pinocchio

more canon details + stats + connections + timeline + aesthetics 

mind games

Elbows planted and palms perched underneath her chin, she observed the other through her antics, more curious about Taru’s reaction than the actual content itself. Yes, it seems that this definitely went to the right person as she did not value the photos as much. But team work makes the world go round, even though they technically were not working on anything together. She’s simply ‘assisting’. A little bit. Pleasantly, the diner was quieter than normal, which allowed her to play the part of a lollygagger while on the clock, lest her on shift supervisor would be down her neck, for good cause too. She doesn’t often sit on the job- and she’s a hard worker, but at times like this, she rarely caught Taru outside of the diner, because the other was often here or working elsewhere. It makes her wonder, does she take the time to relax? Probably. But what do people do here at the diner other than eat, work, or have a quick meet up between friends?

“Everyone else was either running away, or caught up with the storm and the creature. I don’t see why anyone would reasonably be standing that closely it unless… This honestly feels like one of those weird videos I’ve seen on Youtube about ‘ten worst pictures taken before tragedy hits’ or something like that…” Yea, her video history was quite disgusting. Tapping her finger idly on the table in thought, her mouth is in a thin line as she bites inside, contemplating the person in the photo. It’s too blurry to tell. “I feel if I could see more, I’d be able to see if it was a resident or not. After all, I know almost everyone on the island that isn’t a newcomer… Even then, I try to know about the newcomers anyway. I’m nosy that way.”

“And they eventually make their way in to Sunrise as it stands.” Her eyes flicker from the photo back to the journalist in front of her, smiling. But no. She couldn’t even guess at who it could be in the photograph. “But no, I don’t recognize or can’t pin a name on who that figure could be. It’s too vague. And I recall who I saw at the diner but it was nearly everyone that was able bodied that attended,” she sighs. “And most of the people I saw were running away or left early. It’s strange. What would you do in this scenario? Certainly you would not have walked up. It isn’t a normal response in the sight of danger, but I suppose weirder things have occurred… Sorry I couldn’t help much though.” 

Ataru couldn’t blame everyone for running. A creature that size would have any land animal running with their tails between their legs, let alone mere human beings. It was just strange that it made an appearance so clear in the day when the traffic was high. Giant squids typically are shy, and doesn’t bare its beak to anyone not invading it’s space. That’s a fact she knew by heart. “Unless what?” A brow cocked upward, her eyes searching for an candid answer from the other. The subject shifted, and her eyes narrowed- still stuck on the pause Woori gave before pressing on. “-...true, it does. your timing was pretty interesting, that’s for sure.” The journalist sighed into the image, trying to find something she can notice other than the blurred man staring back at the lens. “If you’d taken this a few seconds later...” 

Woori did seem like the type to get along with most, and if not all- at the very least be acquainted with. Ataru kind of sensed that. It seemed they couldn’t use that super power of hers this time around. That was okay. There had to be more pictures out there, or more so- more evidence.

‘who I saw at the diner but it was nearly everyone that was able bodied that attended’ That could be something-.. with a little elbow grease. 

Ataru set her phone down in thought, leaning back just enough so her hands could thoughtfully tap on the diner table. Really, the assumption was debatable. But, only because Ataru was.. desperate for evidence. She decided not to voice that truth though, given the circumstance she’s not suppose to appear as a fiend for the scraps of clues. “Oh- no. I’d be running too.” She lied, “I don’t even think I’d have half a mind to turn and take a picture if the scene was as dire as you made it.” Taru’s lips tucked before she rubbed her face after thought. 

Good, reasonably comprehensive was good, right? At least he was making some sense because the patient seemed to be understanding his words, and with understanding he hoped trust would come and she would accept the help he was offering. Or everything would end up being a waste of time, that was also an option that he could not ignore. “I’m glad you think so” And oh yes, he was glad, he was even relieved that this whole conversation seemed to be having a nice happy ending.

“And I assure you, you won’t regret this” He told her with a smile, nodding along her words “Precisely, you could at least give it a try, there’s no much for you to lose and there’s a lot for you to gain” He assured her, feeling pretty happy now that this conversation had worked out. “From me?” He asked confused for a second, he was not supposed to be the one giving them away but well, after all, he would make an exception.

“Can you at least walk with me? I’ll do everything but they’ll ask for your prescription and ID” He told her, motioning for her to follow him towards the counter, where he started smiling at a nurse “Miss Kim, we have a lovely patient here who wants her prescription and I just told her about the medicine we got yesterday” He started, the nurse nodding and looking for a bag after looking at the prescription “Your ID, please” She asked, the medicine being right in front of their eyes.

Ataru took a quick, and relatively fast breath before nodding. The sentiment was trying to indicate bracing herself for a social situation wasn’t all entirely expected when she got here. The dramatics found there way to the back of her head though, now finding his words logical. The smile he’d dropped on her felt like another attempt to come across as friendly and she took this chance to hand him one back, although it might’ve been lacking the same enthusiasm. The purpose was there though. 

“Ah.. well no- meaning I’d rather you delegated it.. is that the word?” The woman inquired, not knowing if she was using the word correctly. She assume that meant something long the lines of hand to, or to give? Her eyes narrowed a bit, pondering her own words until he pressed on with his invitation to join him to the counter. Taru supposed medicine shouldn’t be delt out in the middle of a lobby. 

Ataru began digging into her bag for her wallet. It was a very dingy, old brown leather pouch that her mother tried to throw away. Taru didn’t agree it was ready to be thrown away. Small, nibble and slender fingers flipped through the clutters of old paper, three time folded recipes and old gift cards until she’d reached the slot that carried both her identification cards, one from her home country and another for her ‘life’ here. Ataru slid out the one in question and held it out, her gaze already watching the woman bring out the refills she’s been needing ever since she’d arrive in orchard. “ah... here.” 

MAZE

The coffee ripples as Harang tips the mug back and forth, the angle of his wrist keeps it from spilling. They settle like tremors above the murk, and it reminds him of then. Of an ocean stirred by too many limbs, sediment kicked up until the water was gray and then red. Waves spilling and breaching and—

Harang breathes in and then holds it for seven seconds. That’s what the internet told him he should do when anxiety creeps up his spine. Everyone knows you should listen to the internet. He closes his eyes, exhales for eight. She’s not back when he opens them, so he pulls his hand from the mug, presses heat-scalded fingertips together as he waits to hear the familiar clatter of her shoes against pavement. It doesn’t take long; lets her presence pull his attention away from thoughts of the ocean and the beasts it harbors. 

(It has to be true. They all saw it. Real.)

“Both?” Harang drinks his coffee instead of looking at it. “Well. The weird is kind of obvious at this point, that wasn’t-” here he gestures broadly to the ocean, “like…subtle.” Is a collective delusion ruled out at this point? Despite Harang’s interest in the odd, it doesn’t feel natural. A different artist scribbling over an already finished comic, a blending of styles that refuse to match. He drinks again (he doesn’t need the caffeine with the stutter-stop running of his heart). 

“But…what book? Or, I don’t know, reading material.” He laughs, though perhaps it’s too quiet to be properly classified as one (can they overhear them, these things? And that’s just a bit too paranoid. Probably. Fuck.). He taps at his phone again, until it lights up, unlocks it with a press of his thumb and scrolls through the stacks of web page tabs he has open. “Something online?” he asks again, re-finds that strange site everyone seems to have stumbled their way onto just to see if something new was posted. 

“Well, what’re the weird discoveries? Aside from giant fucking squid.” His eyes dart back to the ocean briefly, subconsciously, and then he tries to scrub the curiosity from them with the palm of his hand. “I don’t know if I’ve had as much luck about finding, like, real stuff.” If she did find read stuff. He shifts back in his chair and waits. 

‘both?’ ataru chuckled to herself, the gesture supposedly meaning; yes, both- and there is no way out. the world of exploring knowledge in her opinion, should be ventured with an excitable friend. harang being that sacrifice. 

another sniffle and a small stack of torn away notebook paper meets the space in between them on the table. following came the journal the pages were ripped from and the book she’d dissected the night before for proof-- all of which was pulled out with a deep, and chaotic sense of attention digging around in her bag. “it isn’t- not even in the slightest, and that is still... odd to me.” ataru peeked up from raiding her bag for evidence, “it’s like they want to attract nosey tourists.” she says that like she isn’t one. “i read ‘prosperity through permissions: the history of orchard island’ which didn’t have much but enough to compare some things.” 

“that strange site gave me nothing.” there wasn’t anything the stuck out. just a bunch of citizens and their alleged sightings of the squid. so really that was something- it just wasn’t enough. 

the book it’s self was heavily annotated, green sticky notes of different shades peeked out beyond the yellowed pages. each having a note, a reminder to come back to that without marking the book up. it was borrowed after all. taru placed the book in front of him before she’d flipped through the pages she’d laid out. “most of the book though is about this fruit that’s native here buuutttt-...” she paused, a finger lifting to indicate she had something to pair with that. 

“they do mention the geography of the land, and it’s history.” that was her big gripe here, that the island has a strange make up compared to the information in sightings. a set of brown eyes meet the ones across from her. they mused, almost like they’d found something juicy enough to be proud of. “put a pin in the last to things you said and ask me, why understanding the geography of this island means anything-..” 

A total of five books slide down the book return.

Ataru had read those in less than a week and still had two sitting opened and cluttered with bookmarks beside her mattress. One was an old dingy paper back allegedly on the urban legends of Gwaswun Island. So far the pages have only extensively talked about the Sibipaldaewang, also known and recently spotted as, the colossal squid. The information did nothing, at least not when there was much more to this town than the safety of it’s shore lines. No matter if there was a reason it got so close to the island, or not- Taru was looking for something way juicer.

Usually, Hyun didn’t have troubles speaking to others but somehow he knew he wasn’t being as clear as he could be, and it annoyed him. He wanted to help, not make things worst, and he was sure he would end up scaring this woman before being able to give her the medication he assumed she needed. All her posture said she was done with him and Hyun felt irritated for being so dumb and unable to express himself the way he wanted.

“Exactly, they intend to gain fidelity by giving the first samples for free” That made more sense, right? Hopefully this time he would make sense instead of confusing her even more with his words. He even considered calling a nurse and have her explain instead, but he was already here, committed, and he would try his best to finish this conversation only when she had the medicine in her hands.

“No, the testing part is a different stage of the development of a medicine, you need to sign up a consent and everything. In this case the medicine has already been approved, so you have nothing to fear, they won’t use you as a guinea pig, no” He chuckled at the image in his head. “So, what do you say? You want me to give you the prescription or will you get it yourself?”

ataru took a deep, deep breath in before letting it out. that was her way of swallowing whole her pride and suspicion, for now she’d let that feeling fester in her belly and dissolve once she’d be leaving with apparently, a free month of medicine. instead of thinking of this as a favor, she planned to digest this as letting this doctor do his job. in the back of her mind, she knew she'd been difficult thus far- something about this system just rubbed her weirdly. who could blame her though? she’d been in this town for a few months- and been to this hospital even less. her trust was thin. 

shifting where she stood, “that seems reasonably comprehensive.” a slow nod moved her head as she thought things out, finalizing her decision to agree.  

she was a great listener, if she did say so herself. responses sometimes deviated from the original topic, not because myunghwa hadn’t paid attention. rather, her mind made connections that related in her head but not in others’. but beyond mere ability as a conversationalist, it was mostly that her expressions were always encouraging. no matter what the other person said, her reactions were loud and exaggerated. for everything, she could find a way to be fascinated. okay, maybe not for everything ( school put her to sleep ). but luckily for her, and the woman who ( to myunghwa at least ) appeared to be an encyclopedia of japanese urban legends, storytelling was always interesting. subconsciously, the distance between them was closed slightly, both to avoid crowds and to hear the other better. 

eyes widened at the tale, gasps and a gaping mouth thrown in occasionally for diversity of reactions. a chilling tale of a child hiding and never being found had all the all makings of a horrifying story. war, disappearance, possible murder, a creepy kid. and the fact that no one knew what actually happened? TERRIFYING!  “which toilet?! any toilet? anytime?” concern obvious on her features, she got caught up in the mechanics of the consequences of running into this ghost child. she could not to die in a toilet! observing the costume once more, she could now fully appreciate what it represented. “well with that explanation, i can fully endorse this costume. and the next time someone asks, i can say i do indeed know japanese urban legends.” a dramatic flip of her hair and baseless arrogance aside, her attention returned to her company. 

“it’s refreshing to see a ghost with short hair. otherwise they are always in white with long dark hair. clearly, with the right backstory, even a blowout can be terrifying.” the mention of blood had sparked an idea. digging through her purse, myunghwa mentally patted herself on the back for always being prepared. producing a dark red lipstick, she flashed the stranger a wide smile. “i can help with the blood. i’m a great artist.” and a great embellisher too. the cap was quickly removed, fully anticipating the other woman accepting her offer. in part it was selflessness—helping a stranger add final touches to their costume. in part it was also selfishness—ensuring the pictures myunghwa would later take fully conveyed the disturbing tale.

she couldn’t tell whether this woman was being sincere. not in a suspicious way though- if anything the listener’s reactions were giving her a sense of gratification that usually ataru doesn’t get. but always secretly looks for. that disappointing and villainous voice in her consciousness just had to remind her of her growing sense of imposter syndrome. still, she relished in this small moment of successful entertainment and allowed the corners of her mouth to bashfully fight off an accomplished grin. her fingers, itching in controlled excitement, scratched behind her ears.

an actual laugh leaves ataru when questions shuffle out so quickly. “no- no, not any toilet. public bathrooms are totally all fair game though.” back when she was little hearing about it, she’d wondered the same thing. she spent too much time rushing her bathroom trips for the sake of leaving the spirit alone before realizing she’d been safe in her own home. finally, the other stands still letting her eyes scan over once more. another small win on this foreign island, a sponsor for her roughly put together ensemble. “ah- that’s true..” a spark of happiness dusted her expression, a bit enchanted by the grace of her hair flip. “by the way, i’m ataru.” 

As the gap between them decreased, he returned her bow.

Daehyun fixed his posture and stood tall. He led them to the house’s gate while adjusting the bag strap that was hanging from his shoulder. “I just got here, so no, I didn’t wait too long. Honestly, my mother is the same as well. Before leaving the house, she would raise a fuss. Every time she became distracted, she would lose track of where she had put her glasses. But I’m certain that your mother won’t have too much issue with this one. So, you’re ready to inspect the interior now?”

Daehyun pulled a key out of his pocket. The keychain dangled and chimed. He stated, "The owner changed the lock so there wouldn’t be a safety issue.”  

He put the key inside and turned it once to open it. He pushed the fence open and entered the garden before allowing his client to pass. They continued walking in the direction of the house, passing a modest garden with well-kept trees and shrubs. Some of them had changed hues to correspond with the season. It was a gentle transition as they crossed the field to the main structure at the other end. For the exterior, a traditional touch coexisted with a contemporary appearance. The wooden planks had been polished, the walls had been painted, and the roof tiles had been cleaned. As though welcoming them to the tranquility, the scent of the little forest on the back was a welcome gift from nature.

Daehyun reached for the front door and punched four-digit codes to open it. “Please come in, Miss Hinode.” He asked her to enter and moved aside to make place for her. He removed his shoes and replaced them with indoor slippers before dropping another pair onto the ground for her to use.

“There are two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, and enough area for a TV and a couch. Back there is a laundry area and a warehouse. Since the home faces north, the early sun won’t be as intense.” Daehyun moved farther inside the house, his steps making dull sounds. He took a while to get the back window to open. But when it was opened, additional light entered the space. He slid the doors open, allowing access to the kitchen from the room.

“It takes around ten minutes to go to the local traditional market. The bus station is twenty minutes away. Although there aren’t many convenience stores close by, the market basically has everything. Farmers who have lived in this area for many generations are kind to the newcomer. So, if you can gain their liking, you could receive some seasonally free vegetables,” he explained. “The downside is that there isn’t enough space to keep personal items, and the window frames are a little flimsy, making it difficult to open when the humidity is high.”

Daehyun looked around and let his client observing the room for a moment. “Let me know if you have any questions.”

that was a relief. technically, she was already wasting his time by pretending to be seriously looking for a retirement home. mr. hwang was just unaware- which she’d like to keep that way. making him wait too long on top of that would’ve been going a bit too far- especially since it seemed he didn’t have a car either. were they the same age? was it rude to ask? a friendly smile broke through her train of thought, his story feeling too familiar. taru’s mother was like that, forgetful of all the things that mattered- her glasses, her wallet... her meals. 

hardly detected, she joked to herself, “you’d be surprised.” a small chuckle followed, just like her steps to the clinking of his keys. 

the fence was like a gateway to a lovely plane of swelling and fruitful earth. leaves of green, orange, yellow and any hue in-between decorated the green blades of grass. to be able to see such expression from the nature surrounding this building easily impressed taru. the wood, polished and freshly painted but, still radiating an energy that said ‘welcome home’. she liked that. a little too much for someone with absolutely no bounds to buy this house. at least right now, but someday right? her gaze was caught up in the front yard when she’d heard her name, “ah- yes, coming.” 

although the sound of the four numbers pressed into the keypad and gears unlocking seemed satisfying, it reminded her that her mother would just find something fundamentally simple and complicated it. she’d change the code everyday if she could- twice if their passcode was even in their text thread for longer than an hour after being read. drowning in paranoia, her mother’s dark imagination had no limits. still, taru liked the place- the space was perfect for a humble family. 

answers to questions she’d written trickled out of his mouth like he’d went through the document his self. really, she should’ve expected it. mr. hwang was a professional- at least she things so. “meaning it wouldn’t be a hassle to obtain her basic needs, noted.” her gaze trailed the lining of the home, her eyes examining what he called to attention. “that-.... shouldn’t be an too much of an issue.” taru’s eyes narrowed, pretending to think about how she’d embellish the space. “she doesn’t have alot, and i’m sure we can find a organization system.” as for the windows, her mother would probably preferred them closed most of the time anyway. it came with it’s own sense of security. 

taru did take the time to walk over to the window frames herself, seeing what he meant out of curiosity. “i do actually...” her voice trailed, sounding uninterested but still engaged, “that lock- how often could passcode be changed? or-.. can it even be changed?”  

REWARDING ‘GOOD’ DEEDS

Morning arrived in layered senses that settled over him like dust — first the light spilled in, crept over the floor, softened the shadows; then it was the sound that dangled in the air, one after the other, strung across the room like drying linen. Though it was the lack of warmth that finally pulled him from his dreams and placed him in the room, a bit grumpy, a bit perplexed. In front of him stood butler Claude, who informed him about the arrival of a young lady Noeul had not actually expected to come. 

He briefly recalled the situation: the sight of an inebriated woman wandering aimlessly, the part of his mind that believed she was to blame for exceeding her drinking limitations, and the sensible ration of his thinking that prevailed when he chose to help her get home safely. He remembered the letter he had left by her door on his way out, and as he quickly changed in black denim trousers and a white shirt, he concluded that she must have been either foolish or honorable for actually complying with his bold demand for a personal thank-you. 

But was it really egoism, was it really selfishness, if expressing appreciation for such a great gesture was a given? 

Noeul greeted her in the privacy of his own office, a space he generally frequented when he wanted to read or play chess exclusively. “So, you actually showed up, huh.” It was a rhetorical question, more of a fact that was supported by the mild impressed tone wrapping around each syllable. “Can’t say I thought you’d actually come, but hey, life is full of surprises, isn’t it?” Here he grinned, and the sight of her hungover figure was comedic, tugging out ribbons of laughter from inside. But Noeul snipped them, cut them short, masking himself with a placid expression, calm, cheek resting over curled knuckles when he leaned against the surface of his spacious mahogany desk. At least she was cute–he had to give her that. “Well, start. I’m listening.”

a knowingly unhealthy gaze put a price tag on everything it caught sight of. the detailed wall paper didn’t seem to bare a single scratch, nor did the sealant on the floor. light brown eyes slightly overwhelmed by the expensive touches around her could tell that from the crown molding on the ceiling all the way to the chair trim lining the floor that whoever she was about to see, wasn’t just any common citizen. ataru wasn’t sure what that meant for her. still, her feet shuffled after the escort- her attention still spending too much mind to shiny things decorating her benefactors lifestyle.

the room she waited in seemed like a study or personal office- similar to ones she’s seen in dramas. instantly, this didn’t seem like a wholesome neighborhood thank you to a friendly stranger- it started to feel like a business deal, or even an interrogation. the bottom line, ataru didn’t think she’d be standing in a room like this an hour ago. although the space was filled with furniture, there was something that about the setup that made her feel exposed, and stiff. the silent air didn’t help either. 

finally, ending her anticipation, a door opens- and almost immediately she shifts her body and gaze to the sound. a man in the simplest pairing of a tee and jeans saunter through the doors, and her curiosity eats at his appearance immediately. really, there wasn’t much time for her to say hello first. his confident words reached out first- and she wasn’t sure what to say in return. did he expect her to be someone that takes but never gives? or did he not have faith in her good will in general? so far, she couldn’t tell. “well- what does that mean?” taru’s brow lightly furrowed, skeptically remaining friendly. “i’m sure i caused you some trouble- your home is reasonably far from mine.” she looked the man up and down, making note that he was seemingly charming at first glance. “and as i can see, they come in all shapes and sizes.” 

ataru found it strange that someone who seemed to have so much, found the need to receive a thank you from her. of course, she understood the sentiment- it’s the reason she came but... this kind of felt like overkill; especially now that she knew his attitude already seemed unique. would her saying a single thank you be enough? if he didn’t accept that, would offering coffee suffice? nothing seemed like a logical answer to her, and she had to think quick. he was listening. 

Hyun was used to get these kind of reactions, after all, not every patient wanted to be helped, which was crazy because why they would come here in the first place if they didn’t intend to be helped, right? But this was nothing new and he didn’t take it personally. After all, it was his fault for getting involved when no one asked him to so he would have to deal with the consequences of his actions.

“Not like that but also yes” He made no sense so he needed to find the best way to explain what was happening “We get free samples from pharmaceuticals, they expect us to give them to our patients for free so they use them and when they’re over, they buy their product and not something else. So yeah, we kind of have free stuff for a lot of diseases” He said, hoping she would understand he wasn’t being a freak and that instead he genuinely wanted to help. If she accepted or not it wouldn’t be any of his business but at least he would have tried.

He looked at the prescription, nodding and giving her a smile “We have three different brands of this, you want some or would you rather pay for it somewhere else?” He asked, a little annoyance on his tone since there was no way someone smart would let this opportunity pass.

his first statement sparked a ping of irritation in her chest- when usually she would be calm. maybe it was because he wasn’t making any sense, and right now- she could do nothing but assume this ‘doctor’ was lying to slip her a weird prescription. because she had common sense though, she figured there was some truth to his words. still, her brows dipped and her arms crossed, feeling a bit more stressed than she did helped. today ataru seemed to be in an irritated mood, and she didn’t like it. 

his explanation started to make more sense once he enlightened her further, ethically- that idea of his words made sense. the way he approach at first, didn’t. word choice was everything, and since korean wasn’t her first language... her brain set her up to misunderstand. ataru lifted her head, after quickly looking the man over. “so, there is a company giving out free samples to bring in future customers?” that’s what he was implying right?