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-"
Lila's eyes dart around the room, eyes falling on the date on the TV screen in the corner. It's still the same day as the video event.
"Baek Kyung asked me to be his girlfriend today." She cuts in.
The room falls silent.
"What?" Her father blinks, turning to Jaehwa who looks utterly horrified.
Lila's eyes dart between them, wondering why on earth Park Jaehwa would care about the situation.
"Aren't you happy for me, Dad? You said you'd help me marry him. This is a step in the right direction, isn't it?" She follows the previous stages, confused by his conflicted expression.
"Well, actually, Lila-ah I've been seriously considering the prospect and I think that Namjoo would be a much better fit-"
The words real Lila wants to say are wrenched from her. Stage Lila jerks her to her feet in a fury.
"You said we'd never tie ourselves with the Oh family again! You said you'd do whatever makes me happiest because that's what Mum wanted-"
"A father knows what's best for his child, especially as the parent who's present." Jaehwa delivers with a show-stopping smile, the comment flying straight over her father's head meanwhile Haru looks appalled.
Real Lila lunges across the table
Hijack!
"I guess this is dealing with the consequences." Stage Kyung sighs.
Stage Lila stares at her hands, avoiding his gaze. "What were you thinking? What was I thinking? Dan Oh's my best friend, and she's technically your fiancé-"
"She called it off."
"She changes her mind like a girl choosing her first date outfit! You think that she was actually calling it off for good?" Stage Lila scoffs, pinching her forehead.
"S-she didn't mean it?" Stage Kyung falters, eyes pooling with turmoil. "I thought- Dammit. This is such a mess!" The conclusion aggressively rips out of his throat.
Stage Lila's head snaps up, meeting his face with disbelief. "You like her, don't you?"
"What?" Stage Kyung hisses, shaking his head. "What? No. I, I don't. She's sick, and annoying and-"
Stage Lila exhales with disbelief, a shattered laugh leaving her mouth. "You used me to get back at her. You knew everyone was watching, you wanted to get revenge for calling your engagement off. Didn't you?"
"No, Lila. How could you even think that? You think I'm the type of guy to do that?" He snarls.
"Who knows, Baek Kyung. You always act out of anger before your head catches up!" Stage Lila derides, eyes flaming. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you have no feelings whatsoever for Eun Dan Oh."
Baek Kyung swallows, chest heaving up and down. Lila's does the same.
"I-"
The ending sound chimes.
He doesn't know what's real or fake anymore. Who he likes, what he feels, and whether he is like himself on the stage or not. But he knows that he's supposed to be with Dan Oh, that's what the writer intended. He should like Eun Dan Oh. That is how his life is supposed to play out. But then again...
"I think I like both of you." He blurts. It's accidental, instantaneous and he wishes the words never left his mouth.
Lila blinks, glancing around the hospital. No green hue, her limbs feel free. She stills, head whirring at the sudden confession.
Baek Kyung exhales.
"What?" Lila whispers, taking a step back.
"My Stage me. Me on the stage! Stage me. Writer's me." Baek Kyung rambles.
Lila's shoulders slump. A forced, amused smile paints her face. "You had me worried there."
His shoulders sink. Of course, only Stage Lila likes him. And he's not supposed to be with Lila anyway. Eun Dan Oh was his pledged fiancé and he has feelings for her, he thinks, so he should focus on them and stop entertaining the possibility of liking Min Lila. He doesn't like her. Sure, she's pretty, stunning even, it was just a natural response for his heart to skip when she laughed, or to blurt that she was pretty once in a while. He's a boy after all. He can give credit where credit's due, right?
Right, Kyung sighs doubtfully to himself.
Hijack!
Suddenly they're both pin-straight again, fury dancing again in Lila's eyes.
Stage Kyung opens his mouth and closes it again, eyes darting to the wall and back to her.
Stage Lila scoffs. "Unbelievable."
She shoulders past him and storms away. Stage Kyung rips a hand through his hair, head drooping.
Then the door slides and he looks up again.
Next thing he knows, he and Dan Oh are sitting outside on the stone steps behind the hospital.
"Kyung...I'm sorry," Stage Dan Oh starts, "for making you come to the hospital again."
He opens his mouth to say something.
"Don't get mad." Dan Oh blurts. "When I said I didn't want to marry you, it wasn't just whining. The doctor said I'd have to have surgery. Anyway, I think the surgery will be different this time."
Stage Kyung expresses concern, throat tight.
"Do you know I wanted to marry you?" She exhales deeply, tearfully smiling, "Because I wanted to live." The air leaves his lungs. "There were only two things in this world when I was little. The square ceiling in my hospital room and you, Kyung."
Stage Dan Oh laughs sadly.
"I think that was why. I felt that you were my only way out and that my heart would get better if I married you. I think that's why I liked you so much for a long time, not considering your feelings."
She glances at the sky with unshed tears.
"I didn't consider that you could like someone else. Lila at that. I feel so bad, that I didn't know you had feelings for my best friend-"
"Hey, that's-"
"People think you hurt me but in reality, I'm sorry for hurting you. So let us..." She clasps her hands together, sniffling at her lap, "Let's call off our wedding. Take care, Kyung."
One last sad smile before Dan Oh walks away.
The ending sound chimes.
Kyung collapses back against the wall, head completely swimming.
What's real?
✎✎✎✎✎✎✎
"Where did you come from?" Haru asks Lila when she storms through the door.
"A stage with Kyung." She makes sure to leave out the hospital part to avoid incessant questions about Dan Oh.
Haru raises an eyebrow, muting the TV. "Was it awkward? I mean, the last time you saw him...his character asked you to be his girlfriend in front of the whole school."
"His character likes Dan Oh." Lila tries to be indifferent. "And Kyung in real life, too."
"You broke up already?" Haru's jaw drops.
Lila rolls her eyes. "Technically, Lila never said yes. Dan Oh collapsed and the scene changed before we got an answer."
"So, she dodged a bullet." Haru grimaces, scowling when Lila snatches the popcorn bowl from him and grabs a large handful. "I feel the sorriest for your character, you know."
"Not Dan Oh's?" Lila expresses surprise.
"After today, it's definitely you." His lips slant. "What do you think of your impending stepmother?"
The colour drains from her face immediately, her hand going limp. Kernels scatter over the couch.
"I forgot about that," Lila murmurs, standing from the couch. "You sensed it too?"
Haru nods warily. "There was something off about that Park Jaehwa lady."
Just her name feels like a punch in the stomach.
"Yeah. I'm going to bed, long day." She fakes a smile.
Haru smiles back. "Night, cousin."
"Night."
✎✎✎✎✎✎✎
Lila's head hits the pillow.
Cries herself to sleep because the person who plagues her nightmares has come back to haunt her in this world too.
✎✎✎✎✎✎✎
She hurls a book to the floor in frustration. Another shelf of them clatters against the floorboards while she desperately scrounges for the Manhwa.
She has to know what will happen next.
"Lila! What on earth are you doing?" Jinmichae yells as she's about to send another row of books tumbling.
"Where the fuck is Secret ?" She demands, lashing around.
Jinmi gulps and gestures for her to follow "Dan Oh told me to hide it so Haru doesn't find out about her surgery."
"Dan Oh this, Dan Oh that. Does she think the world revolves around her?" Lila snaps, yanking the book off the top shelf and ripping it open. She scours the future pages.
Kyung telling Haru he likes Dan Oh. Kyung confesses to Dan Oh. A stage between Namjoo and Juda.
An exasperated scream rips from her throat. She shoves the comic book back in its ridiculous spot and jumps off the step.
"This is about Park Jaehwa, isn't it?" Jinmi asks tentatively.
Lila sharply exhales. "Why is she here? She...she did enough last time. Why did the writer put her here too?"
There's a stretch of silence, where Jinmi stares at her fearfully.
"I think the writer wants to steer the plot back towards Baek Kyung and Dan Oh, but he can't do that if you're...still in the picture." He responds weakly. "I hope that isn't the case but I can't fathom why else he would pull such a move."
"Remove me from the picture?" Lila echoes. It's so faint, like she isn't present at the moment, legs dragging her towards the exit of the library. She ignores anyone's greetings merging into white noise, staring straight ahead as her body carries forward.
Soon enough, she's stood on the bridge of contemplation. For a while, Lila stares at the green-black hole which glistens and gapes, taunting her about the brutal reality of her nature, and what she existed for. A puppet on a string. She loosened some threads so he would slice through the rest. Sever her from this world as well.
Lila shifts one leg over the side and then the other, feet aching with anticipation while she teeters on the edge of the bridge. She's about to look down-
"What the fuck are you doing?"
Like a bucket of ice-cold water. Two hands clamp down on her arms, literally hauling her back over the railing. Lila is quite literally ripped out of her reverie as she stumbles upon the very solid ground. She almost flinches at Baek Kyung, his nails are practically digging into her wrists, face completely taut and eyes frantic.
"What are you doing, Lila?" He roars, chest heaving.
"Throwing myself off the bridge of contemplation." She responds wearily, trying to free herself. His group loosens, only to snatch her hands and send her tumbling forward. Baek Kyung's arms wind around her so tightly that she choked for air. Lila could hear his heart hammering at an alarming rate, his breaths ragged as his hand cradled her head, stroking the back of her hair.
Kyung exhaled shakily, pulling her back slightly to grab her face in his palms.
"Why?" His angry resolve shatters, eyes pooling with tears. "Why?"
Lila stares incredulously as he begins to sob, despite his jaw being clenched and fire in his eyes.
"Who said you could fucking do that?" Kyung rasps, his sleeve lashing over his eyes to dry them. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Lila's breath hitched unsurely. "Kyung-"
"No." He snaps, expression livid. "How could you even think of doing that? You're the only person I have, Lila!"
"Okay." Her voice cracks. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry. I won't do it again, I promise."
Kyung sniffles, enveloping her in a bone-crushing hug again.
"I hate you."
Lila almost smiles. "Do you really?"
"No." He responds immediately, squeezing her tighter.
status: edited.