III - Nightscape
"Hey, can you buy me some ice cream ?"
"Really? This is like the fifth time in a row you're having ice cream. Should I call Haseul unnie and make her cook for you, or something?"
"Oh c'mon! Don't exaggerate, you know it's not my fifth."
"Lying is bad."
"Yerimmie, please! This is the last time I promise-"
"Ok fine-"
"-Besides, tomorrow is Jinsoul's anniversary. Walk for a bit, get some fresh air, relax, ok?"
"What flavor ice cream?"
"Whatever you choose."
The breeze was nothing short of a warm welcome; quite the opposite actually. It was sharp and it pricked your exposed skin while also teasing portions that were covered by fabric. The freezing wind that swept the city stung and left people sniffling as they walked along the sidewalk, frequently pushing their faces below their scarves and hugging themselves tight to protect themselves from the biting air.
It didn't really helps that it was almost deep into midnight. The sky was littered with bits and pieces of silver stars while it draped it's black shadow across the land - if it weren't for the street lamps the world would've been completely swallowed by the night sky.
(Twelve at midnight caused the city into a nap of some sort but there were still a few people walking around, either by themselves or with a couple of friends.)
Yerim didn't usually like going on night walks and it wasn't because she was afraid of what it entails (far from it, she has a quirk - she can protect herself just fine) it was more so because it was quiet. Sure there was the occasional chatter on the streets but none of that was enough to silence the increasing volume of your own thoughts.
Midnight was when the city closes its eyes. It's not chaotic like the day where it was near impossible to take time to yourself. It's not as loud as the boisterous conversations exchanged between teens and adults. It wasn't as fast paced as the business men and women that sprinted down the sidewalk with their suitcases clutched into their hands.
Midnight, if anything, was a time where the clock felt slow. Where the once loud city turned down it's volume and instead let the wind sing it's song. It wasn't chaotic, it was serene yet melancholic.
It was a lonely time and it didn't match the need that Yerim wanted. The silence was suffocating, only crickets and light noises of air conditioners buzzed the city. Adding the occasional chatter, the city was still hushed.
Yerim wanted - no, needed - something loud. An atmosphere where her thoughts would be drowned into oblivion by deafening party goers and care-free people.
"Ah, almost missed it!" Yerim quickly pushed her foot against the concrete, turning towards the small convenient store she was about to miss. Her eyes squinted at the blinding light but she slowly adapted to the brightness. Even the convenient store was silent.
The middle-aged man sitting behind the counter only shrugged at her entrance while his eyes stayed trained on the phone in his hand. Yerim understood him - must've been difficult sitting in this bland room for hours straight knowing customers would be a rare occurrence.
Yerim trudged through the aisles and smiled ever so slightly when she spotted the familiar freezer filled with small jars of ice cream beside other; choices in which already provided a silly dilemma.
(It's childish to feel a battle start in your head over which ice cream to get but this was her money ok?)
She traced her finger against the foggy glass, humming as she continued to ponder over which ice cream was both tasteful and cheap. It was odd, this feeling. The silence of the convenient store - aside from the freezer droning on - felt isolating and rather made her heart beat seem louder than it was. Yerim shook her head, attempting to shake those intimidating thoughts.
"There have been reports of crimes rising daily and police advise the citizens to go home earlier due to this frightening increase. According to some, these crimes seem to be connected to a possible organization - MOON. Some groups are preaching-"
Yerim let out a gasp of excitement as soon as her finger fell on the perfect balance of an ice cream. She smiled out of success as she fished out two jars, already reciting her points for when Jungeun decides to argue why she should get the rocky road one and not the plain old vanilla jar.
"Hey kid." The clerk smiled, though it was obvious it was forced and tired. "Should you really be out here this late at night? There's been a lot of crazy people on the loose lately."
Yerim chuckled lightly, "I'll be fine! I should be worried about you though sir, you're here alone. Be careful!"
The man laughed, waving her concern off. His forehead had lines trail across it, wrinkling as he raised his eyebrows with a prideful smile plastered across his rather rough features, "Oh please. I'll be just fine, kid. I've been living in this world for 51 years, I know my way around here - your total is $9.45 by the way - so don't worry about me." He looked up at Yerim with a warm smile, one that was faint, "You should be careful though."
Yerim hastily slid her cash across the counter, "Will do!"
He chuckled, "Listen, as someone who is quirkless, I understand how powerful quirks can be. But just because you have superhuman strength, speed or whatever there is; it doesn't mean it will always save a life, alright?" As he said his words, he failed to see Yerim's eyes widening and sits back down on his stool. "Take care kid!"
Yerim bowed but she knew the older man didn't see it. She figure he was already too indulged in his phone and didn't bother talking anymore - not that Yerim cared though, it was getting dark.
Just because you have superhuman strength, speed or whatever it is; it doesn't mean it will always save a life
Yerim cringed at the sentence, forcefully pushing it to the back of her mind considering those are one of the many things she wanted to avoid since tomorrow was the day she dreaded most. With heavy shoulders she clutched tightly onto the plastic bag, instantly cursing at the sharp breeze that passed as soon as she stepped out.
The cold winter was aggressive and gave no mercy (exaggeration, yes, but true? yes) which was truly unfortunate.
Yerim shivered at the wind and quickened her pace, yearning for the warmth of her apartment; hell, she even misses the minimal heat from the convenient store already. She held the plastic bag close to her thighs and already wanted to create a fire in the palm of her hand but doing that in public, at night, was something she doesn't really want to do. What the clerk had told her stuck to her and it made her stomach bubble with little bit of fear.
"Hey!"
With her current thought process, the loud and husk voice made Yerim jump and possibly almost slip on the little ice that froze on the sidewalk. She reluctantly turned around and already her palms felt heat rush, as if preparing for the worst. "Yes?" Yerim said, hiding the tremor in her tone.
A man limped towards her and his grey beard was muddy, filled with specs of dirt that Yerim didn't want to know the source of. His eyes were a blurred red and it twitched in this odd pattern that screamed this man was nowhere near sober. Yerim wasn't necessarily afraid considering her quirk was quite the power house (not to brag or anything pfft) but still she didn't like the atmosphere. She suddenly misses the silence.
"You watched the news, lately?" His smiled was lopsided and his breath stunk of alcohol. "The MOON is coming soon, and when they do, we'll be free."
"E-Excuse me?"
The man let out a boisterous laugh that made Yerim's shoulders shiver, "The MOON promises freedom for us. He who believes in him shall live in harmony, in luxury and all that is good! Do you know what they promise us?"
MOON.
Yerim ponders back to the news that played on the television, she takes a cautious step back but nods, "What do they promise?"
The man lets out another snort, a growing smirk on his gruff features, "They promise to save us from the heroes. To save us from our heroes. Us, quirkless people, will no longer look weak to these damned god-complex idiots! Finally, those dumb ass heroes will be at the bottom, where they deserve."
Now, Yerim has heard of people who despise heroes and those who possess quirks and although she, herself, doubted heroes she could never insult those who sacrifice their lives for others. "Why- What? Heroes are good peo-"
"NO!" He screamed, his voice loud enough to make Yerim's ears ring. "Ever since quirks became a thing, people felt the need to be powerful. They're arrogant and they don't care two shits about the quirkless! They don't care about the weak, and they all deserve to be punished." He growled.
Yerim let him continue, afraid he will resort to violence had Yerim decided to argue. (Well, he could try but Yerim really doesn't want to burn anything or anyone tonight.)
"MOON will give us freedom and in time, heroes will no longer exist. Quirks will no longer exist because HE is our savior and we all should believe in him-" He continued to ramble on, raising his hands in the air as he screamed at the top of his lungs. His eyes were wide and erratic; this man was so keen on this MOON that it was pretty terrifying.
"Who are they-"
The man sharply turned to Yerim, "They are our saviors, child. They will bring us to freedom, they will give us life." He smiled, "They may have left two years ago BUT I knew they'd come back. I knew they would return, and they're slowly rising. In time, they will be here. In time, the heroes will all perish!"
"They last appeared... two years ago?" She look down, mumbling to herself. Her heart was starting to beat faster and her mind rushed for reasons - or excuses - to avoid whatever it is she's thinking of.
The man must've heard her as his same laughter rang her ears once more - she was itching to throw out a flame but held back - and he let out a snort, "A group of heroes almost defeated them, almost wiped them out but they underestimated the MOON and look where they are now? They lost their members, as they should. They think they won but at what cost? The MOON is coming back and this time, they will all be gone-"
The man waddled off, laughing with his stomach as he swayed from side to side. People passing by him stared at him for a second before looking away in disgust and heavy judgement.
Yerim felt her fingers curl tight against her palm and the world felt frozen in time. It's almost as if her heart burned with fire so hot it could incinerate it to pure dust. Emotions bubbled in her stomach and her mind rushed with questions, with memories that were pushed to the back of her thoughts and everything that was hidden under a puddle of gasoline.
Two years ago. The same people, the same monsters who destroyed lives, who dominated the weak, who killed Jinsoul. And they're back. They're coming back to do the same thing.
A mistake they will regret.