A Confidence Game~Character Profiles | BTS Mafia And Con Artist AU

A Confidence Game~Character Profiles | BTS Mafia and Con Artist AU

Plot: Hoseok and Minsuk’s parents have died 11 years ago and they have been living as con artists for 8 years now. The moment Hoseok wants Minsuk to have a chance to start a new life, the Bangtan mafia approaches them to pull one last con.

(M) Warnings: angst, swearing, trigger warnings of character death, drug use, drug abuse, graphic violence (in future chapters. If any of these are triggers you don’t want to deal with, you might as well not read the beginning and get hooked to the story and deal with the frustration of whether or not you want to continue reading, k? )

Character Profiles:

The Bangtan Administration

Namjooon: Crime boss of the Bangtan mafia. He’s straightforward, focused, detailed-oriented, protective, flexible, and impatient. He can be indecisive but can make the quick decisions under pressure; still, he never cracks. Although he’s fine with a detailed plan, he prefers to give more freedom and flexibility for his members to thrive on their own to get the jobs done; it’s less planning anyway. He’s extremely detailed-oriented, so he makes sure he understand how each member likes to work and how they choose to complete their tasks. As long as he’s let in the plan, he’s normally okay with anything they do. At pressured situations, when his members need it most, he steps in with striking and aggressive power to complete the job. He will break down every aspect in order to find his opponent’s weakness and constantly and consistently crush it. He’s over protective and uses his aggression to show it. He feels insecure of his own position. Although it is not the case, he feels like more like a supervisor than a boss. Occasionally feels the need to exert unnecessary dominance and reinforce hierarchy, especially when it comes to his underboss. He’s drawn to the way con artists work because they are thorough but flexible.

Seokjin: Consigliere of the Bangtan mafia. One of the most contradicting people you’ll ever meet. Empathetic but detached. Idealist but practical. Cares for many, trusts a few. Unsympathetic to enemies and has little patience to the ignorant. He advises the planning phase. When the plans don’t look easy, but he likes the idea, he will mold it so it will become a very appealing opportunity. He occasionally acts as a mediator between the boss and underboss. He’s Namjoon’s most trusted confidante and his oldest friend. He’s very controlled with his emotions, but when he finally expresses any ill feelings, he doesn’t hold back and is recognized as the most sadistic. He’s paranoid of anyone to be deceitful. Only trusts Namjoon, Yoongi, and his wife, more than he’s comfortable to admit. In contradiction, he’s irked when people don’t trust him; has he ever given anyone a reason not to? He thinks the con artists are amusing because of the quirkiness in real life, but can completely switch into a different character for a con.

Yoongi: Underboss of the Bangtan mafia. He’s the perfect underboss and takes action. Precise, loyal, efficient, stubborn, hates change, results-oriented, calculative, meticulous, and logical. He always executes a clean job, which doesn’t leave much need for backup plans. He thinks he sees every option, and when he chooses what to do, he will not change his ideas. He’s easily annoyed. He’s confident in planning and tries to keep his head clear from any unnecessary thoughts. He’s a perfectionist so he’s always fearful that he hasn’t thought through everything yet and that could potentially lead to failure. Failing those who trust him is the greatest guilt he will ever come to know. He need to feel like he’s reliable to others and will go lengths to prove it. More often than not, con artists are far too fluid for his taste, but he can’t deny that they are quick-witted and effectively finishes a job.

The Bangtan Capos

Jimin: Retrieval specialist and head of gambling. Aside from handling the casino that Bangtan owns, every once in a while, there’s some idiot who doesn’t “remember” to pay up and Jimin is the man to find. Charming, charismatic, bold, decisive, quick-witted, and sincere. He’s a short term thinker who looks at all possibilities and chooses whichever will choose the best quality outcome. People normally mistake him as simple-minded, but he just knows what he wants and is quick to achieve his goals; he’s already considered everything that is probable for him and is quick to choose which ever best suits him. He can grasp emotion well and learn to spin off of that, making him an easygoing conversationalist. He makes people feel comfortable to speaking to him, even to the point of accidentally leading information, but thinks nothing of it because he is seemingly harmless. He’s great a manipulating the atmosphere and people’s emotions. He cares for a spotlight, so he’s great at making a scene and diverting people’s attention. Emotions are very easy for him to feel and express, so he is very aware that his sincerity makes him vulnerable to others. He feels the need to hold himself back on many occasions so people don’t get the wrong idea of him, or the right one…If anything, he is the con artist in the mafia, so he feels like the con artists are kindred spirits because of the nature of their work so he can understand their M.O. very well.

Taehyung: Blackmailer and head of drugs. He’s interested in drugs trafficking and his insight is alarming. He keeps all his acquired information to himself and knows exactly when to use it, making him an ideal blackmailer. He’s an energetic, calculative, manipulative, analyzing, chaotic opportunist. He feeds off of your insecurities and fears, making you spill your guts and take impulsive actions faster than a bullet. He doesn’t see the need to be physically sadistic, but he is psychotically sadistic. He’s easily bored and changes tactics often, making it difficult to follow his train of thought or see his vision. If someone can, they are an ally. He will consider that person to be respected and should not be underestimated and he is very fortunate. If not, he considers himself superior and that person is nothing. The moment he thinks anyone can catch on, he feels vulnerable. His tactics are convoluted and he often likes to test people to see where their reasoning skills lie on his scale. If they do catch on, he feels the need to keep you close and watch you carefully. He never wants anyone he doesn’t trust to have an upper hand on him. He’s intrigued by the con artists’ M.O. and is more than willing to assist so he can watch the cause-and-effect.

Jungkook: Protection racketeering and head of arms. No one likes to be head of defense more than this guy. Honest, loyal, direct, protective, responsible, reflective, and adaptable but uncomfortable with change. He only looks at the details, he only needs to handle those and the bigger ones can handle the bigger picture. He’s unforgiving to those who’ve done him and his friends wrong; he will only remember to hold a grudge for those people. He likes to stick to the plan, out of convenience and for other’s sake. He remembers every event and is very efficient. He’s cautious of his actions, a great executer, and most reliable, and also most vulnerable out of the three capos. He’s broken by guilt too easily. He’s contradicting in the sense that his family, Bangtan, is his number one priority and will go out of his way for them, but is strongly upset by ruined plans, especially if he’s the one who’s caused them. He feels the need to be protective of those around him and will eliminate all threats, even if it means to ruin the plan. He believes his greatest strength and weakness is caring for Bangtan before anything else. Initially annoyed by con artists because they’ve ruined the mafia’s plans a couple times.

The Con Artists

Hoseok: Charming and enthusiastic con artist. Specific skills include hacking, fighting, and grifting. Charismatic, cautious, organized, protective, and responsible. He’s very self-aware and aware of others. He’s a loving person in his personal life, and also very serious and precise in his work. Between Y/N and him, he is the planner. He wants to settle and get things done without making a mess, but sometimes the dirty work is inevitable. He plans well, far too many steps ahead of others. He knows that every plan has potential to slip up, so he tries to keep a cool head and stays flexible when things go down. He’s got the next plan in his back pocket and can quickly find another one to replace the backup. He has the most conscience out of everyone (which isn’t saying much), and puts family and love first without a care about what that implies to him. Anything else is just a luxury and an extra factor that he will force himself to make-do without if necessary. Unlike Jungkook, he sees it as his strength because family and love is where he draws his strength. He feels the need to take care of both with everything he’s got. He will not let anything happen to them. It makes him predictable in the sense that people know that he will take action for his family and loved ones, but he’s unpredictable in his methods. He’s very wary of the mafia and finds them untrustworthy until proven otherwise.

Jung Minsuk: Idealistic femme fatale con artist. Special skills includes grifting, thieving, and money laundering. Genuine, authentic, creative, imaginative, enthusiastic, perfectionist. Unlike Jimin who fears of his own sincerity to become his own downfall, she uses her true nature to gain trust from others. To everyone else, she’s gullible, genuine, and authentic, and that is the key for her to manipulate. Her desires and goals make her most devious in such a depth that no one can perceive. She easily identifies everyone’s intentions and fears. She uses that knowledge to break people and push them to make the choices she wants them to make. She tends to method act so she can be the most authentic when grifting; she never breaks character in the con because it is essentially her. Between her and Hoseok, she executes the con and enjoys it more than her brother. Unfortunately, all of this means she puts herself in danger and getting caught up. She’s most likely to fall for her own con. Very driven, so she’s stubborn to finishing a job, and flexible in finding using whatever ways to get to the end. She feels like she’s able to handle all self-sacrifices necessary to pull off the job. She is well aware that she puts herself in trouble, and while she doesn’t want to bother anyone with her own problems, she believes it’s the best way to reach for the outcomes and no one can convince her otherwise. Tries to be a perfectionist in execution, but like Hoseok, she recognizes that plans can fall out and tries her best not to blame herself for the smallest mistake that makes changes in plans, but she does. She sees potential everywhere and in everyone. She feels like people don’t trust her judgment enough so she feels the need to push the limits of everything and everyone because their potential is far more than they can perceive. She will force them to get there so they will know she was right from the very beginning. She doesn’t care about the mafia, although she’s very curious about the people in it and why they are in the position they are in.

More OC characters as the story goes on

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Hogwarts Express p.3 | BTS Hogwarts AU

“I could have sworn I saw more sweets earlier.” Hoseok mumbled to himself as the trolley cart finally came his way. About one third of the cart had been emptied since he’s passed by the trolley cart when he was on his way to the bathroom.

Now, he’s on his way back to his compartment and the trolley has already passed by his compartment when he was in the bathroom. No doubt, the cart will magically restock itself but the cart was with Hoseok now, he might as well take what he can get before it moves on.

He picked up his personal favorites, which was actually quite a bit since he loved sweets, but he remembered that the trolley still had a while to go. But since the trolley will restock itself, it would be okay, right? He looked at his currency. He had plenty to spare, but he didn’t want to trouble his family over the school year to send him more money. He cut down his choices by at least half. It’s probably better for him like this anyway; too many sweets could give him cavities. His mother loved his smile, so he wouldn’t ruin that.

He gave the trolley witch his mother-loving smile and thanked her for waiting so long. He sent her on her way and went back to his own compartment.

When he got back, he was surprised to see a thin and pale boy with green hair sitting by the window. He was looking outside and was resting his chin in his hand, elbows supported by the window sill. 

Hoseok looked up above the seat to see his own initials on the suitcase. He got the compartment right. Where was this boy while the train was moving earlier? Hoseok almost knocked but remembered that this was his compartment first. Oh well.

Hoseok knocked the compartment door and entered in anyway. The boy’s head turned to him and Hoseok saw his face had a very lazy and hard expression. Hoseok gave a quick smile and took down his suitcase, subtly indicating that he had the right to be here. Even so, Hoseok still was about to leave the compartment and find a different compartment with his suitcase but a raspy voice stopped him.

“You were here first, weren’t you? Just stay.” Hoseok turned back, ears red. He looked at the boy with the same expression.

“My name is Hoseok.” He finally said, setting down his suitcase back where he originally had it. He sat down opposite of the pale boy. The pale boy gave him a sweet smile, but it was a little tight.

“Yoongi.” Hoseok scratched the back of his head and then remembered the sweets in his pockets. He brought out all the sweets out.

“Would you like some?” Yoongi looked at his hands full of sweets and finally gave a smile that showed his little teeth and gums. Yoongi put his hands in his pockets and revealed the same sweets, and then some; the same sweets Hoseok liked.

Hoseok laughed and cried out gleefully, “We are in common with sweets!” A knock brought their attention to the door. A young boy peeked in, “May I sit here? Everywhere else is full…”

Before asking Yoongi’s opinion on the matter, Hoseok gestured to the seat next to him, “Of course!”

To Yoongi, two was already a crowd…but this kid really needed to find a place to sit, he couldn’t say no to this kid.

“What’s your name?” Hoseok asked the boy as he sat down with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

“I’m Jungkook.” He introduced himself proud and firm, but his handshake was soft and timid. Hoseok could tell by Jungkook’s handshake and Yoongi’s gummy smile, yes. Yes, he could work with this.

p.1 (NJ and SJ) | p.2 (J and TH)

A/N: Will also be doing sorting hat scenario and seven years in hogwarts

Days, Times, and Sky | BTS Representation

Rap Monster:

Wednesday: Center of it all. Steady as a rock in the middle because he needs to be. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday is already behind him. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are still ahead and he needs to make everyone survive the rest of the week. Oh and check it out, he's 5he middle child!

Time: 11pm - 1am. I can see Rap Monster during the time people are slowly told to go to sleep, whether it’s their internal clock, or some external notification. Does Rap Monster listen though? No. I see his neurons firing most actively during this time. I can’t explain why the other times are not as appropriate. Center of the night, I guess?

Sky: 

Jin:

Tuesday. Monday has passed, so he’s gearing up to truly handle the rest of the week. Preparing himself, preparing the rest of the week

Time: 11am - 1pm. Best time for lunch. And for hobbits, (he’s anything but), he’s elevensies AND lunch!

Sky: 

Suga:

Monday: Monday, man. Seriously? He’s not getting up. Go back to sleep, hopefully Monday will pass and he won’t have to deal with it. He’s a problem solver like that.

Time: 2pm - 4pm. It's a very contradicting time for me. When i begin schedules and make myself productive on my own time, no time is better than the afternoon for me. And yet. It's the best time for the cat nap. The sun is warm and yellow right now. The sunbeam’s game is super hot right now. Nothing is better than laying there and doing nothing. I feel like this characterizes that push and pull of yoongi energy between lethargy and productivity.

Sky:

J-Hope:

Sunday: I think of J-Hope when I hear 24/7=Heaven, probably because I think his voice is so prominent in that song. Naturally, I end up connect Sunday to him because of that. Long and lean ball of sunshine!

Time: 8am - 10am. It’s a beautiful time to wake up voluntarily. He feels most refreshed and happy

Sky: 

Jimin:

Saturday: Happy kid, go out and have fun! Spend it well!

Time: 9am - 11am. Overlapping Jin and J-Hope. Between feeling refreshed and meal times, he feels like he’s really starting the day, really starting to do what he wants to do

Sky: 

V:

Friday: Dude! Party! Turn up! The night is his! Saturday is his best friend! No company is better for Friday to enjoy his youth than Saturday.

Time. 4am - 6am. What a strange time to be up and about, right? But I think back to the times where I’m awake and alive without everyone else (depending on whether you simply satyed up late or woke up early to catch an early flight or something). There’s something about being up before anyone else. Not the tiring, grumbling side of early mornings, but the ones where you are active, feeling more awake than you thought you would be. There’s a certain energy within you, and a control of silence you have over everything around you. Theres that silent clarity all around you like the philosophies of life reveal themselves at this hour. Tae may be a very hyperactive person, but I think he would really indulge in thos feeling

Sky: 

Jungkook:

Thursday. You’ve worked hard, tomorrow is Friday. Yes! Thursday is the day he anticipates greatness. He sees what he’s done, thinking about the next week already, but he’s excited for the weekend.

Time: 4pm - 6pm. Sun is starting to set and his day is over. It’s time to take a breath and stretch

Sky: 

Third Year of Hogwarts | BTS Hogwarts AU

Last year

Namjoon received a time turner in his third year so he can keep up with his studies. No doubt, he was fascinated by the object and itched to understand its mechanisms and experiment. But it was given to him under confidence that he wouldn’t do those things. He needed to respect that more than give in the urge. Besides, he can still learn from it just by doing what he should do with it.

In both of Arithmancy and Study of Ancient Runes, he got to know Yoongi. They ended up as tablemates and occasionally partners. He ended up recognizing Yoongi as his favorite academic-related partner. Can’t tell Seokjin though.

Seokjin learned about the bowl of fruit painting that led down to the kitchens. Don’t ever ask how he managed to figure out that one had to tickle a pear to find the kitchen; it’s embarrassing enough for him to turn red all day. The delight he had in his first successful exploration surprisingly came first before his senses of food all around him. He visits every night before curfew and every day before he leaves for classes, or at least tries to.

Muggle Studies was fairly interesting because he never came into contact with muggle things due to his pureblood line for many generations. Care of Magical Creatures served the same purpose as herbology: to feel good of taking care of things

Taehyung was almost disappointed when he started learning about Animagi in Tranfiguration. He always thought it would be a secret pursuit he had with Jimin, something special to share. Nevertheless, those feelings soon left as he learned more in the class than he learned over the summer. Granted, he spent most of his summer fooling around anyway.

Divination is kind of fun because of all the bullsh!t he makes up and the professor just eats it up. But at the same time, he secretly studies it hard and tries to imagine the possibilities and wonders it could uncover if it was taken more seriously. Care of Magical Creatures is his favorite though. He just has away with different creatures and they’re fascinating.

Jimin and Taehyung found the Marauder’s map one night. It sure quenched Taehyung’s thirst to find something special between them.  Jimin was put in charge to keep it and would study it under the blankets with the lumos light late at night, finding peculiar habits of two pairs of footsteps. Seokjin would be able pass through a painting into some unknown zone. Another pair of footsteps named Yoongi would disappear behind a wall as well.

Jimin took Muggle Studies because it’s super easy. He lived it! Care of magical creatures was new and exciting, especially when he sees that Taehyung’s hand did not get bitten off, so he would now it’s safe for him too.

Jungkook started taking secret night flights on a weekly basis. Sometimes he felt smothered and wanted to get some fresh air alone. Flying is his favorite pastimes. He dared to fly over the Forbidden Forest but never too far. He was daring, not stupid.

Study of Ancient Ruins was told to be a very dignified elective so he took it with Hoseok. Care of Magical creatures was better though, it was much more calming and not as stressful.

Don’t ask how he knows, Hoseok is just so intuitive of everyone. He figured out how Namjoon is able to be in two subjects at the same time, it’s something he picked up in study of ancient runes when he rushed his way to class, passing the students filing in for Arithmancy, but then seeing Namjoon already in his seat in study of ancient runes. He’s the lightest sleeper so he recognized windows opening and the whoosh sound of a broom, as well as the silly little Jimin thinking that hiding under the blanket would hide the light of his late-night studies. He’s overheard discussions between Taehyung and Jimin about animagi, as if it was the most important subject there ever was. And he always saw Yoongi leave the dinner table quicker than everyone else, but passing Slytherins always talk about how the strange boy was never in the commons. In muggle studies, he always saw Seokjin sneaking extra snacks into his mouth that weren’t at the breakfast tables, but they still looked warm and fresh. He inquired some information from his father about several secret passages in the Hogwarts and was able to piece things together. He never told any of them that he knew their secrets.

Muggle Studies was a simple subject that he enjoyed. He loved knowing the ins and outs of both muggles and wizards. Making connections on his own of how either side has influenced society and culture of their own. Jungkook asked him to take one of the electives with him. He already had Care of Magical Creatures with Jimin, and honestly, Hoseok had no intention to come near scary creatures. He didn’t join Study of Ancient Runes with intention of liking it, but he did.

Hoseok and Namjoon are the first to know of everyone, even if they weren’t necessarily on speaking terms. But everything would change by Hogsmeade. 

Yoongi has finally uncovered the secrets of the Room of Requirement. But it was super dangerous. He stayed in the room while the room changed. He almost lost a foot! But he didn’t, that’s all that mattered to him. He managed to watch the room change shape, create itself into something new. With this new knowledge acquired, he comfortably manipulated the room all the time. But he always had one room he always went back to, his comfortable medium.

He took Arithmancy and Study of Ancient Runes because he was told they were the most difficult. Namjoon and he became the top performing students in those classes in the last few decades, and several more to come. He would have wanted to pair up with Hoseok at first, but Hoseok had Jungkook and Jungkook needed Hoseok more. It’s fine. It worked out for the best anyway.

Hogsmeade:

Everyone went to Hogsmeade. Namjoon and Seokjin went to Dervish and Banges because Namjoon has broken his telescope, again. Yoongi went to Dominic Maestro’s because he wanted to find a permanent music player in the Room of Requirement, no matter what room he changed it to. Jungkook, Hoseok, Jimin, and Taehyung all went to Honeydukes before Zonko’s Joke shop.

Rather than the ever-popular Three Broomsticks, Yoongi chose to grab a hot drink at the Hogs Head before making his way back to Hogwarts. On the road less traveled, he was ganged up by Slytherins who were tired of his arrogance since the beginning. Yoongi was okay for a while since he was skilled, but there were too many of them. Six in total. Three, he could easily do. Four, was stretching it. Five was his maximum capacity at his level. He could only hold his own for so long.

Hoseok, Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin were on their way to visit the Shrieking Shack when they heard the commotion. Jungkook and Hoseok recognized Yoongi but Jungkook dashed forward to help his friend in need first. Hoseok was the first to whip out his wand and make the bullies fly back away from Yoongi. Sensing the danger and importance of the mint-headed boy as pale as snow, Taehyung and Jimin also ran forward. The four of them surrounded Yoongi with their wands out.

At this time, Seokjin reminded Namjoon that they needed to go pick up Taehyung at the Shrieking Shack, because they wanted to go back as a house trio. Namjoon recognized Yoongi, Hoseok, and Jungkook from study of ancient runes. Seokjin recognized Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin from Care of Magical Creatures. They saw the problem and Namjoon quickly made a shield spell around the five of them. Seokjin had never looked more intimidating with his wand pointed at the bullies, lowly telling them to leave.

The bullies could recognize the infamous smart wizard, Namjoon. With that, the bullies left.

“Are you okay?” Hoseok put a hand on Yoongi’s shoulder, which Yoongi only nodded with his head down, looking at his spilled hot drink in the cold snow. Introductions were made and the six of them decided to go with Yoongi back to Hogwarts. That day on…they were all friends.

I didn’t notice when I chose their electives. Study of Ancient Runes connect our rappers together. Care of Magical Creatures connect our singers together. :D Funny how things like that work out.

Next year

Sorting Min Yoongi | BTS Scenario ~ Hogwarts AU

He had come from a long line of death eaters; all those who knew of wizarding world history could spot his ancestor’s sins from a mile away.

He had a thirst for knowledge and a good base at that, a heavily suppressed kind heart, and a determined nature to defy the odds to everyone and prove everyone that not every Slytherin line is bad. 

If he were to prove to everyone that his family is not the family it once was, the chains of his ancestors would be broken. Being in Ravenclaw would be the first step to breaking that chain, to prove that Slytherin descendants could choose their own fate. It was ambitious, but that was what he was; Slytherin for sure.

He was so sure that his Ravenclaw intelligence would prove his purposes though.

“Are you sure? Ravenclaw house will not help you on your goal.” The Sorting Hat spoke out loud, telling him his plan will not work.

“You’re better off defying the odds in a different way, my child.” Yoongi looked confused and inwardly asked the hat why. Already, the boy started to waver on his original plan to stay in Ravenclaw. Wavering doubt was something he was not used to.

This boy has grown up knowing only Slytherin. His hair was surprisingly green for goodness sake! All the kids who knew the housing system had already pegged him as a Slytherin by his hair and his hard stare, and he wanted to prove to them that he wasn’t. But the professors and Sorting Hat could tell by experience that his stare was hard but wasn’t cold. There was more than that to this boy, the Sorting Hat knew.

Though his Ravenclaw intelligence was there, he lacked the wisdom to discern what was best for him. He had been the kind heart of a Hufflepuff but he constantly avoided it since he got his acceptance letter. If only he learned to use it.

Yoongi thought it would be good to change Slytherin ideals from the outside but the hat already knew it wasn’t truly where the boy wanted to be. The Sorting Hat chuckled, the boy’s journey would be much more adventurous and fun for him if he didn’t give away too much.

“I see your ambition is far greater than anything else in that mind of yours. You will excel with this drive and goal.”

Yoongi was almost worried as to why he felt such a relief when the hat announced Slytherin. He looked back at the Hat who gave him a wink as he stepped down the stage. He looked over at the Ravenclaw table and then at the Slytherin table. That’s right, Ravenclaws can’t keep up.

Sort the rest! -

Namjoon~~~Seokjin~~~Taehyung~~~Jimin~~~Jungkook~~~Hoseok

Phantom | Yoongi

Summary line: Inspired by Phantom of the Opera

Your breath shakes as you hear his voice, “Again.”

His voice is nothing more than a whisper, but somehow, it felt like it encompasses your whole person as his voice reverberates off the stone walls of this….his…labyrinth.

In a little over four months of training here, your overseer took you to an unexplored corner of this building. There was a small hallway that was rarely used. It led to an unexpected large room. You weren’t sure whether it was built before or after the rest of the building. The feel of this place had a sense of history, like only old souls lurk in this area. It was dark and reflective. But it was very clear that the architect of this place knew modern principles to architecture, but applied it to an old style. You weren’t sure how old could mix in with the new, but it worked so well. The architecture was ambitious and complex. You praised the architect in your mind.

“Someone wants to meet you. Stay here. He will not show up right away but you are to stay here until he does. If you get bored, sing.” And with that, your overseer left you there. You wandered around the room, running your hand on walls as you walked along them.

If you get bored, sing. Why not? It’s the reason why you came here. Since no one was around, you felt free to do what you want. You started to sing songs, not the songs you guys practice night and day, it got boring. You sang songs that reminded you of home. You sang your favorite songs in which the lyrics could never leave your memories. They were the songs where you could bring about your deepest feelings. After 3 hours of singing by yourself, you got bored again. So you switched it up. Rather than singing seriously, you played around. You purposely sang off-key, unnecessarily belting out the song in awkward tones and voices.

“Don’t do that. If you’re going to sing. Sing seriously.” You heard a voice. This voice sounded like it came from overhead. But there were no amplifiers, no speakers. Where did this voice come from?

The voice was raspy but obviously a boy’s, a teenager’s. Low and sounded harsh, like he himself had trained his voice until it was on the verge of breaking.

No matter, you wanted to escape. Whoever he was, he wasn’t showing himself and you had no idea how long he’s been here.

You ran to the door and swung it open. But it wasn’t the hallway you came from anymore. You looked back. The room had two doors. Did you get the doors wrong? Your heart beat faster when you believed in your mistake. You quickly shut this one and went to the other one. You opened it up. No, it was not the hallway. How did this happen?

“What do you want?” You asked, looking up but had no direction to face.

“I like your voice. It’s better than the rest of the trainees thus far. I’ve seen many, many trainees come and go. Your voice is the first that has really caught my attention. I’ve decided that I want to give you extra practice, more training. With me as your trainer.” A chill ran up your spine. You couldn’t see the owner of the voice and apparently you can’t leave.

“Please, let me out.” You shook the doorknob. Tears filled your eyes.

“You haven’t even finished exploring and you’re already ready to cry?” He asked surprised. He was right. He seems mean to keep you here, but you were the one not checking if he was really keeping you here. Since you were closer to the second room, you went to that one first. The next room just led to a different hallway with two other doors. Bathroom through one door, a room with a white grand piano on the other. There was nothing more.

In the first room, had one other door. You opened it up to a hallway. It led to some sort of indoor courtyard. Cobblestone floors and an empty pond in the middle. Surrounding the courtyard were many arches that led to different hallways, none that were familiar though. There were staircases that went up and down the place. On floors above, you saw open arches one would fall off the side if they weren’t paying attention to where they were going. But there were ways to get yourself from one open entrance to another, even if suspended in air. What was this place? This couldn’t be the same trainers ground you came from.

You soon forgot about the boy’s voice, you were more curious about the place. You explored. But you could never make a map in your head. After exploring one place, you would search another to find that it was the exact place you previously explored. And when you turned back, something new was there. This place was impossible. But it was, you could see it.

It seemed that you had forgotten about him. He couldn’t bear to think that you weren’t thinking about him anymore. So he started to play. He gave you something to do. Something to find.

You were exploring a hallway, you don’t remember how long you’ve been here. But you faintly heard a piece of music. A piece you’ve never heard before. But it brought you a sense of familiarity, a sense of compatibility. There were no words, just music. And it was entrancing.

You rushed back out to the courtyard and looked around, searching for the origin of the music. It felt like it came from everywhere. The moment you thought it came from one direction, pulling you that way, your ears perked as it heard the music originate from another hallway. The longer it played, the more obsessed you became.

You tried to focus outside of the music. If it was a trick, then you wouldn’t let yourself fall. You would aimlessly search every hallway, even though your ears heard it grow farther and farther away. You didn’t feel like you could trust your ears anymore. It was terrifying to have a sense that you felt you couldn’t trust anymore.

There were too many hallways. You collapsed out of exhaustion. But you didn’t want to give up. But you stopped to breath. He didn’t like that.

The music stopped and you whined for it, clawing yourself up from the cobblestone floors and the music started again. He was playing you like a toy. You were crying as you ran around. Not sure whether you should trust your ears again. This was going nowhere and you kept going back to the same places. You couldn’t come up with any recognizable pattern of how this place could change, you couldn’t even understand it, but you just chose to accept it.

“Give it to me. Please.” You sobbed after you came back from the last hallway you could explore, at least you thought you’ve run through every hallway, even if they ended up the same. You felt so desperate to be close to the origin. Wherever it came from, it would be the place where you could hear it best, learn it properly.

You heard a cackle and you shivered.

“Are you cold?” He asked curiously. You shook your head.

“You will learn from me. And only when I think you’re ready, you may have this piece. I will not give it to you until you have completed my song.” Complete his song?

“I have a song. But you’re not ready to sing it. I need to train you. You will learn from me. And only me. Your other vocal trainers will only unravel all my hard work and hinder your improvement. You may go back for choreography though. I have nothing to teach you in that aspect.” This boy sounded like he was around your age, or at least couldn’t have been old. Why did he act like he had such authority? Even your overseer gave off a sense of awestruck fear. One you felt as well.

“Show yourself!” You cried out. You couldn’t stand just talking to a voice. You felt crazy. And so, he wouldn’t talk anymore. He didn’t respond to you for so long. You got angry and stomped into a random hallway, trying to blow off some steam and not be idle, or else silent fear will crawl back. Only when you recognized another human being, a staff of the trainers ground, you realized, that hallway was the one you first entered.

**

A couple days later, you shamefully returned. It was easy to find the courtyard, probably because he wanted you to. You turned around to look, the hallway was still there.

“I will learn from you. I want that piece. And I will have it.” You called out. Nothing. You sat at the edge of the pond and swung your legs inside. Even though it was empty. You aimlessly kicked your feet as you waited. Waited so long, your patience and confidence were starting to waver. He seemed like one of those “one chance” types. But if that was the case, you wouldn’t have been able to find the courtyard again. But the hallway –

It was gone.

“First of all, everything your trainers have taught you so far, forget it. You’re lucky you have natural talent that they haven’t completely shaved away yet.” His voice. But not his person. You sighed, you might never know what he looks like.

“What’s your name?” You asked.

“What do you think it is?” He countered. It was a very strange question, for you’ve never heard anyone ask what they think their name is.

“You’re a phantom.” Your answer was met by silence for a good minute. You turned to look around if you could see the first hallway again. You didn’t.

“Phantom it is.”

This went on for years. Every day, you have dance lessons. Every night, you have vocal lessons with the Phantom. Every piece you practice here, it is an original, from him. You learn that he is a composer. He is the architect of this place. He is a magician of sorts and you can’t help but be fascinated. But that just makes him all the more arrogant.

Your overseer clearly knows where you disappear off to every night. But she doesn’t say anything. She is the one who brought you there in the first place, of course she knows where you went. She probably knows him. Him and his strange ways of communication and his labyrinth.

The rest of the girls start to notice your empty bed every now and then. They start to tease you, exclude you, single you out.

“I bet it’s a manager. It’s the reason why they keep giving her most of the solos.”

“I heard she started from the janitor and worked her way up. Disgusting.”

Their words are unbearable to your poor sensitive heart. All you want is to perform. And to have a song. But no matter what anyone gossips about, they never dare to acknowledge the truth. You are truly the star pupil. Your singing is the best of all of them.

Once you entered the courtyard with tears threatening to fall. He asked you what was wrong and you blew up. Talking about one of the girls who had the audacity to stir the rumor that you let yourself be passed around by managers. She had the poorest voice, you weren’t even sure why she stayed. By the end of your spout, he would calmly ask the name of the girl. And you carelessly gave it. You didn’t know that it was all he needed.

The next day, the girl had disappeared. The overseer told the girls that she packed her bags and left at the crack of dawn. You knew why though. You saw her leave. You saw her leaving and as she looked back at the building, you saw tears burning a large scar on her face. A scar so terrible, it looked like a wide rip in a painting. That day on, you never told him of your frustrations. Fear shook you to the core.

He is a perfectionist alright. He is ruthless and relentless when it comes to teaching you. You are not allowed to sleep until you surpass his goals for the day. He finds ways to wake you up without the music when you’re dozing off during lessons. He will maliciously call you names worse than anything the girls have ever said to you. You get frustrated and so would he. Sometimes he will be so hard on you, you run out crying, but he won’t let you leave. You can run around with tears streaming down your face, but you can never leave. Not until you finish your lesson. Somehow, the layout of the place will always change. Every room is familiar to you by now, but never in the same place unless he allows it. You want to know how he does it, but you won’t ask questions you know will be fruitless. All you can do is get tired and go back to the practice room when you exhaust yourself from your frustrations. He is so rude and arrogant.

But at times, there are tender moments.

Sometimes, you get so tired after the vocal lessons, you will just end up resting in one of the rooms you find has a bed. It is clearly unused by anyone else, so you use it. The first night you stumble upon it, the bed was just a mattress. But you were too tired to care. You just kicked off your shoes and flopped there. The next time you found it, the mattress was dressed in sheets, blankets, and pillows.

Before the crack of dawn, faint music will reach your ears. In your subconsciousness, you can recognize it as the piece you crave. The moment you feel conscious again, the music will stop. Even if you pretend to stay asleep, he somehow has a sixth sense about your wakefulness, always cutting off the music the moment you have an ounce of consciousness before telling you to get up. It drives you insane to never hear the ending to the piece. It is as he promised. He never finishes.

It makes you obsessively crave for more. It is a guilty pleasure that you hide from everyone. You are selfish and never let yourself hum it in front of others. It will be yours and yours only. The only problem is, even if you want to hum it, you can never remember it completely. It is crazy that the notes are always lost to you. Like the complexity always keeps itself from your grasp. Like it is always changing, bit by bit, so you can never get a clear detail of it. Like his labyrinth. Like him. Only when you are back, when you hear it again, does the familiarity wash over you. It’s what motivates you to come and stay.

“Phantom, your song. When can I sing it?” You ask one day. Once again, you are met by silence. Whenever you ask something he wants to avoid, he will just not answer you. It frustrates you that he gets to do that, while you aren’t allowed to.

Music starts to play. A new piece. The complexity of the piece is so detailed and ominous. But as you hear it, you know you are not going to be able to sing to this for a long time.

“Do you think you are ready?” He asks, threateningly. As if you could surpass his understanding of music and claim yourself ready, when the expert himself hadn’t given you the clear yet.

“No.” You whisper. There is something smug about his silence before your lessons continue.

The Phantom is conflicted every night. He wants you to be his perfect songbird. He wants you to perform in front of all of Seoul. It will make him, your master, proud. He calls himself your master, but he never told you. He likes the name you gave him too.

But as much as he dreams of his results, you can’t leave. If you reach your full potential, he is always afraid that you will leave him. He wants to keep you here. Forever. His demented understanding whispers to him that he is good enough for you, but you will never see it. He knows the image you have of him. As a monster for scaring that insolent girl. A ruthless teacher who will only wait until her screaming is over before ordering her to come back to the practice room.

But he sees you so much more. You are his angel. He is your demon. How romantic. In the darkest hours in the night, when you chose to stay for the night, he would come to your room. You developed into a beautiful woman that haunts him as much as he haunts you, but in different ways. He dares to caress your cheeks and run his hand above your curve, but he doesn’t touch you. You are so delicate and practically untouchable. If he touches you, he is afraid you will disappear. You are delicate, the situation is delicate. As much as he wants to see his beloved songbird, his angel of music, to take flight and let the world see the fruit of his labors, this is the only way to keep his songbird by his side, in his cage.