UNDER THE SAME SKY, atz

four : obsession

tw: mentions of physical abuse, blood and suicide

sotc: obsession by exo

PRESENT; SONG RESIDENCE; SAT. DEC. 11:21 PM

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IT'S HARD FOR PARK SEONGHWA TO LOOK HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR. Especially when whenever he does he sees things that no one else sees. It started ever since he was a kid — got him scared him to bits at first, but he eventually got used to it.

And right now, as he washes his hands in the bathroom sink, he tries to ignore the spirit standing next to him, unwavering.

He takes his time to freshen up and get the blood off his mask and gloves, as well as any drops or traces of it that might've gotten on his face or arms. He can't risk being careless.

Of course, being able to see spirits comes with its pros and cons. He's particularly immune to sights of death now after seeing it on spirits' faces almost every single day. Their memories and bitterness are unavoidable, and as much as Seonghwa tries not to let it bother him, there's only so much he can take.

So, he tries to ignore them and go about his life like normal, but some of them (a large portion, in fact), are incredibly persistent.

Especially the one standing close to him called Yeosang.

Seonghwa met his spirit about five months ago whilst grocery shopping, and like most spirits, he was practically oozing with sorrow and the need for cold-blooded revenge, searching for someone to avenge him. And Seonghwa wanted nothing to do with him at first; he never did with any spirit to be honest. They all spelled trouble.

But Yeosang, as Seonghwa soon came to realize, was one of the more. . .stubborn ones. He was exceedingly stubborn, pestering Seonghwa up and about, even managing to find a way to etch himself into his nightmares. For weeks on end, Seonghwa wouldn't be able to sleep properly, his mind filled to the brim with images of Yeosang's sudden death, and of the phsyical abuse he suffered under Mingi's hands during their time as secret lovers.

Yeosang was wronged, Seonghwa knew this much, and once he finally obliged (as he was beginning to lose his sanity), the both of them began to plan out tonight.

Song Mingi is dead, and so is Choi San. Yeosang promised him he wouldn't dare hurt Yunho once his spirit took over his body since Yunho never had anything to do with his death, and Seonghwa was content with that.

Once he's done washing his hands — even when he knows he can never be able to wash away the sins he commited tonight — he grabs his gloves and bat (which he'll burn later), and shoves them into his bag. Then he steps out of the bathroom and shuts the door. He walks past the room he left Yunho in, feeling slightly sorry for getting the guy so drunk he passed out, and when he enters the living room he feels this familiar sensation of another spirit.

They're always lurking around, waiting for the perfect person to use as their puppet to fulfil their thirst for revenge, and CHOI JONGHO is no different.

Seonghwa recognizes the spirit as the freshman he once talked to a year ago before hearing the news about his suicide a mere week later. Unlike Yeosang however, he isn't pushy or aggravating. He's rarely ever around in the open, but he's been there in the shadows, silently consistent until he finds the perfect opportunity to strike.

And Seonghwa knows people are the most vulnerable when drunk, he also knows not to meddle in affairs that don't directly concern him. So when he catches sight of Jongho's translucent self following after Hongjoong's and Wooyoung's unsteady frames, he only trails after them to see what will happen while keeping his distance.

Just because he can't meddle in things that don't affect him doesn't mean he doesn't feel that pang of sympathy for Hongjoong the minute Jongho's spirit possesses him and makes him stab Wooyoung in the neck with the knife next to the BBQ grill.

Students gasp and someone even shouts, everyone shocked by the gruesome scene taking place before them.

Seonghwa takes a step forward but Yeosang stops him.

They're assholes, he tells Seonghwa. They deserve it for bullying him so much during middle school that he ended up killing himself.

It's clear Yeosang is satisfied by this, and he's once again reminded of how much Yeosang disliked the duo. After all, he broke off their friendship for a reason.

Someone calls the cops, while others have to yank Hongjoong off of Wooyoung to stop him from inflicting more damage to the taller's neck.

Hongjoong looks like a deer caught in headlights, the hand clasping the knife coated with blood.

"You just killed your boyfriend!" A guy accuses, and the blue haired male drops the knife, his fingers shaking.

"I-I didn't kill him!" Hongjoong cries out, his eyes shedding tears, but it's obvious no one believes him. "I-I s-swear — I didn't do anything!"

Seonghwa starts to leave, spotting Jongho's silhouette disappearing into the night.

Seonghwa doesn't know how he managed to navigate Hongjoong for that long, especially when the guy can't even see spirits, but he guesses that there is nothing a spirit scorned cannot do. . .

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a/n: thoughts?