◈ library.

@◇ m lalisa when he doesn't receive a response wooseok quietly steps closer to one of the bookshelves still standing upright, naturally moving towards place he would be able to ground himself. he's never done too well with open spaces. he continues to listen as close as he can, and is able to hear what sounds like faint crying as the roar of the thunder starts to roll away. that definitely means someone is here, but they don't sound like they're in any position to come after him like some others here have done. they don't sound dangerous. the person continues to cry, and although wooseok can't make out what they're saying, and he's not one hundred percent sure it isn't someone faking it to catch him, he steps away from the bookshelf and quietly heads closer to the sounds. normally he would try to stay as quiet as possible, but he doesn't want to startle the person too badly.

"hello?" he calls again, turning a corner and finding the sound of crying much more obvious in this section of the library. there's another flash of lightning that brightly illuminates the room and he catches sight of a figure crouched underneath one of the tables. "i'm... not here to hurt you." he says, cringing and wondering if that was the right thing to say, if he should even say anything at all as he approaches the table. just before he gets close enough he can see that the person hiding underneath the table is wet, appearent by the stains of water on the floor, and most definitely cold. anyone could tell by their shivering. once next to the table wooseok takes a breath, wondering what to do next. after a moment he starts to pull off his sweatshirt, which is pretty much dry at this point, before bundling it up and leaning down to hold it out to the person. he keeps his head above the table, hoping to give them some privacy. he knows he wouldn't like it if someone stared at him while he was crying. "here. if you want, you can wear this."

[] no, don't worry !! yours is good too. uwu

@◇ k jennie by the appearance of a knife under the stranger's sleeve, sunmi was taken aback, although unreadable by her calm demeanour. "i'm sure wherever you came from, presenting a knife in front of someone you just met would still be considered rude." she bluntly phrased as she shook her head, not frightened but more disappointed. "i won't hurt you so, please, calm down. this isn't the best establishment to cause a scuffle, wouldn't you say?" she reasoned as she gently held the stranger's hand that was inches away from her sleeve then swiftly slipped her handkerchief between her fingers. "please, take it. i have no reason to hurt you." she whispered before stepping back to introduce herself. "my name is sunmi. you are?" she questioned, her tone sincere though still bitter after witnessing her indecent set of manners. "if you'd like me to leave you be then, i promise i will, but i do warn you. you might not find someone else for days. this town is vast than one might think."

@◈ l sunmi ᵗʰᵉ ˢᶦʳᵉⁿ Jennie had expected to be by herself, her nose crinkling as she opened up the dusty novel, her coughs softening as she flipped through the slightly brittles pages. It was all written in English. Jennie had studied some of the white - language, but the characters were so hard to read- they were not even close to Korean. ‘Wouldn’t hell feature all languages? Death doesn’t discriminate.’ And then, a voice. Jennie’s head snapped up and she grabbed the knife hidden in her sleeve, the clean iron showing itself as Jennie took two steps back. “Who are you?” She demanded a explanation from the strange woman. She was wearing very flashy clothing... who was she? She looked beautiful, but... was she a demon. Jennie understand, as the women held out a peice of fabric like a peace offering of sorts... Jennie wanted to take it, but she had no idea where she was, or if the other had bad intentions. She wouldn’t let her guard down...not yet.

@◇ k jennie sunmi always had love as well as a deep understanding when it came to fine literature. the town's library was a place that she frequented and most definitely preferred for its more isolated demeanour. a silent ambiance while coddling various literature surrounding her, another type of haven she's experienced aside from the beach. with a soft, gentle push of the double doors, she stepped foot inside as her heels clicked one by one against the wooden floor while she made her way to a random corner. she was feeling adventurous that day, so she opted for something more endearing. she was about to pull one book off the shelf when all of a sudden, a loud round of coughing jolted her still. she turned around and walked towards the source, peeking by a corner to not startle her newfound company. "are you alright? frankly, i wasn't expecting anyone to be here. you startled me." she admitted as she made careful steps approaching the stranger, slipping out a clean handkerchief out of her crossbody purse. "here..." she offered it to her as she extended a helping hand. "a sort of exchange. i'll hold the book briefly while you clear your sinuses. may i?"

@◇ j wooseok the situation at hand was everything lisa didn’t like— ascertained that most were still drowning in their own takes of misery, being caught up in such a strange town of desolate nothingness. it’s been a good few weeks or so now, and for the young tattoo artist, she was almost starting to grow a little too accustomed to the loneliness that coolly draped around her as if it were a blanket that ceased to end in its mass, with exceptions to the calls and wiles from people on the other line of the walkie talkie that she had found herself with. despite all that so far, things would eventually take a turn for the worst when the weather starts to shape up to be as awful as the reality of what.. or moreover who ends up wandering about.

the instant flashes of lightning in the sky were enough to catch lisa in a halt of subtle shock, and then realisation of what was to come so it was in no time that the girl was covering her ears but ‘boom,’ there goes the horrid bass of thunder that allows her heart to race, and her mind to wander off a little too close to the home that she’d come to lose. and no matter just how hard she had tried to run from the immensity of the guilt and pain that followed after such a tragedy, it would appear as if fate still had its twisted way of punishing her no matter what. each eruption of thunder and lightning allowing her mind to capture the exact moment that her parents would be fatally shot, over and over again— no thanks to her at all.

“, ..” lisa uttered through gritted teeth, scrambling for a place to get away from it all. anywhere, just anywhere at all before she’d seemingly be reduced to nothing, even if it wouldn’t be too far from that now— the sweater that she had since the very moment she’d been whisked away into the area now long gone, her palms and knees exposed within her torn jeans grazed from falling over every now and then. by the time that the young tattoo artist had taken shelter within what appeared to be some sort of an abandoned library, she was all wet and shaken. unable to do much but to cower away into a ball underneath a table as tears would roll down her cheeks, rendered a whole vulnerable visage hidden underneath personified strength for far too long. “it’s got to go away. it’s got to s- stop..”

( ) shhhh, it was literally a perfect starter bubs but let me apologise for this reply of mine for i might have gotten a little too carried away too? cries.

@◇ m lalisa the storm felt like it came out of nowhere. wooseok isn't surprised he didn't see it until the first rain drops actually fell on his cheek and nose, and within a matter of minutes the number of drops increased until it started raining heavily. he'd been walking through the dilapidated town when it started, and was quick to duck under one of the half broken awnings on the street. "why now..." he muttered under his breath, casting a glance up at the sky only to find dark clouds and receive a raindrop to the eye. he wiped the rainwater off his face and wondered if he should wait under the awning for the storm to pass, but as the minutes went by the weather continued to worsen. with the wind picking up and the rain starting to fall sideways, wooseok decided it would be best to move somewhere inside. he tried the door to the empty shop he was in front of, but it wouldn't budge.

looking up and down the street he could see the open entrance to what appeared to be a library. it would take less than twenty seconds for him to jog to it, and he hoped the rain wasn't coming down so hard that he would be completely soaked by the time he made it inside. he waited for a moment, psyching himself up, before running out from under the awning towards the building. he made it faster than he thought, and with only a thin layer of rain on his skin and clothes. it would dry out soon enough, so he wasn't soaked to the bone like he'd feared.

now inside the building wooseok was able to confirm that it was a library. and not a very well taken care of one as he looked around, noting several broken shelves with moth-eaten books spilled across the floor. his shoes squeaked against the tiles as he walked further into the building, noting how dark it would be if the front doors and several windows around the first floor weren't broken to let some light in. there were still some heavily shadowed corners of the large room, which he avoided looking at as he tried to find some sort of place to sit down and wait out the rain. as his search continued that was when he heard a noise. it was almost drowned out by the loud rumbling of thunder, and a shiver went up his spine. "hello?" he called out, hoping that it was just his imagination, or, if there was someone or something there, that they weren't looking to hurt him.

[] hhhhh- sry if this !! i wasn't sure how exactly to start, so it's a little long to include some background info ;;; feel free to respond with as much or as little as you like !

[Open Starter!]

This place was so eerie and quiet, but it was too difficult to stand outside in the open streets of hell to possibly be cornered by some demon and his minions. Jennie tried to recount all the sins she had committed and what deities would come to vanquish her soul. She thought a large building labeled in English would be a useful place to hide- find a nock or cranny that she could fit into for safe keeping and see if observation would lead her to systematically avoid hellfire. But in the building was shelves upon shelves of books. Were these accounts of everyone who was in hell? Jennie felt her hands shake, as it could be another sin on her back for taking what was not hers, but she needed to understand, if it was possible, what she could do to gain back favor and please the gods. So she slowly pulled out a dusty, black book, particles flying everywhere as the lady in a Goryeo palace gown coughed into her sleeve, opening up the pages as she leaned against the shelf, skimming through the contents of the novel for any sort of explanation.

After finding that one note, Seulgi skims through more books, may they be worn or not. 'Will I even find more worth sharing to the group?' She thinks as she tries her hardest not to sneeze with all the dust flying around her space. After a few minutes of looking through pages of the dust-filled history books, her nose starts to sniffle. "I want time to go a little bit faster, so I won't have to deal with these– but I need to find more information about this world," the female mutters to herself before another note with a crow drawing on it, which she assumes to be of advice as it says, "Noises will only attract them to you. The beings, which are not your own, are most likely your foes." With a hum, she takes it happily, knowing she has two in possession.

"I agree with him. It's better to gather hints as much as we can in the given time before returning here," Seulgi nods as she continues to move towards the history section. Once she pulls a book from the shelf, dust pours out before she ends up sneezing a bunch. She mumbles an apology just in case someone heard her before flipping through the pages of the book in her hand. 'It's old, just like she expected it to be,' she thinks as she finds a small note in between the pages. "They lurk at the dark. Stay hidden, or else you'll get a mark." She sniffles after mumbling what is in it. "Better to be careful of everything in here." Taking the note, she places it in her pocket before returning the book in its place.

Seulgi's attention turns towards Yeji, who stayed quiet after her talk with Al. She's worried that it affected her in some way. Her focus shifts to the male before nodding, mentally taking note of the section already went through. "All right, I'll head over to the history section then," she says as she points to the way that she'll be going before moving towards it.

Apparently, it's not in one book, so Seulgi nods in return. "I see. Well, honestly, I did think that it was in a single book since a diary is like that." She rubs her nape before turning her attention towards everyone. "I think that we all know how to read." She moves to stand up and look at them. "Now then, since we're going to split up, what section of the library do you guys want to search?"

Once the male mentions their original plan, Seulgi nods at him. "That's right. We're supposed to be getting more information about this world we're in." She assumes that the others had forgotten due to the words that he had shared with them. It is a lot to take in, considering that they are still shaken over it. "I mean, that diary is better than nothing, right?" She says, hopeful that there is still something worth reading as her eyes focus on the book on the male's hands.

"It's okay, basic information is enough. Thank you for sharing it to us, Al," Seulgi says as she gives him a smile. She is afraid and she will admit that. Anxious thoughts fill her mind as she continues to calm Sana with her gentle pats. Though for now, as the male advised them to do, she could only enjoy the time that she and her fellow first-timers have before whatever event will happen soon to them.

Seulgi looks over to Sana, who grabs the sleeve of her shirt. Assuring the other female, she places her hand on hers before she starts to pat it softly. She could've mumbled that it's okay and that they were going to be fine, but she didn't want to give false hope after knowing what the male said. Instead, a smile curls on her lips as she looks over to the younger female. Her attention is towards Al the next minute. "Oh! Thank you for the correction." Her politeness is still intact, despite the looming feeling about their incoming doom. She glances at the other two, hoping that they may find common ground soon.

If they were all closer, then Seulgi would've stepped up to stop them from fighting. She could've seen sparks between them, and she is thankful that Sana is with them. The people present right now seem to be balanced in a way. "Oh?" Suddenly, her mind is turning gears, wondering what the experienced male is saying. "So, you're telling us that we may experience death in this world but not actually die– is that right?" Honestly, it is weird to think that it is a possibility. Though in this other world, Seulgi is beginning to believe in it. With her heart beating quicker than before, she sighs softly in an attempt to calm herself, then looks over to the others. The fear is starting to show on her fellow first-timers. Being the oldest female present, she keeps a straight face, not wanting to worry everyone in the room.

Once the male makes eye contact with her, Seulgi holds it for a while before turning towards the others in the group. "Anyway," she starts as she places her hands on the table. "It is true that our information is not enough compared to yours. I respect your choice in not sharing, Al." Though she says that, Seulgi wants to know more about this place, and it would be great to hear it from someone who's been here longer than most of them. Besides, forcing someone to share, or in general, is against her book. With pursed lips, she awaits the reactions of the other females present.

Seulgi answers him with a hum before turning her attention towards the two females that arrived. Her hand raises as she waves at them while she continues to smile– this time, full of relief because they arrived safe and sound. Noticing how the male acted towards Yeji, she couldn't help but be curious about what happened between them. 'Best to not ask about it, yes?' The thought passes before she starts to speak, trying to elevate the atmosphere, "Yes, we are the ones in the call. Glad to see you two are here now." With a clear of , the older female introduces herself again. "My name is Seulgi. It's nice to meet both of you."

The question throws her off slightly as she bites her lip, thinking about her grandmother. She replaces it with a small smile instead before nodding at him. "I am. I have someone who's waiting for me." The female hesitates for a moment, not sure if she should ask but does it anyway. "How about you?" She tilts her head towards him, curious about what he'll say.

A sigh of relief escapes her lips as she takes his hand, shaking it gently. "It's a pleasure as well, sir Al," she says before she wonders to herself if she said it right. Retracting her hand back, she nods at the male, noting the expression he has on before replying, "I heard it before I went to go walk towards here. I do hope that she and Yeji will be able to get here with no problems." The female smiles thankfully before going over and taking a seat on one of the many spots available.

"Oh! I'm sorry for not introducing myself first," she rubs her nape before smiling bashfully at the male. "My name is Seulgi, and you are?" She asks the question at him to confirm her assumptions about him being Al, the man from the year 1709. 'He does look like someone from the earlier years. It's a wonder that someone from a different timeline is here as well,' Seulgi thinks to herself as she continues to stay at her spot, not sure if she could sit down near him yet.

After a few minutes of walking and a little bit of glancing around, Seulgi arrives at the library. 'It's like the other places as well– old and worn down,' she thinks to herself before moving in. With a knock on the door, she opens and peeks inside before noticing the male, who she assumes to be Al. She keeps in mind not to be loud as she starts to greet the other. "Hi, are we the only ones in here so far?"