Between Footsteps| p.jm

THIRTY-FIVE| -... . .-.. --- .--

A/N: "Shadows," a Between Footsteps short story has been posted! It can be found in my works if you haven't read it yet. Thank you everyone for waiting for me and being so sweet <3

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"Peanut, this has got to be your worst idea yet."

"I know," you admitted, you yourself wondering why you even cared anymore. And yet there was a buzzing in your veins that you just couldn't ignore.

Deep down, you wondered if there was something you might find that could help you, Jimin, or Hun. Anything. Something to help you feel secure, and to solve any remaining mysteries that were always lingering just out of your reach.

You refused to leave Hun alone in the Between without knowing he would be fine.

You wanted to know if you could ever see Jimin again after the final show without him staying a shadow.

You wanted to know why you were starting to remember and see visions of your past life.

If any of those ponderings had any chance of being quelled, you certainly weren't going to ignore them.

"And Hun," Jimin noted, kneeling down and panting slightly from both his previous dance and anxiety to place a hand on your shoulder. "We can't do this now. We can't get him involved in this. It's dangerous."

You stiffened, looking back to see the curious kid staring at the two of you.

"You're right," You noted quietly, quickly looking down to place the palms of your hands on top of the wooden stage. "Then stay up here with him, I'm going to go alone."

"What-" Jimin spoke in almost aggravated surprise as you began to crawl about; desperately sinking your nails into the lining between the wood panel in hopes of finding an opening. "Aish, are you kidding me peanut? This again?"

"I know, I know," you quickly threw over your shoulder, knowing the situation sounded almost identical to the previous incidents with the curtain. You had agreed to always investigate together in the future, but Hun's presence changed everything. "This is different though. I'll be quick, I just want to make sure there isn't anything under the stage that could help us. I need you to keep watch and look after Hun."

You weren't having any luck and drummed your nails against the wood in irritation as Jimin shuffled lightly; not sure what to do with your words or actions.

Wait. During the show, there had to be some sort of automatic control that opened a door in the stage to raise the water tanks up. The ringmaster would be too occupied in entertaining the audience to do this himself, so the controls would be...

You looked to the far right of the tent towards the control room. You had never been in there as it was always locked, but from what you could see through the front window, it only consisted of controls that operated the lights, music, and other spectacles of the nightly shows.

The ringmaster always had shadows running things behind the scenes for him.

As if he read your mind, right as you pushed yourself off the ground and turned around to call to him, Dohyeong was already standing right behind you.

"AH!" You spluttered quickly, heart jumping as you didn't expect him to creep up on you but soon waving this off. "Dohyeong- can you maybe... find some sort of control that might-"

Before you could even finish, Dohyeong was already phasing through the locked door of the control room. You blinked in shock.

Having a shadow on your side was truly the ultimate advantage.