Thunder shook the earth, the heavens, and hell.
With each lash of deafening sound an equally bright ribbon of lightning pulled taut in the sky. Rain dripped from Grey's clothes--nothing more than a white nightgown. The familiar red carpet beneath her feet was drenched, water squishing and bubbling as she stepped. For some reason, a magnetic pull lured her towards the grand staircase of roses that she'd seen her friends lean on thousands of times by now. Except back then, the flowers were not withered and she was not wasting away.
She was in the Great Hall, but at the same time not. More like a phantom remnant of what it used to be. The graceful, towering ceilings had collapsed onto the floor. Shards of glass wider than her face decorated the checkered tile, glimmering under the rain like broken pieces of a mirror. Shattered gargoyles and statues lied in pieces around the carpet, and the sky mourned and mourned for the absence of the purple glow that lit the world.
Grey climbed the staircase, heart wailing for something she couldn't explain; but, she understood that it all lied on the other side of that colossal door. Lingering certainty pointed her in that direction, and as she would always follow her first mind, she sank into a peculiarly hollow silence as her hands wrapped around the handle. It gave without her using any force.
Devastation adorned the dimly lit room, eight bodies encircled by ivory flowers lying on the floor in a circle before her feet. She did not need to see blood to tell that they were dead, that the light had gone from their eyes and from their souls and flickered in memory in Grey's chest. Rain showered their open graves because half of the ceiling had crumbled some feet away.
"You have a pure heart."
Grey tore her gaze from the corpses. Moonlight illuminated a woman with straight, white hair to her knees even though the clouds did their best to lock the rays out. She also wore a white gown, the lace sleeves and skirts so delicate it could have been woven from spiderwebs. Her golden eyes were pale, ghastly--and Grey grew infuriated when she could not recognize them.
Grey's voice broke. "What happened to them? What is this?"
The woman's voice was beautiful. "This is your future. You can't stop what's coming."
The tears on the girl's cheeks mixed into the water dripping down her chin. "That doesn't make sense. Nothing leads to this. Nothing's coming."
"Everything has to end. Your existence brought us here and involved you in things greater than I can explain in your language. You are a mighty force, Grey. Your heart is strong. But it is not enough."
Lightning flashed, the open graves transforming into streams of blood that ran underneath Grey's feet. Her stomach roiled as she took in the new sight: limbs bent in unnatural ways, necks bruised and swollen, bottomless open eyes staring in various directions. It was death in all it's glory and it was all her fault--
Grey sat up in bed, swallowing air by the gallon. Her hair stuck to her face and neck through sweat, her sheets clinging to her slick skin. When her eyes adjusted to the dark, she recognized the silver bedroom walls, the tapestries of white and dark grey trees sprouting from the paint. She slid out from the covers, pacing back and forth with her hands atop her head.
It was a dream but knowledge of that fact wasn't enough.
All of them were dead. Taehyung, Yoongi, Namjoon, Seokjin, Jungkook, Hoseok, Jimin. Disfigured, discolored, and broken. Every last one of them. And the eighth body? A muscle spasm rocked her shoulders as she recalled that face. Grey threw off her pajamas, stomping into her bathroom and turning on the shower. Still, even as she rinsed away the chills and the stickiness, the visions were not disappearing.
She dried herself off, the smell of pomegranate and mint soap somehow making herself sick. After getting dressed, she slipped her feet into slippers and dashed for the door. The hallway was incredibly silent, her own troubled breathing stuttering into the air.
What was there to do now?
The kitchen would probably provide the fastest solution. If she could not sleep, then she would occupy herself with a snack. A book from the library didn't sound too bad either, and if she was really too skittish, she'd settle for watching a movie in the home theatre. She had discovered it during her lunch break earlier in the week, not thinking how it would come in handy all these hours later.
She arrived at the kitchen entrance just in time to hear a resonant chime echo off the walls. Grey paused. Another short burst of sound followed, then another. After three or four, she recognized them as notes; high, then low. A song, more like a lullaby brought the haunted corridor to life.
Before she could catch herself, Grey turned from the kitchen and trailed the noise. She stayed on the balls of her feet, one hand gliding along the wall for guidance in the shadows. The penthouse seemed to lengthen. Double doors to suites spread further apart and the walkways veered off into multiple paths. The rhythm led her to a final door, opened just a crack.
Similar to the rain in her dreams, the music smothered her. The melody was demanding, forceful, angry. It told stories of pain and despair and damn it, it never seemed to end. The notes repeated, each time more agitated than the last. As though each time it continued, it built into a crescendo, more sorrow mounting the lullaby until it toppled like a house of cards.
She held her breath and gently pushed the door open further. A row of tall, skinny arched windows made up the distant wall. Thousands of stars drifted behind the glass panels. Constellations and moons swirled in an abyss of night sky, no larger than a million fireflies. However, at the foot of those regal lights, a head of black hair bent in concentration over ivory keys. Two gnarled matching scars split his pale back.
And in that moment, as the music encompassed the room, as the universe shone on them both, as he told his story through the piano; Grey thought Yoongi was beautiful.
She hadn't realized she was crying until the lullaby stopped. She sniffled, stripped raw from Seoul and placed in this space with him. This somber, frigid space tormented by the essence of loss.
"I'm so sorry," she blurted. "For whatever you no longer have. I'm sorry."
"Don't." Yoongi's head turned at a lethally slow pace. "You will never understand."
She noticed the lone tear falling down his cheek. "That's not fair."
"Leave," he said.
"Yoongi, please--"
"Get out!" In a flash he was before the door, black matter still clouding around his chest. She stepped back, shielding her eyes as the heavy thing slammed in her face. Deathly quiet settled through the penthouse. Her tears continued, her shock solidifying into anger.
"No, no, no," said someone behind her. "Don't cry."
Warm hands laid on her shoulders. She didn't fight as they turned her around. Taehyung was glaring at Yoongi's closed door, the subtle rage behind the look apparent enough to burn a hole through the wood. When he scanned her face it softened instantly into disappointment. Shaking his head slightly, the angel pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist. Soon, her arms were around his shoulders, her head nuzzled into the crook of his neck. Through that embrace, she sank into the smell of rain and pine and him.
She fell away from him, cheeks blushing from how much she needed that. He rubbed his eyes and asked, "Why are you still up?"
The dream. I saw you dead. Everyone was dead. She said, "I couldn't sleep."
He shoved his hands into the pocket of his white sweatshirt. Then, she noticed the monkeys and bananas on his pajama pants and giggled. He examined himself, a shy, self-conscious smile spread over his lovely lips. "You making fun of me?"
She shook her head, unable to hold back her own small grin. "I would never."
"I thought so." He ruffled her hair with his hand and yawned. "If you can't sleep, then I neither can I."
"What do you mean?"
"We'll stay up together. I know exactly how to cure a sleepless night." He grabbed her hand and led her away from Yoongi's room. His warmth was abnormally comforting and his hands were large enough to cover her tiny ones. She wondered why his touch wasn't ice like the others as the pair wandered back to the kitchen. Tae burst in first, holding the door for her as she passed.
"Taehyung, really, if you're tired you need to rest."
He fetched the kettle from a bottom cabinet and filled it with water. "No. As long as you're awake, I don't believe in sleep." The digital clock in the oven read 11:37pm. This late in the night, he was making her tea. When the kettle was ready to sit on it's own, he came around the island and leaned his back against the countertop. "Pick another snack."
She obeyed, feet shuffling as she moved to the large pantry. Grey eyed the Pocky and seaweed, going back and forth between the two until she discovered a bag of chocolate chips on the top shelf. She managed to snatch the bag while on her tiptoes and when she went back to the kitchen, Tae grinned.
The kettle howled. The angel plucked it from the stove before it could wake anyone else. Her cup was already out, a little bit of sugar and milk at the bottom. When it blended with the tea, the entire beverage turned a caramel color. He brought it to her carefully for a taste test. She sipped lightly, wincing from the temperature. He skillfully took it back before it burned too much, and stole a drink from the other side.
"You'll like it," he said.
She raised an eyebrow. "You know what I like?"
He winked, unable to keep eye contact when they both chuckled. Tae took the bag of chocolate chips from under her arm and shoved it into the pocket of his sweatshirt. With two hands, he held the tea. "We have to go on a super secret mission to get to the best place ever. You can't make any noise though. You have to be really quiet."
She nodded, trailing him out of the kitchen and to the lift. The chrome doors opened. He pressed the button to the 42nd floor. Her eyes widened. She shook her head, silently protesting by frowning and crossing her arms into an X. Taehyung held a finger over his lips to tell her to shush.
The doors opened to an all gold foyer. Glass chandeliers, broad and antique, dangled from a ceiling painted with tapestries of angels of all colors. She covered her mouth, gaping at the rich detail. Two grand mirrors lined the wall, long rectangular tables pressed underneath them with bundles and bundles of multicolored flowers she'd never seen before hanging off the edges. Tae stalked towards the three doors at the end of the circular rotunda. Before getting too close, he peered over his shoulder and repeated his gesture for silence. She took her slippers off to follow him. He made a slight right to a marble staircase.
They ascended two winding flights of steps before reaching a final exit. Under his breath, Tae said, "Close your eyes."
She listened, a warm breeze whipped through her hair and over her face. His hand rested on her back and guided her forward.
"Open them."
Seoul breathed for her. Multicolored lights beamed from skyscrapers, shopping districts twinkling neon under a sky clothed in midnight blue. Real stars littered the darkness, and though they stole her breath, it reminded her of Yoongi. Taehyung stepped in front of her, an extra beautiful part of an already enchanting city.
His hand snatched hers again. His voice was so devilishly sweet. "It's you and me now. Don't think of him or anything else."
That was what she wanted. More than anything, she desired to know she was not alone. And his company was everything she'd been asking for.
"I won't," she said. Those words felt heavy. Binding.
He escorted her to the ledge, helping her sit without losing balance. Her nails dug into his sweatshirt, face pressed against his chest. "Don't worry," he cooed, "I've got you."
She trusted him and the muscles she clearly felt under his sweatshirt until her rear was firmly planted onto the roof. He was next to her, letting his legs dangle over the edge. And she supposed that was the grace of being an immortal; flirting with danger and never actually being afraid. She scooted forward against Taehyung's cautious stare. Throwing her slippers behind her, she positioned her body just like his. One leg hung over Seoul, then her other one. If he could do it, so could she.
Her shoulder pressed against his, acting as a sort of anchor. He said, "You aren't afraid?"
She glanced at him, unbothered by the proximity of their bodies. "Tell me what it was like to fly."
He sighed, staring off into the distance at the North Tower. "It was freedom."
She held her hand out, pointing to his sweatshirt pocket then beckoning with her fingers. He removed the chocolate chips and opened the bag. She took a handful and munched peacefully while he spoke.
"When you're in the air, there are no laws. You belong to no world, no person, no identity. It isn't easy to explain, but if I had to give it a definition, I would say that flight is the embodiment of forgetting everything."
He reached into the bag and stole his own handful. She sipped her tea and dropped the bag behind them since there was no space between them. "Do you miss it?"
"Every day. But I miss my home more. Even though this realm has taught me a lot it will never be home."
She drank more tea. "What's the difference?"
He zoned out, not staring at the tower, but everywhere else. "Everything."
Taehyung went on. "There is a palace in the sky where time does not tick and the only feeling is joy. The clouds are the color of cherry blossoms and cream. My brothers and I sit in thrones, and we are happy."
"Why did you Fall?" That faraway gleam in his eye vanished. He turned to look at Grey, who returned that concentration with such curiosity and earnestness that he wasn't quite sure what to do with it. "If you don't want to answer it, you don't have to."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't. There's more to it than you think."
"That's all you have to say," she held up a hand, chocolate staining her fingertips, "I know we have a lot of trust to build, so I won't pry. Let's do something else, huh?"
His earlier excitement sobered, his expression muted. "You decide."
An idea came fast to Grey. "Two truths and a lie! We give each other three sentences, and we have to decide which is true and which is untrue. Loser gets a punishment. Amelia and I used to play this all the time. Then we learned everything about each other and it wasn't fun anymore."
Taehyung grinned. He picked up her mug and took a long swig of tea. "What does the winner get?"
She shrugged, "Well, I don't know. We always did losers. Any requests?"
He fixed his sweatshirt hood around his neck. "I think the winner should pick what they want."
She blinked. "Yeah. Sounds fair."
What could he want?
"I will go first," Grey inhaled a deep breath and sighed through her nostrils.
"My favorite color is pink. I love heights. I played the violin when I was 12, but I sucked."
Taehyung yawned, and so did Grey. "I only have one guess?"
"Mhmm."
"The second one. You are definitely afraid of heights."
She smacked her lips. "How did you know?"
"You keep looking down and I can feel you shaking through my sweatshirt." He raised an eyebrow. "Why let your legs hang off the edge?"
Now that, there really wasn't an answer to. It happened so quick. Yes, she'd been fighting her phobia since he brought her out here but it was too gorgeous to miss. No one had done this for her. Broke the rules with her, cared solely about why she was unsettled. He always noticed.
And he was guaranteed a prize she knew nothing about.
"I don't know," she answered at last. "I trust you."
"You can always trust me. It's my turn, right?"
She said nothing. She simply didn't need to. He progressed, content with his win.
"One, I would rather be sleeping."
She smiled at that.
"Two, we like our tea the same way."
Ha, adorable.
"I am looking at someone prettier than the view."
Grey's heart skipped a beat.
She pointed to her chest, disbelief evident in her furrowed brows. "Me?"
He crossed his arms. "Where's the lie?"
She laughed. "Prettier than the view? That's unreal."
Taehyung picked up a handful of chocolate chips and plucked one from the bunch. "Punishment time."
Grey flinched as a chip bounced off her nose. He selected another one and aimed at her forehead. She wasn't fast enough to swat it away. He began tossing two or more at a time, and when she tried to cover her face, he used his free hand to pin her arms to his thigh.
On his last one, the chip melted on her tongue as she caught it in her mouth. The pair raised their hands in celebration, their shouts waking the city. For the first time in a while, Grey laughed from her stomach. As they caught their breath, she rested her head on his shoulder and yawned louder than she had before.
"Thank you, Taehyung."
His arm draped over her shoulder to rub her upper arm. "I mean it. Get some rest. I'll clean this up if you promise me you won't get caught on the way down."
Despite what she first thought about not being able to return to sleep, her eyelids were heavy and so was her head. "I promise. But what about your prize?"
"I'll collect it later." He let her go, crossing his legs so that he sat criss-cross. Over his shoulder, he watched her wave and disappear from where she came. She prayed for a quick descent back to the penthouse and when the elevator doors closed behind her, she sighed in relief. Not a soul roamed the apartment. In a matter of minutes she was locking her bedroom door.
Eyes roved over her back as she ventured through her living room. The shadows were watching, but in such a reckless way. Normally, she never detected Jungkook when he was in the same vicinity. Tonight, she felt his location. Could probably point to him with her eyes closed.
She whisper-yelled his name. "Jungkook? Is that you?"
He stepped from a distant corner, his black tee and black shorts still helping him blend in even though he was in the light. "I'm sorry, I've been waiting for you. I heard a loud bang from my room. I wasn't sure what it was so I came to check on you. And you weren't here."
"Yeah, I, um..." Grey pointed towards the door in what she hoped was also the direction of the kitchen. Jungkook was already crossing the distance between them. He searched her eyes, then her cheeks.
"Were you crying?"
She scoffed. "No, no."
His black eyes narrowed onto hers. "Don't lie to me. If something is wrong, say it."
She pursed her lips, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Can I ask you something since you're here?"
He nodded. Grey evaluated the youngest prince of shadows and realized that he always hid behind them. He was reserved about who he interacted with and who he didn't. A while ago, he would have ignored her completely. But here he was, unabashedly in the moonlight pestering her about honesty. Maybe it wasn't a big deal to him, but she would find out if it mattered or meant anything at all.
"I'm afraid to go back to sleep. Will you stay with me?"
This time, his reaction was delayed. The polished Jungkook, always quick on his feet hesitated.
"Sure."
She muttered her thanks and leapt into bed. The bodyguard settled into an armchair next to the window. His profile was sharp and angled against the view. As she closed her eyes, she told him goodnight. His reply followed her into slumber.
"Goodnight, Grey. Sweet dreams."
:::
By the time Grey had gotten dressed that morning, Jungkook was still fast asleep in the armchair. His precious head was tilted to the side, his arms crossed in his lap. She retrieved the plush blanket that hung at the end of her bed and covered him with it. He moaned, a surprisingly gruff sound, but did not wake. When she was sure he was toasty, she strode to the kitchen.
Shouting could be heard from the living room. Grey slowed, leaning her ears against the door to listen.
"Why would she pick you?" That had to be Hoseok. His laughter was more like a yell.
"I am an impeccable pick! An unbelievable pick!" Grey thought, Oh, Jin.
Jimin's heavenly laughter made her smile. "Hyung, it's not you."
Taehyung interjected, "It's not you either." She could see the hurt on Jimin's face now.
The supermodel raised his voice. "You can't be so sure!"
"Let her decide." Finally, a voice of reason. It could be none other than Namjoon. "Give her until the end of the day."
Until the end of the day?
Grey scoffed, pushing herself against the door a bit harder--just to have it give under her weight. She stumbled into the kitchen, six men clamming up in silence as she caught her balance.
"Good morning! Don't mind me," she flipped her hair over her shoulder, scurrying to the pantry.
They know you were eavesdropping, pabo.
Jin cleared his throat. Namjoon casually glanced up from his book like he hadn't just laid a trap. "Grey."
She closed her eyes and mustered the courage to face him. While she gave him a polite smile, she despised his calm, collected, dimple-infested grin. He didn't even have a right to look that sexy holding a book. Who the hell actually looks appetizing while holding a book? And most importantly, how was he bringing her thoughts here so early in the morning?
"Yes, Joon?"
The others pretended to be busy eating, reading newspapers, checking their phones. Bullshit, all of it.
"Are you taking a plus one to the masquerade ball?"
Wouldn't you like to know?
"I haven't decided yet," she feigned confusion.
And like that, Grey threw herself into the crossfire.
:::
(A/N) Enthralling reader,
Next release: 6/29 (June 29th)
It is such a blast writing for you. Please take care of yourself and enjoy these awesome summer months! We're getting really close to the finale of Part I (Chapters 1-20), and I cannot wait to wrap up the first part of Tear the Sky!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you enjoy the next one to come. Thank you for making this experience so indescribable.
This chapter is dedicated to @JAMSthatJIMINhave because she is amazingly kind. Any time you need me, dear, I am one pm/comment away.
Also, Jin is blond again. I just love when he goes from "Where's my hug" to "Say my name." A snack. A meal. A smooth criminal.
With love,
M