currently recovering
from a hiatus.
Sing Sweet Nightingale had always been aptly titled for this particular fable set wandering within the realm of the Mundanes as if she were one of them truly besides in the appearance he glamour had given her —one she’d become quite fond of with porcelain flesh free of blemishes and dark eyes that gave absolutely nothing away.
It had given her a sense of nostalgia having long since shed her name to many people she encountered for one she’d picked up to remind her of everything that had gone up in just that -Blaze. The atmosphere had been calm and alluring and her heart which beat faster than the others had calmed and smoothed and like that she had known that this was where she ought to be in all of the glory her voice laced with the unknown could provide…and glory it had been.
Time barely passed before the establishment had become the competitor to rule them all with her as their main attraction —one voice to rule them all they said and she took the praise knowingly. Arrogant? Perhaps but one could never deny facts and they were prove again and again as she mounted the stage and the patrons fell into time with her words and her beats and filled their souls as no other being on this plane could…much like she was going to do now.
Mahogany tresses had been curled and styled to cascade down the left side of her hair and only interrupted by the flower adornment that sat nestled like silk against them and was the only other contrast to the darkly lined eyes and the shadow colored dress that sheathed her body tightly, pronouncing what she had in a sweetheart cut that flirted with with the floor as she moved past the patrons and the whistles she was used to hearing greeted her. Confident movements allowed her to climb the steps with ease and stand in front of the old time styled microphone and flicker her eyes around at the patrons to scope out her crowd before hand while her band readied themselves.
The pickings had seemed slim, almost bleak until a startling face off by himself graced her eyes and she zeroed in on them quickly, making sure to let her lips curl in a flirty smile to not seem as intense before those very same tiers parted and the words flowed easily:
[ ♫ - Birds flying high….you know what I feel
sun in the sky….you know how I feel
breeze drifting on by…you know how I feel
it’s a new dawn
it’s a new day
it’s a new life for me
and I’m feeling good ]
The song had been a favorite of the club for some time and she’d decided to break it out again after a few months break. She wasn’t sure if most of the people knew what they meant, the song an English favorite, but she didn’t care much. It was the flow of the band as she rocked from side to side lightly, arms moving as if telling a story until the last sound of the trumpet faded away and applause was given to her as she exited, nodding here and there at regulars before sashaying her way to the same man she’d seen earlier.
“It’s always nice to see new faces….I hope you find our little establishment up to your tastes Mister…?” The trill of her words calming slightly as if incentive for him to grace her with his name as she searched his face for clues of any kind.
The bartender returned with his whisky, and the fable leaned against the table while holding the glass by his fingertips. Whisky, strong liquor in general, seemed to be his only saviour in the Mundane world. As depressing as it sounded that was the harsh truth. A truth that had been gnawing at his being for decades and those to come. And with that, he took a sip of his whisky.
Though his depressing line of thoughts were disrupted by the sudden cat whistles and sound of heels clicking against the floor. With an eyebrow arched he lifted his head, watching as a female made her way behind the microphone. His eyes shifted to the band as they counted down the beat, and she began singing.
Oh indeed it was a lovely voice, but only with the all to wrong audience. The patrons from earlier were still in front, drinking and smiling gleefully, as they listened to her singing voice. That was no the case for Won Bin.
[ it’s a new life for me
and I’m feeling good ]
It had been ages since he had been able to appreciate music, now was not one of them either. He admitted to himself that the voice was a nice one, familiar at that too, but nothing for him. Music evolved to noise, noise he could do without. But as he lifted his head, glancing over to the songstress he couldn’t help but feel the all too familiar feeling he got once seeing a fellow fable. He wrinkled his nose before sighing. Wherever he went he seemed to come across a fellow fable, no exception to the rule.
He blurred out the song, simply focusing on the brown alcohol in his glass. It didn’t occur to him the band has stopped until a voice seemingly called out to him. Raising his head to find the source of the soothing voice. It took him a few seconds before even registering her question. “Won Bin.”, he simply stated as an answer and took his time to take in her face. The chirping light tone of her voice tugged at a familiar part of him but he had no way of matching her face to anyone he knew of.
He was halfway waiting for her to say his name, be it Mundane or Fable, or simply letting him know who she were. He never did like this game of guessing he had to go through a lot of the time. Then again he supposed that was his fate, stuck in this world where nearly everyone had new facades.
It wasn’t unusual for the fable to leave the comfort of his apartment and venture out in the cold december air and head to the nearest bar. But alas, today his customary bar was closed.
Once he spotted the closed sign his nose scrunched up in displease. Sighing he turned on his heel and looked out on the street. If the bar was closed, where was he to go he pondered to himself. The idea of going back to his flat and drink the whisky, or was it cognac, wasn’t appealing to him. He shrugged to himself. Maybe his tastes were getting washed out by the dreary grey smoke he inhaled to his lungs. He shoved his hands into his pocket and went on to trudge through the streets of Seoul. It was a fairly large city, it was bound to hold plenty of places to get a hold of a glass of strong liquor.
And it didn’t take him long to find one either. Moving past a block or two he came across one. Sing Sweet Nightingale, the sign read. He wasn’t sure if it was the melancholic part of him that pulled him in or the fact that he just really needed a drink that pulled him in. Frankly, he found the name a bit long but then again; he needed a drink.
Letting his mind simply rest on the thought, he pushed the door open. The smell of alcohol and smokes washed against him as he took the first step in. Bartender nodded at his entry, Won Bin simply returning the favour before he looked around. The lights were low, a feeling of tranquil hanging int he air. The bar counter was filled, leaving Won Bin to move himself to a corner with a small table and two chairs. Free from prying eyes and the company of others. Just as he sat down a bartender came over to him. “Whisky”, he said before the other man had managed to even open his mouth. The bartender nodded and disappeared again. He leaned back against the chair, only now realizing there was a stage at the opposite side of the room. His eyebrows arched, Won Bin had never been a man for music, leaving him only to hope it wasn’t any noisy music that was usually performed here.
It was almost a convenience to find herself in a place that was, most definitely not her humble and closed doors of her happy confinement; her laboratory. The art of potionry manipulated into the mundane world into that of chemistry. Those elegantly manicured digits twitched, folding into small fists upon her tabletop. Eventually the grand woman stood to her feet, dark suede heels clicking against the marble flooring of her own office before she exited the room.
With a dark jacket that hugged her petite frame; locks that curled upon her sides and swayed in the movement of her own footsteps. She was, elegant by all means. Dressed in the top class of all things that were fashionable. Though no smile lingered upon those features, the brightness of her own visage revealed elsewise. Kindness was an adjective misplaced upon her skin. She was a bitter woman with no desire to appear as happy and as jolly as the season foretold. She was, quite the opposite.
Now the elevator she now stood in, brought her to the ground floor; the ding alerted her attention yet she made no visible notice of the notice. Walking outwards and paying no attention to the employees’ who’s heads now bowed in sequence. But alas, as she stepped out through those doors did the rest of the building rejoice. The foul witch had finally disappeared, and peace was now restored. At least, until a new day.
Snow crunched beneath the footing of the woman in question. Snow and grime that clung to boots that were perhaps as expensive as her entire attire in question. Now entering into the sleek black car that waited for her and drove as soon as her form was situated and seated in such away that car drove calmly without a single hair upon the hood of her jacket twitch.
Moments after, the witch raised a leather gloved hand, halting the car soon after. “Stop here, I have to make a visit.”
West of the Moon.
A store that was, perhaps in all her manner unfamiliar and strangely open. Opening the door with a push of a button, the fashionable witch stepped outside her confinement once more and out into the open world of the cold. A shiver ran up the woman’s spine as palm pressed against the glass of the door and pushed open the door of the bookstore. Though the shopkeeper was momentarily absent from their throne of a post — and she was free to wander about the store. For now.
A bookstore? How strange, was her response. Questionable as those blank features continued to observe the entire area; a gaze so observant yet strangely emotionless. To the sounds of footsteps, did she choose not to raise her head to answer.
The december air was cold beyond belief, leaving the dark haired fable to pull his jacket closely around himself. Trudging through the snow he mentally thanked himself for finding an apartment close to the shop itself. Although he had moved around a few times, simply to avoid the prying eyes of the mundanes. Though his dark circles were heavily framing his face and general appearance, there was no doubt in his stride.
Fearless and confident, just as it had been back in the Homelands, it was the walk of royalty no doubt. His appearance lacked the character but his aura and speech was no doubt that of a King. Sighing, he took out his keys and unlocked the door under the sign of his own book store. West of the Moon. Maybe it was ironical that the store was named after his own fable, though nothing seemed to fit better than it. He simply couldn’t name it otherwise, no matter what he attempted.
He pushed the door open, welcoming the warmth and smell of books that washed against him. Flipping the sign to read ‘open’ he shrugged off his jacket, tossing it over his chair. The dark haired cracked his neck once, the fatigue from yesterday lack of sleep making his joints stiff. “I’m like an old man.”, he muttered to himself before making his way to the back. Sitting in the book store meant the fable required two things; coffee and something to read.
The book was already on the counter from yesterday which meant he only needed his coffee. He pushed the white door open, flicking the lights on and grabbing the pack of coffee from the table, filling it up, adding water and pressing the on button. It didn’t take long before the brown liquid filled up the mug, as well as filling the small kitchenette with the coffee aroma and moving out to the shop itself.
Just as he filled his mug, the bell in the front went off, alerting him of a new customer. But at the first step he took he froze unintentionally. 'Fable.’ He let out a sigh before resuming his step and walking to the front. Why did it seem that almost all his visitors and customers these days were fables? Maybe because he joined the Good after a lot of thought?
He shrugged the thought away. “Welcome.”, he called and made his way back to the front, coffee cup in hand. His steps made the floor emit a noise with each one until he sat back on his place. “May I be of help?”, he questioned as of habit to the female further away. He drew a hand through his hair, watching the emotionless female fable looking around his store.
He continued to look up at the other male, then towards the entrance. A hand was placed on the shelf in front of him to help himself up, dusting off his clothing. He could tuned out the many questions that the male in front of him were asking, having heard them all before. The fables were becoming more and more predictable with each on he met. Sunggyu couldn’t count the many times he was asked who he was. Who was he, could he inform him that he is Jack the one on the run from the adversary. It was easy to tell which person was a fable, but it was hard to say who they belong too. This male didn’t look like he was from the adversary, but he also looked as though he didn’t care for much.
His gaze moved back up to who seemed to be the owner of this bookstore. He hadn’t realized he ran into the shop until he stood up and actually got a look around the area. “Um…” He started, scratching the back of his as he thought of something to come up with to answer the male’s question. “Well, I could tell you a lot about who I am, but telling you may get me in trouble again. By that aura around you, you must be a fable as well.” He said in a soft spoken voice, a slow nod coming after before he continued on.
“I go by Sunggyu, forgive me for running into your shop like this. It is like me to do something like I did just now. Hopefully I didn’t ruin any books when I ran in…” Sunggyu looked around the shop to see if there were any books scattered on the floor. Thankful enough, everything was still intact. For now, he needed to stay put until things calmed down. Though the men were gone for now they would be back again later on to see if he was still around. It had been years since he was chased down like he was today. He contemplated whether or not he should have told them the truth, would they still remember him. His time with the Noble King was over, so, could they have been working for someone else in the Adversary.
Sunggyu was deep in his thoughts, his attention was brought back on the other when he realized that the fable was still in front of him. “Do you mind if I stay here for a while longer? I wouldn’t be a bother, I’m rather quiet than most.”
The fable hadn’t expected the man to give his fable identity right away. Knowing how the Adversary pushed on into the Mundane world there was no doubt fables would take their precautions towards new faces. The adversary had corrupted so many, turned friends to foes that you couldn’t know who stood where. The fate had been too cruel for too many fables to allow such casualness among them. And thus he didn’t pry, he was after all no cruel man, just silent. Simply nodding he listened to the the other’s request. As long as they didn’t bother him, wreck any of his books or store; he honestly couldn’t care less who were in it.
“Fable indeed.”, he didn’t bother saying any more. Just having a fellow fable around made him uncomfortable in too many ways to describe it in a sentence, or two. Fables had never been the kindest towards him, but nor had he been open to let them. There was a reason why he opened the bookstore outside of Fable Town and in the Mundane world.
“There’s a small break room in the back you can hole out or just go further back in the store.”, he nudged his head down past a few shelves. Won Bin waited for his reaction before slipping back to his counter and grabbing the empty cup of coffee from the wooden surface. The dark haired male didn’t wait for an answer as he turned on his heel, empty cup in hand, and made his way down past the shelves.
If it was one thing Won Bin relied on then it was coffee. And an empty cup of coffee while he was minding the shop wasn’t desired. Honestly the thought made him want to close the shop for the day and hole up in his flat. But that was a thought for another day he figured, and poured himself a cup of coffee.
It had been a particularly sleep-less night for the male fable. Then again, so was every night for him alike Sighing he sipped the nearly scorning hot, and newly bought, coffee from it’s container. Sleep, or rather the lack of it, was still hanging tightly on to his eyelids as he sluggishly made his way out of the coffee shop. A shiver shot through his spine as he was faced with the cold december air hanging around Seoul. Spending so many decades in the mundane world had led his tolerance towards the cold to fall tremendously since the time of the Homelands.
Yawning he trudged through the thin layer of snow on the sidewalks, not feeling the so -called need to open the shop yet. Maybe in an hour or two, or five he reasoned to himself. Pausing in his steps he fished out his pack of smokes, lighting it up between his lips.
Taking a long drag of the white stick he resumed his walking. Why Won Bin actually smoked was a mystery to himself. He never smoked back in the Homelands. But then again he didn’t drink much back then either. Leaving the cigarette hanging between two fingers he blew out the smoke at once, allowing the nicotine to enter his system fully. It wasn’t that the shop was far away from his customary coffee shop, in fact it was fairly close. He just liked to take his time and manage to smoke a cigarette before going in.
Nor was it common for people to stand outside his shop, waiting for him to get there and open. Neither was it just any one it seemed. Focusing his eyes on the figure standing in front of the door he quickly noticed her scarlet like hair, eyes fixtated on the shop’s door. But that wasn’t all that he noticed. “Fable.” He muttered inaudible as let out a long sigh. Getting a look at the side of her face he could faintly remember having seen her face. ‘But where?’ His nose scrunched up ever so slightly before he dismissed the thought. 'This is going to be a long morning.’, was all he managed to think as he walked up to the door and leaned against the door frame. With his smoke dangling from between his lips he arched an eyebrow and awaited for her to notice his presence.
What a perfect way to start your afternoon by running into workers of the adversary, then being questioned by them. Oh perfect, just perfect. Sunggyu had contemplated earlier whether or not to stay at the farms or go out. He wasn’t sure what to do since the gift shop wasn’t opened on certain days. Those certain days depended on whether or not he felt like opening up or not. He’d just wished that he would have chosen to stay instead of going to Fabletown, now he had put himself in a sticky situation where the only way he could get out of it was run. What else more could he do?
With that, he ran.
The sounds of footsteps echoed over the concrete from the men black leather shoes mixed with the sounds of his sneakers hitting the ground as his legs took him as fast as they could. How long would he have to run before they gave up. He could have lied and said he was one of them, but how would he have back that up if he did. The idea of going in hiding for now was set in his mind as he made a sharp turn around the corner and into a shop filled with books on in. Ignoring the male that had watched him run past, he made his way to the back of the shop and hid behind one of the shelves that was blocking the view of the door way. He could hear the voices of the men yelling from the outside.
With heavy breathes, he slid down to the floor and leaned against the dark wooden shelf in hopes that they would soon give up trying to pursue him. His lids closed shut as he tried to catch his breath after the long chase. How long has it been since then, the last time he’d been chased was after his homeland was burned down by them.
Not noticing the footsteps that was growing closer towards him, he continued to keep himself calm not wanting to move from his spot. That was until a voice brought him back to reality, making him freeze in the spot he was sitting in. Sunggyu’s eyes fluttered open as he slowly looked up at the male, feeling relief wash over him when he notice that the other wasn’t wearing the same type of clothing as the men before. Though the aura around him told Sunggyu that he was also a fable. This wasn’t so surprising as it was before. He began to realize that a lot of fables such as he, frequent this town more than the mundanes.
“Silence is Gold” was a saying Won Bin nearly lived for. Something that again mirrored his surroundings wherever he went. He never struck up a conversation unless he had to, he never said anything unnecessary or play any music. Just silence in the form of page flipping and the clunk from his cup of coffee being placed on the counter. A seemingly perfect afternoon for the fable indeed.
Yet nice things never last in this world. Silence is one of them it seemed. Won Bin was unable to hide his mild surprise as the door to his shop burst open, a red haired man stumbling in and disappearing between the shelves. But that was not the end, not by far, as a couple of men in suits hovered outside his store. Having regained composure from the initial surprise by then he shot them a look, not wishing to start a fist fight or whatever in the midst of his books. Once they were gone he sighed and shut his book, and that was when it hit him. Fable. His head turned towards where the other had ran behind and he sighed as he pushed himself up from his seat.
Book lazily held in a hand his steps made the old floor creak as he walked towards the back. Turning the corner and spotting the other fable he leaned against the book shelf. He hadn’t seemed to notice Won Bin yet as she let out a soft sigh before speaking. “Well.”, he simply said while watching him realizing he wasn’t alone behind the shelf any more. “Who are you then.” It was more of a statement to himself than a question as his gaze didn’t leave the other one.
Pushing himself away from the shelf he took one look to the front of the store before turning back to the red haired male. “They’re gone.” He spoke lazily, leaning the book in his hands against his side simply waiting for the other to react.
