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Writing Prompt #9 - You've Got (Voice)Mail! - (3/6 - 3/20/17)

Custodian

Member
Admin
Let's try something a bit different this week! ;)

YOU'VE GOT (VOICE)MAIL!
Your character checks their phone and sees that they have a number of missed calls, all from the same number...

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Kuro-Hebi

The Black Snake
Bug Catcher

2017.04.28 - Just reward (You've got [voice] mail!)
Your character checks their phone and sees that they have a number of missed calls, all from the same number...

"..."
- Tuesday 6:02 am

"Uh.. ah hello. I'm uh... sorry-"
- Tuesday 6:12 am

"Hi! Sorry I was too shy to leave a message. I... I think you're really cool and uh... have a nice day!"
- Tuesday 7:27 am

"Hello.. it's me again. Okay I can do this! Would you like - or mind - like... for a cup of coffee? I mean, to meet for a cup- or tea! Tea is good too! So uh, ya, call me back?"
- Tuesday 7:58 am

"Oh I'm sooo sorry, I'm just so nervous I mean you're like SO amazing and I take one of your classes and I'm just very grateful to have you as my teacher and gosh you're kind of cute too.. Oh sorry, rambling! I do that a lot. So what was I sayi- oh right! I uh, forgot to give you my phone number to call back. I know right? Silly me! 02-752-3910"
- Tuesday 8:16 am

".... hi... yep little me again. I realized I'm doing this all backward. Pyo Seo Jin. I mean that's my name. Not too tall, long brown hair... Sorry you probably see a ton of people each day. But I'll still hope for your call."
- Tuesday 8:49 am

"Hello. Pyo Seo Jin here! Just to tell you I'll be out of town for a bit today. You know, Dragon stuff and all. But I have voice mail so if you leave a message I'll be sure to call back okay? bye bye"
- Tuesday 10h32 am

"I hope you had a good day. I'm back by the way! It didn't take as long as I thought. I saw there is a nice little café that opened nearby. I mean, if you feel like it. So hum, call me back okay? 02-752-3910"
- Tuesday 1:43 pm

"I... I know another message. I just, well, you must think I'm some weirdo by now. But I'm not I swear! I just reaaaally want to meet you. Well, I mean talk with you. You know what I mean. Me and my friends have been talking so much about that story our teacher told us, you know, the one about the child that was assassinated in their hospital bed? Okay that sounds way more creepy when I say it over the phone like that. Uh anyway, was it you? Some say you're immortal and all. Unless you have a very good skin moisturizer to look that young still! Okay that was bad, very bad joke. I'll uh.. call me back, please?"
- Tuesday 3:46 pm

***​

With a low grunt, Katsuro rolled over on his back in the king sized bed and stretched. He slowly opened his eyes and took a moment to just gaze at the light spilling in the room from the window near Theodore's side of the bed. A smile crept on his lips at the memory of last night - or rather this early morning - 'sexy time' as Theodore would put it. The tall man had to leave for work soon after, leaving the Asian man alone for his 'night' of sleep.

Travelling all around the world might be fun for a while but, once the novelty wore off, it was mostly a pain to deal with the timezones and the odd hours. That was something fairly new actually, to worry about the time of day that is. Living alone, Katsuro hadn't care at all, as no one was waiting for him. He had Theodore in his life now, not to mention a dog and a ghost cat (though the latter didn't need feeding, thankfully). With any luck, they'd see each other for a few hours here and there, granted the other wasn't sleeping. Thus Katsuro woke up from his 'night' of sleep late in Seoul's afternoon.

He finally pushed himself out of the bed and aimed for the bathroom for his usual 'morning' ritual - washing up and shaving - before getting dressed. Before leaving the bedroom, he picked up his phone from the bedside table and frowned as soon as the screen revealed to him a strange number of missed calls, all from the same number. Putting his phone on speaker, he started to listen to the long chain of messages as he made his way to the kitchen and began preparing a light meal. His expression changed often, from curious, to 'wtf' to annoyed. With a heavy sigh, Katsuro sat down at the kitchen table to eat while pondering what to do with this enamored fan. The last thing he needed was to have some girl barely out of her teenage years starting a fanclub. With a grunt, he shoved his dirty plate in the dishwasher, picked up his katana from its stand in the living room and quickly slipped on his shoes before leaving the house.

***​

Finding her had been so very easy. She was pretty, though nothing Korean idol material; that world where perfect complexion, pink lips and bright eyes could propel you to the dazzling universe of celebrity before it all came crashing down as fast - disposable idols. This was all to her advantage actually. Pyo Seo Jin was pretty in an accessible way and, giving her a few more years, she'd totally shed that teenager look for good and become a fine woman. But she was also one in many, a face that could be lost in a crowd. Her image would not linger long in the mind and, should one be asked to describe her, it could be any other young Korean girl. That's what made her appeal to the Dragon.

Katsuro was shadowing her down an alley in Seoul. She picked up her phone and dialed. Mere seconds later, his own phone began to vibrate in his breast pocket. One ring, two ring, three ring... redirected to voicemail.

"Hello, it's me again. I wasn't sure if I should be calling again. I figured, if you didn't answered by now it just meant to bug off but... I can't." The girl let out a long sigh, trying to come up with something, anything, that would make that man change his mind. "I have nothing. It's pathetic isn't it? I'm just th-"

"Quite. And you do realize some people have to sleep?" Came the male voice from behind the girl who, to her credit, turned around quickly, ready for a fight.

Her already big eyes became huge and Katsuro could have sworn he heard the sound of her jaw dropping to the floor.

"Y-you.. you!" She managed to blurt out.

"Apparently yes, the source of your obsession, in the flesh. Now, pick up that jaw of yours and stop drooling, That's not becoming of a lady." Katsuro replied, clearly amused. "Don't!" He quickly interjected, before Pyo Seo Jin could bow and profusely apologize. "I have no time to hear you apologize for an hour. Now come."

He barely gave her time to regain her senses that he was walking pass her and down the alley. She followed behind, her face flustered as she gripped her phone with two hands, as if a magic lamp that summoned her idol. They walked in silence for merely 5 minutes before Katsuro entered a café and took a seat near the windows. He ordered two cups of oolong tea without even asking if the girl liked it.

"I'll allow you three questions.Think about them carefully." Katsuro finally told her once their cups of tea had arrived.

Pyo Seo Jin blinked at the man sitting in front of her before swallowing hard. She was so nervous she could barely think!

"Only three? But.. but I... oh well then are you immortal? I mean, was it you who, you know, killed that child...?" She managed to find her tongue before her voice croaked.

"Well, I'm a bit disappointed. I didn't expect it to be so fast." Katsuro replied before taking a slow sip of his tea. "You don't mind if I at least finish this cup, do you? The answers are yes, by the way." He added casually.

"Uh? Oh I mean, no I don't mind, of course I don't mind!" The girl giggled nervously. "And... yes? Oohh so my classmate was right! He thought he saw a skin toned sleeve on the nurse on the camera feed. I can't believe it was you. How did it feel though, I mean, to kill a child?"

Katsuro took another long drink from his cup before setting his crimson eyes on the girl, which had the expected effect of turning her bright red. "I'm sorry but I can't answer that." He simply replied.

"I should have been more thoughtful, I'm sorry! It must be something hard for y-"

"You've simply used your three questions already, or haven't you noticed?" Katsuro cut in with an amused expression.

Pyo Seo Jin eyes grew wide as she stared at the man in disbelief. "I.. I only asked one question!... I think? I..."

"Only three? That's one. Are you immortal? That's two. Did you kill the child? That's three. And I just finished my cup of tea. So I guess that also completes your demand, ne?" At that, Katsuro got up and walked to the counter to pay for the two cups of tea. The girl promptly followed after him as he left the café.

"Wait! Please wait! You can't be serious? We barely had time to talk and -"

"Have a good day miss Pyo Seo Jin." Katsuro bowed to her in a Japanese fashion. "I'll see you next week in class."

Before she could even open her mouth, an unnatural blast of wind hit her, sending her long brown hair in her face. By the time she had removed them from her eyes, Katsuro was nowhere to be seen. Pyo Seo Jin was left standing alone in front of the café, not sure if she should laugh or cry. She jumped like a startled cat when someone gently poked her on the shoulder. It was one of the maid from the café.

"The man you were with, he left this at the counter." She handed a business card to the girl and went back inside. Something was handwritten on it in japanese and she had ask Google for help to translate it.

ねこをおうよりさらをひけ *

It took a moment for the girl to grasp the meaning... actually a few days. She kept the card in her purse and looked at it frequently. It wasn't until her next sword class that she finally understood; she had to prove herself, though she didn't exactly knew how, or in what field. The Black Snake was a man who frowned on laziness and lack of self discipline. It was obvious in the classes he taught that even if a student was struggling, as long as they gave it their all, he would give his full support in return. But those who just complained or took it easy were either ignored or outright expelled from his classes. That had been her case, Pyo Seo Jin was forced to admit. She had a natural talent for the sword and, instead of taking it one step further, she'd lazily follow along with her less skillful classmates. Well, this was going to change! If she ever wanted to have a real talk with her teacher, she'd prove to him she was worth his time!

Little did she knew that Kuro-Hebi had his crimson gaze on her when she made that decision, and a small smile crept on his lips, as if he already knew...

* Translation: “rather than chase the cat, take away the plate”
Meaning: Attack problems at their root.
 
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