ᴀɢᴇɴᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴏᴄᴀᴛᴇᴜʀ.

Kai often asked the same question himself. In fact, he asked himself daily. How long was he going to have to do what he did? Having to pretend that he was actually okay with doing what he did. He was supposed to have a normal life, that was what his mother wanted for him, despite knowing the plans his father had for his future. How could anyone be okay with ripping people apart, only to dress them up all pretty again?

His gaze was focused on the ground before him, hunched over in his seat while waiting for the next train to arrive. He was exhausted and just wanted to go back home, and next to him was a young fellow – looking like he was roughly around his age, asking questions that he did not have answers to. There was still a bit of sympathy left within him – he wasn’t completely apathetic towards everything and everyone. Especially when he could relate to the issue at hand.

“If you’re unhappy, do something about it.” That was the simple answer that everyone wanted to hear, right? Right. “… as hypocritical as that is.” Not that he, personally, had a choice. Deep, deep, deep down, he knew there was a part of him that enjoyed his life. Some sick, twisted, disgusting part of him. Maybe it was the control  he gained from it, or maybe it was something else.

He eventually sat up properly, straightening his back out as he glanced over at the stranger finally, offering the best smile he could muster at the moment. “Just don’t let yourself be unhappy, yeah? Change is good, sometimes. I guess. It’s hard, but it’s good, in most cases.”

Teeth grazing over his lower lip, he wasn't sure how to react at first, not even realizing he'd been voicing his thoughts aloud. It wasn't so much of a choice of whether or not he wanted to do it, but a question of for how much longer. The real question he should be asking is what plans he has for the future for him and his brother both. It was neer a topic that was brought up often--if at all, so it left him unsure of how to answer his own questions whenever he had them.

"I'm not unhappy," which was the truth in Shixun's mind. He wasn't unhappy. To be able to find a stable source of income for something as illegal as he did was..an andrenaline rush. The most rewarding fact was that he wasn't alone. But if either him or his brother wanted to end this, they would without a second thought. What they had wasn't permanent, but more of a quick way to get money without worrying too much about having to live paycheck to paycheck to support themseles. "I just don't want to do it forever. Being restricted to just one job for your entire life when every decision you make could potentially put you in jail--it's not something you can call a 'living'."

His mouth was already working against him as he immediately quieted down, realizing he'd spoken more than intended to the other male. Shixun attempts to dismiss it as he smiles a bit apologetically, "Okay, just ignore everything I just said. I just felt like rambling to someone."

She can smell him before she sees him. A man dragging himself up onto the bar stool beside her, the smell of liquor permeating off of him. It burns her nose and she turns her head away, not wanting to draw any attention to the fact that she had been watching him from her peripheral vision. The doctor has learned one thing when it comes to drinking, and those who drink. Usually when a person drinks themselves into a stupor, it’s because they’re wanting to forget something, or someone - or, they’re just an alcoholic.

She wonders if he’s the latter, but judging by how he’s acting, it’s probably the former. Because alcoholics were typically melancholy people, their bodies accustomed to the alcohol’s impairing affects. The woman’s here waiting for a friend, already with a drink in her hand, her favorite – a cosmopolitan, it’s flavor so rich and sweet that it was hard to taste any trace of the alcohol content. She tasted her first cosmopolitan back in America, and luckily this bartender knew exactly how to make her drink of choice.

Hearing the man beside her grumbling to himself about how he’s been cut off by the woman behind the bar, who was glaring back at the man for his behavior, Nana turns in her bar stool so that she can get a better look at him. He’s slouched forward, face red from the booze coursing through his veins. She can’t help but feel a little sympathy for the man, so she waves the bartender over and orders a glass of ice water.

“Here. You really should consider drinking this, and maybe about ten more glasses so that you won’t have a nasty hangover tomorrow.” She slides the chilled glass over to him, the sound of her gentle flowing voice a soft hum under the roar of the music and the chatter of people around them.

“Trust me, you won’t regret it.”

Being in a bar was definitely ranked high on the list of things Shixun doesn't do, with drinking not far underneath. The boy was completely out of his element in this new atmosphere, but with the recent turn of events, he figured he had nothing left to lose at this point. It was sheer curiosity that led him here, wanting to not only find some sort of distraction from his thoughts, but to test if alcohol really had the power to make him forget his problems.

It started with one glass of some drink that he doesn't remember the name of, but thankful for the guy beside him for suggesting it. Was he that hard to figure out? Were it not for the drink, he would have felt embarrassed for asking where the menu was located. The liquid was a completely new color compared to the first taste he'd had back in grade school at some party or another, and the memory wasn't a good one. Shixun can still remember the way the soju burned his throat as he was persuaded to drink a large amount and the faces of his peers as they cheered him on and laughed, too intoxicated to realize that he wasn't enjoying it as much as they were.

Memories seemed to surface the longer he waited to intake the drink and before he has time to consider stopping himself, he's downing the drink as fast as he can. It was fucking awful. The taste, the burn--everything made him want to vomit it right out, but he held back because this is exactly what he needed. In those few moments of disgust, he realized that he hadn't thought of anything else but the taste of the alcohol, so they began to multiply until he's cut off from any more.

Vision blurry and head spinning, he doesn't know what to do or even what to think. Everything was a jumbled mess of words that sounded as slurred as his own speech was at the moment, but he can hear everyone else perfectly. His turns his attention towards the offered glass and the female's words with slight confusion, but he doesn't question her motives and takes the offered drink, taking big sips in hopes it would sober him up enough to walk home.

“You’re really good at this..”

The words sparked something inside him, but he couldn’t quite take it as a compliment. To anyone, it seemed like a strenous job, but to Shixun, this was just another day at work, except what he was doing wasn’t for any family or funeral gathering.

He was thankful for the mask that covered most of his face as he smiles behind it, knowing had he given any signs of how much his ego was growing, it would have most likely been deflated immediately. Examining the body before them, Shixun could assume that it had been left unattended for at least three days as with the obvious signs of discoloration against the corpse’s abdomen and the marbling of skin that he found morbidly intriguing. Even without asking, he knew the cause of death immediately, noticing the imprints of struggle around the victim’s neck as a clear sign of asphyxiation. Typical. It made the mortician chuckle a bit at the simplicity of it all.

“I’d say the same for you, but it doesn’t take a professional to strangle someone to death,” there was a hint of mockery in his voice as he spoke, wanting to get a rise out of the other. “I’m sure you’ve seen more gruesome crimes in your profession, why wouldn’t you go all out?”

It was a shame, honestly. Had Zero not been in his presence, he would have been in the process of prepping the body and dissecting it to save the most valuable organs he can still salvage once the process of decomposition has begun. At this point, he’d be lucky with a decent heart or a liver to potentially sell, but he didn’t have the luxury of finding out. All Shixun could do was stare in disappointment as money was burned right before his eyes.

   The male only nodded his head while he kept on listening to the other and though he didn’t like the tone one bit with which the other kept inquiring him, Baekhyun was nothing but the patience in person. ❝I told you before.❞ The index finger of his left hand was raised to wiggle it in front of the other’s face in a what was supposed to be disapproving manner but ended up being nothing but ridiculously adorable. ❝The boy fell down and sprained his ankle, and I told him I’d bring him to his parents if he told me where they were, which is why I ended up carrying him on my back. And you saw his mother too, she was thankful that I took care of the situation. So what if I got a few scratches because of that?❞

                 That was an understatement; in fact, Baekhyun’s arms and cheeks were covered in deep scratches that descended from the thorns of the plants that he had been forced to go through in order to get the boy (and himself) safely out of the woods. Just why exactly children thought it was okay to play in a forest was still beyond the young man, but he wasn’t going to reprimand a child for just wanting to have fun. Even if it had been slightly dangerous, if not to say reckless. ❝It was for a good reason. You would have done that too, right?❞

Sometimes Shixun himself was even unaware of how empathetic he could be when the time arose, but he had a slight tinge of guilt as he listened to Baekhyun's words. It was no surprise that the other would feel compelled to help someone in need, especially someone younger, much as the other had helped him before. It still didn't brush away the fact that the other boy was covered in cuts and bruises that would undoubtedly mar his overall unblemished skin if not taken care of quickly.

「— “You should, though.”  Musing into her own world of unhappy memories, Anita answered using a concerned  tone. At her point of view, it was nice to celebrate a birthday, since she never had an actual birthday party. “You thought what..?” Once turning to taller male, she arched one of her eyebrows before letting a small chuckle escape her burgundy-painted lips. “Oh, my dear. It always will be like that. We grow up, we get old.” A quiet sigh came out after the last word. Actually she wasn’t completely sure about the accuracy of his words, but she’s not the kind who cares at all. Anitta went almost always surrounded by all the possible kinds of people. Even the insane ones. “But tell me, any plans for your birthday?” Placing her palm underneath her chin upon raising her gaze at his, she made an attempt to brighten the subject.

Amidst the string of unnerving thoughts plaguing his mind, he could find a spark of light with the female's question. It wasn't much, but it was something. Slender fingers grasped the base of his cup as he let the warmth emanate and erase the chill that clung to them.

"My plans..? Mmh, I'm going to spend the day with my brother, since we were born together. He said he has a surprise for me, but won't tell me any more than that." His eyes drift towards the small pieces of napkin he'd balled up earlier out of sheer anxiousness and he suddenly feels a bit ashamed at his childish display. "I should probably return the favor, but whenever I ask him what he wants, he always says 'nothing'."

There is nothing worse than being set up on a blind date, Jei thinks as he walks into the small restaurant. Its a favor for his sister’s friend, someone who has helped him more than she should have since his sibling’s passing. She always tells him he needs to get out more, and this time she decided to take it into her own hands. He owes her enough, though, so going on a date with whoever she has set him up with is the least he can possibly do. The restaurant is nice enough, tasteful even if it’s terribly small. He is early, but it seems that his “date” is even earlier, Jei recognizing him from the picture his friend sent him. At least he hopes that’s the one. He gets nervous all of a sudden - he bites his lip and smooths his hair down before making his way to the table with long strides. “Hey,” he says, extending a hand, “I’m Jei.”

Even with the steady drone of voices around him, Shixun was in a quiet little world of his own as he sat, elbows perched onto the table. One deep sigh--then another--and he's counting the grains of salt that were spilled in front of him as a distraction from his thoughts. Thoughts of 'Why am I even here?' to 'I can't believe I'm doing this, maybe it's not too late to bail' were doing somersaults in his mind with the clock ticking down until it was time to come face to face with this stranger. It was all a terribly conceived plan his brother thought of as a way to get him out more and socialize with more people. As if he needed the help.

It was one thing to be introduced to other people through friends, but a blind date was in a new category entirely. This was a one time chance to make a good impression so the other person would want to keep seeing him, but the idea of dating wasn't something he himself was too keen on. If anything, he would try to make that known at some point. Aside from a name, Shixun knew nothing about the other person which is why the moment he catches a male approaching, he's tempted to say something to make sure it was him. Those thoughts were quickly confirmed with the next words spoken, extending his own hand.

« You’d better find a drawer or a box where you should hide in, then. »