cultor | [Open] Hanbit Library

[Open] Hanbit Library

Who: Agent Choi + Anyone. Bring your own top-levels
What: Canon update @ the Hanbit Library
When: February but let's not think too hard on the details
Where: Hanbit Library (Dream)
Warnings: Spoilers for GDCG chapters in the 290's range.

Hanbit Library

Late Night Station

The next stop is Late Night, Late Night Station.
A library of knowledge, a place of citizen’s rest, a sanctuary of ■■. Passengers heading to Hanbit Library, please disembark here.

A subway bell chimes, and the announcement jolts you awake. Your eyes open within a new dream, greeted by the everyday sight of a subway platform. The primary signage features both English and Korean, but the first anomaly to catch one's attention in the station will probably be a single A4 sheet in handwritten hangul:

Sekwang Technical High School Graduation Ceremony
Exit 4 →

And stepping further in, that's far from the only one. Sheets, slips and scraps of paper alike are scattered through the empty station, each carrying its own notice:

Exit 2 escalator under construction. Please use another exit.
Fire hydrant water shutoff notice.
Train malfunction / G155■
If you lost a cat-shaped wallet, please report to the station office.

With every exit out of order or with access cut off, there's only one place left to go. The space at the top of the stairs extends into a narrow cavern of modern bookshelves, stretching from floor to ceiling and filling the space with knowledge. Dim lamps are interspersed between the shelves, casting a warm, shallow glow.

Welcome to the Hanbit Library.

Hanbit Library I

Through the labyrinthine stacks, there are occasional, illegible markings staining the floor. Distorted lettering. If you can read Korean, bending your body forward into a bowing position will allow your line of sight to condense the stretched out letters into something legible, with each rule appearing intermittently one at a time:

〈 For One Who Walks the Path of Worship 〉
⟶ Do not make footsteps.
⟶ Do not fall asleep.
⟶ Embrace curiosity.
⟶ Once you have obtained one thing, leave.
⟶ Do not descend underground.
⟶ Gaze upon the window.

Not difficult, right? And look, there it is, right there—a window can be found wedged between the shelves. Upon meeting the eyes of your own reflection within it, you may find that something strange has happened.

You've changed. While moving through the library, your book has opened to a different page of your story, and you have become the person from that chapter once again—a past self, a different self, or perhaps you're the same, and it's your companions who have changed.

Hanbit Library II

Of course, a library wouldn't be what it is without books to line the shelves. Depending on what kind of curiosity you carry, you'll find yourself among shelves of the associated genre. Some of the sections you can stumble upon include:

Horror
Fantasy
Romance
Biography
Fairytales

Take one from the shelf and next thing you know, you'll experience the chapter you've opened it to as if living through it firsthand.

Hanbit Library III

Working together with your companion(s) to reach the end of your story, it's entirely possible that you may come across something strange. Someone strange, but someone you recognize all the same. Another version of yourself is also wandering among the same stacks. Perhaps they're accompanied by a companion of their own, or perhaps their companion is quite different from your own, but the choice remains in front of you all the same:

What will you do?

Other selves who are accepted and acknowledged will be returned to the place they belong: the innermost chamber of your heart. Their newly acquired memories converge with your own and a sense of peace washes over you as you awaken from the dream. A blessing of ■■, perhaps.

Selves who are rejected, whether by death, sacrifice, or abandonment, will experience no such relief. The only way to escape this library is to physically escape the maze-like shelves, arching over your head like tunnels. Even as you board the train that marks your successful escape, you find yourself overwhelmed by an aching emptiness in your chest. Their memories do not become your own, but perhaps those who encountered those sides of yourself will still remember them.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Upon encountering the window, characters will become other versions of themselves. These are ideally versions they've experienced, but think of it as being able to pull from any canon point; they can be past selves, roles, or in GDCG even different forms of contamination and other outside influences counted. Feel free to exaggerate the traits a little if it's fun, as if the other sides of them have been cut away!
All things happening during the course of this dream are simultaneous. Feel free to encounter other versions of yourself and their companions along the way.
To give them something to do, feel free to get pulled into any kind of book or story you feel like referencing or making up. Maybe you enter a book about marine biology where the author tours you through an aquarium while explaining, etc. The canon-familiar can feel free to explore Sekwang Technical High as well, but no matter where you end up, you are still in the library and may continue to see the stacks in your peripheral.
The memories and feelings of alternate selves experienced in the library can be kept. So any CR development that happens with an AU version of yourself won't disappear! You just don't get to keep, for example, the alternate self's history prior to arrival unless they think/speak about it during the interaction.

01. Poster of a Girl

Hanbit library ⋆ Open to anyone

[ A library, huh? The sanctuary of ■■? Of course, Agent Choi isn't the type to leave any stone unturned in a disaster like this—what he can only assume is a disaster, at least, judging from the weighty presence that hangs over this place little different from the tiger general's own.

it doesn't take long for him to come across it: the window that's, really, more like a mirror. and maybe that's where you find him‐or rather, this version of you finds him. if it isn't— ]

B) Twinkle, Twinkle, Ocean Palace

[ a young child with brown hair and bright blue in the centers of his eyes strides through the library with steps that are light, but not quite so loud nor frivolous as a real child's might be. his body is still decorated in light scarring, including his neck, he peers at you from around the shelves at them with a gaze far sharper than one might expect for someone his age.

... he's been following you for some time now. ]

C) Within the Shadow of Darkness

[ or maybe it's a teenager you come across, calmly walking the shelves with one finger tracing along the spines of each book he passes, until...

...

he pulls one off the shelf: 2000's Horror Classics Anthology. ]

02. Wildcard

Open to anyone

As a note, Within the Shadow of Darkness will lock us into that disaster. Feel free to wildcard if you'd like teenager Choi outside of it, though he's just LARPing the role. As always, if nothing here works for you, or for some reason you want Looky Mart Choi, then please feel free to hit me up with a wildcard below! You can also shoot me a PM if you'd like to plan out something specific!

▎at the premier inn.

hanbit library | artist: good kid

[ perhaps your character has been wandering these endless halls of books, every nook and cranny there's a book in sight. some that you know, others are in languages that barely makes any sense. down one hall, you'll notice a man with a deer mask, but the moment your character looks away and back to double take. the man is gone.

continue searching, you'll hear the sound of a black cat meowing loudly to the left, and if you turn in that direction. there's nothing. returning to where you were leaves a bookshelf in the way as though that location never existed. continue to wander, and there will be a place for you to sit down and rest, in the center is a book by the name of snow white and the seven dwarfs. upon sitting here, sleep will start to drape over you, and right before your eyes close shut forever.

a hand is placed on their shoulder. ]

Hey. You need to wake up, take a different path.

[ a man with a black cat (may also be a larger cat?) mask withdraws his hand, and takes the book on the table replacing it with another. there's four bookmarks that stick out with certain symbols: a yellow flower, a microphone, a cat and a fish. ]

She's on her way, so you must hurry and choose.

▎Aloe Lite.

A book in Hanbit Library | Artist: Good Kid

[ whatever genre of aisle you were in, any book chosen will unfortunately lead you into a horror-esque underground room. the walls are concrete, and behind you the bed is covered in stains of dried blood, as well as clipped nails, hair, are those organs...? wherever you are, you find that it's not in hanbit kansas anymore. by your side, you'll find a paper with runes, other symbols, and various lettering that doesn't make sense to the reader that forms one large word.

by a door where a red light shines is a pet cage lying in wait, and on top happens to be another piece of paper for that can be read:
Welcome! This is a trial test to see if you can survive. You are given one tool, the pet carrier, and you'll have to solve the riddles and puzzles in this underground facility. Haha, I know what you're thinking, how can you read this and not anything else. Well! I wouldn't want to spoil the logistics.

Beware of the ghosts, survive, and make it to the flight of stairs that'll give you freedom! Good luck!
the iron door light changes green, and the sound of it unlocking echoes into the room revealing a dark hallway. ]

▎Wildcard

Any book!

Welcome to Hanbit Library, going back through this hell again! Alright, so as everyone knows that Kim Soleum has a compartmentalizing problem, here is a list of all his contaminations. He's canon-updating to 295 so this means you get a wide range of fun versions to toy with. If you got a book in mind and a personality of his that you want, feel free and go for it! If you'd want me to write the starter then just let me know who you want. These are not limited to horror games, and horror stories you'd find on youtube and other creepypastas.

In the first prompt: golden flower mascot, talk show, lord cat, and cat (could also be twinkle twinkle ocean palace soleum if someone wants that route), and the second prompt is 130666.

If there's things you'd like to hash out, shoot me a PM or add me on anjonala!

Edited 2026-02-02 22:22 (UTC)

[ tickled pink and absolutely thrilled at the prospect of what's in his sights, all sorts of literature and store items placed upon shelves. what stands out though is a certain book, something that looks familiar, but he's not so sure. it's a sensational feeling, his heart skips a beat as eyes flash red in interest alone. the problem here he faces is that he's a tad shorter than what he wants and doesn't have the stool to reach it, and it's with a bounce in his steps that he finds his prey.

he leans left over the man's shoulder, then he leans right with a certain expectation at the forefront of his mind. ]

Hellloooooooooooo! [ he cups his hands around his mouth to emphasize the distance of his greeting, annoyingly so, but with good intentions all around. ]

my buddy!
Hello! My worker!
Hello! My minimum wage pal!

[ he tweets, a playful hum of a tune as he places his hands on the sides of the man's shoulders in an attempt to get his attention. ]

Send me an ad by wire!
Buddy, my heart's on fire!
If you refuse me, worker you'll lose me,
Then you'll be left alone!
Oh buddy, telephone and tell me you'll help all on your own! ♡

[ a man of fame and stardom, and what sounds like a crowd of applause dying down behind the entertainer, his face is severely flushed as he claps his hands together if the man turns around completely. ]

[ the weight resting against his shoulder, sudden as it is, doesn't come as a surprise at all to agent choi.

actually, make that supervisor choi. he'd left his old job behind so long ago, after all! even now, that scar that wraps around his neck is covered by a barcode sticker, slightly itchy but more than tolerable.

in any case, instead of becoming frightened or startled, or even offering a good-natured joke, supervisor choi listens to the customer's cheerful song—as any good retail worker would do—and waits patiently for his turn to answer. the lyrics are a little different than one might expect, but that doesn't faze choi at all; when he faces the customer, it's with a bright, signature customer service smile to match his voice. ]

Haha! Of course, you're looking for the weekly specials, right?

[ he asks, but he doesn't need to. what else would this charming ~~hoobae~~ customer be looking for? his hand is already reaching for the shelf that he's been dutifully standing guard at, withdrawing a thin flyer from where it's been pressed between two magazines and holding it out for soleum to take.

as it exchanges hands, he uses his to indicate one of the front page deals. ]

I recommend the cough drops—they're currently buy one get one fifty percent off. Great for entertainers!

[ you know, with all that projecting of his voice to a live audience he's surely doing nowadays. even as choi points out the deal, their surroundings slowly begin to melt around them; the books ooze off of the shelves only to be replaced with products, and the lights overhead brighten to give off a fluorescent glow.

Welcome to Looky Mart! ]

The one and only weekly specials!

[ they come once a year, never will you get a special that falls on this exact date because time keeps rolling by. without any hesitance, the host-in-training takes the flyer with an unfazed smile that reads the contents more than look at the supervisor overseeing his shopping experience. tightly between gloved hands, kim soleum runs vibrant dark eyes that flash red underneath the illuminating hanging light above them. he looks up, wide smile, and the scenery changes seamlessly into the perfect place.

a place where value matters and an audience— a customer's smile is what keeps the doors open! ]

Yes, take me to that! Oh, do you have the microphones you attach to your collar?

[ he reaches out with one hand to pinch at the man's shirt, tugging gently before releasing to emphasize his request. not only would he want to have the perfect voice to serenade his listeners, he wants to make sure they can hear every rise and drop of his voice, the way he adjusts the tone to bring life to any and all portrayals he does on stage.

the thought of being under the spotlight much like now is already putting him in a good mood. ]

That way when I whisper, no one misses their answers when they Tell Braun's Friend All About It!

[ a playful hum, he looks left then right, and his eyes sparkle looking at the man before him. the name-tag is chic, the bar tags along his neck show an honest worker who is committed to their job! ]

Did you know, did you know!? We even take calls while you're on shift! One dial away!

a. to say nothing of the dog.

You've got to be kidding me.

[ LO TRAVELER! The fine text above the wall announces, banners of lions and serpents and fire breathing harpys dancing around a final crest of a sword plunging into a stone. TEST YOUR CHIVELRY!

A cobblestone path stretches beneath ones feet, leading down a quaint village square and on to a grassy pavalion. The sounds of swords clash against a sunny, windless day. There are fine smells, crowds, cheering ladies and knights in armor, hounds in fine coats and horses in bright colors, strange animals and horns and one very miserable looking salaryman, holding his head like he can't quite believe the sights. ]

Are you an idiot? Were you dropped on your head as a child, or did they hold you back in school? In a place like this, why did you pick up King Arthur?

b. and the dragon waiting

[ But maybe you don't pick up a book. Maybe your path takes you across the library, cutting into it's deeper shelves, hands drifting across countless tomes until you round a corner and see:

001. A confused child, holding a kite.

002. A smiling man in traditional clothing, with a cup of makgeolli

003. Saheon, as he normally is, miserably fiddling with an overly neat boarding school uniform.

004. A much older man with an eyepatch...

All of them will look over towards a new appearance, pointing with fear/elation/resignation/apathy towards a newly erected door in the middle library with the following letters.

Bono malum superate

Hm? Don't be silly. If it's the Late Night Talk Show, we close just in time to tune in!

[ eleven pm on the dot! the cheerful flattery comes easily, and not at all insincerely. even retail workers have free time to fill! besides, they've carried goods that were promoted through braun's programming in the past as well. only the best for their customers.

though, "tell braun's friend all about it", huh? when it comes to that program, was there a segment like that? supervisor choi certainly doesn't remember it if so, and he remembers everything. just like he would have remembered this talented young showman, had they crossed paths before!

... right?

ah, never mind. he'll just have to tune in at his next opportunity, pay more attention to the branding, that's all. for now, he focuses on guiding his customer through the aisles with a flourishing gesture well-suited to an entertainer like himself—and that grin he wears shows that it's no coincidence he's so offering such a thoughtful presentation either. ]

But if you're looking for an equipment upgrade, you've come to the right place! We have an extensive selection of lavalier microphones to choose from. Are you looking for something wired or wireless, Mr. Host?

Edited 2026-02-05 03:34 (UTC)

No, no! You've got it all wrong!

[ he's not the host, he would have corrected him with ease if he knew any better, clipped and concise. unfortunately, he's done that before, and the audience fell silent at the response of a simple "you can't". kim soleum knows he's done wrong, he should be honest, a little more enthusiastic to his viewers, and that's why he offers a playful tone filled with mirth and delight. ]

I'm not the Host at all! I'm the friend, Braun's good friend!

[ and the man he's telling this too is a supervisor of a grocery store that tunes in eleven pm on the dot. the light reflect off dark eyes, a low shine of crimson as he's unable to remove his gaze from the name pin on his attire. it doesn't bring back any memories, none at all, but he's not sure why he continues to look.

wired or wireless. his gaze travels up from the tag to the man's neck covered in barcodes, and then he turns on the balls of his feet and darts in the direction, as soon as he hits the corner, he waits for the employee to make his way over with a wave of his hand. this way, come this way!

an entertainer who doesn't know his way, but he doesn't miss any beats when presented to him. ]

The best worker in Looky Mart town, come on down! [ extending an arm to where the man is, the entertainer bows forward with an arm pressed against his stomach indicating him to come on through. ] Help me feast my eyes on all your good wares! I think I've decided wireless as I like to get around. Mhm, mhmm!

[ The sour taste is bright on his tongue, even as misfortune hangs in the air. The light around them flashes green, an intermediate sickly flicker without any vibrance. It's an uncomfortable frightening place to stand alone with no shoes and thin summer clothes, but also a perfectly natural feeling that everyone has, so it's not bothersome for the moment.

One eye scrolls down the page repeatedly. He must have stood here reading the same page over and over for at least ten minutes. ]

I seee.

[ The paper is tossed away without a thought, as suddenly as the urge to reread it vanishes. He gets it now. Leaning down, the young man taps on the cage door to his help. ]

Am I supposed to kill myself?

[ even with the door lit up green saying he can leave, for the man to pause at the case with a thump... he can feel cold air come from it, or maybe it's from the crack between the door? without any real direction, saheon will feel that he's cold, that some unknown force has draped itself over his body to place a chill against his skin.

black smoke filters from between the thin, iron bars and slowly wraps around saheon's waist, and he can feel it. it's thick, and it's alive against his body as the tip of the smoke wafts to the front of the man's face, and familiar korean is written before him. he should read quick as it fades rather fast: ]

☠︎♏︎♑︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎❖︎♏︎
► ☞︎♋︎♓︎●︎◆︎❒︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♍︎□︎❍︎◻︎●︎♏︎⧫︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎◆︎●︎⧫︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎ ♎︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎♒︎📬︎
► Fail◆︎❒︎♏︎ to ♍︎□︎❍︎plete ♌︎⍓︎ ⬧︎◆︎♓︎♍︎♓︎♎︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎◆︎●︎⧫︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎ ♌︎□︎♎︎⍓︎ ⧫︎❒︎♋︎◻︎◻︎♏︎♎︎ ♓︎■︎ ●︎♓︎❍︎♓︎■︎♋︎●︎ ⬧︎◻︎♋︎♍︎♏︎📬︎

[ by the end, the smoke widens away from saheon, and is pulled back into the animal cage. inside, there's an endless darkness if he attempts to peer inside, and if he dares to place his hand in...

well, let's hope that he doesn't. ]

( if only he hadn't looked at that disturbing flier promising "mints for talking to the scarecrows that saw it happen" and "magnifying glasses for finding where your body drowned in the rice field". with a flier like that, is it any wonder the store itself is steeped in doom?

wandering around, then up, each floor eventually stops stirring finicky feelings, like irritation and confusion, and goes straight for the rabbit heart. yoshiki can't remember what he did after finding the "Sell Your Flesh at Looky Mart" stall. it's there in spots of panic: the fourth floor's door opening to popping balloons. the blaring, disorienting store theme. covering his ears. seeing agent choi. screwing his eyes shut. being assigned to agent choi…?

this is agent choi, right? )

I... never worked at a place like this.

( why are they (working) here? why does that creeping doom compel him to go along with it? )

What was I supposed to learn first?

— ah! This again, huh...

[ Maybe it really is no good...? Standing a little further down the tunnel is a teen, somewhat breathless as if he's been trotting along for some time now, expression sheepish. He has a small slip of paper in hand, half-creased by the press of his gloved thumb. When he chances a step forward, he jingles, the leather backpack he has hanging off of one shoulder stuffed with something covered in ornate cloth and tied off with cord and bells. ]

Hello, sorry! Do you have a minute? [ He calls out brightly, easily. Professionally. ] Um, I managed to read the rules, somehow, but I'm afraid I keep getting turned around and ending up right back where I started...

[ Two green eyes turn upward, hopeful. ]

Do you happen to be familiar with any of these paths?

[ agent choi? don't be silly! this is supervisor choi, and in fact, yoshiki's supervisor—the one he should be reporting to during his employment at none other than looky mart!

for what it's worth, supervisor choi, in his blue and yellow striped employee vest, he looks as cheerful as ever. perhaps even more cheerful, lacking in his striped tail and spotted ears, he strolls through the aisles as familiarly as if he's worked here all his life. though there are some mysterious details out of place, like for example, his name tag:

Hi! My name is

■ ■■

but that's nothing to worry about, right? choi doesn't seem to think so, guiding his new hoobae around with practised ease. ]

Haha, don't worry about that~ We tend to get a lot of summer employees around here.

[ there's a certain gleam in his eyes as he peers down at yoshiki while saying as much. ]

And you know, it's not rare for them to like it so much they decide to stay!

[ but in an instant, it's gone, slightly vacant gaze turned back towards the stall they've come to a stop in front of. the label reads none other than the familiar, easygoing text written in bright font: Sell Your Flesh at Looky Mart! the grill next to the signage sizzles, and atop it, two chunks of flesh can be seen, both belonging to the upper portion of what seems to be someone's arm.. ]

Here we are! Normally this section is self-serve, but let's see... You're not a vegetarian, are you?

[ the man that subaru has found in this library isn't so different from the one his older self has become so acquainted with—furry ears perk up atop his head at the sound of such a voice, and the striped tail behind him curls at the tip as he turns to face the source of it. he's very mindful however, that even at the scent of the boy, his nose doesn't betray that he's paying such mind to that. instead he only blinks for a moment, followed by the offering of a smile.

rather than answer, one finger comes up to his lips—shhh. a heavy atmosphere hangs just below the surface of the library after all, and in a regular library, one should keep their voice down. but agent choi beckons the boy to come a little closer nonetheless, keeping his voice low and soft when he does speak. ]

Sorry, kiddo. I don't think this place has a map.

[ too bad, right? and though he doubts this particular child will be so alarmed even if choi voices his suspicions honestly, what he opts for is a slightly different approach. ]

You read them, right? [ clever kid. choi had managed to figure them out too, so: ] Have you been following them well?

— 00. 怪談.

[ This isn't such a strange dream to have, as of late. Subway tunnels, languages he grasps more on instinct than by study. He is often called to act on these impossible instances in the dead of night, and so passes the defunct exits, towards the stairs, downwards into the glow of the library.

But not before warding an arm out to whoever's nearby, as he so often rarely dreams alone these days. Knowledge, sanctuary, ceremony... ■■...

— whether it's to stop you or offer a hand isn't immediately clear, even to him. ]

I should go first.

— 01. DIPLOMACY.

Hello, excuse me...

[ Hushed but somewhat harried as a dapper teenager approaches. A certain understanding plays on his features, though hope momentarily supersedes it. He bows politely, a hand risen to steady his hat on his crown so it doesn't fall off with the gesture. ]

I'm Sumeragi. [ He rights himself. ] Are you the one who called for me?

— 02. OF A MIRROR AND A BELL.

[ shuku

dou

shou.

jingle. ]

Hmm, that's strange... [ At a fork in the pathway hemmed by more books than Subaru has ever seen in his life, he's paused, a gloved hand raised before him. In it is a strip of paper scrawled in ink and stamped with a pentagram, faintly crumbled and humming with magic. Burning motes drift around him like embers. His expression twists as he puzzles at it. ] Do you not want to come out? Is something the matter after all?

[ And, on realizing he's literally standing right in the way of the path forward, he jolts slightly when someone else comes along. An easy smile tips apologetically onto the corners of his mouth and he bows, his backpack jostling and jingling as he moves. ]

S-sorry! Here, let me... [ shuffles... awkwardly... ] Since it was in the rules to not make any footsteps [ ?? ] I thought it might be best to try and look ahead a little! But for some reason, it doesn't seem like that's going to work here...

[ He's rambling, but also he might just be lost... ]

— 03. A DEAD SECRET.

Well...

[ Soft, enterprising. His voice seems to catch on the very spines of these books as he treads down one of the rows, fingertips gliding across them. ]

Since we're here, it seems like a waste to not even look, right? I don't think I've ever seen so many stories in one place before.

[ Like a maze, unspoken. Perhaps one with clues, if one were to be so obliged. It could be nothing, also, but he'll never know if he never tries.

Tapping one, he almost slips it free before catching himself with a quiet, oh! ]

Actually, if you don't mind... what kind of books do you like? I don't want to pick something that might not go over well. Say, if you're scared of ghosts, we should probably find something with a happier tone.

[ Like he isn't scared of ghosts? ]

— 04. WILDCARD.

(ooc: hello you get one (1) version for prompts 01-03 and it's the babymode protagonist of tokyo babylon! before all the bad events of volume 7 happen. feel free to wildcard current somnia subaru for your alternate critters, or you can have him at like 18-20 (1. 2.) when he's only begun to be depressed.

pm, elate or aoibhelle on disco for all your plotting needs!)

[ They're lost… in a very funny, lighthearted isekai fantasy trash! Even the art style of the environment indicates the lightheartedness of the setting. The author must have particular tastes, too, since everyone is hot and well-dressed. Everywhere they look, there's an abnormally attractive person… It's exaggerated to the point that talking to any of these hot people causes them to produce a sparkling aura, far more blinding than what Caelus does.

Yes. That includes the lower class. Even their ragged clothes are designed to look good, what the hell. … Anyway, at the moment, Caelus has been wandering around the streets with Saheon for a while. There's some kind of colorful festival going on. It's easy to tell with the decorations and so many people excited around them. But the trailblazer doesn't know what it's all about… ]

I can't read any of these signs, Heon hyung!

[ Some things never change at least? Caelus ended up being himself still. (And maybe Saheon did, too?) ]

[ …

Lost in the subway, now lost in the library. Caelus immediately lost everything the moment he came into this dream. There's panic in his eyes, and he couldn't find the words to respond to the younger boy's polite greeting. What should he even say to that? Did he call for someone?

No, not really. He was minding his own business the whole time. … Or maybe he did, yet he didn't realize at all? Ah, no. He shouldn't think like that. If someone here genuinely called for this boy, then he should be somewhere else.

Somewhere where the boy is really needed. So Caelus smiles, trying to hide it with his expression. ]

… No. You've got the wrong person.

[ It's hard not to notice the sharp gaze following him constantly. But Caelus doesn't want to assume anyone's intentions, so he tries to allow the follower to roam freely for a while, hoping the follower would eventually approach him on their own.

Caelus did catch sight of the follower's appearance not long ago: a child. But maybe because of that cute appearance, he's more lax about this. Probably shouldn't be considering the sharp sensations, but oh, well! He'll cross the bridge when he gets there, if he needs to raise his guard. For now, he doesn't see a solid enough reason to be.

The gaze could mean many things, after all. Maybe the little kid just doesn't like his style or something. (Cry…) Besides, there's something strangely familiar about that child.

Hmm… But maybe the trailblazer should say hi? The kid might be too shy or scared to approach alone. An idea shortly comes to Caelus, so he convincingly acts. He tries to get a book from a shelf, but his fingers purposely slip, and several books fall right onto the floor…

He acts like he's troubled (perfectly good at it) and starts trying to clean up quietly. ]

[ Oh! Quickly, eyes blown wide in realization and cheeks flushing, he slaps his fingers over his mouth and nods to signal that he gets it now. When given the all clear, he scuttles closer on light footsteps — or as light as he can manage to get them. It was, of course, too much to ask for. So, this man must be in the same boat he is.

He... is just a man, right?

Because the sight of such amazing lifelike movements in those ears and that tail draw his attention away from the subject at hand, a sign that he's just always been like this. Part of him thinks to wonder if it's some effect of this environment, or someone who just naturally inhabits this place, but as he is, he can't immediately make sense of it. He certainly doesn't feel like a spirit, or a ghost.

So once close enough to drop his hand from his mouth, he nods, albeit a little slowly. ]

Um, yes! I think so. [ His tone has dropped to a whisper. ] They were a little broken up, and I'm not sure I understood them all the way, really...

[ ah. ]

Is that so...? [ Square one, it seems. If he'd at least been a point of contact for this job, it would have given Subaru a push in the right direction. His expression is quickly shifting from hope to pleasant unease. ] That's too bad. Here I thought I'd surely gotten it right this time, too.

[ Carefully, he tucks the paper he'd been holding into his coat pocket, defeated. It is always a little better for passersby to not recognize him, but doesn't that mean...

...he's well and truly lost?! ]

I'm sorry to trouble you, in that case. [ Something about his eyes gives him a pause, however. ] Are you... on your way somewhere?

[ at that correction, agent choi quickly covers his mouth with his hand—before breaking into a grin underneath it. just a little something to show he understands to such a flashy guy, you know? but as he plays along, he already knows exactly which product this customer might need.

it's a little boring, but, well, maybe he can entice him with some deals on the way out? a good employee should know exactly what would benefit their customer best, after all! ]

Alright, Friend! Do you mind if I call you friend?

[ by the end of his shopping experience, he should certainly consider choi to be one! ]

In that case, I know just the thing. Here, right this way please~

[ his tone is as warm and casual as it ever has been, if a little more chipper to match the customer service feel that he'd like to have. after all, at looky mart, customer satisfaction is number one! that's why he's able to note even the small details of this man who's come to visit him—sharp, stylish fashion sense, a painstakingly tailored suit, and he doesn't let his act down for a minute. what an admirable showman he is! that's why he'll settle for nothing but the best.

so what supervisor choi brings him to is just that: the best. this pricey mic will last you a lifetime—top of the line, minimal sound leakage, and it even comes with material to place over it to minimize the rustling of clothing that might otherwise be picked up through its high-def and high quality recording. of course, agent choi explains all this as they make their way to the product, placed proudly on one of the upper shelves of the third floor electronics section. ]

You… don't have to apologize.

[ Throb. A sensation of a dull pain.

"Are you... on your way somewhere?"

The question causes Caelus's eyes to lower for a moment, but… still, he maintains his strength and tries to continue smiling. At the back of his mind, he wishes he knew. … Knew anything at all. But where does he begin? Where the fuck is he? Where does he turn? He can't read anything in this place. The books are all in a language he's never seen in his life.

… Maybe a good start is trying not to worry this nice young man. ]

I… um, just… trying to look for the exit.

[ This is pathetic. He can't even read the signs… ]

[ wow, talk about clumsy.

this place—this supernatural disaster isn't something to be taken lightly. at least, that's how agent choi sees it; it's hard to see a place that had intercepted the slide that should have led to the ocean palace any other way. after all, that's just a testament to its strength as a supernatural phenomena—it means that it outranks that mermaid princess for sure.

so of course when he comes across someone else wandering the stacks, he makes the executive decision to keep an eye on them. the young man he's following has a slightly different feeling from a civlian, but he's yet to figure out why.

no, rather, he's trying to figure out why this kid's so clumsy?

suppressing the full body shiver that travels down his spine for a moment at the sudden clattering of books—definitely a sing of disrespect to the mysterious entity that calls this place home, agent choi makes a decision.

and so, quietly, very quietly, the child emerges from around the shelves just as caelus finishes setting the books back. ]

...!

[ his eyes aren't so sharp now—on the contrary, agent choi is intentional about making them wide and round, just like a child's might be in an unfamiliar place.

before the young man can speak, too, the moment he catches his gaze, agent choi will silently trot towards him, taking him by the arm. he clings just like a frightened child might, though his expression isn't quite afraid; the best he can manage is probably curious, because after all, that is how he's feeling, even as he speaks in a low whisper. ]

Shhhh. Hyung, you're supposed to be quiet in a library.

[ some kids really have no survival instincts!! ]

[ ah, somehow it feels even more obvious than the first time it happened, doesn't it?

not that agent choi minds. the smile spreading across his lips is amused, but no less catlike for it. with that familiar scent, with that familiar reaction, it feels like a confirmation—if a slightly worrying one. but for now, the decisions to take advantage of this situation or to look out for the boy in front of him both lead down the same path, so matching that whisper, he decides to approach them both in this way: ]

Mm, right. Because you read Japanese, so the hangul might still be difficult for you. Is that right? It was distorted too, but here, I'll help.

[ there's only some small amount of distance between them now, but choi will take it upon himself to close that too. he wraps an arm around subaru, placing his hand on his shoulder, and leans in to whisper almost conspiratorially. ]

Embrace curiosity. That was one of the rules, so... is there anything you want to know about?

[ because while trusting this place may be a bit generous, it is still referred to as a sanctuary, isn't it? a place that carries the meaning of safety and rest. he doubts that showing proper respect to the local deities will get them in too much more trouble than they're already in, to be here in the first place. ]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 1 of 5

[Open] Hanbit Library

Sparknotes

Agent Choi | GDCG

kim soleum | gdcg | an amalgamation of things

02

can i one icon you this whole thread

you surely can

Baek Saheon | GDCG | OTA

:)

no subject

ur my aloe lite in the darkness baby

no subject

02 i come to you with a wiki page and a dream

01.

YESSSSS i embrace u with open arms

no subject

sumeragi subaru | x/1999 (& tokyo babylon)

Wildcard? Wherever the swords and sorcery festival you mentioned is!!

01 We couldn't decide, so I rolled for us. 👀

1b

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

001.	A confused child, holding a kite.
002.	A smiling man in traditional clothing, with a cup of makgeolli
003.	Saheon, as he normally is, miserably fiddling with an overly neat boarding school uniform.
004.	A much older man with an eyepatch...