trouble - evnne

16

After what felt like an endless walk, they emerged into another large plane seemingly stretching to infinity. It was a deep purple, glistering lightly as though dusted with stars.

"Woah."

Evnne was greeted by what must have been hundreds of mirrors filling the space, arranged neatly to form a system of passages, linked together, they created a maze.

"No matter what, the plan is to stay close and stay together, okay?" Keita reminded.

"Copy that," Yunseo said, sliding a tentative finger across his reflection in one mirror. "What, dazzled by your own face?" Hanbin teased. Yunseo's mouth quirked, but then his brows knitted together, "Something feels off about this."

"Well, the only way we can move forward is through the mirrors," Jeonghyeon sighed. "How convenient, huh," Jihoo remarked, sceptical.

So they entered the maze, cautious but determined to get out on the other side unscathed. Yunseo couldn't shake off the bad feeling he had with the mirrors, as he walked he never once took his eyes off the reflections as they slipped from mirror to mirror, but in all of them, all he could see was his anxious expression.

"Maybe this is like the Labyrinth," Seungeon suggested, "Like in Greek mythology. There could be a beast in here we have to defeat, then we'll get back out."

"Hah, that sounds like a holiday compared to whatever this is," Jeonghyeon said.

"Junghyun, don't go too far," Keita nagged, craning his neck as he caught sight of Junghyun slipping past a corner.

"Junghyun," Hanbin called out, a little exasperated, then they froze when there was no reply. "Shit, fuck, p-" Keita began pulling out every swear word he knew, hurrying in the direction Junghyun took, when Hanbin suddenly yelled and when Keita turned back, Hanbin's words were a distant echo, as if they were never following him to begin with.

As he swivelled around, panicking for his members sake and his own, the multiple reflections of him spun as well, when suddenly, there was a voice. More accurately, his voice.

"You must be tired."

Keita considered if he was hallucinating from the stress, then he realised the reflections in the mirror were speaking.

"Ten years in the hunter industry," His reflection drawled, voice dripping with pity, "Is it worth it? I know secretly, you want to stop."

That felt like he was being stripped bare, his deepest inner thoughts spoken out loud. Of course he considered retiring, especially when he was offered a high-ranking government role, one confined to a desk and a 9-5 schedule. Of course his entire hunter journey had been a struggle, he's experienced loss, pain and disappointment. Of course he had wanted to give up at multiple points in his life.

"It has been ten years," Keita finally choked out, "Ten long years."

His reflection coyly smirked, "Why don't we just stop? Let's rest, for once. I can give you peace."

"No thanks," Keita suddenly smiled, eyes bright, "I have my peace. Evnne just made a name for ourselves in the industry. I am finally doing what I actually love."

His reflection made a face, "Are you sure about that? That guild leader will forever haunt you."

"Actually," Keita tilted his head up to look at the endless, deep purple space above him, "You know what? I hope my success haunts him." Bringing his gaze back down to stare right at his reflection, he continued, "I hope seeing Evnne flourish will make him regret. That will give me all the peace I need to live a good life."

The reflection was speechless, so Keita extended a hand, his finger placed at the mirror where his reflection's finger was not. "Begone," Keita commanded, releasing a spark of electricity, and the mirror shattered, taking the voice with it. "Now," Keita sighed, shaking his head but a light smile on his face, "I've got to find them."

-

The mirrors were mesmerising. Junghyun didn't know why but he was fascinated by the reflections, how they multiplied due to the positioning of the mirrors.

"I think I'm...taller in this mirror," Junghyun joked, turning around to see if any members were laughing or amused. Much to his surprise, there was no one behind him, all he could see were countless reflections of himself, frightened and alone.

"Guys?" Junghyun meekly called out, the hundreds of reflections swirling around him disconcerting. Then, a voice murmured his name ever so softly, over and over. When he stilled to take in his surroundings, he realised, his reflection was the one speaking, its mouth moving as its gaze pierced through him.

"Aren't you scared? Aren't you scared you'll get left in the dust while the others' achieve success you can only ever dream of touching?"

Those words felt like a blow to his chest, knocking the wind from his lungs. That had always been a nagging worry, after all, he had been one of the last to be recruited to Evnne. Hanbin, Jihoo, Jeonghyeon, their spots in Evnne had been promised, destined, even. But Junghyun?

He backed away slowly, all the way until his back was pressed to the mirror behind him, but the voice simply shifted, whispering right over his shoulder. Junghyun jerked away, the only knife he had managed to slip into his pocket now cold in his trembling hand.

"What if I could make sure that never happens? What if I made you better? Stronger, worthier. We could be perfect."

For a moment, that thought was so achingly lovely that Junghyun reached for the mirror, felt his fingertips sink through the glass up to his knuckles, watching his reflection's smug reflection. I'd like that, actually. I'd love that.

Then he heard Keita's booming voice, "Hey! Lee Jeong! Moon Jung! I swear to god, Jihoo! I'll-"

At once Junghyun withdrew his hand. "Holy shit, you're good," Junghyun scoffed, chest heaving from the close call, the realisation spreading like warmth in his heart, "You actually made me forget. Hey, I'm a motherfucking A class. I moved from B class to A in a span of two years. I am already what most hunters yearn for."

Flabbergasted, his reflection quickly supplied, "What I can give you will instantly turn you into S class! Maybe even SS, the first of your kind! I can give you so much-"

Junghyun's knife impaled the centre of the mirror, where his reflection's horrified expression splintered into dozens of glinting glass pieces. All around him, the mirrors shattered as well, falling to the ground tinkling like wind chimes.

With a quick sigh, Junghyun mused, "I gotta go find my silly members now."

an: that guild leader i'm talking about is 100% rain. lmao.