Then he snuggled closer against him, allowing the heat that emanated from his body and from their gems, which, after a long time, were finally in sync to envelop him.

"Why does it take you so long to do something so simple? Has your brain melted or what?"

He had already been waiting for half an hour for the rest of them to arrive at their weekly meeting when they finally appeared at the door. And to top it off, they didn't even have good news.

"Easier said than done."

"Oh, come on! Don't give me that excuse now. If before we could get 50 Corrupted Gems in a week, why now we only get 10? We're not even halfway there! And that should hurt your pride if you still have it." The man said with annoyance as he gave a haughty look to those present at the table.

As much as they hated his words and glared at him with anger and resentment, none of them dared to say anything. They knew what awaited them if they dared to rebel.

"As I already said, not that easy, Yuseok."

Minus one person, apparently.

Yuseok turned to the person in question. A young woman with a strong character who did not mince words. Although at first, Yuseok had liked that part of her personality, since it helped him keep others at bay and fulfil his objectives, now it was burdensome. Lately, he couldn't stand anyone. He couldn't bear that they came with so many failures, one after another.

"Oh, really?" He asked with mock interest and soft voice as he leaned a little in his chair to get closer to the woman. They all held their breath. "Would you mind telling me what's wrong with making those kids jump into that pond scared to death? I think it's not complicated at all. We've done it before."

"It's not that easy to make them afraid!" The exasperated woman replied.

"Well, throw them in the fucking pond! You'll see how they piss on top of fear!" Yuseok yelled as he hit the table without losing eye contact with the woman.

The others at the table were visibly startled, but the woman remained impassive as if she had heard nothing. Or like she's used to it.

"And risk that parents come to claim us because we have forced their children to enter? Risk being investigated and discovered? We have to do it in a way that no one can say that it was our fault. Besides," the woman said as she leaned back in the chair, "it's not like it is necessary to continue with this system either."

"As you say?" This woman had them well worn to dare to say something like that.

"you get so fixated on the results you overlook the obvious. That we now have fewer corrupted gems is because almost no one comes, not because we don't do our job well."

"That is even worse." The man said with a hand to his face as he rolled his eyes.

"That means we have done a good job so far. Children don't want to get a gem that will only bring them the same suffering and misfortune that they see in their parents. The results may have been important before, but it is clear that this line of action is perfected and we do not need to spend so much time corrupting new gems."

"Since you know so much, what do you propose that we do now? What should our alternative action plan be?" Yuseok challenged her.

"Wait for everything to run its course and for the tree to die. With all the gems we have corrupted and the deaths we have caused, he has little time left." She replied with a shrug.

"Sit and wait. Really?" Yuseok asked incredulously.

"It's not like you don't know what I'm talking about. You can tell that you've forgotten what fieldwork is like. "

He was shamelessly provoking it.

"Do you think it's easy to be in my position? Because if so, I could let you try."

A tense silence spread through the room, which was already silent.

"I never said it was easy. But it is very comfortable to sit there while others do the work."

"While you do the fieldwork," he replied mockingly, "I have to explain why we are doing such a mediocre job after so many years of experience. I have to ask for second chances and time for the results to meet the boss's expectations. Because in case you don't remember, we all have a deal with him here, and if we don't meet his expectations, we will be replaced and eliminated, and our chance to win back our families will go to shit."

After that, Yuseok ended the meeting. Only when the last attendant left did he give himself a chance to relax in his chair, a heavy sigh coming from his lungs.

"Wow, what an intense meeting!" Said a voice to his right. Yuseok knew that voice.

"Sir," Yuseok said by greeting.

The tension had returned to his body with just the sound of the shadow's voice, his boss, the being with whom everyone had agreed. Yuseok had seen him occasionally, and none of them had been pleasant. Lee used to make his presence known as the rest of the shadows: always in the periphery of your vision, but never enough to see him really, the only trace the sound of his voice, which usually had a condescending tone.

"That woman has them on well, I have to say."

Yuseok only grunted in response. Lee knew how much this woman bothered him, and he took every opportunity to laugh at the expense of Yuseok's interactions with her.

"I've always wondered if she will be just as fierce in bed." The shadow commented, which now seemed to be somewhere behind him.

"No offence, but I don't think she'll let you find out."

Lee laughed, not necessarily sinister, but it made your hair stand on end.

"I never said I was going to ask her for permission," Lee whispered in his ear with amusement.

Yuseok hated it when he did that because that way his voice got into his head. It gave him the feeling that the thoughts of the shadow became his as if he possessed him. But he refrained from showing his displeasure; that would only make him do it more times.

"But, changing the subject, I think she's right this time."

"Have you heard all of it?"

"I always listen to everything, Yuseok." A chill ran down his spine, knowing full well that there was a subliminal message in his sentence. If someone betrayed her, he would find out. "It is more entertaining to see them discuss in the first person instead of hearing it through the mouth of others. I love to see your expression when you lose the papers. Oh, and her face! I'd love to see if she can put up with that poker face while I fuck her at this very table." The dark fairy commented contemplatively.

Yuseok knew that Lee wasn't interested in her in that way; fairies like him only felt pleasure and sexual desire when they were related to others of the same species, otherwise, the only thing that was entertainment for them was to play with someone else's mind. However much he knew this, the comment was no less disgusting and repulsive.

"So, are we going to do what she has suggested?"

"Why not?" Lee said. Yuseok could tell from the shrug in his tone. "We have made great strides in all these years. That decrepit tree is in its last days, and its agonizing cries for help are an obvious example of its end. Our turn now, dear Yuseok," the fairy whispered in his ear,  "is to relax and watch her fall. Despair for its end will be the ideal fertilizer for my plan."

And then he noticed how the fairy, rather than his shadow, was moving away from him to leave.

"Remember our deal, Lee."

"How could I forget it? It is the most important part of the plan." And then it faded away, leaving behind a cacophony of amused laughter that sounded sinister and mocking and not at all encouraging.

If time was what they needed, then Yuseok would wait. Overall, it is not as if you have not already invested half your life to see the fruit of your work and effort.

This story belongs to @nometoloko on AO3. I'm just her translator.

I know this was confusing as fuck. But it'll make depending on how good your memory is. The story' bout the dark fairies and things. If you still don't remember, go back to chap 6, where Jungkook had to watch that video in school. It was a long time ago. This chap is about the bad guys and their pov .... kinda.