snowflake ☆ k.dy ☆ ayakashi series | ✔

doyoung [forty-one]

"No, absolutely not, Y/N," Johnny shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest.

"So you won't help me?" Hot tears pricked at your eyes out of frustration. Why didn't any of them understand? Johnny was the fourth 'no' you'd gotten today. First Renjun over the phone, Sicheng at the bookstore before you came Lenticular, Jungwoo via flying note, now the Domeki.

"Y/N, I'd do almost anything to help you, you know that," he said with a gentle tone. "But not this."

"I'll do it." Jeno spoke up from the booth that you thought he had been napping in.

"Jeno!" Johnny snapped at him.

"She's clearly made up her mind and is going to try it without us anyway. At least with one of her True Ayakashi she stands a better chance of not dying," the Tengu scoffed, standing up from the booth and walking over to you. "I know what it's like, Y/N. And if I could undo it, I would. So I might as well help you."

You gave him a tired but appreciative smile, the best one you could muster, "Thank you, Jeno."

"Y/N, please don't do this," the taller man tried to plead with you. "This isn't what Doyoung would want you to do."

"How do you know?" You spat at him. "You didn't know him, none of you really did."

"You're right, I didn't know him that well. But he clearly loved you, and I don't think someone who loved you that much would want you to unleash a great evil in some crackpot attempt to bring him back from the dead in a ritual that could very easily get you killed!" Johnny's voice got louder and louder and his face reddened as he practically exploded on you. After taking a few deep breaths, he spoke again, quieter, but still with a stern tone, "Y/N, you are one of my favorite people on Earth, but I can't have any part in this. I hope you'll realize this is a mistake before it's too late."

And with that, he left the dining room of Lenticular Café, retreating past the purple curtain and out of your sight. You were left with Jeno, who was looking at you expectantly.

"Now what, boss lady?"

☆

The next day you, Mark, and Jeno were trudging up the mountain towards the shrine. Mark had his ritual book, a thick black tome he said he'd gotten from his dad, who got it from his mom, and so on. A long line of Onmyoji. And on your other side, Jeno wasn't quite trudging so much as hovering a few inches off the ground and gliding smoothly beside you. You checked the time on your phone, not because you actually needed the time but to look at the picture of Doyoung there. This morning you'd woken up crying, having dreamt that you'd gotten to hug him again. And you were suddenly stricken with panic, trying to dig into your memory and remember what his voice sounded like.

You quickly opened your phone, desperately scrolling through your camera roll. Finally, you found a video you'd taken of him. It had been a random breakfast at his apartment, he was still in his pajamas, and had a plate of toast in front of him when you'd had the sudden urge to record him. Turning the volume up a little, you held your phone speakers up to your ear to listen.

'What are you doing, Y/N?'

'Mm, nothing.'

'I doubt that.'

'Smart man.'

Then it was quiet again. You sniffled, bringing your device down from your ear to replay the video.

'What are you doing, Y/N?'

Rewind.

'What are you doing, Y/N?'

'Y/N'

'Y/N'

'Y/N'

Mark and Jeno exchanged uneasy glances.