extraordinary disaster || baek kyung

16. puppet on a string

TW// allusions to suicide attempt 

Hijack!

Fuck.

"Dad's running late." Stage Lila pouts, glancing at Haru. He's dressed rather smartly, as is she.  They sit at the table in the private dining room, Seoul's skyline splayed out in front of them.

Lila wonders if Dan Oh is okay, and what the hell just happened regarding Stage Lila and Stage Baek Kyung. Surely, the writer would never dream of that occurring? How would he undo such a fatal change to his plotline?

She suddenly feels very sick. Change a Stage and the writer punishes you thrice as cruelly, that's the way he's always worked. Like some God of reckoning.

"He said he might be. Something about a guest. That's why he told me to bring flowers." Haru remarks, taking a sip of water.

Flowers?

Lila's eyes dart to the bouquet of black roses on the table. Her breath hitched like someone had slashed her in the chest. She shakily rises to her feet.

"Lila, what's wrong?" Haru frowns.

Stage Lila collapses Real Lila back into her chair. "It's a bad omen-"

The door opens, and the head waiter escorting two individuals in. One is her father, the other has the blood running cold in her veins, head spinning with pandemonium.

"Kids, it's good to see you. I called you here today, to introduce someone very special to me..."

Park Jaehwa.

"Park Jaehwa."

She has the same malignant, cunning glint in her eye. Lila's skin writhes. A terrorising blade slices down her spine, her heart begging to escape through her mouth. She stares at the familiar woman with disbelief.

"It's lovely to meet you. Won Shik has told me so much about both of you." The woman beams but it doesn't reach her eyes, they're like dry ice.

It seems that Real Haru gets this feeling too as his eyes dart to Lila despite his head and body being fixed towards the adults.

Stage Lila forces a smile, bowing ninety degrees, as does Haru.

"It's lovely to meet you, Ma'am." She sounds.

"Please, call me Jaehwa. I'm sure we will be seeing each other more and getting closer from now on."

The moment their skin makes contact, Real Lila flinches, immediately withdrawing.

Stage Lila turns to her father with surprise whilst Haru shakes the woman's hand.

Her father clears his throat. "Shall we sit?"

So they do. Drinks are poured for the new arrivals immediately. The atmosphere is thick, silent, and immensely foreboding.

Lila's heart pounds so fast that she thought she might collapse.

Don't say it. Don't say it.

"Now everyone is officially introduced, I would like to make an announcement-"

Real Lila elbows a water jug on the table.

"Lila!" Stage Haru groans as liquid sloshes all over his lap, clambering up as the waiters rush to help.

Her father laughs whilst Jaehwa suppresses an unimpressed lour.

"My darling daughter, you're such a klutz.  Anyway, as I was saying-"