˗ˏˋ HARU CHOI. ˊˎ˗

She was so pretty. Like the lights of Seoul. The lights outside kept going long after hers stopped. It was a good idea to go hunting in Korea instead of hunting here - no matter how strong the urges are to find that little nurse. Cute thing. I fear that would be dirtying my hands too close to home though. I'm sure the punishment would be severe if I was to hunt within the city - or at least, if it was to be uncovered.

She's too pretty, too well-seen.

Damn it.

Mi-Cha... she was certainly beautiful, though. I barely had to seduce her. She was hungry for it. The glow on her face after she came... her smile... It was almost as sweet as the essence I siphoned from her... Almost as sweet as the fear in her dying eyes. Perhaps I acted too quickly. She was delicious. I could have held onto her a bit longer.

What can I say, diary?

i.

“MOVE! NOW!” He’s a monster, sure… but he’s a physician first. The explosion causes his brain to alter just for a moment before he’s quick on his toes. He’s on the front line with other medical staff, rushing to get those injured in for medical support. “Come on!” He’s rushing, his mind calculating the civilian damages and casualties as he starts IVs and preps for emergency surgeries, while delegating stabilization tasks for his team to follow with others – those who did not have such life-threatening injuries. Some would die – there was no doubt in his mind about that… But he would do his best.

ii.

He should have stayed at the hospital. Perhaps that would have saved her. He simply could not control himself, and now, looking at her cold, lifeless body, he realized his mistake. Haru did not hunt inside of the city, even if one of his victims was a citizen. Now two. He wasn’t sure what happened after that damning sound… But she was gone. “What a shame…” She’d been such a pretty girl. Past tense. “It didn’t make you better…” He moved quickly, careful to dispose of her body. With the city in current shambles and panic, it wasn’t difficult to do. She would be missed… and so would his involvement.

iii.

‘Someone, please!’

The male’s voice filled the remnants of the lobby as he entered, almost tripping over rubble as the medical staff still worked tirelessly to keep their patients stabilized. Haru walked over, watching him with curiosity – one that was quickly confirmed. The boy was blind. “Shhh…” Haru attempted to calm his nerves. “Come. We’ve had a few others come in with similar impairments.” There was not much they could do for them… and the beds were filled, but at least they could sit for a while. His patients would always see a side to him that perhaps no one else could…

They needed him.

iv.

For once, he felt exhaustion in his bones. He had not felt human in so long… Even when he was human, he hadn’t felt the same as his peers. Now this felt like a punishment. The light was nearly blinding, and his powers had faded with it. The library had fallen. Haru put a hand over his chest, feeling his own heartbeat increase with a sense of heightened anxiety. He had gone through too much to be better and he couldn’t help but fear… Was this permanent? Human once more. Not better, not chosen, not… anything. Normal, fragile, human Haru.

v.

His loss of power only lasted for a day… something that he is grateful for, especially when burn victims begin to roll into the hospital. The physician stares at them. For a moment, a brief moment, he can feel his own skin beginning to burn. He can feel them lick at his flesh, threatening to melt it away from the bone. He can hear his own screams of pain and torture before a sudden… inhuman peace drips over his very existence. His demon birth. His chthonic awakening.

‘Dr. Choi! STAT in Trauma 2!’ He heard a nurse cry before she ran past him into a room. He followed, but she was human – she couldn’t smell the death that already wafted from that room. It was a matter of calling time now.

vi.

He sighed, looking over at a fellow physician. Many had come into the hospital, and some left – though not necessarily alive. Some of them were still under medical care. A physician’s assistant moved to the door of the doctor’s lounge, “Dr. Choi, Dr. Lansing… There was another explosion. Victims in route.” In another flash, he was gone.

Israel’s demeanor remained distant, unmoved by Haru’s attempt at friendliness. He listened to Haru’s words without showing much emotion, his expression stoic. Friends can be liabilities. Israel retorted with a roll of his eyes. I’ve learned to value caution over camaraderie. People have their own agendas, and trust is easily misplaced. He replied with an indifferent shrug to Haru’s comment about making friends. He wasn’t interested in discussing his personal life or social interactions with the doctor. Or anyone else for that matter. His expression holds a hint of skepticism, as if he doubts Haru’s commitment to the principles of medical ethics. Did you take a Hippocratic oath, Haru?

When Haru complimented him as smart yet foolish and questioned his motives, Israel’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t engage in the debate. Instead, he merely said, Your plans are not of my concern. I simply issued a caution based on observation. He sighed, his gaze drifting away from the doctor and avoiding eye-contact as the man turned to face him. Monsters often wear masks of benevolence. And I know monsters. He let the words hang in the air, deliberately vague in his warning. He didn’t elaborate on what he meant by that. If Haru was as clever as he made himself out to be then he would understand what the wolf meant. As Haru mentioned his own role as a doctor and the importance of maintaining a good image, Israel’s lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smirk. But he didn’t voice any approval or disapproval of Haru’s reasoning. 

His smirked bowed down into a frown. Had Haru just threatened him? Before he could think more on the doctor’s words his appearance was mentioned, causing the younger wolf’s eyes to narrow slightly, his expression turning into a scowl. He wasn’t one to tolerate such familiarity from strangers. Nor was he easily swayed. When Haru reached forward to grip his chin, Israel’s jaw tightened, and his eyes narrowed. Physical proximity doesn’t equate to familiarity. Israel said with a hint of warning in his eyes, teeth bared in the low light. His body tensed but he didn’t withdraw, letting Haru examine him. It was clear he didn’t appreciate the gesture. A brief flash of irritation glimmered in his eyes before it was quickly masked.

Haru’s final question about how long he had been in the city seemed to momentarily distract him. His memory faltered for a brief moment, and he couldn’t recall the exact duration. Not in this moment at least. Personal inquiries are unnecessary, Haru. The length of my stay in this city is inconsequential to our current exchange. Though he was not warm towards Haru, Israel also recognized that causing a scene would not be in his best interest. He remained passively still despite his nerves screaming at the uncomfortable touch. Long enough to know that questioning me is pointless. In a deliberate attempt to end the conversation, Israel glanced away, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

. . . 

“Of course I did. In more countries than one, and my patients are perhaps the safest in Covaire. Good doctor and all,” he teased, though that part was true. Haru treasured his patients. He took his job very seriously- enough that he was able to keep himself together, to keep all of those voices at bay, all of the desire to make humans better —— his patients were his priority. If the man who was truly a monster, could care for anything, it would be them. 

The more the boy spoke, the more Haru smiled. He gave a shrug of his shoulders. “Not true. You felt familiar enough to speak - and boldly, so some familiarity is there. If there was none, surely you’d not be stupid enough to speak to me in such a way. For if you would, you would speak to every client in such a way, no? Since there is no reason for getting personal.” 

Haru quirked a brow, “— and why I may not kill you for such inquiries, I’m sure that there are many more clients who would. “Unless you speak warnings to every client you come across?” 

-

Pretty things were Mathias’ favorite things. Breaking them, keeping them, making them even more pretty. It was a hobby he could never break. Even if Patrick didn’t like him doing it in the city, he couldn’t help himself at time. 

“It is! I look at pretty things all the time”. It was rare for him to meet other chthonics. Even though he was one, Mathias still didn’t have a solid opinion on them. The only one he was really close to was his brother, but he had known him since they were wolves initially. He shook the other man’s hand regardless, “Mathias! It’s nice to meet you, Haru. Do you want to find more pretty things with me?”

. . .. 

This one liked dark things. Haru, as a creature who enjoyed similar tastes, could just tell by looking at him. Something kindred, though not in a way the city would appreciate, he was sure. He reminded himself to be careful and to not get carried away... even for the sake of fun. “Do you?” He smiled - unsurprised in that answer. It confirmed many theories that flashed through his brain. 

“Mathias. Pleasure to meet you.” His next words cause Haru’s brow to raise. “What are your plans with these pretty things, hm?” He almost cooed, if he could. He was genuinely curious. Haru enjoyed hunting, but he would have to be cautious about it.

Sena ordered herself one of the salads and water before she returned her attention to the man before her. He seemed nice enough, so far he wasn’t at all off putting or rude. She just had a habit of not being very social, not willing to open up or be friendly with the people of Covaire. She told herself she liked the solitude, even if that wasn’t the entire truth. 

She wondered what it must be like to be on call for the Chateau but she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer, knew she likely wouldn’t like it. She avoided the Chateau, she’d heard enough horror stories to knew going near it would likely make her sick or angry. “That must be a very busy schedule between both places.” After all this city seemed to be full of blood and abuse. “I run the apothecary here in town, Tides of Fate.” 

. . . .

He nodded, “It is. But, it usually keeps me pretty occupied with my time. There’s never a dull moment, I mean.” That, in this city, was a good thing. Though he did not voice his other reasons for liking his work - that it put him in a space where he could present as caring while still indulging himself, sometimes overly so, with those who may catch his interest. There were many pretty things in the Chateau.

@choiharu​​

―Wednesday night, at Temple

He’s been taking punches one after another without retaliation, and it’s obvious that the blood on him is his – mostly anything, as he still has blood from previous battles. The thing is that new watchers will think he’s exhausted and about to lose his match, but the frequent watchers know differently… the elysian is playing with his food. Currently, all he’s wearing, is a pair of short with an impact resistant cup. Safety first, you’d think―――no! Actually, it’s to avoid displaying his raging erection when he gets too excited during a fight.

And there, the younger chthonic fighting him seems to catch onto his pheromones, and is distracted for a second too long, as Trevor’s black wings comes out on the side of his head, and his eyes turn silver―he looks like a fallen angel going to war as he smirks. He darts toward the chthonic and hits him with powerful uppercut, pushing him up a few feet up, before the elysian kicks him in the stomach, and sends him flying into a corner, knocking him out. He slicks his hair back as he’s declared winner, then asked if he wants to fight right now, and he accepts since it’ll be his last combat of the night.

As he waits for the ring to be cleaned up and his next opponent to stand in, Trevor catches a familiar scent, and almost last at the irony of being covered in blood yet again while crossing path with man for the second time. His gaze finds the source of the scent, and he bows respectfully at the chthonic, as if dedicating his next match to him.

The next battle though, it’s brutal and the two men are almost evenly matched if it hadn’t been for Trevor having far better technical training.

. . . 

It was natural for Haru to be attracted to the rougher sports in the city - even if he chose not to partake in them himself. He wanted to... Oh, did he want to feel the blood of his opponents on his own hands. It would feel lovely. Still, he chose not to. A doctor should look more... composed in public, he thought. in private, he was everything but. His list of victims could attest to that. 

Still, he watched with a deep interest as the Elysian took out the first chthonic. Haru’s eyes are glued to the two of them, but soon fixate solely on Trevor - on his beautiful features... Those black wings. 

The chthonic is no match, really, and he’s soon made aware of that... or at least, he will be when he wakes up. 

Haru presents a respectful nod of his head at the Elysian’s attention. So, he has seen me, he thinks, and a smile tugs at the side of his lips. 

Sena watched him over the top of her menu as he sat down across from her. She was immediately weary, she was with anyone she didn’t know in this city. She nodded. “It would have been rude to make you find somewhere else to sit. They seem to be busy today.” She explained. 

“It’s nice to meet you as well Haru.” She turned her attention back to the menu, trying to decide what she may want to eat. She heard him mention hospital food and was about to ask when their waiter turned up at that table to see what they wanted to drink. She ordered herself a water and let him order something before she returned her attention to him. “Do you work at the hospital then?” She use to before Covaire, or rather before everything in her life fell apart. 

. . .

Haru’s mind was almost immediately made up the second he saw a linguine with brie and tomato. When the waiter returned, he looked up to her. “A lemonade, please, and I will go ahead and order the linguine with brie and tomato.” The woman smiled and held out her hand for the menu, which Haru passed over to her, before she walked into the back.