SUNOO | Crown ✓

twenty-six

"Are you sure you want to follow us to Apocalypse?"

"What do you think Ricco?"

"I swear Yeri, call me Ricco one more time and I won't let you have Sunoo," Ni-ki smirked mischievously before sticking out his tongue.

"But he's my darling, too bad Nishimura," Yeri retorted back sassily as she tied the shoelaces to her black Converse shoes.

Huffing out in defeat, Ni-ki playfully stepped on the princess's new shoes before quickly retreating behind Park Jeongseong. Looking at the younger boy in confusion, Jay shifted away but was only mimicked by Ni-ki.

"Nikko I'm going to kill y-"

"Now, now Yeri. You can't kill the infant, but you can learn self-defence from him," Heeseung yawned loudly before plopping onto the sofa.

"The one and only, Nishimura Riki, is the best in combat! He can't use a gun for shit though," Sunoo added on as he put on his black Converse shoes to match with Yeri's.

Glancing back and forth between their matching shoes, Sunoo felt his heart flutter at the sight of the smiling girl. In that short moment, all he wanted to do was clearly remember who she was—a sight worth remembering, the sight of her he wished stayed imprinted in his mind.

"Ready to go?" Yeri excitedly asked as she stooped to his eye-level.

"Let's go," Sunoo quickly said, mentally slapping himself for being too obvious again.

Scurrying out of their apartment, Sunoo walked ahead of Ni-ki and Yeri, clearly flustered after admiring her. They met two weeks ago, are just friends and are definitely not compatible enough. While that may be true, Sunoo knew his heart longed for her.

Her presence eased the chaos in his heart and mind yet, her absence made him spiral out of control.

"Someone was admiring your dumbass just now!" Ni-ki sang as he followed after Yeri's shorter figure.

"Ew, why were you admiring me?" Yeri snickered upon reaching the lift lobby.

Flicking her forehead, Ni-ki crossed his arms sassily before raising a brow at Yeri. Furrowing her brows together upon the stinging pain on her forehead, Yeri flicked Ni-ki's forehead before running into the lift.

"I won't tolerate this Ni-ki slander!" Ni-ki whined before entering the lift as well.

"You know Riki, being with you guys humbled me down. For the past two weeks I've been here, I felt free and happy?" Yeri thought aloud as the lift doors closed.

"I guess spoiled brats like you have the ability to empathise with us runaways and rejects," Ni-ki sighed before smiling goofily at Yeri.

"Thanks zygote," Yeri smiled in return before linking arms with the younger boy.

"I should be thanking you. You brought back our sunshine," Ni-ki snickered as he led them out of the lift.

"What do you mean?" Yeri asked in confusion before Ni-ki pointed at Sunoo, who stood leaning patiently against his car.

"He's more human ever since you came into our lives. He's less of the monster everyone perceives him to be,"

Catching Sunoo's eyes, Yeri felt complete; as though she finally found the missing puzzle piece in her life. That perhaps Kim Sunoo would turn out to be more than just a friend in the future. It was the fact he held significance to her life that drove the absurd idea to feel so real.

"He was never a monster Riki. Monsters just lived in his head,"

→

APOCALYPSE

"Welcome back Boss,"

Greeting them at the front of the mansion was none other than Park Jisung, a kind smile plastered on his face as he saluted Sunoo.

"Thank you for holding up the fort Jisung. This is Yeri by the way," Sunoo greeted back before gesturing towards the princess.

"Pft okay and I'm Ni-ki, but you already knew that. I'm gonna head inside first and get the arms we left behind," Ni-ki saluted back cockily before sprinting inside the mansion.

Looking Jisung up and down, Yeri narrowed her eyes at the taller boy. Clearly, it was her first time meeting the guy who broke her friend's heart. Conflicted between ignoring him and cursing at him, Sunoo noticed Yeri's tense judgement towards Jisung.

"You're the idiot who hurt my bestie, Lele?" Yeri blurted out as she continued eyeing the purple-haired boy.

"I-"

"Anyways Jisung, we came here to retrieve Papa's Journal. I need to know what kind of enemy we're dealing with here, I'm assuming he knew something about Sunghoon," Sunoo interrupted as he pushed Yeri behind him, afraid she'd get riled up at the moment.

"Shouldn't you know Hoonie? You guys were best friends after all," Jisung sighed sadly as he led them inside the mansion.

"I knew him as a friend, not an enemy. He's more dangerous than Papa. In fact, he killed him," Sunoo utttered lowly as he clutched onto Yeri's hand.

Stopping in his tracks, Jisung sighed heavily before facing Sunoo and Yeri. While it may seem like everyone at Apocalypse were masochists or even sadists, everyone was grieving over the death of their father figure.

He was the only man who saved them when they were abandoned or had no direction in life—even if it meant his vile way of doing things. You could say he was their hero in the form of a nightmare.

"His journal is in that room. Yeri can retrieve it for us, entering will just trigger our memories Sun," Jisung continued leading them after his momentarily grieving.

"Why can't we take it together?" Yeri raised a brow as she glanced back and forth between the sullen boys.

"I'll explain after you retrieve the journal Yeri," Sunoo sighed as he slipped his hand out of Yeri's.

Upon reaching the black metal door, Yeri couldn't help but feel an eerie uncertainty exuding out from behind the door. Turning away from the door, Sunoo felt himself spiralling again. He didn't think there'd ever be a day where he'd be standing in front of that room.

"I'll get it and we'll leave ASAP okay?" Yeri assured kindly as she took his trembling hands in hers.

Nodding his head curtly, Sunoo watched the princess boldly enter the room without worry. Yeri, the only person who was keeping sane, had no idea how the simplicity of such a room created the demons in him.

He wished she would stay that way, he hoped she wouldn't ask him about it the moment she stepped out of the room. The White Room, was its name. The room which sparked Sunoo's hatred towards Papa, the room which took away his persona.

He didn't want to recall any of it.