extraordinary disaster || baek kyung

18. kill you

Morning art class couldn't be a more painful prospect unless Soochul took her out with a painting easel.

Lila ignores the burning gazes on her and mutters a weak apology for tardiness to the art teacher. She scans the room for a free seat, lips flat upon spotting the only vacancy on the right of Baek Kyung, Kim Ae-il hanging on his left.

She held her head high, sauntering to the chair whilst avoiding his piercing eyes. Baek Kyung sighs under his breath, vaguely recalling the art teacher told them to create a masterpiece that can be interpreted differently.

The class bursts into clamour and chaos, as it always does when you have lots of chirpy, loud, and brutish stock characters for extras, yet Lila doesn't say a word. She just stares at the blank canvas with an equally empty expression. 

Trying to block out Ae-il's constant badgering and think of something to say to Lila proved difficult for Kyung, who opened and closed his mouth several times with reticence. Finally, Lila picks up the paintbrush and coats it in black paint. With no spared effort, she draws a large question mark and sets the brush down then glances around the room with boredom.

If she knows Kyung is staring, it doesn't show on her face. Kyung feels like he doesn't even exist in her scope.

"Lila?"

Her eyes snap down to the left. "What's up, Dan Oh?"

"I feel like I haven't spoken to you in ages. Catch up after class?"

"Sure thing." She shrugs, sending the extra a quick smile.

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"You're getting surgery soon?"

"Keep it down." Dan Oh hisses, whacking Lila in the arm. "Don't let Haru find out. No matter what."

Lila looks at her with exasperation. "How can you worry about Haru in a situation like this? Worry about yourself."

Dan Oh scoffs slightly. "You wouldn't get it. I love him."

Lila almost gags. "Alright, alright. My lips are sealed."

"Anyway," Dan Oh hesitates, "what's going on with you? You seem...very wrapped up in your head."

For a moment, Lila considers offloading the truth onto her friend. Her frustrations about the risk of repeating Trumpet Creeper, her fears about Park Jaehwa, and her tumultuous feelings for bloody Baek Kyung. But how can she do that when Dan Oh's already going through something as scary as life or death?

"I am," Lila admits. "You know, just with the ramifications of living in a comic book world and such. Nothing too heavy."

Her friend looks half-convinced. "Alright. Don't think about it too much. It's better to accept it and move on, try and find a solution."

Like our ingenious changes to the Stage which have resulted in befuddled plot lines and more pain and chaos? Lila scoffs to herself yet smiles and nods on the outside.

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Baek Kyung feels like he should be sadder after the stage of Dan Oh being sick and needing surgery. He's supposed to like her after all. Yet, instead of conjuring comforting words or sentiments of the heart, he's rushing to the library to try and find the Manhwa.

He rifles through the literature shelf in pursuit of Secret. The lights suddenly dim and there's a rush of wind chimes. Kyung looks up in bewilderment, following the noise which leads him to the back of the library. His eyes widen at the floating wormhole in the wall.