bad desire | sim jaeyun

twenty-six🦇

"I can't decide which outfit to buy!" Miji groaned, holding up two dresses in front of the mirror. One was a soft lilac, the other a deep navy blue. "The lilac makes me look too sweet, and the navy makes me look like I'm going to a funeral."

Meanwhile, Siyeon sat on the small bench next to the fitting room, her notebook open on her lap, pen tucked behind her ear. She should've been studying at home but she told herself she could afford to miss a few hours to help a friend in distress. Eunji was on the other side of the store, flipping through racks of clothes with a tired sigh.

"Just pick one already," Eunji called. "Your birthday's next weekend, not next year."

"That's easy for you to say! You look good in everything," Miji shot back, dramatically twirling both dresses.

Siyeon smiled faintly, her focus briefly breaking from her notes. The moment felt calm, normal, a nice change after the chaos of the past few days. But then her phone buzzed.

She picked it up and saw Jake's name.

jakey:  hoon's fine btw. we went on a date 💕 (not like that tho lol)

Attached was a photo. Jake was grinning ear to ear, clearly enjoying himself, while Sunghoon sat across from him looking absolutely done, holding up a stiff peace sign like he'd been forced into it.

Siyeon couldn't help but let out a small laugh. 

Then another message popped up:

jakey: hbu?

Just as she was about to reply, her phone was suddenly snatched from her hands.

"Quit texting your boyfriend!" Miji scolded playfully, peering at the screen. "We're in a crisis right now! Wait. Jake and Sunghoon hung out? Don't they hate each other?"

"Yeah..." Siyeon said, taking her phone back, still staring at the photo. "But they've made amends... I think."

Eunji raised an eyebrow from across the aisle. "That quickly?"

"Yeah but whatever," Siyeon muttered, trying to shake off her fluster from Jake's messages. "We need to send these back."

"Yeah, we'll just go to another shop," Eunji said, scooping up the pile of dresses from Miji's arms. "Maybe one where she won't have an identity crisis in front of the mirror."

"Ha ha, very funny," Miji grumbled, rolling her eyes as they left the store.

The three of them stepped into the busy shopping centre corridor, the chatter of people and soft hum of music filling the air. Siyeon adjusted her bag strap, already planning which store they'd check next, until a voice called out her name.

"Siyeon!"

She froze. The voice was too familiar. Calm but sharp, like a blade disguised as silk. Slowly, she turned her head.

Heeseung stood a few meters away, smiling in that easy, friendly way that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Siyeon. It's nice to see you again," he said smoothly, walking up to them as if he were an old acquaintance.

"Uh... Siyeon, who is this?" Eunji asked, stepping slightly back.

Heeseung smiled politely at her friends. "Oh, I'm Heeseung. A family friend. It's nice to meet you-"

Before he could finish, Siyeon grabbed Eunji and Miji's hands tightly, dragging them in the opposite direction.

"Hey, Siyeon! That was rude!" Miji protested.

"He's not my friend," Siyeon said firmly, her voice low and shaking. "He's just some creep. Don't listen to him."

But then, he was there again. Standing right in front of them, as if he had teleported. His expression twisted into something darker, the smile gone.

"Aww, Serim," he said, his tone mocking. "That's not nice... saying that about your fiancé."

Siyeon's heart stopped. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

And then,everything froze. The bustling mall, the noise, the movement. It all stopped. Eunji and Miji were like statues mid-step. The only two people left moving were her and Heeseung.

Siyeon's breathing quickened. "What the hell is your problem?"

Heeseung tilted his head, his eyes gleaming red for just a second. "You're my problem, Siyeon."

He stepped closer, his voice dropping into a low growl. "In your past life... you were going to marry me. My family chose you. You were the pure one. The perfect offering."

Her blood ran cold.

He smiled, a cruel, nostalgic smile. "And then my family would've bathed in wealth and glory. But your stupid boyfriend had to ruin everything. And he killed me."

Siyeon took a step back, her heart pounding in her ears.

Heeseung's eyes narrowed, his tone darkening. "So I rotted for decades as a spirit full of hatred, for him, for you. Until I became what I am now. A demon. Stronger. Smarter."

Siyeon felt her body tense as his words sank in. 

"Am I meant to feel sorry for you?" Siyeon spat, fury like ice in her voice. "You were going to sacrifice me. And what I'm supposed to feel bad for you?"

Heeseung's smile thinned into something venomous. "You're so brave until the knives are pointed at someone else," he purred. Then, as if rehearsing a cruel laugh, he added, Hana, Ms. Lee... little offerings to keep people like me fed."

Siyeon's face went pale. "That was you?!" she whispered, horror shredding her voice.

Heeseung's gaze flicked to Eunji and Miji, slow and hungry. "You know I'm hungry right now. Maybe I'll start with the main course." He took a step forward and the mall around them snapped back into motion. People resumed their shopping, oblivious to the attack about to happen.

Panic surged. Siyeon had no time to think. She snatched up a nearby water bottle from a vendor cart and hurled it full force at Heeseung's face. The liquid hit like ice: for a heartbeat, his features distorted, his eyes flaring as a sizzle of light danced where the water met him. Heeseung staggered, hands clawing at his cheeks.

"Run!" Siyeon snarled, grabbing Eunji and Miji by the hands and dragging them through the crowd. They bolted toward the exit, elbows knocking into passersbys.

Heeseung, trembling with restrained fury, swore under his breath. He lunged, seizing the nearest person who'd frozen in confusion. The scene that followed was brutal and fast: a struggle, a stifled scream, and then the sound of a body collapsing. 

Blood darkened the pavement: a terrified woman slumped as Heeseung fed. Some shoppers screamed. Others fled. No one stopped long enough to do more than gawk.

Siyeon kept running, her lungs burning, pulling Eunji and Miji around corners until finally, they barreled into a small side street and slid behind a parked van. She pressed a hand to her pounding heart as they gasped for breath.

"Hey?! What about the clothes?"

"Forget about the clothes," Siyeon panted. "We'll go somewhere else."

Across the street, on the edge of the scene Heeseung had just left, the demon glanced up, nostrils flaring. For a second his face hardened into something worse than triumph. He stepped forward, scanning the fleeing faces, then hissed in frustration to himself.

"Dammit."

He turned and melted into the crowd, leaving behind the townspeople shocked in horror, after witnessing a murder, in front of their very eyes.