siwoo held her phone to her ear, sohees number plastered on the screen with the ringing sound, hoping her best friend would answer. the girl picked up her phone to see a dozen missed calls and messages from sohee, finally getting the chance to call back but she hadn't answered at all.
she sucked her teeth to herself when she heard the other end of the line go to voicemail for a third time, moving her phone from her ear in defeat. about to ring her number again, she heard mark call her name. "siwoo, you should see this."
her body twisted from the kitchen to the living room area, where mark and her aunt sat still watching the news for anything of importance—besides the obvious. she could hear the faint sound of screaming and shouting coming from the tv, only further eating at her curiosity as she moved her feet closer.
the sight made her entire body freeze within itself, her lips parting in both shock and fear at the creature displayed over the screen. "what the hell is that...?"
"i don't know," the boy breathed, as if he was stomped by not knowing, "i should've known i wouldn't be the only thing to get through the portal."
his eyes glanced over to her aunt, worry prominent in her face knowing her niece would be risking her life trying to defeat the unusual beings in their world. he felt guilty, not wanting her to hear what he was about to say so he gently grabbed onto siwoos wrist and pulled her just around the corner into the hallway.
his dark eyes stare into hers, scanning every part of her face when she showed nothing but confusion. "are you okay?" her voice came out quiet and light, even startling herself at the way she sounded.
mark nodded, not looking away when his hand fell into hers. he squeezed oh so delicately and inhaled a short breath as if he was afraid about what he was about to say. "i just... i just wanted to let you know that, i can't promise you we're gonna be okay after this."
"mark—"
"i'm not gonna lie, i'm kind of second guessing everything right now. we're not just dealing with mrs. yoon now, i have no idea what else is out there. this isn't like the comic books you read, you know?"
"i know that, i do, i know what i'm getting myself into."
"i care about you a lot, siwoo," his voice became quieter, "i've already lost too many people i care about and i feel like i'm responsible if anything happens to you, and your aunt... you guys have already been through so much."
he stopped himself, shaking his head while his eyes fell to the ground. she couldn't tell what he was trying to say. was he backing out of everything? was he going to try to do it all on his own?
"i don't know where you're going with this... but don't tell me i shouldn't go out there and fix everything. this is who i am, mark, you said it yourself and i'll never go back to the way i was before. i'm not letting you do this alone."
the taller nodded slightly, knowing she was never going to let him talk her out of anything, it was useless to even try. "okay... okay, let's go."
it would be the biggest lie if siwoo said she wasn't afraid for her life. it wasn't like she prepared herself for this type of thing, something that only happened in fictional books and movies and she wasn't even sure how it was all happening. the two slipped their masks over their heads and left the house before she could give it another thought.
people had left their houses and stared ahead of them in curiosity, before turning their heads to the two masked heroes in complete confusion. siwoo felt herself practically trembling at all the eyes but mark didn't seem phased one bit, he must be used to this, she thought.
he quickly sensed her anxiety and didn't hesitate to intertwine his hand with hers and she couldn't help but glance down. she began to feel something that wasn't entirely platonic and it scared her, but it felt so good she couldn't bring herself to let go. her main worry was the villains, and she decided she'd worry about feelings later on.
"so, what's the plan?" she asked after swallowing the nerves.
mark didn't say anything immediately and siwoo took it as him gathering his thoughts, but after a moment and he was still silent, she figured he didn't hear her. "plan, mark? do you have a plan?"
he still hadn't said a word, and she began to get worried. "...you do have a plan, don't you?"
the boy finally stopped and let his hand fall out of hers before turning his body fully in her direction. "siwoo... i don't—i don't really have a—"
"i'm sorry, for a second there i thought you were about to say you have no plan," she chuckled dryly, "because if you don't have a plan, we're screwed—"
"i didn't have time to come up with a plan, okay, i was busy convincing myself i was stuck in your world forever and trying to make the best of it. i'm sorry, siwoo—" the sentence was cut short when a car came flying their way, missing them by just a few feet and luckily citizens managed to move out of the way before they got hit.
people soon came running from the same direction and the ground shook so slightly as if an earthquake were coming, and the pair knew they needed to do something quick.
"okay," mark began, panicked, "we try to restrain her and figure out everything after. got it?"
siwoo hadn't gotten a chance to protest because he was already on his way to fulfilling his duties even though he hardly had an idea what he was doing, but he didn't usually. his body worked quicker than his mind but somehow it always worked out in the end. he really hoped it would this time.
mrs. yoon came into sight again and she looked even angrier than before, if it was even possible. she'd been in the middle of a rampage, smashing things left and right as police officers hopelessly tried to figure out what to do. it wasn't long before her eyes landed on them, and she swooped them up with her tentacles.
"someone's a hugger," mark spoke between groans, looking at siwoo, "remember what i taught you."
he could easily see the fear in her eyes, even over the mask, even if she tried her hardest to make it seem like she wasn't scared. she was terrified. she didn't know if she'd make it out alive, but she was more worried if mark was going to make it out alive.
it became harder and harder to breathe while in mrs yoons grasp, until she grunted and threw them into a building. "heroes don't belong here. i hope you savor your last moments alive."
while siwoo was still attempting to gain back her composure and mrs yoon was distracted, mark took it as a chance to try to knock her unconscious. she ended up losing her balance and so spider-man shoot webs from his wrist, tying them around her body.
siwoo stood up bravely, ignoring the throbbing feeling in her back and stomped up to the chaos, feeling more angry and frustrated and wondered how mrs yoon could ever have the nerve. her anger got the best of her and as mrs yoon unsuccessfully tried to keep her balance while being webbed up, siwoo managed to get in a couple hits in her jaw.
mark didn't notice immediately, but the sight shocked him when he did. "siwoo. siwoo! hey!"
he stopped what he was doing to force her away, and the enemy was already covered in blood with still open eyes and sinister smile. "did that make you feel good, siwoo? do you feel like a hero, now?"
no. "this isn't going to end how you think it will, mrs. yoon. you won't win, and even worse, people will hate you. everyone will hate you."
"that's what you think. that's what all you heroes think," she managed, "and you know what? i think it's finally time someone prove you wrong."
in another split second, she'd freed herself from the webs and stood up as if she was never knocked down in the first place. siwoos heart pounded out of her chest until there was a pair of hands around her neck, pushing down roughly to the point of gasps pushing through her throat.
she couldn't breathe. it felt as if walls were closing in on her and the strength was too much, she couldn't pry the hands away no matter how hard she tried. mark panicked at the sight. "let her go!"
this time he was held even tighter, making it impossible for the two of them to go anywhere.
this is it, siwoo thought, i'm gonna die a normal person. not a hero.
she'd fully prepared herself for death to close in on her, the pressure getting tighter and her limbs becoming weaker and weaker. mrs. yoons face was the only thing in sight, nothing but a satisfied look on her face. at least until she was wiped out view and siwoo was looking at nothing but clouds.
the pressure was relieved from her neck and she sucked in gasps of air, coughing and wondering how mark managed to escape her hold.
"shit, are you okay? i'm so sorry, fuck, i promised i wouldn't let anything happen to you," he rambled on even though they both agreed this was their fight.
"i'm fine," she choked out, "are you? how'd you get out?"
"i didn't, she dropped me when she got knocked out again."
siwoos face twisted into confusion, "by who...?"