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Hani laughs, drenched in sweat, each breath shallow and rasping against her throat—but she doesn't care, doesn't care at all as she throws her head back, eyes closed against the raging strobe lights while she dances and dances and dances. Her skin sparkles with sweat and glitter that rubbed off on her from a few giggling glitter-dusted dokkaebi, and now shimmers on Seokga as he moves with her.

Hani sways her hips, sliding her hands up her body until they run through her hair, laughing in delight as she watches Seokga dance. Earlier, it was awkward—his limbs stiff, his mouth arranged in an unamused scowl—but now he moves with the same lethal grace that he's displayed while fighting. They orbit each other, two lonely planets that are drawn together and then pulled apart, spinning and swaying. Everything else in the club seems to fade away until it is just them on the dance floor.

Behind her, Seokga's hands find her waist, and she rolls her hips to the booming beat. Even over the music, Hani hears Seokga's breath hitch—and then she's whirling around to face him with a rush of ecstasy as she runs her hands up his chest, cocking an eyebrow. "This is fun, isn't it?" She grins and turns once more, her arm around his neck, moving her body against his. She can feel him tense, but then his hands are back on her waist and they're dancing again, slick with sweat underneath the flashing lights. Hani has visited many nightclubs in her time, with many boys, and she knows precisely how to dance with them.

"It's…fine," Seokga breathes huskily, barely audible over the pounding bass.

"Just fine? How rude." Hani mock-pouts, pulling away from Seokga—but he catches her hand and holds on tight. She stares at their interlocked fingers for a moment before Seokga abruptly twirls her, spinning her so she lands nose to nose with him. Hani can't help but smile in surprise as her hair settles back around her shoulders. Seokga looks embarrassed and triumphant all at once.

Hani grins. "Again," she says. Seokga shakes his head, looking acutely reluctant, but grudgingly twirls her a second time. The lights of the club blur as she whirls, her hair flying in every direction, smacking a dokkaebi in the face. Hani throws her head back and laughs.

"Your turn," she says, but Seokga stands as still as a statue as she attempts to spin him. "You buzzkill, you," Hani grumbles, shoving against him. He doesn't move. "Don't you want to spin? Like a beautiful ballerina?"

"I do not spin."

Hani snorts. "You will once I'm done with you."

Seokga's mouth curves a little in return, but his eyes are somber. "Hour's almost up."

Hani ignores the twist in her stomach. These last few moments could very well be their last moments on Iseung. The fight with the eoduksini is approaching.

Even as guilt, dread, and anxiety clench her gut, she manages another grin. "Come with me," she shouts over the music, grabbing Seokga's hand and tugging him through the tight crowd of pleasure-seeking creatures. A few pause in awe and admiration, their eyes going straight to Seokga, hungrily devouring the fallen god. Hani can't blame them. In his sleek black suit with his emerald eyes blazing underneath the lights, Seokga cuts a striking figure.

There are a few plush black love seats circling various tables at the edges of the club. Hani slides into one and tugs Seokga in after her. She leans against the cushioned back, panting as she watches the ebb and flow of the dancers. Seokga is breathing unevenly next to her, and she can feel his hungry stare.

She is not surprised when his lips crash against hers—bruising and biting, yet gentle and sweet all at once. Hani drags her hands up his back as she deepens the kiss, hungering for more—more of him, more of Seokga.

More, more, more.

Hani curls her hands in Seokga's hair, gripping the soft black waves as he pulls her onto his lap. He nibbles at her bottom lip, a quick burst of sweet pain that sends an aching thrum of longing through her. His hands are roving up her dress, and one of the spaghetti straps has fallen away, baring her narrow shoulder. Gazing up at her with those heavy-lashed emerald eyes, Seokga plants a tender kiss on her bare skin.

And that does it.

When Hani is overcome with the sudden urge to strip naked then and there, in the middle of a packed nightclub, she realizes this has most definitely gone too far. Breathing unevenly, she pulls away from Seokga, sitting back on the love seat and pulling her dress down where it was rucked up. She chances a glance at him as she fixes her hair—the god's lips are full and red, the same color as his cheeks. His throat is bobbing, and locks of dark hair fall into his face in a way that makes Hani want to climb back onto his lap all over again. She nearly does it.

But suddenly Seokga's eyes narrow, all hints of lust disappearing. "Do you feel that?" he whispers, his face turning cold and cruel—but not at her.

Hani takes a moment to regain her senses.

And at once, she does.

The air of the Emerald Dragon has grown frigid. Hani's chest tightens in dread as she notes how the movements of the mass of dancers have slowed to a sluggish, sleepy rhythm. The colorful strobe lights of the club flare—and flicker out.

Darkness cradles the nightclub in its lethal embrace.

"It worked,"Hani breathes, hastening from the love seat. "It's here." Here, where there are bystanders. Here, where there are civilians. They've planned for this, of course, but the reminder is still daunting. "We need to lure it to the alleyway," she says, fighting away the cloud of sleepiness fogging her mind. "Away from them."

"Go," Seokga says grimly. "I'm right behind you."

Hani's limbs feel leaden as she struggles toward the dance floor, toward the exit door that she knows is not far away. But…something is wrong. She is disoriented; she is dizzy.

And she is so, so tired.

Hani grits her teeth as her legs cross each other, sending her stumbling to the side. Seokga grabs her arm, his face tight and pale. "Hani," he says, but his voice is a slur. His eyes are bright with horror, and yet rapidly dulling with exhaustion.

Everything is moving so slowly. Every breath is deep and longing for slumber.

In the middle of the dance floor, Hani falls.

And she does not get up.

She falls through shadows and darkness, a scream ripping from her throat as she tumbles, dropping through nothingness.

The eoduksini, she thinks in a panic, staring up at the never-ending darkness rushing past. I need to wake up. I need to wake up…

But she cannot.

All she can do is fall.

And fall and fall and fall and fall…

Until she hits solid ground, groaning as her bones scream in pain, bruises already spreading along her skin, a dark and blackening blue. Blinking past the stars in her vision, Hani focuses on the ground before her. It is white, impeccably so. Not a stain to be found on it. Like the floor in Somi's apartment.

Horror twisting her stomach, Hani rises from the ground. She is indeed in Somi's apartment, standing in the small kitchen where she convinced Somi to eat the livers exactly one week before. That is the smooth wooden table, the mahogany counters, the kitchen island laden with a flower vase, cookie jars, and a stack of tattered thrift-store cookbooks. Why, Hani thinks slowly, has it brought me here? This is no nightmare.

Almost as if in answer, a soft sobbing reaches her ears.

Hani whirls around, her heart in her throat.

"Oh, gods," she tries to say—but her tongue is heavy in her mouth. Useless.

Somi is sobbing as she sits on the ground, leaning against the fridge. Her hands are slick with fresh blood, her white sweater stained red. Around her, droplets of blood shine on the floor that is usually kept so impeccably clean.

Her knees are drawn to her chest. Somi rocks back and forth, wailing, tears streaming down her face and into her mouth…her mouth that is red and bloodied. Hani stumbles over to her, crouching in front of her—but Somi cannot see her. All her attention is focused on what she holds within her hands.

A half-eaten human liver.

No, Hani thinks, staring at Somi. This is a nightmare. Somi is fine—she's fine. Her Cravings shouldn't be back by now. Not now…

Somi's cries are daggers through her heart. She watches as Somi raises the liver to her mouth, tearing off a bit and chewing as her sobs grow louder.

Not real,Hani reminds herself. This isn't real. I need to wake up. The eoduksini could be crouched over her, draining her of life. I need to wake up…

Hani freezes as the shadows of Somi's kitchen lengthen and darken, as the air grows brittle with icy cold. As she hears the front door open and close.

No. No.

Hani grabs Somi's shoulders and shakes. "Run," she tries to say, but the words are stuck in her throat. "Run—"

An invisible force slams Hani away from Somi, sending her crashing into the opposite wall. She pants, struggling to rise, but freezes as a distorted voice cleaves through the air. "Somi," it says, deep and vibrating at times, yet high-pitched and grating at others, "why do you cry?"

A figure steps into the kitchen.

Hani gapes. The figure is blurred, as if it is part of a censored video. She cannot make anything out save for its height and frame, which are infuriatingly average. But is it censored to Somi? It's not. She's certain of it. The eoduksini is blocking Hani, and only her, from witnessing his appearance.

Why? Hani frowns. The eoduksini knows his host, Dok-hyun, has been revealed. It's common knowledge throughout the precinct. What's the point of hiding himself? Something about this, she thinks, is very wrong.

And not just in terms of the censorship. This feels like a nightmare, certainly, but it doesn't feel like a dream.

This is real.

Hani tries once more to scramble to her feet, but the invisible force keeps her rooted. All she can do is watch as the blurred figure strides into the kitchen. All she can do is watch as Somi goes pale with fear, leaping to her feet and unsheathing her claws.

"You,"she gasps. "How did you get in? Get out. Get out or I will kill you!"

Run,Hani thinks desperately. Oh, Somi. Just run.

The eoduksini holds up his hands. "I am not here to hurt you, Nam Somi."

"You're it, aren't you?" Somi pants. "The eoduksini. You're here to kill me."

"No. No, I'm not." The eoduksini gestures to Somi's claws. "Why don't you put those away? I just want to talk."

"Get out," Somi growls.

The eoduksini pays her no heed. "You know," he says, "when I heard about the killings at the university, I was…impressed."

"Impressed?" Somi demands, even as she blanches. "That wasn't me, I—"

"I know," the eoduksini continues, "that you are not the Scarlet Fox."

"W-what?" Somi flinches. "I'm n-not—"

"Your friend," the eoduksini replies, and there is a terrible sort of laughter in its distorted voice, like flares of white noise on a struggling radio. "Kim Hani."

Hani closes her eyes. No, she thinks.

"Hani?" Somi's voice is tight and strangled, as if she is suffocating. "What about Hani?" Each syllable blurs together in a smudge of panic. "What about her?"

"Kim Hani," the eoduksini croons, clearly enjoying Somi's shock, "is the Scarlet Fox."

"No," Somi whispers hoarsely. "You're—lying. You bastard! Get out, get out, get out!" Hani's eyes fly open as Somi hurls the liver at the eoduksini, who dodges it nimbly and chuckles. The organ skids across the floor in a red smear and Somi breaks down into wet, gasping sobs. Hani's heart shatters in her chest. Somi knows that it's true. She just doesn't want to believe it. Hani watches as the younger gumiho clings to her denial like a child clutches a blanket.

"Tell me, Somi," the eoduksini says quietly. "Tell me, do you know that Kim Hani colors her hair brown? That her true hair is a deep, flaming red? Legend says that the Scarlet Fox had the very same color. Just look at the name the world has dubbed her."

Somi buries her face in her bloodstained hands. Hani swallows hard, guilt and fear turning her stomach over. She was always careful about upkeep on her chocolate brown, but that past December during the holiday rush at the café, she'd been so busy that she'd missed her appointment at the salon. Her ruby roots had been noticed by Somi, who hadn't thought much of it at the time…but now…

"And do you know any other gumiho who kill as nonchalantly as her?" The eoduksini sighs in pity. "Look at you, Somi. Wracked with guilt. The Scarlet Fox feels no such emotion. You, Nam Somi, I pity. I do."

Somi is trembling, tears running down her face as she stares fearfully at the demon through her wet, red fingers.

"Look at yourself," the eoduksini says cruelly. "Covered in blood, eating a man's liver. How many did you kill tonight, when the Cravings got so bad? One? Two? Three? Four? You know," he continues, "this never would have happened had the Scarlet Fox not corrupted you. Had she not brought those livers to your door. Clever, on her part, isn't it?"

"H-how do you know about that?"

"I have been watching." The eoduksini takes a step forward. "You were innocent, Nam Somi. So, so innocent. And now…look at yourself. You're a monster. Can you imagine what they'll do to you? Hani is not here to clean up your mess this time. She is with the god, at the Emerald Dragon, performing lewd acts on a love seat."

Hani swallows the taste of bile. Her eyes ache with unshed tears. Somi. Somi-ah, I am so sorry.

"They will name you the Scarlet Fox. And they will kill you. It's what Hani has planned for, after all."

"What do you mean—" Somi blanches. "What do you mean, ‘it's what Hani has planned'?"

Hani stops breathing. And the eoduksini laughs.

It is a clever trick. The demon of darkness is no fool.

Very slowly, Hani begins to realize that she has underestimated it.

"I mean precisely what I said." The eoduksini clucks his tongue. "Kim Hani is very, very old. How do you think she has managed to remain uncaptured, unblamed for so long? There is always somebody else that she pushes off the ledge to take the fall for her. And this time, Nam Somi, it is you."

No. No. Somi, I wouldn't.Hani strains to break free. Somi…

But there's a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

If Somi had been arrested, if it had been up to Hani to come clean to save her…Hani knows that she wouldn't have.

Her sense of self-preservation is too strong.

Her selfishness is too strong.

And that damning knowledge is why Hani took the job as Seokga's assistant, to steer him away from Somi in the first place, and to therefore ensure she was never put in the position where she had to come clean.

Because she would have pushed Somi off the ledge.

The eoduksini is right.

Somi's face has gone slack. "She wouldn't," she whispers again, but this time quieter. Uncertainly. "She's my friend."

"Friends don't turn friends into monsters," the darkness demon counters. "How many times has Hani stopped you from leaving New Sinsi? She needs you here, to shoulder the blame for her. See the truth, Somi. See that she killed those two boys and immediately went in search of you, to feed you their livers, to ignite your Cravings and desire to kill, to place you in the investigation's crossfire. See that she has told you to trust her, while she leads the god closer and closer toward you with every step. See that she is the Scarlet Fox, but the world will never know that—they will see you as the Scarlet Fox when you're caught. And you will be caught, Somi. Hani has staked everything on it. Seokga the Fallen will kill you as Kim Hani watches. Oh, yes. She'll watch. Do you really think that Hani will step up to save you if it means revealing her secret?"

Somi is completely still. The sparkling light in her hazel eyes has dimmed. She is a statue, made of stone, cracks running up and down her marble length. She is broken.

"But imagine," the eoduksini purrs, "a world where you didn't need to feel this shame, Nam Somi. A world where you could live on, feasting as you desire. Feasting with me. A world where you live wrenched free from Kim Hani's clutches. I have big plans for Iseung. And I think that you would like them. Iseung is ripe for the devouring.

"Join me, Nam Somi. By my side, you can satisfy your Cravings without ever being caught. By my side, you will be untouchable. By my side, you will feel no guilt, no shame. This suffering, your suffering, will end." The eoduksini stretches out a hand. "Take my hand, Nam Somi. Take my hand and leave this pain, this betrayal, behind."

"No,"Hani tries to growl, but her voice is useless. No. Somi…Somi…

"A world where I don't feel this shame," Somi repeats in a whisper, a final tear slipping down her pale cheek. "A world where I don't feel this…this betrayal. Friends don't…turn friends into monsters." Hatred threads through her voice. It makes it strong. Somi raises her head. "I will not take the blame for Kim Hani."

The eoduksini might be smiling now. It is impossible to tell.

Hani's scream is silent and entirely useless as she watches Somi take the eoduksini's hand.