found a fairly simple one.

A merchant was experiencing some troubles receiving his shipment of elixir due to some thieves always intercepting the deliveries. The merchant, a man named Heechul, had sent in a request for some mages to track down these thieves and make sure that the deliveries would run smoothly.

Dahyun had found the request and immediately signed them up for it. It was an easy 50,000 gems for the two, meaning more money for food. Unfortunately Tzuyu couldn’t join them, saying she just wanted to stay home instead.

“Faaiiii–” Dahyun crouched into a running position ”--YAAAAHHHH!!!!!” and took off.

She was now sprinting around the battlefield knocking a bunch of the thieves down for the count shouting, strong winds following her trail.

“Why are you shouting fire?” Chaeyoung had knocked out the last guy from her side of the battle using the blunt side of her axe.

Dahyun made a sudden stop right in front of her, a burst of wind following her, dusting dirt from herself. “It would be weird if I shout wind, plus the word fire sounds cooler.” She knew the fire user would be rolling her eyes at her without even looking.

“Whatever, let’s just check if the deliveries are still alright.”

Once verifying that the crates of elixir healing potions were safe, they then proceeded to gather the thieves and send them to the police officials for them to deal with. A simple mission that paid really well, as in lots of yummy food to come well.

“Hey Dahyun?” Chaeyoung heard a grunt from the mage seated in front of her, whose focus seemed to be on the free food she was too busy stuffing in her mouth.

“What kind of brand name is Happy Feet anyways?” The two demi-humans were taking the train back to their guild, Heechul had given them their payment gratefully and even packed them free meals for the ride home. “It sounds more fitting for a shoe brand.”

“Whose feet are happy?” Dahyun asked, feeling lost but still took a sip from her bottle of water.

Chaeyoung narrowed her eyes at the sight of Dahyun eating messily. She must’ve skipped breakfast this morning. “Were you too excited for the money and didn’t pay attention to anything? It was the brand of the elixir from the mercha–AHH WHAT THE HECK!!??”

“Happy Feet as in the elixir?” Dahyun asked incredulously, spraying the water in her mouth everywhere directly in front of her. Chaeyoung was unfortunate enough to be directly in front of her.

The tiger shifter was now glaring, her face now moist. “Yes, as in the elixir.” She hissed. At least Dahyun was decent enough to give a sheepish look and mumble a quick apology while handing her a napkin. “What got you so excited anyways?”

Dahyun shrugged, scooting back in her seat. “Nothing really, just been hearing that brand nearly everywhere by now. It’s like the newest thing or something.”

“Must be really good then, you think we should try it sometime?”

“Tzuyu will kill us if she hears you say that. That brand is starting to become really expensive from what I heard anyway.”

Dahyun snorted at the disgusted face her fellow demi-human pulled. Mention anything that was expensive and Chaeyoung would automatically refuse it. It’s one of the reasons the three of them decided it was best to be self-sufficient. Tzuyu had learned to make her own personal batch of elixir just for the three of them, even if there were a few mishaps and accidents during the learning process. Accidents wherein it resulted either one of them to call in sick for a week. The duo were still super grateful because it saved them the hassle of buying those overpriced ones sold in the market.

“Want to stop by the bakery later before heading home?” Dahyun asked.

“For bread?” The eagle shifter nodded. “Sure.”

The pair of demi-humans continued talking and entertaining themselves during the train ride home, oblivious to the trouble that their friend back home was experiencing and could hardly breathe.

Tzuyu couldn't breathe, the air was too thick with tension that could suffocate anyone who entered. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for her, Tzuyu wasn’t just anyone. She was someone who was exposed to this kind of air for quite some time now and had gotten used to it. But just because she was used to it doesn’t mean it wasn’t any less suffocating, it just meant she was familiar with it.

Here she was, sitting at the dining table of her shared house with Dahyun and Chaeyoung, Sana seated on her right staring daggers at Nayeon seated across her, who was glaring back at her, her eyes basically willing for Sana to burn up in flames.

She hadn’t expected Sana would turn up so soon after Tzuyu had reluctantly agreed to help her a few days ago, but she sure as hell didn’t expect Nayeon of all people to come back to the guild and all but basically demand where she was and show up at her front door out of nowhere just right after. She silently prays this could end as quickly as possible. Preferably before her roommates arrive home, they don’t even know about her encounter with Sana at the forest a few days ago.

“Your hair is pink.” That was probably the first and only thing Nayeon said to the other guest since arriving, glaring as if the color was offending her deeply. Sana’s hair definitely wasn’t pink when she last saw her. She must’ve dyed it recently.

It suits her, she looks pretty.

Tzuyu saw how Sana raised an eyebrow at the obvious fact that her hair is now pink and how her face started to have a mischievous glint. “And Tzuyu’s is dark blue, but you didn’t point it out. Are you finally paying attention to me, Im? After all this time, are all eyes on me?”

The last time these two were in a room together, or any time they were in a room together at all it always ended up with both of them leaving in a huff after arguing and Tzuyu did not want that. So she softly cleared her throat and said the first thing that came to mind.

“Would you want some water and biscuits?”

A pause.

“No thank you.” “Yes please.”

Nayeon and Sana answered at the same time, the latter smiling sweetly at her softly squeezing her hand on Tzuyu’s, and the former still glaring at the mage seated in front of her. Sana watched as the younger girl stood up and headed towards the kitchen to prepare the snacks, once she was a reasonable distance away did her smile drop then. “Ok stop that, you’re scaring the child.”

“Says you. Why are you here?” Nayeon scoffed at her, going straight to the point and still frowning.

“I should be asking you the same, with how you’ve been gone every chance you get.” Any hint of the gentleness Sana had a minute ago was now gone and Nayeon continued to glare at her.

Neither refused to give in first, both still too stubborn for their own good.

Tzuyu had returned with a plate of biscuits and three glasses of water on a tray, the moment she had come back she swears that the tension can crush her for all she cares if it meant she wouldn’t be here dealing with them. With a deep breath, she returned to her seat and gave the two older girls their respective glasses and placed the biscuits in the middle of the table.

Sitting down does she notice that her company hasn’t taken their eyes off of each other, it would’ve sounded romantic if they both weren’t planning the other’s death.

“So, what brings you here Nayeon?” Tzuyu cleared her throat and faced Nayeon and watched as the older girl reluctantly stopped their staring contest and then turned to answer her.

“Before I answer that I would like to ask what you were doing last Saturday, October 19? More specifically around dinner time.” Nayeon’s voice suddenly sounded serious, and Tzuyu can feel herself start to feel nervous under her calculating gaze as she didn’t expect that question. Sana was also caught off guard, the sudden shift in the atmosphere giving her whiplash.

“I was touring Lia and Chaeryeong, we went to the guild’s greenhouse in the forest when it was dark.” Tzuyu answered easily, but still confused as to why Nayeon needs to know this. It has been a while since they last cared about each other’s schedule. “What did you do after?”

“What’s this for?” Sana asked carefully, raising an eyebrow towards Nayeon who either didn’t hear her or just ignored her. Tzuyu would’ve stopped answering and asked as well, but the way Nayeon hadn’t taken her eyes off of her was what made her go along with this. At least for now.

“I had come across Sana before returning to the guild and left to the cemetery to visit Mina and Jeongyeon.” The reaction was immediate, Nayeon failing to hide the subtle flinch upon hearing their names and Sana whipping her head towards the youngest not knowing of this after their little meeting. Tzuyu ignored them and continued. “After that I went to have dinner with Dahyun and Chaeyoung. We all went back here right after.”

Nayeon flicked her eyes everywhere in Tzuyu’s gaze as if searching for something. Her jaw tensed just a bit, believing every word that she was told, she then turned to Sana. “What about you?”

A sarcastic comment or a question was threatening to burst from her mouth but Sana bit her tongue back, scanning the elemental mage infront of her, not liking how she doesn’t know what this was for. Still, with a sigh she answered.

“I met up with Tzuyu after coming back to town earlier that day. After that I went home to eat whatever was left in the fridge and slept.” A lie. Sana did not sleep, she instead had been obsessing over her so-called new lead and ate frozen pizza till morning came, but they didn’t need to know that. “Nayeon, what is this for?”

“What about the two midgets? Do you know what they did before having dinner with you?” Ignored once more, Tzuyu and Sana were starting to feel irritated.

“They visited Mina and Jeongyeon and stayed there for a bit for a chat before heading to dinner.”

Sana and Tzuyu watched as Nayeon was processing this information, taking it all in and the gears turning in her head, basically emitting smoke at this point. She had seemed to be deep in thought staring into space, as the younger two gave each other a questioning look. They knew Nayeon well enough that they shouldn’t rush her when she was thinking, but boy was Sana tempted to reach across the table and slam her head on the table and demand she start talking.

Nayeon set her jaw, coming into a decision then did she start. “I was targeted that night for an intervention – if you will call it – by Chaeyoung, Dahyun and Tzuyu.”

Tzuyu was about to state the obvious that that was impossible, but Nayeon raised her hand, silently asking her to listen first.

“And by Momo and you, Sana.” Nayeon looked over both of them, both adorning questioning looks. “By Jihyo as well.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” Sana whispered mostly to herself, incredulous, Tzuyu nodding along and agreeing. “Oh it gets better trust me.” Nayeon chuckled humorlessly. “There were two additional special guests there as well that night. Guests who shouldn’t have been able to talk at all.”

They didn’t need Nayeon to say their names, they knew who she was talking about. Nine or none, remember?

“Guess nine or none applied even during the afterlife” Sana leaned back in her chair staring at the ceiling, Tzuyu prompting her elbows on the table and resting her forehead on her hands as Nayeon took a sip of her water. “Tell me about it.” she mumbled.

The three of them let the quiet take over, seconds ticking by as they all were thinking. “There’s no way any of us could have been there. Jihyo is still attending meetings and Momo is still out on her solo quest.” Tzuyu raised her head, chin resting on her knuckles and staring at the plate of biscuits in front of her. “Did you see them– er I mean, us?”

“Just voices. What you both just told me earlier just fully confirmed it for me.” Nayeon shook her head and let out a sigh.

“Voice-changing mask?” Sana asked, that was the only explanation she could come up with herself. The eldest nodded in affirmation.

“Why are you here then? You’ve proven that you are more than capable without us, so why are you here?” Tzuyu asked bluntly, not caring if she sounded mean. Nayeon knew this is just how the youngest really is, savage and blunt whether on purpose or not, but that didn’t stop her feeling the slight sting to her chest after hearing her words.

“This stalker, hinted multiple times that they know a lot about us. I tried to catch them but they were a lot slippier than I had thought and they managed to escape.” Sana bellowed a disbelieving laugh at this, “HA! You? Someone managed to escape from the oh so great Im Nayeon?”

Tzuyu watched as Nayeon closed her eyes and took a deep breath, it was obvious the pink-haired mage was getting to her patience.

“Sana, that isn’t the point right now.”

“Then what is exactly? You tossed us aside and ignored us for nearly two years and now you magically need our help out of nowhere? All of us are perfectly aware of how worthy you are for promotion by yourself and that you don’t need any help so why come here?” Sana was now leaning slightly forward, having got a bit worked up. Tzuyu expected Nayeon to take the bait and snap back, but she didn’t. Instead Nayeon managed to stay on topic and hold back her irritation.

“Do you know how voice-changing masks work? They come with a sound based magic lacrima powering the thing. The only way for the lacrima to perfectly imitate another’s voice is if the user had exposed it to the voices long enough to pick up all the dictation and pitches when they talk.”

“What are you trying to say?” Tzuyu asked, she had a feeling where this was going while Sana grumbled to herself. “I know that. I’m not stupid, Im.”

“The stalker perfectly impersonated each and every one of you, enough for me to be convinced that you were all actually there. I have reason to believe whoever this was personally knew all of us.”

Was it someone they all knew before? It had to be someone from the guild two years ago, someone who was around when they were still complete. Most who knew them as nine were still around. Tzuyu could only think of a few people, mages who had been around that time and left their party soon after. Could it possibly be staff members who quit or were fired? They have made a lot of enemies in the past, dealing with a lot of underground groups, so the list of suspects is endless. Tzuyu was about to bring this up until Sana spoke first.

“Are you implying it was one of us? Are you accusing us?”

Wait, what?

Tzuyu saw how Sana was fully prepared to stand up and launch herself at the older girl seated in front of her. She didn’t like the way Nayeon was basically implying it, she would’ve easily jumped her if it weren’t for the table in between them, and the fact this was not her home.

Sana couldn’t believe the nerve of her, appearing out of nowhere with no heads up or warning after leaving them just to come back and accuse them for hunting her down to a random forest and holding a petty intervention for what? Revenge? Did Nayeon really think that they were such lowlives to hunt her down and use the voices of their dead friends? Just to mock her? Did Nayeon really think that lowly of them?

The worst part of it all was that Nayeon had the audacity to just sit there sipping from her freaking glass of water and not say anything. She was just staring at her with an unreadable expression. She hasn’t even made the effort to defend herself nor does she react now that Sana has now fully stood to her whole height, curled fists pressed hard onto the table and glaring down at her and ready to pounce.

Tzuyu internally sighed, the air was tense once more. If Nayeon didn’t snap first, expect Sana to do so instead and vice-versa. She hoped for a better outcome but sadly she wasn’t all that surprised.

“Im. Are you, or are you not accusing us?”

Her voice was dangerously low, practically spitting venom with each word spoken and anger taking over her expression as Nayeon remained silent. Sana was about to open her mouth again until,

“Nayeon,” Tzuyu leaned forward, intent to catch the older girl’s gaze. “Do you really believe that we would use Jeongyeon and Mina’s voice just to harm you?”

With the way Tzuyu spoke with such a gentle voice that carried feelings of hurt and betrayal from the accusation, did it prompt Nayeon to finally look at her, like really look at her. Tzuyu understood why Sana is acting so brash and letting her emotions control her, she wanted to let hers out as well but she couldn’t. One of them had to remain calm and rational.

“Have you really lost all respect for any of us?”

Tzuyu watched as Nayeon’s eyes flickered to her face. She doesn’t have a mirror to see her own reflection but she is sure that Nayeon can see how Tzuyu’s heart is practically breaking piece by piece, by how her eyebrows had furrowed together and her whole body language started to sag in defeat.

Both Sana and Tzuyu watched how Nayeon had set her jaw, having come to the decision to finally speak up, and she finally decided to speak.

“Look, I can never be too sure–”

“What the hell is going on here?”

“What the hell is going on here?”

Those were the first words Dahyun had heard upon entering their home. She craned her neck as she stood behind Chaeyoung, finally understanding why her friend had suddenly become so hostile. Just before arriving they were talking about if they should try out farming as their next quest. A random topic, but the idea had led them to relax at the prospect of doing less strenuous jobs for a change.

Now here she was, back home with two surprises sitting by their dining table in the forms of Sana and Nayeon.

“What are they doing here?” Chaeyoung’s gaze zeroed in on Tzuyu, actively ignoring the stares she was getting from their unwanted guests.

Dahyun stayed behind her, taking note of the sudden heat that was emitting from the slightly smaller figure. She examined the table and the seating arrangement, seeing the dried up rings of water on the table and half filled glasses. They have been here for a while.

“Tzuyu, why are they here?” Sana visibly flinched at the obvious hostility of the fire user, while Nayeon remained indifferent, choosing to stare at the two new arrivals and taking them in.

“You two are home early, I thought you would arrive by dinner.” Tzuyu said instead and Dahyun was ready to hold her friend back if needed, she knew Tzuyu wasn’t answering her right away on purpose. For whatever reason, she doesn’t know.

“Tzuyu,” Chaeyoung said impatiently, starting to get warmer by the second, glaring at her sealer to get her to look at her. Tzuyu was too busy scanning her roommates' state checking for injuries and only looked them in the eyes when she concluded they were both unharmed.

“Is that bread from the bakery?” The youngest gestured to the bag of bread the two had arrived with. Dahyun nodded, watching as Sana and Nayeon just watched the whole exchange as if they weren’t there at all.

It was such a weird feeling, suddenly having two faces she hadn’t seen in a long time in the same room as them, much less their home.

Ever since the older members left them one by one, Dahyun had no idea what to feel about it, too busy taking care of those younger than her. Unlike Chaeyoung who is currently wearing her hatred for them for all to see, she had no idea what Tzuyu really felt about them abandoning them. The youngest always avoids answering when asked, never talking about it. But Dahyun would never tell her about the muffled sobs coming from her room in the middle of night, respecting the youngest’s space. Dahyun never thought about how she would feel, until now.

Them being here wasn’t a good idea, especially without being told beforehand.

“I want them out.” Chaeyoung practically growled, her body tense. Dahyun noticed the small tug on Nayeon’s lip as she sat back, legs crossed. She couldn’t make out the glint that shone in her eyes, but whatever it was Dahun knew it wasn’t going to be good.

“What? No hello?” Nayeon spoke up, raising an eyebrow. “Aren’t you being rude to your guests?”

Tzuyu and Dahyun shared the same look, willing the oldest to shut up for once and Sana must’ve read their mind, voicing the more censored version of what they were thinking “Nayeon, shut up.”

“Why? I’m just saying, she could have at least said hi?” Nayeong shrugged nonchalantly, seemingly being amused at the current situation. “Tsk, I don’t remember raising you like that Chaeyoung.”

Nayeon was baiting her, and Dahyun knew Chaeyoung would take it.

Watching as if everything was in slow motion, Chaeyoung reached for the axe strapped at her back and tensed ready to lunge at any movement, her vision locked onto one specific target. The room ultimately got warmer, everyone was starting to form beads of sweat. Sana looked panicked, eyes darting to everyone as if asking if this was actually happening and for once not knowing what to do. Tzuyu had stood up to her full height, ready to step in and stop a fight if needed. And Nayeon, she was still seated, eyes focused on the axe wielder and raising a challenging eyebrow.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Chaeyoung growled, a fresh new wave of heat spreading throughout the room.

“You have lost all right to talk to any of us like that after leaving.” The grip on her axe tightened as she started to stalk towards the offender.

Chaeyoung was about to take another step forward until a hand forcefully landed itself on her burning shoulder, grounding her to not move a single inch.

“I think you should leave.” Dahyun’s voice left no room for questioning. Even if the way she chose her words sounded like a suggestion, with a straight face her voice told them it was decided. They have to leave.

“Dahyun,” Sana tried to reason with the new arrivals but she couldn’t. Dahyun’s eyes alone stopped her. Right now, all Sana could see were in the once warm eyes she had remembered, now gone cold and directed at her.

Everything stilled, no one moved a single step. Sana was taken aback by the sudden change of both Chaeyoung and Dahyun. Tzuyu didn’t seem to change based on the last time she saw her in the forest, so she assumed right away it would be the same for the demi-humans. But boy was she wrong.

The younger girls were always seen as the excitable and carefree duo whom Tzuyu brought into their lives in her eyes. The short kids who never failed to brighten their day, but now it seemed that those kids are nowhere to be found. They have changed so drastically in such a short amount of time.

What happened to these kids? Why the sudden change? Sana felt her heart drop when she realized. Was this really such a sudden change?

Sana was the first to move, pushing her chair back under the table before turning to Tzuyu. She gave a polite bow silently thanking her for the water and biscuits, even when she hadn't touched them and Nayeon seemed to do the same, making a move to leave.

“You know your way out.” Dahyun didn’t even look at them as they passed by, the skin in her hand slowly starting to burn from keeping Chaeyoung from moving.

The three stayed frozen in their spot, waiting to hear their front door close. Once they heard confirmation that they were now alone in their own home did they all simultaneously release a breath they didn’t realize they were all holding.

Tzuyu looked at her two roommates, guilt starting to creep in on her as she saw how defeated they looked. This all could’ve been avoided if she had just told them that Nayeon and Sana would visit. But that's the thing, she didn’t know they would– much less the both of them at the same time. She was just as surprised as them. There was no way of avoiding this, so why was she still blaming herself? Tzuyu shook her head at herself, maybe if she had just been honest to them about her meeting with Sana a few nights before, maybe that would’ve helped.

Tzuyu suddenly got out of her thoughts as clattering caught her attention. Chaeyoung had dropped her axe, letting it fall to the floor as she briskly headed to her room. Dahyun had let her go, her semi-burnt hand now returning to her side. Tzuyu wondered if she should check on the cub, but the loud slam of a door had told her not to. Chaeyoung wanted to be alone and she needed to cool down. With her own sigh she decided to clear up the table instead.

The sound of a chair squeaking behind her told her that Dahyun had decided to sit down. She grabbed a bottle of elixir from one of the cabinets in the kitchen, popped it open and handed it to her companion as she returned to her previous seat. Tzuyu silently watched as Dahyun took the bottle and downed it’s contents with no hesitation. Her eyes not leaving Dahyun's hand, the burn in the palm slowly starting to heal as the elixir took effect.

“Tzuyu, what did they need?” Tzuyu winced at how soft Dahyun spoke to her, her voice slightly hoarse and too tired to even speak any louder. She didn’t deserve to be treated with care after what had just happened. Even after pissing Chaeyoung off, the tiger still went off not wanting to displace her anger at her.

I don’t deserve them.

Dahyun patiently waited, willing herself to finally relax. She knew there was no way the two unexpected guests stopped by just for a quick hello or reunion. They came because they needed something, and apparently they had to go to Tzuyu first. The one most likely to welcome them back with open arms and no questions asked.

Sure Dahyun didn’t know if she hated them for leaving or not, but she knows that she can definitely hate them for taking advantage of Tzuyu. The last bit of innocence their group used to have.

“Nayeon says that she was targeted by a stalker using a voice changing mask a few days ago and Sana said she needed help because she found a new lead.”

Tzuyu sighed. That was all she knew, both she and Sana were too caught up in Nayeon’s accusation that they weren’t able to discuss what kind of help Sana needed. Now that they are long gone once more, she can feel the tiredness crash onto her body as she tries to hide her yawn.

“Why does Nayeon need help? She’s strong enough to handle a stalker without help.”

“She heard Jeongyeon and Mina talking to her.”

Dahyun felt her heart skip a beat, not expecting that.

“So not a normal stalker?” Tzuyu shook her head, eyes closed and head resting on her hands.

Dahyun saw the sheer exhaustion painted on the younger girl and decided that was enough questions for the day. She couldn’t blame her, her and Chaeyoung had only spent a couple minutes with their unexpected guests yet they were drained. Considering their quest before coming home didn’t even make them break a sweat, says a lot on its own. She couldn’t imagine how tired Tzuyu must’ve been for dealing with this by her lonesome.

“You should go take a rest Tzuyu.”

“What about y–”

“I’ll be fine. I’ll just start on some paperwork before heading to bed.”

“What about dinne–”

“I’ll take care of that as well. Go rest.”

The eagle shifter watched as her sealer hesitantly stood up and went to her room. Dahyun waited till she heard the door to Tzuyu’s room softly echo throughout the house before letting her body admit she was starting to get a migraine. Hearing that Nayeon is being targeted possibly by someone from their shared past and that Sana has found yet another lead to feed her theories, which were both valid causes to her growing headache. Dahyun knows that Tzuyu would not let this go without seeing this to the end despite the limited information she was given, and that Chaeyoung would only grow more agitated knowing that they are around.

Dahyun considered ignoring their presence and asking Tzuyu to avoid them if necessary, but the fact they made the first move made her think that ignoring them wouldn’t be easy. She has to admit that she was curious herself about the stalker problem Nayeon had, considering this involved someone from their past, but the theory problem Sana had was what scared her. Sana’s theories and speculations about their friends’ death were the reason she started to stray away from the group in the first place, causing the rest to follow one by one.

Dahyun didn’t know what to do with them. It was too much to handle. She couldn’t do it.

She wasn’t enough.

So with a heavy sigh, she chose to do what every rational person does when caught in a rough spot and admit defeat.

Call Park Jihyo.

Chapter Text

It was quiet.

Chaeyoung didn’t like it.

She hated it.

The silence always meant something bad was going to go down and sitting still in an enclosed room didn’t help ease the anxiety at all.

Right now Chaeyoung was seated on one of the many chairs of a meeting room their party had reserved, watching the only other occupant in the room shuffle around with the numerous papers in front of them. She was seated at the head of the large table, the perfect spot to see who comes and goes through the only entrance of the room.

Chaeyoung was seated in a chair away from the other occupant, also facing the door. They had arrived at the same time and awkwardly shuffled into the room and made themselves somewhat comfortable as they could be.

Well it was awkward for Chaeyoung, she couldn't say the same for Park Jihyo, whose focus seemed to be solely on the papers on hand in front of her.

Jihyo had greeted Chaeyoung with a smile and a chaste hug, warmly ushering her to the room she had personally reserved just for this reunion. Dahyun has mentioned to her that she contacted Jihyo about their encounter with Nayeon and Sana and the news they had brought along with them and that Jihyo would like to gather everyone around for something important. At first Chaeyoung just thought it was just gonna be a lecture kind of meeting where Jihyo would tell off each and every one of them like she did before when they caused trouble. Those meetings were mostly for the demi-humans – read as Jeongyeon – who caused the most trouble and headache for their leader.

But now Chaeyoung has reason to believe that this meeting is more than just a scolding, what with all the papers Jihyo had arrived with and the way she seemed to greet her with a smile just a while ago.

Park Jihyo has greeted her with such a warm smile despite knowing the news of their former members’ arrival. A smile.

Chaeyoung knows she wouldn’t have smiled upon hearing that, instead she had nearly set herself on fire when she saw them in their living room. She’s pretty sure she accidentally burned a bit of skin on Dahyun’s hand (she had apologized to her the following day with a bundle pack of her favorite choco pie snack.)

When Dahyun and Tzuyu finally arrived, Chaeyoung frowned with confusion as Jihyo practically bounced from her seat to greet them with a bright smile. Once the newcomers settled down in their seats, Tzuyu chose the seat between Jihyo and Chaeyoung while Dahyun was right across them.

All that was left to wait for were the two backstabbers. The people who just walked out on them when they were all at their lowest. The same two people who cut off all contact with them and ignored their existence. Chaeyoung could never understand how they could just do that. She will never forget the times she had to watch Dahyun’s hope fade away day by day for their return; how she had to watch Tzuyu look so heartbroken and near to tears every time she passed through their old picture together, the picture where they were still nine.

Chaeyoung had sworn that she will never forgive them all for leaving them. She swore to herself that she would never be like them.

“What’s with the frown?” A gloved finger poked at her cheek had brought her from her inner seething and back to reality.

“You’re gonna burn your chair down if you continue heating up like that.” Tzuyu continued poking, unfazed by how warm her seatmate was. It helped that she was wearing her gloves at the moment. The leather made it easier to touch Chaeyoung as she was heating up slightly.

“Sorry, I was just thinking.” Chaeyoung didn’t even realize the heat she was generating.

“Well stop thinking, it isn’t good for you.” Tzuyu had forgo her consistent poking and now opted to pat her head instead. It was meant to be a comforting gesture for the demi-human, but now she seemed to be frowning over the young sealer’s words.

“I can’t tell if you’re insulting me or not.” Chaeyoung admitted. Tzuyu’s talent of saying things so bluntly always confused her whether or not she was genuine or messing with her.

“Keep thinking as hard as you were and you will be falling on your butt through the hole in your chair.” Oh, so Tzuyu is just looking out for me. That’s sweet of her. Chaeyoung thought.

She glared at the snort she heard across from them where Dahyun was poorly hiding her laugh; a weak fist covering her mouth and shoulders shaking uncontrollably and challenged the eagle shifter to say something with her eyes. Tzuyu may have an odd way of showing how she cares for people sometimes, but at least she always looks out for Chaeyoung. Just like how their sealer right now doesn’t want her to fall and possibly injure herself.

Chaeyoung would go as far as to fight Dahyun if it meant defending Tzuyu, and she knows it’s the same for Dahyun as well. At least Tzuyu cared.

“It would be really funny if you did fall though, it would've made my week. But I don’t feel like paying the guild for property damage right now so please stop thinking.” Tzuyu said with a straight face and looking at Chaeyoung with unblinking eyes.

Nevermind.

Chaeyoung with a defeated look glanced over at the other demi-human whose head hung low and shoulders were shaking as her hand was tightly covering her mouth as she failed to control her laughter. The tiger shifter rolled her eyes at her so-called friends and got a glimpse of JIhyo.

Their former leader had paused with her work, softly chuckling at them and shaking her head gently before resuming to the papers at hand.

She couldn’t understand Jihyo, especially not with how she had reacted to them right then.

Out of the three of them, she had kept the least contact with her ever since the accident. Dahyun still goes to her when she needs help applying for a new quest for them every now and then; Tzuyu would still train with her whenever their schedules allowed it, which wasn’t a lot but at least Tzuyu still kept in touch in some way.

Chaeyoung on the other hand kept to herself a lot. She’d rather be alone most days and stick with either Dahyun or Tzuyu. She wasn’t purposely avoiding Jihyo, in fact she’d had a few small talks with her over the time but it was always in the presence of at least one of the other two by her side.

Chaeyoung just couldn’t understand Jihyo’s gain in all this mess. It annoyed her that she couldn’t figure it out.

Having a talent for secrecy and privacy is a thing for S-rank mages she guesses.

“What about you?” Chaeyoung nudged her sealer beside her.

“What about me?” Tzuyu ducked her head down, confused as to why the tiger shifter was whispering.

“You’re wearing your gloves again. You didn’t wear them when they barged into our home.” Chaeyoung pointed out.

“I forgot last time. It won’t happen again.” Tzuyu answered plain and curt, sitting up straight once more. Chaeyoung made the wise decision of not pushing the younger girl, knowing that that was her way of signaling that they were done talking. Dahyun and Jihyo didn’t seem to make a big deal out of it so why should she.

But Chaeyoung didn’t miss the way Tzuyu had hidden her hands under the table, resting on her lap clasped together.

It didn’t take long until finally the two main topics of the meeting had arrived, both shocked once more at having arrived at the same exact time. Jihyo had started to stand up in order to properly greet them but was instead ignored as the two new arrivals decided to bicker instead. Well more so of Sana than Nayeon.

“Are you stalking me Im?” Sana smirked at the older mage scowling upon seeing her, taking the opportunity to sit at the table. Upon looking around she chose to sit with a chair in between her and Chaeyoung, respecting the younger’s space judging on how shel had first reacted towards them.

Nayeon rolled her eyes before focusing at the head of the table who was still standing. Without even saying a greeting did she cut to the point. “Where’s Momo? Wasn’t this supposed to be a whole big reunion or whatever?”

Jihyo smiled, finally being acknowledged, opened her mouth to answer “Nice seeing you again Nayeon, Momo is currently out on a quest right now.”

“Quest? Alone? What Quest?” Sana snapped her head to Jihyo upon hearing this. Chaeyoung guesses tbh is was the first Sana had heard.

“How come Momoring didn’t tell me?” Sana muttered under her breath.

How would she know if she’s always gone playing detective. Chaeyoung, who was able to hear her, answered in her head; earning a subtle nudge from Tzuyu for apparently frowning too much again.

“Hello to you too Sana,” Jihyo gave a patient smile. “And yes, Momo is out on a solo-quest right now.”

“Hello Jihyo,” Sana returned the smile although a bit sheepish, “what quest?”

Chaeyoung thinks that that's a futile attempt since Jihyo is a stickler for rules, and the rules indicate that sharing quest information while the mage is currently out doing it is forbidden for safety reasons.

By the way that Jihyo subtly straightens her back, she knows that their leader will not break the rules. “You know I can’t disclose that to you–”

“Momo is out on a pest control quest, a village of farmers are having a hard time maintaining their crops and such.” Tzuyu interrupted.

“The job request is simple really, takes about 4 days at most and she has a bonus reward of a buffet once she finishes with the village local.”

“Which is weird because she’s been gone for nearly a week at this point, despite nearly finishing her job. The bonus food couldn’t be hogging her time for that long.”

Chaeyoung and Dahyun cut in respectively, making a weird show of how the three can finish each other’s sentences.

Jihyo may be a stickler for rules, but they certainly weren’t.

Their leader still standing, gaping at the three sat by her sides with confusion. Sure all of what the three said was true, or at least she believes it is, but she herself didn’t know this much. All she knew was that Momo was out on pest control and that she’d be gone for a few days. Jihyo knew nothing about the bonus reward and when Momo had actually finished.

“How do you know this? I certainly didn’t tell you any of this.”

Tzuyu and Chaeyoung, both trying too hard to look innocent, shrugged and gave the simple but truthful answer, “Dahyun broke through the secretary’s files and told us.”

The duo yelped in pain, feeling a rather hard kick to their shins from under the table. Dahyun was now glaring at the two of them for ratting her out, with Chaeyoung returning the heated stare and Tzuyu pouting in pain.

“Snitch.”

Everyone could see how ready Chaeyoung was to bicker back to the wind-user, so before they could get off topic someone had finally chosen down to business.

“Why are we here Jihyo?” Nayeon asked, with a stare so steadily focused to the head of the table.

Jihyo cleared her head, gaining whiplash from the sudden change of focus. She decided she has other things to worry about rather than how the short ones sudden interest in breaking into files.

The eldest watches carefully as Jihyo takes a deep breath, seemingly needing to gather her thoughts. Did she finally open her eyes, she simply said-

“I wanted to compare notes.” Her eyes staring straight back at Nayeon, carrying more purpose that it had since first arriving. The words were simple, and it could’ve literally meant anything.

But Nayeon knew that Jihyo meant business.

With the air suddenly reflecting how this reunion came to be, did everyone in the room realize it would be better to get down to the reason they are forced to tolerate each other’s company in the first place.

Jihyo sat herself down at the head of the table, resting her hand on top of the other on the table and looked the part of the S-rank wizard and leader she truly was.

“So tell me, Nayeon.” A chill ran down the eldest spine, making her silently curse at her reaction from being directly addressed. “What happened in the forest?”

Not wanting to stay any longer in the room, Nayeon told her everything. How she had just finished the mission and spotted something glowing. How she had followed the glow that led her to a clearing where she heard the voices. How she was being taunted and followed by a stalker who went as low as to use their voices.

And how the stalker had managed to escape from her so easily.

Nayeon told her everything. Every single detail she could recall and the anger she felt during that moment.

Everything but one detail. Nayeon never told them how she had believed the voices at first. How she had felt both relieved and devastated upon hearing them. Or how she wanted to crumble upon hearing them.

That was solely for her and herself only.

Even the fact that the guilt she felt upon hearing them that night was nearly too much, was just for her to know.

To her surprise, no one had interrupted her. They had all listened and only spoke up when wanting to clarify some details. Temporarily there was no hostility at all. It felt weird.

Once she had finished talking, there was a pause wherein everyone turned to Jihyo. Their former leader hummed as she processed all this new information.

Maybe another time Nayeon would allow Jihyo to mull everything over and take her sweet precious time, but right now she doesn't have the privilege of patience.

“Ji–”

“Have you heard of the Midnight Angel?”

Jihyo examined all the faces in the room to confirm that they in fact have not heard of it. Before anyone could ask what she was talking about, she did all of them the favor of just going straight to the point.

“Despite the title having Angel in it, it is a recent rumor that has spread among the townspeople. Not just ours, but neighboring ones as well. There have been reports of this so-called Angel flying around late at night and leaving threats at multiple residences, telling them to leave the town and everything they worked for.”

“Why angel? If they’re threatening people wouldn't devil be more appropriate?” Dahyun couldn't help but interrupt.

“The citizens gave this devil their nickname once they noticed that majority of the families targeted were rich and entitled households. They’ve created this fantasy that the Midnight Angel is their robinhood coming to save them or something.”

Jihyo sighed. These reports have been going on for a while and to be honest, it piqued her interest right away. There was something odd about this felon that she couldn’t quite place.

“How is this related to anything?” Nayeon frowned, her patience thinning. Nayeon had just rehashed her encounter with a stalker that personally targeted her, using voices that would definitely get a reaction out of her. And now Jihyo is talking about a freaking angel?

“Taking a closer look at this case, I’ve noticed that most of the Angel’s victims are clients whom our guild have worked for once or twice in the past. Families who personally hired from our guild or famous names who have sponsored our past events.” Jihyo handed each of them a folder containing the list of the victims who recently filed a report and a record of their past clients. She was right, a lot of the names were familiar to nearly every mage under their guild.

But there was one thing all six mages in the room noticed right away.

“Jihyo, are you sure about this list?” Sana spoke up for the first time in a while asking the question everyone had in their mind. All eyes turned to the head of the table, waiting for her to answer.

Unfortunately for them, their leader just gave a definite nod.

“This has to be just a big coincidence right?” Dahyun tried.

“Too big of a coincidence for this to happen.” Chaeyoung mumbled, staring at the list in her hands.

The list where majority on it were their clients. Names they have worked for multiple times.

“Unnie,”

The voice of the youngest unexpectedly sent chills to each and every spine in the room.

“Are we being targeted?”