Chapter Text
Yang Jeongin was in fact not ready or he ever expected to live in the same rooftop with all of his characters. What did you mean? You probably ask. Well, even he didn't know how all of this happened. Call me lazy writing, but one day he goes to sleep in his bedroom and the moment he opens his eyes, he’s already in a different bedroom.
My God, is he sleep walking? Get kidnapped? Or someone went through all of this carrying him just to prank him?
That’s what he’s thinking back then. But no.
As a normal person does, the stage began from confusion, then panic emerged through his mind. He scans through all of his surroundings, he expects someone waiting for him there, with an evil smile and evil sitting position, but damn he is wrong. It’s just a bedroom, with a single bed, a wardrobe on the corner, two large windows beside his bed, and a carpet. Also, a single door.
The kidnapper must be outside the room!
No, his theory has been refuted. He opens the door from his bedroom to the hallway and finds nothing. There’s only an empty hallway with a bunch of doors to the side, probably 4 more other than his. He let out a sigh of relief, he’s alone, no sign of danger. So far.
“Where am I?” He mumbled to himself. He closes the door to his bedroom and takes a step forward cautiously. His eyes scan through the hall as he strides through the hall, at the end of the hall, there’s two stairs. One goes up and one goes down. As a normal person, probably, he chooses the one that goes down.
Crack!
Jeongin stops his step downward. Something just fell and broke down there, and that made his heart pound faster. He grips the railing tighter, it’s dangerous, he thinks, but he went down anyway. Curiosity gets the best of him and he has nothing to lose since he’s in a strange place, maybe the thing that broke something will kill him or maybe, maybe the thing will cooperate with him to escape this place.
He sneaks from behind a wall near the stair, there’s a grumbled voice as he moves closer to the source in the kitchen. The owner of the voice suddenly appeared from below and that startled Jeongin. The grumpy voice has a black hair and a buff body, not that Jeongin is a creep but the owner wore a thigh white shirt and rolled the sleeve until his elbow, that guy too wears a black harness that connects to his pants. By that, Jeongin starts to tremble, he’s gonna die from this guy bare hands. This guy can either choke him to death or body slam him into the afterlife.
“AA!” Jeongin feels his heart drop when the guy suddenly turns around and spots him immediately. Jeongin came out from his hiding spot as soon as the guy reached something from his belt and pointed it at him. Jeongin gulped and put both of his hands up in surrender, a gun, that guy pointed a gun at him.
“I’m sorry, I mean no harm, please don’t kill me,” he pleaded in a trembling voice. He feels numb all over his body, he’s going to die, this guy will not cooperate with him and work together to get out from this place together.
“Don’t lie to me you brat!” That guy shouts, his eyebrows furrowed.
“I’m not… I’m not lying!”
“Then why am I here?”
“I don’t know!”
“Bullshit! You’re the one who brought me here didn’t you!?”
“I am not! I just woke up and only found you here!”
Silence, both of them breathed heavily. That guy obviously doesn't buy into any Jeongin pleads, cause he went close to Jeongin and grab him by the collar. The gun being put under Jeongin’s chin.
“Hey brat,” the guy lower his voice, “I don’t know which family you’ve been working on, but I’m sure if I found out, I’m gonna wipe your entire family organization one by one and leave no trace.”
Family? What family? Jeongin thoughts are confused.
“Family? What are you talking about? I’m an orphan, I don’t have any family left,” he answered in a beat, for a second he forgot that there’s a gun under his head, one click away from his head getting blasted.
Silence consumed them once more. That guy seemed shocked and lowered his gun slowly. His grit his teeth as he let go his grip harshly made Jeongin stumble backwards. That guy rest his weight on the kitchen table with his right hand. Jeongin doesn’t dare to move, he doesn't want to know that scary guy's next move.
A sigh is heard, and the gun guy turns around, this time his face is lax instead of anger. Jeongin fondled his finger, unsure what to say or what to do. “Kid, what’s your name?” That question made Jeongin startled.
“Jeongin.”
“Hmm, your age?”
“19.”
“You’re just a kid,” that guy sighs again, “Well, since you already gave your identity to me, it wouldn't be fair if I didn’t introduce myself to you, am I right?” He smiled slightly. Now that’s a surprise for Jeongin, that guy shuffled before he spoke, “My name is Seo Changbin, I’m 23 years old, my work, you don’t need to know.”
Huh.. that sounds familiar, so familiar indeed, sounds like a name with a story he is just working on! Jeongin thought, now that he observes closely, it indeed fit the image of his main character in that story. Wow! What a coincidence, Jeongin wants to scream and have a mental breakdown because HOW? HOW IS THE CHARACTER THAT HE CREATED AND HE WORKING ON THE STORY IS STANDING IN FRONT OF HIM.
“Are you..” Jeongin gulped down in nervousness, he prays that he didn’t get shot after he asks this question, “Are you in the mafia?”
Changbin stops whatever movement he’s about to make and stares at Jeongin without any expression in his face. Jeongin feels he’s about to pass out from the tense of Changbin’s stare, not in a romantic way, but in a thrilled way.
“Kid, how did you know?”
Because I’m basically your God? Instead, he answered, “Your clothes do look like you work in the mafia, like I’ve seen in movies.”
Changbin blinked before he took a look at his own clothes and laughed out loud. Jeongin just smiles and laughs a little, he doesn’t know if the laugh is a positive or negative vibe. After laughing a while, Changbin wipes his own tears and looks at Jeongin with a big smile. Jeongin tensed, is he gonna get killed?
“Kid, I gotta give you that, you’re right, I do look like I belong in those mafia movies.”
Jeongin relaxed visibly.
“But, I am indeed a part of the mafia,” Changbin stopped smiling. Shit.
“Oh,” Jeongin gripped hard on his pajama, “That’s cool.”
Changbin looks baffled at Jeongin’s comment, he slams both of his hands on the kitchen table and screams, “Hah? You think being in the mafia is cool?!!”
“Well yeah, you can do all those cool stunts and that but in real life, isn’t that cool?” Jeongin's shoulders went up and tense. He expect a burst of anger from Changbin, lecturing him that being in a mafia is dangerous and deadly, there’s no part of it that screams cool or whatever. But instead, Changbin smiled with a smug face, he boost his chest and fold his hand on it, and nod.
“I gotta admit, you got a good taste, kid. I am indeed a cool person,” Changbin rub his chin with his index and thumb finger.
The tense that has been in Jeongin’s body evaporates. He smiles and nod, “Indeed, you’re a cool person.”
“What's so cool about being in a mafia?” A new voice emerged and made both of them turned their head to the source.
From the stairs Jeongin went down, there’s another person whose face is puppy like, his expression is sour looking back and forth at Jeongin and Changbin. Jeongin instantly recognizes the person as he observes more. Kim Seungmin, a supernatural hunter. He wears a black jacket with white shirt underneath it, there’s a knife on his right side of the belt. Jeongin went tense again, oh no, this can’t be good, Changbin will-
“Jeongin-ah! Stay behind me! That guy is dangerous!” Changbin screams, pulling Jeongin by the shoulder and stood in front of the younger. Jeongin sigh, this is gonna be a long day.
)))
Turns out that 6 of Jeongin’s main characters have been spawned inside this house, with no one remembering when and how they got here. Everyone just stated that they fell asleep and woke up in this house. Although, the introduction of each other can be categorized by ‘meet ugly’ eventually they all sit together in the dining room, glaring at each other.
Changbin is still glaring at Seungmin because of the earlier event. There’s this forest spirit who just calmly drinks tea which he made on his own in the midst of a fight, Jeongin can’t tell if he’s unpleased or just having a neutral face because the hood from his cloak is shielding his face from the world. A chatter between two royalties, a prince and a king after they help Jeongin separated Changbin and Seungmin. And, there’s a person who has sixth sense, who just sit silently, worried expression evidently present on his face.
Weird, Jeongin thought, there’s supposed to be one more.
“Excuse me,” the sixth sense guy, Han Jisung, raised his hand and all eyes on him, “Are we not gonna talk about how are we gonna get out from here? Why is everyone seemingly okay with-” Han move both of his hands, “-all of this?”
“You’re right,” The king, Bang Chan, nodded and cleared his throat, he claps his hand, “So, does anyone maybe have any idea of how we got into this situation?”
“Ask him,” Seungmin answered coldly, looking at Changbin, “He’s the first person to awake.”
“Yah! What do you mean by that?” Changbin said, slightly irritated.
“Okay, okay, calm down, both of you,” Chan said as he stand up and pat Changbin’s back, he made an eye contact with Seungmin, “Don’t suddenly accuse who’s wrong here, we’re here to work our way together not to prove who’s the perpetrator.”
Seungmin averted his gaze and Chan sighed.
“But he’s right,” all eyes turn to the black hair prince, Lee Felix, “No, not with the accusation of Changbin-ssi being wrong but, since Changbin-ssi is awake earlier than any of us, maybe he would know something that we don’t know.”
Now all eyes turn to Changbin, “well,” Changbin started, “My experience is just no difference from you guys, I woke up, confused as hell and I went around to check. But, I can’t check all of your door rooms because it’s locked. So, I went downstairs and eventually ended up in the kitchen. Since I was hungry I decided to make an omelet for me, you know. But the egg rolled over when I put it on the counter and dropped to the floor. That’s when I met this Yang Jeongin kid.”
Chan nodded at Changbin's story and looked at Jeongin, all the attention turned to him now.
“How old are you?” Chan asks with a warm smile.
“Nineteen years old,” Jeongin answers timidly.
“A child indeed,” said the forest spirit, Hwang Hyunjin, giving Jeongin a small smile.
“I’m not a child, I’m nineteen, that’s close to twenty,” Jeongin scoffed.
“Lil bro, your first number age hasn't reached two yet, how are you gonna identify yourself as an adult?” Han snorted.
“It’s only one year difference from being twenty, I’m basically twenty, it doesn’t make any difference.”
“It does make a difference you know, It means you take fewer breaths than me by a year,” said Seungmin. Han and Felix nod and shout true at that, making Jeongin agape. How dare his character insult him like this.
“It does, you know, from my experience from when I was 20,” Said Hyunjin.
“Oh? How old are you then? You don’t look like you’re over 20,” Felix asks.
“I’m 400 years old, if I count correctly,” Hyunjin’s answer made everyone, minus Jeongin but he had to act shocked too, agape. Han stands and slam the table with both of his hands, he points his index at Hyunjin.
“That’s why your soul looks old!” He shouts, and that, everyone, made the whole room go silent. Hyunjin raises one of his eyebrows and nods, he answers that indeed he is old because he’s a forest spirit. He will not age nor die, because he’s already dead and revived as a forest spirit to protect the forest. He can speak with the trees and plants to control them, animals too but they are less obedient.
“Now,” Hyunjin rested his chin on his hand’s resting on the table, looking at Han intensely, “How, did you, as a human, able to see my soul?”
Han pursed his lips, he’s looking everywhere except Hyunjin and the others. Jeongin chose to stay silent, he better keep his identity as their maker a secret or else he will feel their rage. Being ganged up by all of his characters is not on his bucket list or his way to die, that will be ridiculous.
“Come on, I just went on to introduce myself to everyone in this room, don’t you think you should too?” Hyunjin said with a sly smile. Han narrowed his eyes, eventually he gave up.
“Fine, I’m an indigo, I can see dead people, there,” Han folded his arms across his chest. Hyunjin raised his eyebrows at that.
Chan nodded and looked at the others, “Well, since some of us already introduce ourselves, let me introduce myself. My name is Bang Chan, I’m a King from Tenessive and I’m 26 years old.”
Felix beamed at Chan’s introduction, “Well, since you’re the king, I’m the prince. Good afternoon, everyone, my name is Lee Felix and I’m a castaway prince.”
“Castaway? What does that mean?” Jisung asks.
“That means, I’m no longer a prince, basically I’m being shunned from my royal family,” Felix smiled despite his gloomy answer, everyone looked at him worried. Sensing everyone's concern Felix continued his phrasing, “No, it’s okay, I have long come term to my situation. Eventually, I live a happy life outside, you know.”
Everyone stays silent even though everyone gives him a doubtful look. Jeongin suddenly felt a weight on his chess, guilty for putting his characters through such a difficult life. He doesn’t feel anything when he makes the lore but now seeing him in person, telling a depressed back story with a happy face. Jeongin ponders what if he creates a different story for Felix, a happy one instead, will it ease the guilt he has?
“I’m Changbin as you all know earlier, a Mafia,” Changbin pointed at himself, Seumgin snorted, Changbin pierce his eyes, “What?”
“Nothing, considering you’re a mafia and can’t hold a Goddamn egg, makes me question your credibility,” Seungmin laid back and fold his arms, looking smug at Changbin who looked like he has fumes on both sides of his ears.
“Now, now, both of you,” Chan tried to calm Changbin down, but instead the mafia member stood up and went to leap over the table to kill Seungmin if Chan had not restrained him. Seungmin laughs at how ridiculously Changbin look to him. Felix apparently has to help Chan holding Changbin down on the chair by hugging him tightly.
“Now, now,” Seungmin said, “You don’t have to throw a tantrum just to prove yourself a menace. Anyway, everyone, I’m Kim Seungmin, I’m a hunter.”
“No wonder you’re a hunter, everyone’s a prey to your poor well behaved Goddamn mouth,” Changbin snark, which being ignored by Seungmin.
“I’m not hunting and killing for fun like you mafias or animals in the forest,” Seungmin looks both unamused at Changbin and Hyunjin, “I’m killing supernatural being, which again, not like you ghost wood, things such called werewolf, vampires, ghouls. The one who is a threat to human society.”
Everyone went deafening silent at Seungmin’s introduction. Hyunjin looks at him with one eyebrow raised, and turns to face Seungmin who’s at his left. He doesn’t speak a word at him but just observes him carefully, in the end, Hyunjin closes his eyes and returns to his original position.
“What?” Seungmin ask.
“Nothing, dear, I can see that you went through a lot but not a lot enough for you to say such things,” Hyunjin answered calmly.
“What do you mean?” Seungmin asks again with irritation on his face. Hyunjin’s smirking and that tip Seungmin off, he grabs Hyunjin’s collar and yanked it, “I said, what do you mean?”
Chan took a deep breath, before he went around the table and stood in between Seungmin and Hyunjin. He clasped his hand with a warm smile, “Okay, now that we know each other names. Shall we, as a team, try to work together to get out of here and back to our home?”
That’s not a warm smile, Jeongin thought, but a warning smile in disguise, a king is still a king. Jeongin looked at the others who were still silent in their own thoughts, except Felix who already agreed. He had no choice anyway, for now, the only company he had is his own characters and stranded in the same house together? He needs to get out of here before they know his identity.
He nodded and said, “Sure, let’s do it together.” What could go wrong?