𝐖𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 || ᵇ.ᵏᵃᵗˢᵘᵏⁱ

LXXXI

I wrote the last chapter of this book today, kinda sad abt it ngl.

🗡️🗡️🗡️

Aeri stared in wonder at the set. It was just an average supermarket really, but with the crew, the cameras and the cast, everything seemed more exciting. She'd been separated from Hyoseop who'd been placed in the other group and would start filming a few hours earlier than her group.

The producers reassured her that the two groups would be meeting up a few hours into the game but Aeri wasn't worried in the first place, she was capable of functioning without one of her brothers with her but the producers saw her as a kid, despite how powerful she was.

She started chatting to Patricia at the makeup station, a 21-year-old Congolese-Korean woman who was in her group. They were both getting their makeup done when Aeri struck up a conversation about the game and how realistic the special effects for the zombies looked. Patricia then introduced her to Jonathan, her older brother who'd also be filming with them, to which Aeri told them that her brother would be joining them too.

There were a few other people in their group too but no one that Aeri knew. She knew Patricia and Jonathan from TV and YouTube but she had no clue who the rest were. There was a 28-year-old UDT soldier named Dex who was apparently on a dating show, Yoo Heekwan who was a 37-year-old baseball player, and a 49-year-old medical YouTuber and Urologist called Hong Seongwoo, better know. as Kwachu.

She was the only Hero in her group and she assumed Hyoseop was the only one in his, the game would be no fun if everyone was good at fighting and escaping in dire situations.

"You're Moon Aeri! The girl who helped take down the Yakuza!" Kwachu exclaimed as she emerged from the makeup tent with Patricia and Jonathan, dressed in her black coat, the pleats covering her black skirt, black opaque tights and Doc Martins since she couldn't wear heels whilst filming without risking a broken ankle. She removed the black fluffy earmuffs from her ears so she could hear the conversation better and pulled her two Dutch braids over her shoulders.

"Yes, nice to meet you," Aeri smiled politely at the three men in front of her, bowing to show respect. They all bowed back and shook her hand, trying their best not to ogle her scarred palm.

"Aren't you 16? You'll probably be the youngest cast member." Said Heekwan, shocked.

"A 16-year-old girl who's more capable than all of us," Kwachu breathed out. Aeri was amused, she'd never expected a man who was nearly 50 to be that amazed by her. "May I see your daggers?" He asked and Aeri nodded, unbuttoning her coat to reveal her holsters, pulling one of the moonstone ones out and handing it over.

Kwachu handled it with care, turning it over a few times before Dex reached out to take it from him, weighing it in his hand.

"It's quite heavy," he mused.

"The gold ones are heavier, a lot harder to throw." Aeri nodded solemnly, pulling out her golden dagger, the emerald glinting in the sunlight and swapping it with the one in Dex's hand, tucking her moonstone dagger back into its holster.

"The problems of a hero," Jonathan joked and Aeri laughed. "But seriously, your job is amazing, I don't think I could ever put myself in danger like that, especially at 16." He continued.

Aeri was surrounded by heroes so much that she forgot that it wasn't exactly normal to be on the frontlines fighting villains all the time. It was a bit of a culture shock since all the other 16-year-olds she knew were also training to be heroes.

"It's not that big of a deal, all heroes start training at my age, most of the time earlier if you come from a family of heroes like I do," Aeri said with a polite smile, bowing slightly when Dex handed her dagger back to her.