Monster (ONEUS Seoho x Ravn/Seojo)

Week 4, Day 1

I found some motivation within myself to look over the cards Father prepared for me as the fair was approaching. The cards consisted of how I should communicate with people at the fair, such as the greeting I was supposed to use as well as answers to commonly asked questions. The cards were practically screaming at me to memorize them or rather, I could see Father's stern face in his handwriting, threatening me to do this right.

In a sense, I was grateful for them because my introverted personality made me out to be quite awkward when it came to socializing. On the other hand, they almost felt like they were making a mockery of me. As if I was so inexperienced and messed up so horribly in the past that I needed a word for word instruction manual on how to go about the grueling world that is business.

In the end, I spent more time overthinking the nonexistent yet existent underlying intentions behind these cards, opposed to actually reading them. I was relieved when someone knocked on my room door. I dropped the cards on the window seat and strode over to the door.

I felt a cascade of emotions fall over me when I was met with Dong Ju. A perfectly fine, unharmed, and ever so fair Dong Ju. I stood there dumbly, not knowing what to do or say before, without a thought at all, I engulfed him in a hug.

I was half expecting him to either push me away entirely or at least not return the gesture, however, he wrapped his arms around me just as tight as I was. It brought tears to my eyes because I knew I didn't deserve this kind soul after the trouble I caused him. I guess there are just some people who could never possibly be angered at anyone, especially those they are closely associated with, and forgiveness comes easily to them.

I broke the hug first, holding the younger at arm's length, and started to ramble on about how sorry I was.

"Seo Ho," he stopped me mid-ramble. I raised my eyes to him, and he was smiling at me. Like he couldn't be fonder of me, like I was the carrier of all his love. "It's okay."

I scoffed, convinced my ears must be deceiving me.

"Listen," he started. He was hesitant for a moment, looking left and right to make sure no one was in earshot of our conversation before continuing, "I know about," was all he said, but that was all he had to say.

My eyes might as well have been hanging from their sockets as I gasped.

"I know what you must be thinking: 'Why didn't I try to break the curse?' because true love doesn't just have to come from the person one perceives to be their soulmate. The reason is Dong Myeong."

I frowned, listing my head to the side. Dong Ju sighed, grabbing my arm gently and pulling me back into my room, closing the door in the process.

He began again, whispering this time despite us being in a rather safer state. "Dong Myeong doesn't believe the curse, he's convinced Young Jo died in the market raid. That's why he makes a joke out of all the reports we've gotten about this room, for Heaven's sake, it was like he had a gun to my head when I told him I wanted to try when I found out," he informed me.

"How did you find out?" I inquired.

"I'm sure you've met Miss Hei Ran at this point," he assumed and I was perplexed.

"The lady in the basement," he elaborated, and I acknowledged this before he moved on.

"One day, it was my turn to watch over Si Woon when Mother asked me to go look for something in the basement she had supposedly misplaced while she and Dong Myeong looked around the hotel. I told Si Woon to wait a bit for me to come back, and at first, I thought he heeded my instruction but the kid can't sit still, so he quietly followed me to the basement.