Shadow | Huang Renjun

24

Jarringly, less than a week after their big fight, Miyeon and Donghyuck are back to how they were.
Eunah tried to ask what was going on, but stopped when Renjun shook his head. Clearly, he's experienced this before.

Now in the library, Eunah tries to read but can't get the image of her friend injured out of her head.
She couldn't even heal him. Her healing abilities don't work on Demons.

Jeno is napping beside her, cardigan laid gently over him and a guide to nature photography open in front.

If it was anything else, she would've confided in him. But it's not her issue to talk about, and it would betray Donghyuck's trust to even mention it.
Not that she isn't already betraying his trust by reporting on the Demons' Soul Amulet search, but this is even more personal.

"Can't focus?"

A voice from behind startles her, causing the person to chuckle.

"Don't scare me like that, Mark," she chides, hand on her chest as he takes a seat opposite.

"Sorry, couldn't resist."

Putting the book down, she instead grabs her notes and begins editing ideas for the story she's working on.

"Is that research?" Mark asks, having not seen it properly.

Eunah pauses for a moment, then shakes her head.
"No, I'm working on a personal project."

He leans forward, chin resting on propped hands.
"What's it about?"

"It's gonna be a murder mystery romance. I haven't decided if the investigative team should be a couple yet though, or if I should put the romance somewhere else."

He hums.
"What about a twist?"

"A twist?"

"Yeah. The killer isn't actually a killer. It was the main character's detective partner framing them under the orders of the police chief or something. So the framed killer and main character join forces to expose the corruption, falling in love on the way."

Her eyes light up with inspiration, pencil scribbling on paper immediately.
"That's perfect! Thank you!"

"Anytime. My genius knows no bounds."

"Sure, sure."

"Hey!"

~~~~

Intense concentration is evident in Renjun's expression– nose scrunched and crimson eyes almost burning into the page in front.
He lightly chews the inside of his cheek, pushing away a screwed up paper ball to reach for a glass of blood.
His room is covered in scrapped drawings, all scrunched and wrinkled out of frustration. Some reached the bin, but the rest are still strewn across the floor.

Groaning, he rips out the current drawing and balls it up, throwing it behind him. His head hits the desk, hurting from concentrating for so long.

This is stupid. Why is he even doing this? What compelled him to agree? Let alone be so invested in getting it right.

"Hey– whoa, what happened here?"

Donghyuck stops just inside the door, Jisung peering over his shoulder with raised brows.

"Don't ask..." Renjun mutters, rubbing his temples with his eyes closed.

"You've been in here all day. Thought you might want to go hunting."

"Sure."

Jisung has picked up one of the scrapped drawings, unfolding it and humming.
"This is good, why did you throw it?"