✓ UNDERNEATH IT ALL ━ nakamoto yuta

🎭 . . chapter two.

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yuta decided to stay a little longer at the office by himself to supposedly reflect over the shit that happened. so now, he plopped onto his office chair with nothing to do as the moon's illumination seeping through the window was the only source of light. his mind was drifting aimlessly from one significant thought to another.

his gaze dropped from the phone on his table that was thankfully quiet, to the stacks of paperwork, then to a picture frame with intricate designs which led to a picture frame that held a memorable photo overflowing with joy just by its visual energy.

him and moonyoung.

except this particular image was from years ago. the wavy black locks of her hair were inked with a heavy yet temporary shade of blue by its tips. her eyes, despite being behind a thick frame of glasses, visibly expressed sincere bliss. and her lips . . oh her lips. its pinkishness was highlighted even more when she stretched it to a smile. her genuine smile was contagious.

she was beautiful.

well, she still is, but he couldn't help but notice major changes which left quite an impact to her appeal.

it left him thinking. a lot.

where could he even start with her?

( flashbacks from yuta. )

well you see, there was a skunk in the middle of the road.

but moonyoung could care less.

"you . . ran over it?" yuta was frightened once the girl behind the wheel drove through the animal in front of her car's sight without even caring to take a small glance back. instinctively, his hands' grip on the grab handle tightened. "what the fuck, moonyoung?! are you crazy?!"

"oops, sorry," she apologized insincerely, plastering her usual sly-looking expression. "but then again, it was bound to die somewhere near the streets in that condition anyway so that's fine."

unbelievable.

he shot moonyoung a heavy look of judgement from the lack of reaction after this terrifying situation, while her eyes were focused on the front window to attain full focus on driving.

is she a robot? ai but more psychotic?

"your last name literally means sun but where's the sunshine in you?!" yuta remarked.

"your name literally sounds like this fancy car brand but where's the expensive in you?!"

"car brand?"

"yeah, toyota?" she scoffed upon noticing his confusion. "you don't know what toyota is? sigh, even more inexpensive of you."

"wait, i do know what toyota—"

"stop lying, honey."

"but—"

"shut up and admit it."

( end of flashback. )

yuta smiled after recalling the memory, leaning back on his leather chair's backrest, but that series of chuckles by him got overpowered by a tinge of seriousness as his deep thoughts about moonyoung clouded around him once more, eyes still clung to that picture frame.

sure, her love for calling everyone honey was still there, she was still some cold-hearted woman who's too sadistic for her own good, and her decisions were still made out of impulse with no regrets.

but now everything just felt different. it was as if life was sucked out of moonyoung, causing her to walk weak with selective emotions and a blank facade.

it could also possibly be his paranoia stiking, but he sensed something true.

there was something.

where's that smile now?

oh how he missed the smile that contradicted to her fierceness. the one where her once masked vulnerability peeked through without her even noticing. the one where she couldn't anymore hide the inner sweetness present physically because of her uncontrollable jubilance.

the one where the tinge of slyness and mischief toned down a little.

how he missed her before life's shit went down on her hard, causing her entire demeanor to be somewhat shaken.

and how he wished he knew the entire sequence of events leading to this version of herself.

what happened to you?

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