o( ❛ᴗ❛ )o

"I believe, that is only correct if you have a particular idea of what kinship has to be depending on the species. Once you let go of that, finding those that suit your desires and needs is not as impossible as one may think." Inha strictly separated his personal business from his family whenever they were able to do so. It was not as he feared for their lives, they knew the two others could handle themselves but there was no reason to. It always had been like that, they were a team, a family but each of them also had their own ambitions and desires. "Limitations, in my eyes, are something set in my full blood as well. Who says there are no means to reach the same heights, they may barely only happen to look different from their understanding." Inha had been unbothered by their differences in his own existence, even going as far as finding benefits in the bit of humanity that still lingered underneath the pale flash. He did not care for the reduced worth their blood kin gave to those designed by trade.

Yet, the bounty hunter rejected the general idea of favors. They always came with a price, even if it was not tagged as such, sooner than later, especially with an eternity ahead of one. "Well, if the matter would be as easy to obtain, there would be no need to bore you with this request. While the current owner is looking for a buyer, you could say a shared history makes it impossible for me to receive it by normal means. The object itself will not cause you any harm, while there is magic woven in it, only those with expertise in this very specific field would have use of it."

Ryo observed Inha's proclamation with a mixture of amusement and contempt, his lips curling into a sardonic smirk. Limitations, a mere illusion in the grand tapestry of existence, held little sway over him. Ryo scoffed inwardly, his disdain for such narrow-minded thinking evident in the icy glare he leveled at his companion. For Ryo knew all too well the folly of placing faith in the constraints of one's own nature, the futility of seeking solace in the shackles of tradition and convention.

Inha's indifference to their differences only served to fuel Ryo's contempt, a reminder of the gulf that lay between them, a divide as vast as the void that separated the living from the dead. For Ryo knew that true power lay not in the trappings of mortality, but in the unyielding resolve of the soul, forged in the crucible of adversity and tempered by the fires of damnation.

Ryo could sense the weight of their words, the echoes of past betrayals lingering in the spaces between them like a malignant curse. And yet, in the face of adversity, they remained steadfast in their resolve, a silent sentinel in the tumult of their own making. "I see, hopefully said share history doesn't come to bite me in the ass later" their words dripping with a veneer of false humility. his disdain for such transparent manipulation evident in the glare he leveled at them. "But given that im no one to say no to a job, im okay with the request"

He chuckled darkly, his amusement tinged with a sense of pity for their naivety. For in the world of demons and darkness, there were no bargains to be struck, no favors to be exchanged. Only the cold embrace of eternity awaited those foolish enough to seek solace in the shadows. "Do you think there's anything you could give me that i'll accept?"

"Hm, I guess I just like to go out and try, you know? Like people who always ramble about leaving their comfort zones but instead of doing like huge steps into what seems tough, I make myself comfortable right in the place around it. I do not think I need to jump into something extreme when I just can do it in a pace that brings joy rather than requiring me to go through tension before I can feel that way. I found excuses not to leave New York for the longest time, so now that I get older, I want to see a bit of the world because it interests me but it helps to know, I can go back any time. Let's say, I'd have randomly decided to move across the ocean to live there and start all over at a spot. I am unsure if I'd be happy with it."

He was used that most did not really understand his own way of thinking, but that was alright with him because Chanhee never had great ambitions, he never longed for lots of money or a career path others would admire. He just wanted to live a life that was his own, in a way that suited him. Chanhee also liked to live in the moment, without expectations, which was why it was fine that Kyo did not seem to be equally chatty, he got it wasn't for everyone, especially upon the first meeting.

"That's great, I mean you found something for yourself at the right time. I actually got into fixing things cause the janitor of the school I was sent to, he got that I wasn't much of a fit-in, so he let me spend some time in his garage, and I ended up watching him doing it. Guess, it just somehow suited my personality since I like how things always can work out, sometimes you just have to change a wheel or a cable."

He stretched: "I mean, the ocean cannot really talk like we humans do, so we need people like you to understand it so we hopefully don't all wreck it up. I think it's cool you do something important like that, even though I'm just a street kid rambling about it."

Chanhee looked at him, tilting his head before shrugging: "I like being able to take my own path and make my own decision but I'm also not against the idea. I mean, some things just seem a little too out of the ordinary to be just that. I never thought much about it."

As the conversation turned to Chanhee's own interests, he spoke with a quiet confidence born from years spent navigating the labyrinth of his desires. In the simplicity of his words lay a profound truth, a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and ingenuity. "You also gravitated towards the interests of someone who was kind to you amidst an environment that wasn't. But yes, i get it, been able to turned something complex into something simple is gratifying"

Kyo stretched his limbs, the sinewy muscles protesting against the confines of his skin as he absorbed Chanhee's words with a mixture of curiosity and contemplation. The ocean, a vast expanse of untamed wilderness, beckoned to him like a siren's song, its depths shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Yet, for all its beauty, it remained an enigma, its secrets guarded jealously by the ebb and flow of its tides. Kyo felt a swell of pride at the acknowledgment, a sense of purpose coursing through his veins like a tide rising to meet the shore. "Thanks, you seem a bit more than a kid rumbling about anything. Again, you're decisive, so i appreciate it"

"Feeling like you have a choice is definitely a good reason why to go against destiny. I don't mind a bit of the magic that comes with it, though. The feeling that there's certain things that are in place constantly, and are pulling you towards them. Maybe i like the idea of knowing something it's moving even if im not"

At the bar, amidst the clamor of the crowd, Estella's presence exuded a magnetic allure, her manicured nails curling around a glass with the precision of a predator poised to strike. Ryo watched with predatory fascination as she surveyed the throng with the keen eyes of a hunter, her thoughts veiled behind a mask of bemusement.

He felt it then, the subtle shift in the air, the whisper of possibility that lingered between them like a forbidden promise. In Estella's gaze, he glimpsed the reflection of his own desires, mirrored in the depths of her darkened eyes. And as their worlds collided in a collision of shadows and secrets, Ryo knew that tonight, they would both succumb to the irresistible pull. He smiled "Could be for simple and convenient sympathy and compassion" he started, slowly gazing at her "or...a bit of interest?" he finally said, hoping the human girl who had hunt him all along was far long gone.

˖ ࣪ . 🧸 ࿐ ♡ ˚ . the smile was gentle when tehui defined that he would be okay left with umi. the dedication was sweet, but she knew he'd be losing the will to live by the end of the night. "i think we're in this together now, right? if we need a break, we can hire a babysitter or something, go our separate ways for the evening. sounds fair, doesn't it" violet asked, knowing he probably wouldn't want to stick around her on their evening off from being parents. "are you hungry?" she asked, before reaching into the cupboard and bringing down a bag of chips; hardly a nutritional meal, but she was far too worn out to even comprehend getting ingredients together for a dinner.

Tears welled in her eyes as she reached out to him, her touch a fragile lifeline in the tempest of their emotions. "not forcing you, I wish it wasn't even a decision you had to take" As the weight of Kyungsoo's words settled like a suffocating blanket, jia found herself drowning in a sea of conflicting emotions. There was a bitter familiarity in his admission, a resignation that echoed the silent whispers of doubt that had haunted them for far too long. The absence of shock in his eyes, mirrored by the hollow ache of her own chest, spoke volumes of the inevitable unraveling of their once-intertwined destinies.

"Don't say that, you chose me, you decided to be with me and you also decided to follow this...whole thing" was it fair to release him from the burden of her love? wouldn't it be more justify to fight for what they have after all this long? "Don't just go and say you knew all along we were destined for this. At least be honest and say it was your decision" she was not about to let go of him that easily, she would speak her mind before that. They at least deserved that.

The shorter figure moved effortlessly, heading towards an assortment of boxes humans no longer held use for, suiting themself on it to cross his legs, unbothered by the alley's tense atmosphere. There was no particular need to voice that as in every meeting with them, there was a reason behind it, as all he did served a purpose although they used to remain hidden from most people's understanding. "Most would not go as far as call me their kin, too peculiar to reject the idea of those mingling with others they deem forsake, which always stirred my amusement. Is it not that humanity likes to point at us to be defying the order created by questionable forces?"

The hybrid's voice always carried a certain melodic characteristic with it, yet it was always unable to deny the lack of emotion. While his flesh partly was made of human, feelings never quite carried over, the feelings of companionship and affection, surfacing only slowly for a very selected view, turning most into an interesting object of observation to understand the unlogical actions of others.

'kinship,' ryo mused, his voice a sibilant whisper that carried the weight of ages past. 'a concept too confining for beings such as ourselves, tethered to the fringes of mortal comprehension. humanity's feeble attempts to categorize us, to impose order upon chaos, only serve to amuse.'

his eyes, twin orbs of obsidian, glinted with a hunger born of ancient desires. 'conflict,' he continued, his words dripping with a perverse fascination, 'a perennial wellspring of opportunity. In chaos, there lies potential for those with the cunning to seize it.' and he was sure the other would take his chance on it.

leaning forward, ryo's gaze bore into his companion with a predatory intensity. 'by all means, all of that amuses me, find it kinda fascinating' he purred, the edges of his lips curling into a predatory smirk. he could tell inha's wasn't one for pleasantries. 'oh, that's a surprise' as the words hung in the air, ryo's gaze found the other with chilling intensity, interest peaked. 'i would have entertain you in the gallery if art was the talk, but i understand secrecy when it's due' he rely, searching for any curious glimpses in the darkness. 'as long as you can assure me that i'll be free of any consequences, sure, im your dealer'

"Well, I pretty much just lived in New York, jumping from one mechanic job to the next. I like the city, it's like, you never end up exploring because there is always something new and every part also has its own culture and people, traditions even food. It's nice, except for the high tourist seasons where it can be a little bit of a nightmare. My life has been fairly uneventful until I left, but I do not really mind it." He often felt as if his life had only begun when he turned 18 and was no longer chained down to the whims of a man who considered him an object, the attempted second run of trying to form an heir for his company he never receive.

"It's also easy, you know? You are surrounded by people but you can be alone while doing so. Sometimes, I find that easier, not only because my social skills aren't at a peak but it's nice, just watching." It seemed Kyo was comfortable enough around him to hear such words. "Music is amazing, it helps me a lot to just turn off all that happens around me, no matter how noisy or challenging it is. I like to share and then to see what others like, my music list grows a lot like that."

Chanhee listened attentively but he would lie to say he knew a whole lot about it. The passion in Kyo's voice still hinted at how much he must enjoy his work, and that was always something he could respect. "I do think it sounds pretty cool, even for somebody who knows very little about it. How did you get into it? Something you always were interested in? Do you work at different locations or is it more like, observation from afar?" He was comfortable with the other, and asking questions was easy.

Somehow, this location suited Kyo, it was quite yet there was no denying that the dominance of nature here was stunning, it really was not a place you could find in most cities anymore. Even Central Park almost felt calm next to this. "You know, you keep saying that but your job and this, is all pretty impressive," he gave his shoulder a playful shove.

'you can learn a lot by observing. words usually don't mean much, and we are so used to feel pressured to keep a talk going even to the point of forcing it. much better to say it when you mean it' he didn't expect to be talking with the other so much, yet words keep pouring out of him seamlessly, not really pushing himself to it. 'an on going list, seems like a cute idea, to leave a place with a song from each person. or a few'

he reminded himself why he had stood in his life and his decisions. briefly remembering the days where books were his only companionship. fragmented recollections emerged like ghosts from a foggy abyss. faces twisted into sneers, mocking laughter echoing in the corridors of his mind. the weight of their words, heavy and relentless, bore down on him like a suffocating cloak. he remembered the relentless taunts, the cruel jabs that cut deeper than any blade ever could. each insult etched into his psyche like a scar, a reminder of his perceived inadequacies. 'i used to spend a lot of time on my school's library, one day i found this book with all types of interesting drawings and illustrations, details about the ocean...it seemed...easy, a whole ecosystem that worked right below ourselves, and i just never stop really reading about it' he explained, without further details. not that he could tell much. his relentless resilience had transformed in pure blissful ignorance with time.

he smiled, touching his shoulder, echoing the boy with a playful smirk. he was thankful for the boy who carelessly opened the door of the bar for him. 'do you believe in destiny?' he wondered, interrupting his trail of thoughts. 'like people are meant to discover each other, some point at some time' he wasn't sure he believe it himself. yet there, frisk air clawing through his clothes and trees whispering sweet nothing, there was a certain sparkling. letting him pondering.

There were many ways to birth those that took a shape that seemed to blend in with a world that ignored the whispers of dread. Their existence, seemingly unbothered the balance of the world soaked in guilt, rejecting the consequences of their own desires. Inha never gave into the mortal rejection of a plead, a deal one signed in, that decision hadn't been his and they had no intentions to waste away their seemingly endless lifetime to think about flesh that had long gone from this earth. Yet, he was used to the rejection of those who rose from what humans described as fire pits, and those designed for more accurate wrath than a child once inflicted with the blood of their kin, decided to be less useful than the sibling unknown.

In his diligence, he found his own power, exceeding those most were willing to give to them, ignoring how rejection was added as he reeked of death, that and the fair hint of angelic that some could not but note.

At the designated meeting place—a forgotten alleyway obscured by the shadows—he pauses, his senses keenly attuned to the slightest whisper of movement. And then, emerging from the darkness like a phantom, comes the half-blood demon, a creature caught between worlds, their form a twisted amalgamation of human and infernal.

Their eyes meet in a silent exchange of recognition, a shared understanding that transcends the boundaries of language and form. For Ryo knows that in Inha lies the key to unlocking the secrets of his own existence, a truth hidden in the depths of his forgotten past.

"Mh, it's fair if you feel that way, not telling you that it would be weird or something, although I doubt you are older than myself but then, I am here on this journey because I have done the same thing for years and felt like a change. That probably doesn't exactly qualify me for giving speeches about this topic," Chanhee joked, but he was okay to make jokes about himself. Age and time were an odd thing, he was not too worried about it but he understood why he felt that way.

"We can try it and if not, we cheat and take some fun photos together. No rule says you have to be a skateboarder to take pictures with it." He just liked to share the things he enjoyed doing those days, it was still something new to Chanhee who was so used to just doing things on his own. He emptied his cup and left it at the nearby trash as he followed along, listening. "We could do that, I can make us a playlist, we can share earbuds so we still hear things around it and relax a bit or just relax, no music needed."

He made a mental note to look it up tonight, get an idea what it was like. "That sounds very complicated and important at the same time, certainly in the level of cool as hell even tho I do not know anything about that." Somehow, he could imagine Kyo in a style of scientist that just also looked really cool, making unique discoveries but then maybe, his imagination was running ahead here. "It's fine, having found what suits you. You should tell me more about it next time."

he chuckled at the notion, his partially dumb limbs trying to simulate the act of skateboarding without actually doing it. he wasn't sure that was his thing either. yet the thought made him laughed. 'im into all that, sounds good when you put it that way, not sure i've ever share music with someone' he was actually sure that he had never done it. too afraid of sharing something he enjoy with strangers.

'oh, nothing really cool, we analize mainly oceanography to study marine organisms. the coolest part is the scuba diving safety procedures, and even that comes with a fair share of protocol' from all of the educational realms he could have taken, it wasn't technically something kids or often adults where particular interested in. yet he loved what he did. 'i specialised in marine mammals, means i explore the behaviors, population dynamics and health of them' he stopped talking, fearing he was already saying too much.

'so here it is' they have finally arrived at the place, the air is heavy with the scent of earth and foliage, a heady perfume that fills the senses. the pathways wind their way through a labyrinth of towering trees and manicured lawns, each twist and turn revealing a new vista more breathtaking than the last. shafts of golden sunlight filter through the branches overhead, dappling the ground in a patchwork of light and shadow. 'not much but...it does it's thing'