Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

LUKA

Age: 37

Relatives: N/A

Partner: Hyuna

Affiliation: Rebellion

HYUNA

Age: 34

Relatives: Hyunwoo

Partner: Luka

Affiliation: Rebellion

MIZI

Age: 29

Relatives: N/A

Partner: Sua

Affiliation: N/A

SUA

Age: 30

Relatives: N/A

Partner: Mizi

Affiliation: N/A

TILL

Age: 28

Relatives: N/A

Partner: Ivan (He's rethinking his life choices)

Affiliation: Rebellion

IVAN

Age: 29

Relatives: N/A

Partner: Till

Affiliation: Rebellion

HYUNWOO

Age: 35

Relatives: Hyuna

Partner: N/A

Affiliation: Rebellion

DEWEY

Age: 37

Relatives: N/A

Partner: N/A

Affiliation: Rebellion

ISAAC

Age: 35

Relatives: N/A

Partner: N/A

Affiliation: Rebellion

Chapter Text

The sound of the pitter-patters of rain echoed thru that dreadful museum, that place the rebellion now calls a "second home". Luka sat by the window, looking at the drops of rain fall down, he made them race, that dim, yellow-ish light of the museum outlining the scar that ran jaggedly over his left eye. The wound had healed, but it never really left him. He could feel it with every blink, a reminder of the night everything burned.

A quick chuckle broke the silence.

"Mivan! Be careful with that, we don't want glass breaking." — Someone spoke, Luka looked over his shoulder, it was Hyuna with Mivan, that child that was found here, saved by Till and Ivan.

"Oh, hey Hyuna. Why are you guys back so soon? Weren't you at the main base?"

"Yeah, we were. Things got too loud for Mivan so we came back here, hope you don't mind."

Luka didn't mind it, of course. Hyuna was his girlfriend, and loved having her around, he got up from the stool he was sitting on, and gave Hyuna a small cheek kiss.

"I don't mind, it's alright." A few seconds of silence appeared in the room before Luka spoke again. "Are the other kids around? Or are they with Till and Ivan?"

''...Oh—" Hyuna came back from zoning out. " Yeah, they're with the other two, plus, Dewey and Isaac are there, and you know how much the kids love those two." Hyuna giggled, holding Mivan's small hand.

...The room got quiet again, Luka looked back at the raindrops.

"It's raining." — He said.

"We can tell, stupid." A little, androgynous voice spoke, it was Mivan.

"Okay- Not my fault i'm pointing things out, Mivan."

"Not my fault you're low-key kinda dumb."

"... Okay, well, not my fa—"

"Quiet, you two." Hyuna broke their fight, getting in between the two. "You both seem like you're five years old every time you fight." She let out a sigh. "You two really need to make peace, it's getting too much."

"...Sorry." Luka looked down.

"Pfft— He looks like a sad, sad puppy!" Mivan spoke, before getting Hyuna's hand placed on their mouth.

... Silence.

Hyuna sighed after a bit, releasing her hand from Mivan's mouth, it was a bit wet, due to Mivan licking her palm.

“Enough teasing, Mivan. Go put your drawing stuff back where it belongs before you lose another crayon.” She spoke.

Mivan made an exaggerated groan but obeyed, stomping away toward the corner where their art supplies were spread out in a chaotic splash of colors. Hyuna watched them for a moment, her expression soft, a flicker of something wistful in her eyes, before turning back to Luka.

"You're too easy on them." Hyuna said with a small, awkward smile.

“They’ve been through enough.” Luka replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “They deserve to act like kids, even if it means I get called dumb every other hour.”

Hyuna smiled faintly at that, walking closer until she leaned against the same window frame as him.

“You ever think about what we were doing seven years ago?” she asked suddenly.
Luka’s body stiffened. He didn’t answer right away. His reflection in the glass looked older than it should.

“All I can think about are the Segyein, and them forcing me to do shit.” he muttered. “The past doesn’t change anyways, no matter how many times you stare it down.”

“Maybe...” Hyuna said. “But pretending it’s not there doesn’t change it either.”

She reached up, brushing her fingers gently across the edge of his scar. Luka flinched, not from pain, but from the familiarity of the touch. It grounded him, even when it hurt.

“Hyuna…” he murmured, but she only gave him a small smile, the kind that told him she didn’t want to argue. Not tonight.

It was nice.

“What are you working on over there?” Luka asked, glad for the distraction.
Mivan held up the paper proudly. “A family portrait! See? That’s you, with your big ugly scar—”

“Mivan!” Hyuna barked, though she couldn’t hide the laugh that followed.

“—and that’s Hyuna, and that’s Till and Ivan and Dewey and Isaac, and that’s me! We’re all smiling! Well, except Luka, but that’s because he never smiles, but it's only when Hyuna is around, but he's next to Till, so no smiles for him.”

Luka raised an eyebrow. “You draw one picture and already it’s a psychological evaluation?”

Mivan just grinned. “I’m observant.”

Hyuna giggled again and shook her head. “Alright, Picasso, it’s bedtime. Go wash your hands.”

As Mivan wandered off, humming again, Hyuna leaned her head against Luka’s shoulder. The rain outside slowed to a drizzle, each drop sliding lazily down the glass like time finally catching its breath.

“You know,” she said softly, “even if it’s not the life we wanted… it’s still something. We made it this far.”

Luka looked down at her, at the way the museum’s dim light caught the faintest shimmer in her eyes.
“Yeah.” he said quietly. “We did make it far, didn't we?”

He reached out, resting his calloused hand over hers. For a moment, the past seemed to fade, replaced by the warmth of what they’d built — a fragile, stubborn kind of peace that somehow felt enough for now.

But as lightning flickered somewhere in the distance, Luka couldn’t help the thought that always followed moments like this — that peace never lasted long. Not for people like them.

Chapter Text

The rain had stopped sometime before dawn.
Now, the museum was wrapped in a sleepy quiet, the kind that only came after a long storm. Sunlight bled weakly through the fogged windows, turning the dust in the air into slow, drifting motes of gold. Luka stood in the main hall, his coat thrown loosely over his shoulders as he swept the water that had leaked in through the broken roof tiles.

Behind him, Mivan’s footsteps padded across the floor. “Do we have breakfast yet?” they asked, voice still thick with sleep. Their pink hair stuck up in every direction.

Luka glanced over his shoulder, smirking faintly. “You mean, do I have breakfast ready yet?”

“Well, yeah...—” Mivan said, rubbing their eyes. “—You’re the adult.”

“That’s debatable.” Hyuna’s voice called from the main room.

Luka looked behind him to see her leaning against the huge door frame, dressed in her worn black jacket — the one she only wore when she was going somewhere. Her hair was tied back, and her expression carried that familiar spark of determination that always made him uneasy.

“Morning.” Luka greeted Hyuna. “You’re up early.”

“I didn’t sleep much.” she admitted, walking towards Luka and Mivan. “There's too much on my mind.”

Luka could tell. Her steps were light, deliberate — the way she moved when she was hiding something. He waited until she reached the last step before speaking again.

“So… what’s going on?” he asked. “You’ve had that ‘I’m about to do something dangerous’ look since last night.”

Hyuna sighed, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeve. “You always see through me, huh?”

“It’s kind of my job.” he said with a half-smile. “That, and keeping Mivan from setting the kitchen on fire.”

“I only did that once!” Mivan yelled from the next room.

Hyuna laughed softly, then her smile faded. “I went to meet someone early this morning. A friend from the main base. They sent someone new, someone who wants to join us.”

Luka’s shoulders tensed. “Join us? Hyuna, we’re not—”

“I know,” she cut him off. “We’re not supposed to be recruiting. But listen to me first, okay?”
She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “This one’s different. She lost everything in the tragedy, her partner, home, people who she found comfort in… everything. She's been surviving alone ever since. She said she wants to help rebuild the rebellion.”

Luka frowned, crossing his arms. “Or she wants a place to hide... We’ve had people like that before, Hyuna. You know how it goes.”

Her expression hardened. “You think I don’t remember? You think I don’t know what happened the last time we trusted someone new?”

The air between them grew heavier. Luka looked away, the image of fire flashing behind his eyes — the night of the Tragedy, the betrayal that tore their world apart. He didn’t want to relive it.

Hyuna softened her tone. “I checked them myself. She's not a threat, Luka. Just… lost.”

He stayed quiet for a moment, then let out a tired breath. “Where is she now?”

Hyuna tilted her head toward the entrance. “Waiting outside. I didn’t want to bring her in until you said it was okay.”

Of course she hadn’t. That was Hyuna, reckless but respectful in her own stubborn way. Luka rubbed his head, glancing at Mivan, who had now peeked around the doorway, curiosity all over their face.

“Fine,” he said finally. “Bring them in. But if anything feels off—”

“I know,” Hyuna interrupted, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “You’ll handle it.”

Luka nodded once, resigned. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Hyuna turned toward the door, pulling it open. Cold morning air drifted in, along with the faint scent of wet stone and city smoke. A shadow lingered just outside the threshold, an uncertain stance coming from her.

“Come on in,” Hyuna said gently. “Don’t be shy.”

The figure stepped forward. Luka's eyes immediately widened, "She's alive...?" He thought.

Luka watched her in silence, his good eye narrowing slightly as he studied her. Something in her stance, the way she carried herself, tugged at a buried memory.

For the first time that morning, he felt that same unease, that kind that he felt in the tragedy.

Hyuna’s voice broke through the tension.

“Luka, this is Mizi.” she said. “Mizi, welcome to the rebellion.”

Chapter Text

The drawing session had quieted down. Mivan was busy coloring furiously in a sketchbook, oblivious to the weight of the room. Mizi sat at the small table, fingers tracing the edge of a colored pencil she hadn’t picked up. Her amber eyes stared into nothing, distant, haunted. After a long chatting session with Hyuna and Mizi, Luka was slightly suspicious of Mizi...

Luka leaned against the doorway, watching her with caution. He knew that look — the one she always got when memories clawed their way back. Seven years of silence hadn’t dulled the shadows in her eyes.

“You think I don’t remember her.” Mizi said suddenly, her voice low, almost a whisper. Luka stiffened.

“Her?” he asked carefully, stepping closer.

“Sua,” Mizi said, the name hanging heavy in the air. “My girlfriend. She… she disappeared. One day, just gone. No note, no warning. Just… gone.” Her hands curled into fists, the pencil trembling slightly between her fingers.

Luka frowned, leaning against the counter. “I’m… sorry. I didn’t—”

“You didn’t what?” Mizi snapped, finally turning to him, her amber eyes blazing. “You didn’t care? You didn’t notice? You were too busy using me, Luka. Using my mind like it was yours to control, and I couldn’t even protect her. I couldn’t do anything.”

Her voice cracked, just a little. She swallowed hard, refusing to let herself break completely. “Seven years, Luka. Seven years of wondering if she was… alive. If she was okay. And all I can think about is that night — the fire, the screams, and you… using me... ME!  to save everyone else.”

Luka’s jaw tightened. He wanted to apologize again, but the words felt hollow. He had done things he couldn’t undo, things that haunted him every day. “Mizi… I didn’t know. I didn’t know about Sua,” he said quietly. “I never meant—”

“You never meant!? Never meant WHAT?” She spat, shaking her head. “That’s what I hate about you! You never mean to do anything, but everything you do… it leaves scars. Scars for everyone around you. And now she’s gone, and you’re here, asking me to trust you again?”

Mizi’s voice softened, almost breaking. “I can’t… I can’t go back to that, Luka. I can’t. I don’t even know if I want to survive this world anymore. Not like this.”

Luka took a step closer, carefully, not wanting to frighten her. “You don’t have to go through it alone.” He said. “Not anymore. I know I can’t undo the past… but I can be here, now. For you. For Sua, whatever you want to do to honor her memory.”

Mizi looked at him, eyes shimmering with unspilled tears. She opened her mouth, then closed it. Instead, she turned to glance at Mivan, who was humming quietly to themselves, oblivious to the tension.

“They’re… innocent.” she said finally, her voice softer. “They don’t deserve the world we survived.”

“No,” Luka said, almost in a whisper. “They don’t. But we can try to give them something better. Together.”

Mizi’s hands tightened around the pencil again. She didn’t answer, but she didn’t walk away. For a moment, it was enough — a fragile truce, built on loss, guilt, and the memory of someone she loved and couldn’t save.

The museum was quiet, save for Mivan’s faint humming. Outside, the sun broke fully through the clouds, sending streaks of light across the dust motes in the air.

And for the first time in years, Mizi allowed herself to stay present, even if just a little, even if the ghosts of Sua and the Tragedy lingered around them all.

A few days later...

The next few days passed in a quiet rhythm, the museum slowly waking from the storm. Mizi kept mostly to herself, shadowing Hyuna as she helped with chores and keeping a wary distance from Luka.

But the kids had a different idea.

“Here!” Mivan waved a crayon at her, grinning like she hadn’t just been scowling at the world all morning. “You have to color with me! I already drew our army!”

Mizi froze, unsure. Her fingers itched to retreat, but something about Mivan’s wide, hopeful eyes stopped her. Carefully, she sat on the floor, crossed legs brushing against the scattered papers.

“This is… your army?” she asked softly, her voice low.

Mivan nodded vigorously. “Yeah! You can be one of the generals!”

A corner of Mizi’s mouth twitched. “Generals? I don’t even know how to—”

“You’ll learn! I’ll teach you! You’re the scary one, right? You’re like, super strong!”

Mizi let herself laugh quietly, almost surprised by the sound. The museum felt… warmer somehow. For a few minutes, she simply colored alongside Mivan, letting herself forget the fire, the Tragedy, and the guilt gnawing at her chest.

But the moment passed, as it always did. She caught Luka’s eye from across the room, his scarred face tense, arms crossed, watching her like she was fragile glass.

“You’re letting them near you.” He said quietly when she approached him later, a faint edge in his voice.

“I’m not letting them near me,” Mizi replied, her amber eyes sharp. “I’m... just existing in the same room.”

He raised an eyebrow. “There’s a difference?”

She looked away, a smile flickering. “Maybe.”

The tension between them remained, simmering just below the surface. Luka wanted to apologize, to reach out, but she still carried the weight of what he had done, the mind control, the Tragedy, and the disappearance of Sua. Words weren’t enough, not yet.

Hyuna, noticing the unspoken conflict, gave them a knowing glance but didn’t interfere. “Just... let them be.” She said softly. “Let them figure it out. You both need this... small part of normal, even if it’s temporary.”

By the evening, Mizi had warmed slightly. She laughed at Mivan’s absurd drawing of an army, showing tiny, exaggerated Segyeins that looked more like caricatures than threats.

“You’re... different with them.” Luka observed quietly.

Mizi shrugged, avoiding his gaze. “They remind me there’s a reason to survive. Not for me, not for you, not even for the rebellion... but for them. At least for them.”

For the first time, Luka felt a flicker of hope. Maybe Mizi could find a place here, even if she still hated him. Maybe, with time, the kids, and the memory of Sua, could slowly start to heal the scars left by the Tragedy.

And maybe, just maybe, she could begin to forgive herself too.

The museum settled into the quiet of the night. Mivan asleep on the couch, crayons scattered on the floor, Mizi at last letting herself relax slightly in the space between past and present. And outside, the faint glow of dawn promised another day, one small, fragile step closer to something resembling peace.

Something quickly broke that silence.

Chapter Text

Something quickly broke that silence.

A sound. Faint, metallic. It came from the far end of the museum. It wasn’t loud, but it was enough to cut through the calm like a blade.

Luka’s head turned instantly. Mizi, sitting near the couch, froze. Her hand, which had been resting near the crayons Mivan left behind, trembled ever so slightly.

Hyuna poked her head out from the side room. “What was that?”

Luka didn’t answer. His eyes were already on Mizi. “That came from the archives room.”

The archives. A section of the museum no one touched anymore. It was filled with boxes of old photographs, burnt posters, and files from the rebellion’s earliest days. Luka had locked it months ago.

He frowned. “Stay here.”

Mizi rose slowly. “No. I’m coming with you.”

Her tone left no room for argument. Together, they walked toward the back corridor, boots echoing softly against the cracked tile. The air was colder there, heavy with dust and old smoke.

Luka reached for the handle. The lock was broken.

“Mizi,” he murmured, narrowing his eyes. “Did you—”

“I didn’t touch it,” she said too quickly.

He pushed the door open. Inside, the faint light of a broken screen flickered weakly in the dark. The old holoprojector, the one used to display museum footage was on.

Across the cracked wall, grainy images danced and shifted: flames, smoke, shadows running through chaos.

The ALIEN STAGE Tragedy.

Luka felt his stomach twist. He’d seen this footage before, or thought he had. But this one… this one was different. This angle was from the backstage cameras.

And then he saw her.

A girl, smaller, terrified, but unmistakably Mizi. Standing at the center of the inferno, her hands outstretched, eyes glowing with a terrible, inhuman light. The fire obeyed her. Consumed everything.

The clip ended abruptly, static hissing through the air.

Mizi didn’t move. She just stared at the dead screen, eyes wide and glassy.

Luka turned to her slowly. “You…” His voice cracked. “You did this?”

Her lips parted, but no words came out. The silence between them stretched until it felt suffocating.

“It was you.” Luka’s voice grew hoarse. “You burned it down. You- you caused the Tragedy.”

“I didn’t mean to!” she snapped suddenly, the words tumbling out like broken glass. “You think I wanted to? I didn’t even know what I was doing!”

He took a step back, disbelief and rage flickering in his one good eye. “Thousands died, Mizi! Do you have any idea what that night did to us— to everyone?”

Her voice cracked. “The Segyein- they were cornering us, Luka! I panicked, they were going to kill everyone! I tried to protect us, and then- y'know.”

She gestured helplessly at the dead screen, tears welling. “It just… happened.”

Luka’s jaw clenched. The scar over his eye burned like it was fresh again. “You didn’t tell anyone. You let the world blame the rebellion for what you did.”

“I let them call me a witch!” she screamed. “They hunted me for years, Luka! They broadcast my face on every news screen — the witch who burned the stage! Do you think I was proud of that?!”

Her breathing quickened, voice trembling now. “I was young, Luka. I didn’t know what I was. I didn’t even know what that power was.”

Luka wanted to shout. To curse her. To make sense of the hatred boiling inside him. But when he looked at her — shaking, hollow-eyed, terrified — he saw something else beneath the guilt.

Regret. And fear.

He swallowed hard. “Hyuna and the kids… they don’t know.”

Mizi shook her head. “No. And they can’t. Please, Luka. If they knew— if they looked at me like the rest of the world did.”

Her voice broke entirely. “I can’t survive that again.”

For a long time, Luka said nothing. The projector flickered one last time before dying completely, leaving them in the dark — just the two of them, breathing, surrounded by the ghosts of a fire that had never really gone out.

Finally, Luka turned away. “You should’ve told me.”

“I know.”

“I trusted you.” He said quietly. “Even after everything, that rocket was Hyuna's plan, and you RUINED IT ALL!” Luka finally snapped, his words ran thru the museum's silence.

“I know,” she whispered again. “But it had to be done, for Sua, Hyuna, Till, and everyone else.”

Neither of them moved for a long time. The hum of the broken light filled the silence between them — fragile, tense, aching.

Mizi's legs fell weak. "I need a minute-"

"A minute my- AGH! You're going to explain this NOW." Luka's voice was so powerful, it made Mizi drop to the ground, crying.

... Silence.

Luka walked towards Mizi, grabbing her collar and standing her up, he slapped her.

"This is for the two times you've punched me. And it's not even the beginning, Mizi." Luka spoke, his eyes narrowed. "I hope you never find your little girlfriend, live the life you deserve, witch."

He threw her back onto the ground, she cried, her cheek was red from the slap, she couldn't stop sobbing, tears and tears fell onto the floor, like those raindrops from last night.

After Luka left, Mizi kept crying, no one came for her. Were they all gone? She couldn't stand up, her legs were too weak.

A few minutes passed, no one came, no one called for her, it was pure silence, she looked back at the door of the archives, seeing the broken lock. Luka believed it was her, she knew that for sure, but someone had to have broken the lock. She then thought; "Mivan." One of the kids that were rescued here, in this same museum, there were 5 other kids, but those were back at the Rebellion's base with Till and Ivan.

Mizi got up, her legs shaky, but she ran towards the door. No one, silence. She went outside, it was snowing, this was her first time seeing real snow, not ashes. She ran towards the street lights, holding onto each one, trying to make her legs not give out.

Then, she saw a figure, it had little pigtails, it was short and skinny.

Mizi called out.

"SUA!"

The figure turned around.

Chapter Text

The figure turned around.

Mizi’s breath caught in her throat.

She would have known that face anywhere, even through the veil of snow. Her hair, the pigtails she sometimes did... It was deifinitely her.

“Sua...?”

The name left her lips like a prayer. Her legs moved before her mind could catch up, boots crunching through the frost. “Sua! It’s me, it’s Mizi!”

The girl stopped.

For a moment, hope surged.

Then Sua blinked, her expression faint, distant. “Do I know you?”

The world went silent.

"Sua, stop it! Please- You know me!" Mizi cried.

"I thought I did." Sua's head tilted, she stepped closer. "Mizi, this went too far."

Sua turned back around, there was a puddle of something in front of her. Mizi couldn't tell what it was.

"I hope you had fun, Mizi, I hope you had fun burning it all down." She grabbed a box of matches, and lit one up. "See you in hell, witch."

"WAIT— SUA!" Mizi called out, but it was too late, the flames engulfed Sua.

"SUA! PLEASE!" Mizi cried. "YOU AREN'T LIKE THI—"

The world froze.

Mizi gasped for air, she woke up in the archives room.

"A dream..." Mizi stood up, her legs were as weak as she remembered before leaving the archives room in that dream.

Something was off, everything was vivid, as if it actually happened. Mizi rubbed her eyes and stood up carefully, she quickly walked outside. Nothing.

The streets were empty, Sua wasn't there.

"Shit." Mizi thought.

She collapsed onto the ground.

For a moment, everything felt so... real, as if her presence was nearby.

Luka's POV

Luka closed the archive's room door behind him, leaving Mizi there. Hyuna was close by, she heard the yelling.

"Are you okay, Luka?" Hyuna asked, Luka's face had no emotion, as if he was back on stage.

"Everything's fine."

"Where's Mizi? Is she still in there? What even is that room?" Hyuna asked, worried.

"She'll be fine." He pushed Hyuna out of the way and he walked outside

"...Luka?" Hyuna grabbed her own shoulder, where Luka had bumped onto her. "Hey, wait up! Grab your coat at least!"

"Don't follow me, Hyuna. Go back to the rebellion's base, i'll be there soon." He walked towards the old Alien Stage building, where the tragedy had happened.

"...Come on, Mivan," Hyuna grabbed Mivan's hand. "Let's go back with Till and Ivan, they have more crayons!"

"Ooooh! Crayons~ Hehe..." Mivan followed Hyuna with a smile.

Luka found Mizi on the streets, crying, curled up like a ball. She was awake.

"Sua won't come anytime soon, don't even wait for her." Luka gave Mizi a little kick and he then kept walking foward.

Behind him, Mizi didn’t move. She just stayed there, shaking, her sobs quiet but jagged, the kind that hurt to listen to.

He didn’t look back.

He couldn’t.

“Don’t wait for her.” he muttered again under his breath, as if repeating it would make it true — as if saying it would make the image of Sua’s burning silhouette stop flickering behind his eyelids.

But the snow kept falling, and the street was too quiet.

“Luka…” Her voice cracked behind him. He stopped mid-step, exhaling a cloud of coldness. “Why are you doing this?” Mizi’s voice trembled, broken, hoarse. “You think I wanted any of this? You think I chose it?”

He didn’t answer.

“You think I don’t already hate myself enough for what happened seven years ago?” she shouted. “You think I don’t wake up every night hearing them scream?”

Luka turned, his expression sharp, cold. “Then stop pretending you’re the only one who lost someone.”

That shut her up.

He stepped closer, his voice low. “We all burned that night, Mizi. You think you’re the only one carrying ghosts? I watched them die too. I watched Hyuna bleed trying to save people, I—” He stopped himself, swallowing the rest. “You’re not special.”

Mizi stared at him, tears still streaking her face. “Then why does it feel like I’m the only one who still sees the fire?”

The question hung between them. Luka didn’t answer. He couldn’t.

She looked down again. “I saw her, Luka. Sua. She was right there. She talked to me like she knew everything. She said—” Mizi’s voice broke. “She said it was my fault. That I burned it all down. She looked at me like I was… like I was a monster.”

Luka’s jaw tightened. “Maybe it wasn’t just a dream.”

She blinked, startled. “What?”

“You’ve seen the way the world’s been lately. The empty streets, the power cuts. Everyone’s trying to resurrect ghosts — literal or not. Maybe the past isn’t as dead as we thought.”

“That’s not funny, Luka.” she whispered.

“I’m not joking.”

Silence again.

Mizi looked up at him, eyes red. “Even if that was her... she’s gone now. She looked at me like I was nothing. Like she didn’t remember who I was.”

“She’s not gone.” Luka said, his tone softer this time. “People don’t just vanish. And memories... they don’t burn completely.”

“Then what do I do?” she asked, her voice shaking.

Luka hesitated, his hand curling into a fist. “You get up. You keep walking. You keep breathing until it stops hurting.”

Mizi let out a weak laugh — bitter, cracked. “You talk like you actually believe that works.”

He didn’t answer.

She tried to stand, her legs weak and numb from the cold. Luka moved before he could think, catching her by the arm. She flinched, expecting him to shove her again — but he didn’t. He just kept his grip firm enough to hold her steady.

“Don’t fall apart here,” he muttered. “Not where she vanished.”

Mizi looked up at him, her voice breaking into a whisper. “Why do you care?”

He stared at her for a moment — then looked away. “Because I already lost too many people I didn’t save.”

The snow fell heavier now, soft and silent. For the first time in days, the museum lights behind them flickered to life again, casting a dull golden glow onto the street.

Luka finally let go of her arm. “Get up. We’ll talk back at the museum.”

Mizi wiped her eyes, her breath unsteady. “And what about Sua?”

Luka paused at the door, his back to her. “If she’s really out there,” he said quietly, “then the world’s not done with us yet.”

He pushed open the museum door, letting the cold light spill inside.

Mizi followed, her steps slow, her mind still replaying the dream. The matches, the fire, the words "see you in hell, witch."

But beneath all the fear, one thought lingered.

If Sua was alive. Truly alive, then maybe the Tragedy wasn’t over.

And maybe, neither was their chance to make it right.

Chapter Text

The museum doors groaned as they closed behind them, the sound echoing across the empty halls like a whisper from another time.

Mizi trailed a few steps behind Luka, still shivering, still lost in the echo of Sua’s voice. The air inside was warmer, but it didn’t feel safe, not with the flickering lights above.

They both walked back inside the archives.

Luka walked ahead, his steps purposeful. He didn’t speak, but Mizi knew he was angry, not at her, not really. At himself. At the world. At the fact that Sua’s name still carried weight.

Mizi brushed her fingers across one of the burnt posters, the edges brittle. Her voice came out small. “It doesn’t make sense. She was right there. She looked at me like she remembered... And then she didn’t.”

“Maybe she did,” Luka said, not turning around. “And maybe that’s what scared her.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He stopped at the center of the hall, right beneath the cracked chandelier that hadn’t worked since the Tragedy. “You said she blamed you. Called you a witch.”

Mizi nodded slowly.

“That word didn’t just come from nowhere,” Luka continued. “After the fire, the news used it. The Witch of the Alien Stage Tragedy, the one who cursed the performance, the one who lit the spark.” He glanced at her now, his eyes sharp. “If Sua said that... she’s not just repeating something she heard. Someone fed it to her.”

Mizi’s hands curled into fists. “But why would she believe it? She was there! She knew I didn’t—”

“Are you sure she was there?”

That stopped her words.

Luka’s voice softened. “Seven years is a long time, Mizi. People disappear. People change. Sometimes, they’re forced to.”

The lights flickered again, brighter this time, and then one by one, the overhead bulbs hummed to life, casting the stage in a golden haze.

Mizi’s breath caught.

The stage. The curtains restored. The props rearranged as if someone had just finished a rehearsal.

“...No.”

Mizi stepped forward, drawn by something unseen. The soft hum of electricity filled the silence, then a faint static sound. A projector mounted on the balcony flickered on by itself, casting an image onto the stage.

It was grainy, distorted, but unmistakably real.

The final rehearsal.

Seven years ago.

Mizi’s heart raced. The image of herself appeared on the screen, younger, smiling nervously at Sua beside her. They were holding hands, standing before the audience, bathed in stage light.

Then, a shadow passed across the screen. The static deepened.

The recording glitched.

Mizi flinched. “That- that’s not what happened. That’s not—”

On the screen, her younger self reached into her pocket, and pulled out a box of matches.

“No,” Mizi whispered. “That’s not me.”

The video continued anyway. The match was struck. The stage lit up with a sudden, roaring fire. The screen filled with red.

And just before it went black, the camera caught Sua’s terrified face — her mouth forming a single word.

"Mizi...?"

The projector cut out.

Silence again.

Mizi fell to her knees, her chest tight, her breath shallow. “It’s fake. It has to be fake.”

Luka’s face was unreadable. “Someone wanted this to be seen.”

“Why?”

“To make you question yourself,” he said. “To make you doubt your own memory.”

“But what if-” Mizi’s voice trembled. “What if it’s real? What if I really—”

“You didn’t.” Luka’s tone was firm this time, steady. “If you did, you wouldn’t be here tearing yourself apart over it. Someone’s rewriting the past, Mizi. That’s the real fire burning now.”

Mizi stared up at him, her face pale. “Then where’s Sua?”

Luka turned toward the balcony, his eyes narrowing. “If she’s alive, she’s part of this, whether she wants to be or not. And if she’s seeing the same lies, then someone’s controlling what she remembers.”

Mizi rose slowly, trembling. “Then we find her.”

Luka’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. “We will. But if you see her again, and she doesn’t know you...” He paused, his voice low. “Don’t run toward her. Wait. Watch. Someone wants you to repeat history.”

Mizi glanced back at the now-dead projector. “The past keeps finding me, Luka. I don’t think it’ll stop until one of us burns again.”

Luka didn’t respond, but his eyes lingered on the spot where the screen had gone black, where the word Mizi had echoed before silence.

They both walked outside, heading towards the old stage.

The snow kept falling, muffling the sound of the city that had forgotten them, but they kept going.

After a few minutes of walking, they arrived, the old stage. Everything burnt and forgotten.

But in the darkness above the stage, a single light blinked red, recording.

Chapter Text

The old stage was colder than the streets outside.
Even through the snow, the smell of ash still lingered, buried deep in the rusted metal beams, in the bones of the building itself.

Mizi stood just behind Luka, staring up at what used to be the heart of the Alien Stage. Half the roof had caved in. The rest groaned with the wind, like it wanted to collapse but didn’t remember how.

“This place should’ve been demolished a long time ago.” Luka muttered.

“I agree.” Mizi said quietly. “This place should've been demolished by now,” Her voice shook. “But they called it cursed. Too cursed to even enter”

Luka glanced back at her. “You think Sua’s been here?”

Mizi hesitated. “I don’t know. But... the way she looked at me back there... it wasn’t just hate. It was recognition. Like she remembered and didn’t want to.”

Luka’s eye narrowed.

They walked deeper in. Snow drifted through the broken roof and melted on the floor, making the ashes shine under the weak moonlight. The spotlight still hung from the ceiling, cracked but intact, like it had been waiting for someone to stand beneath it again.

Mizi stopped near the stage’s center.

She could almost hear the music that used to play, the cheers, the rhythm, the way Sua’s hand would squeeze hers before every performance.

Now there was only silence.

“She called me a witch again,” Mizi said suddenly. “Same way everyone did. The same tone. Like she believed it.”

“She was fed that story for years,” Luka said. “It became her truth.”

“But it wasn’t,” Mizi whispered. “You saw the video, they made me the one who started the fire. They made her the victim.” Her eyes welled up. “But what if that’s what she remembers now? What if she lives by it?”

Luka looked up toward the rafters. “Then we find who gave her that story.”

A soft creak echoed above them.

Both froze.

Luka raised his gun slowly, scanning the catwalks.

A figure stood there, barely visible in the dark. Small. Still.

Then the red recording light blinked again.

Mizi’s heart dropped. “...She’s here.”

The figure stepped forward just enough for the light to catch her face.

Sua.

She looked the same.

Almost too much the same.

Her hair, her eyes... There was no warmth in her gaze now. No softness.

“Luka,” Mizi whispered, “don’t.”

He lowered his weapon slightly but didn’t holster it.

“Sua,” he called up, voice steady. “We’re not your enemies.”

Sua tilted her head. “Enemies? That’s funny coming from you.”

Luka froze.

“You were the one who locked the stage doors, weren’t you?” she continued. “To ‘keep everyone safe.’ While it burned.”

“That’s not—” Mizi started, but Sua’s eyes snapped to her.

“And you,” she said coldly. “Still chasing ghosts, still pretending you didn’t light the match.”

Mizi’s breath hitched. “You know I didn’t—”

“Do I?” Sua interrupted. Her voice was calm, but her words cut deep. “Because I remember screaming your name when the fire reached the floorboards. I remember you standing there. Watching.”

“That’s not what happened!” Mizi shouted, stepping forward. “I tried to save you!”

Sua’s voice dropped, almost to a whisper: “You were there. I screamed your name. But when I woke up, everyone was gone. I woke up between the smoke, and you were... not there. Do you understand? I saw the fire, Mizi. I felt it. I remember it. But I don’t know what to remember anymore.”

The wind howled through the broken roof. Snowflakes drifted down, landing on the stage like ash.

Luka’s voice was low, firm. “Then let us help you. We’ll figure this out. Together.”

Sua’s eyes flickered between them, her expression unreadable. Then she stepped closer, her shadow stretching across the stage floor.

“You don’t know me,” she said softly. “And maybe I don’t know myself. But if you keep chasing ghosts, you’ll burn again. All of us. And someone else will start it.”

Mizi’s voice trembled. “I just want you back. I don’t care about the fire, the past. I just want you.”

Sua blinked. “Do you even know what that means? What it costs to survive this long?”

Mizi shook her head.

Sua took a deep breath. “Then we’ll start here. But be careful. The past isn’t done with any of us yet.”

For a long moment, the three of them stood in silence. The red light above them blinked once, twice, then went dark.

The stage was empty. The snow drifted in the cold air. But for the first time in seven years, Sua's voice was heard, finally.

Sua disappeared.

“Right, she’s okay. But someone’s been rewriting her memory, maybe for years.”

Mizi looked at him, her voice breaking. “Then how do we bring her back?”

Luka’s hand tightened around his weapon.

“We start by finding who’s still recording.”

Outside, the wind howled against the broken windows.

And somewhere in the dark, far above them, another camera light turned on. A red light blinked.

...

Someone was watching.

Chapter Text

Mizi and Luka walked inside the backstage. Quiet and desolate.

Sua was there, tracing her fingers along the table's edge.

"You know, it's been such a long time since we last saw eachother, hm?" Her purple eyes pierced into Mizi's soul.

"She's gone insane, Mizi." Luka spoke. "We should lea—"

"Stay." Sua spoke up, she sat down on the table, where her old, white dress was. "Running from your memories won't help, i've learnt that the hard way."

"Sua, do you know who's recording all of this? All the conversations?"

Silence impacted the room quickly.

"I promised not to tell," Sua spoke, breaking the silence. "Even after everything, I won't tell anyone."

Luka butted in the conversation. "Tell me a name, and I will keep quiet about it, I won't start anything."

"...You won't like the idea of knowing her name," Sua whispered, a hand to the side of her mouth, as if she was only telling Luka this. "She won't like it if you knew her name."

Luka's eyes narrowed, he raised his gun towards Sua. "Tell us, or I shoot you."

Mizi's gaze turned to Luka, and she ran in front of the gun. "Then you kill me too, Luka," Mizi shouted. "Killing people is never the answer! Hell, you won't even get an answer! Stop being stupid!"

Luka lowered his gun quietly.

"Sua, you need to tell us." Mizi said, lowering her guard.

"...Look for her here."

Luka and Mizi nodded, and walked towards the other stages. Round 1, 2, 3... All those memories appeared again.

Mizi walked towards Round 5's stage; Ruler of my Heart.

"Hey, Luka," Mizi spoke up. "Come look at this."

Luka walked towards Mizi, his gun inside the holster. "Oh jeez... It's intact."

Mizi pointed at one of the stairs. "Camera, there."

"It's on." Luka said.

"Do you think this mysterious person is in the Anakt Garden? The security booth is somewhere in there." Mizi pointed Anakt Garden out, and it made Luka's brain click.

"I know where it is," Luka said. "We need to hurry."

Mizi nodded, she grabbed her gun and ran towards Anakt Garden.

"Alright, where's this security booth?" Mizi said, upping her guard heavily

Luka pointed at a small door next to the lunch room. "There," He said. "Don't lower your guard."

They opened the door, with their guns raised.

Screens everywhere, monitoring every corner of the stages, in front of them was someone.

...

"Hyuna..?"

The air froze.

Hyuna turned her head slightly, her reflection splintered across the glow of a dozen screens. Mizi couldn’t tell if she was surprised, or if she’d been waiting for this moment all along.

“...You found me,” Hyuna said finally, her voice low and steady. “Took you long enough.”

Mizi stepped closer, her heart pounding. “You’re the one behind this?”

Hyuna didn’t answer right away. She just reached forward, tapping one of the monitors. The screen flickered, showing the hallway they’d just come from, the empty stage still faintly glowing under dead lights. Then another feed appeared: the backstage, where Sua sat motionless, eyes still fixed on the door.

“Someone had to keep track of what’s left,” Hyuna said softly. “Of what we lost.”

“Don’t play dumb,” Luka snapped. “You’ve been recording everything. The museum, the stages, even Sua. You knew she was here.”

Hyuna looked up at him, her expression unreadable. “Of course I knew. I was the one who brought her back.”

Mizi froze. “You what?”

“She was never supposed to survive,” Hyuna continued, her tone clipped, factual. “When the fire started, the segyein declared all performers dead. But I found her before they could, before they erased her completely. I couldn’t save the others, but I could save one.”

Luka’s jaw tightened. “You didn’t save her. You made her into... whatever she is now.”

Hyuna’s eyes flicked to him, sharp. “You don’t get to talk about saving people, Luka. Not after what you did to me.”

His hand froze halfway to his gun. “Don’t.”

Mizi looked between them, confusion flashing across her face. “What happened between you both?”

Neither of them answered. The silence between them was like static, loud and bitter.

Hyuna finally broke it. “You’re both too focused on the past,” she murmured. “But the past doesn’t end where you left it. It’s still burning, still feeding something bigger. You’ve seen Sua. You’ve seen the footage. Tell me; do you really believe that’s all just a coincidence?”

“What are you saying?” Mizi asked.

Hyuna’s eyes glimmered under the cold light. “I’m saying there’s someone else pulling the strings now. Someone who wants us to tear each other apart again. Someone using the footage I buried seven years ago.”

She turned one of the monitors toward them. The image was distorted, grainy and looping, but there was no mistaking it.

The camera feed showed the main stage.

And Sua was standing there again.

Only this time, she wasn’t alone.

A tall, hooded figure stood beside her, head bowed, their hand resting on Sua’s shoulder as if guiding her. The mic on the feed crackled then a distorted voice came through, faint but clear enough to send a chill down Mizi’s spine.

“Everyone plays their part,” the voice said. “Even the ones who forgot their lines.”

The feed cut to static.

Hyuna leaned back in her chair, expression grim. “Whoever that is... They’ve been here longer than we thought.”

Luka took a slow step forward, eyes narrowing. “And you’ve been hiding it.”

Hyuna didn’t deny it. “Because I needed time to find out who they were. But if they’re moving now...” She turned to face Mizi directly. “They’re coming for you.”

Mizi felt her pulse hammering against her ribs. “Why me?”

Hyuna’s gaze didn’t waver.

“Because you were never supposed to survive either.”

And then, through the static of the nearest monitor, that voice coming from the hooded person spoke. “Let's head back to base.”

Mizi said, in shock. “Till...?”

Everyone froze.

"There's- There's no way." Mizi stuttered, getting closer to the monitors. "Till wouldn't do this... I should know."

Hyuna spoke up. "Till has been helping me along with this. I knew about Sua, I knew about the archives, I broke the lock."

Luka’s head snapped toward Hyuna.

"You what?"

Hyuna sighed, keeping her calm with a small smile.

"You just had to ruin it, hm?" Hyuna chuckled. "Keeping things secret from you isn't very easy, Luka."

Luka raised his gun towards her head.

"I am not scared to shoot you."

Hyuna's eyes widened. "Killing me won't help the past, you know this, Mizi. Better than anyone."

"Who are you working with?" Mizi spoke up.

"Till, and no one else."

"Why is Till doing this? What'd you do to him?!" Mizi cried.

"Till is a very smart guy, so, he was the second one to go."

"Who's the first?" Luka spoke.

"Sua." Hyuna's eyes locked onto Mizi.

"YOU MANIPULATIVE PIECE OF SHIT!" Mizi raised her gun, and pointed it directly to Hyuna's head.

"You will NOT get away with this, not today." Mizi said, her eyes narrowed and her tone stern.

And in a blink of a second... A gun shot.

"Fu— You MURDERER!" Luka cried, he ran towards Hyuna's lifeless body in front of him.

"No— No, no no..." Luka sobbed. "Hyuna..."

Mizi's gun lowered.

Silence between Luka's hics and cries.

Mizi left the room quietly, and went to find Till.

Chapter Text

The hallway outside the security booth was silent.

Too silent.

Mizi’s boots echoed across the cracked tiles as she walked. Her gun trembled slightly in her hand, smoke still clinging to the barrel. Every step felt heavier than the last.

“Till...” she muttered under her breath, voice breaking. “Please tell me this isn’t true.”

She passed through the long corridors of the Anakt Garden. The fluorescent lights flickered, weak, dying. Every screen she passed showed faint static or distorted frames of old performances. Voices. Laughter. Screams.

When she reached the main stage, she froze.

It was just like before.

The curtains drawn halfway.

The air filled with that faint, burnt smell.

And in the middle, a figure standing, back turned.

“Till?” Mizi’s voice cracked slightly. “It’s me.”

The figure didn’t move.

Mizi stepped closer, her gun still raised. “I know what Hyuna said. I know what she told me. But I don’t believe it. You wouldn’t- You couldn’t do this.”

The figure finally turned.

It was Till. His expression blank. Drained, even. He looked different, older somehow, though it hadn’t been that long. Shadows lingered beneath his eyes, and faint ash dusted his sleeves.

“Mizi,” he said softly. “You shouldn’t have come.”

“Tell me it’s not true!” she begged. “Tell me Hyuna was lying!”

Till took a slow step toward her, his voice even. “She wasn’t lying about everything.”

Mizi’s throat tightened. “Then what is true?”

He hesitated, then exhaled. “Hyuna didn’t control anything. She thought she did, but she was just following orders. I wasn’t helping her. I was her replacement.”

“What are you talking about?” she whispered.

Till gestured toward the old camera lights that still blinked faintly at the edges of the stage. “This place... was built to be remembered. Even after the fire. Even after all of you died.”

Her stomach dropped. “What do you mean, all of you?”

He looked at her then, truly looked, and for a moment, Mizi saw the guilt buried in his eyes. “You didn’t make it out either, Mizi.”

She shook her head. “No. No, I did. I remember—”

“You remember what they wanted you to remember,” Till said quietly. “Hyuna and I were tasked with reconstructing what was left of you, from the footage, the archives, the fragments in the data logs. But when we brought you back, you started remembering things you weren’t supposed to.”

Mizi stumbled back, shaking her head violently. “Stop- Stop lying! I’m real! I’m right here!”

“I know,” Till said softly. “You’re here because I couldn’t let you go.”

Her breath hitched. “You— you did this? You made me?”

“I had to,” Till said. “You were the only one who tried to save me. The only one who didn’t run.”

For a long moment, neither spoke.

The hum of the dead stage filled the air, and somewhere far away, a camera clicked on.

“Then why all this?” Mizi whispered. “Why use Hyuna? Why let Sua suffer like that?”

“Because I wanted to end it,” he said. “I wanted to erase it all; the recordings, the performances, the lies. But she kept rebuilding them. She couldn’t let go.”

He looked at her again, eyes soft, broken. “Just like me.”

Mizi’s gun trembled in her hands. “So what now? You kill me too? Wipe me again?”

Till took a step closer.

Then another.

“No,” he said, voice trembling. “I set you free.”

And before Mizi could react... a flash.

A deafening gunshot.

Pain burned through her chest, her gun slipping from her hand. She fell to her knees, vision blurring, the world tilting around her.

Till caught her as she collapsed. His arms were warm, trembling. “I’m sorry.” he whispered. “This was the only way to let you go.”

Her lips parted, her breath shallow. “You... lied to me...”

“I know,” he said, his voice breaking. “But now you can rest.”

Her body went still.

The stage lights flickered once, twice, then dimmed completely.

Till sat there for a long time, holding her lifeless form. The silence pressed down around him, the smell of gunpowder lingering like old perfume.

One by one, the monitors in the security room flickered back to life.

Each feed showing the same thing.

Till, onstage, cradling Mizi in his arms.

And over the speakers, the distorted voice returned, low and hollow.

“Everyone plays their part... even the ones who forget.”

Till looked up slowly.

The cameras were still on.

Still recording.

Still watching.

He stared into the nearest lens, eyes hollow.

And whispered,

“Then I guess it’s my turn to bow.”

The screen faded to black.

Chapter Text

hello!!

my name's wren, the creator of this whole fanfic!

this chapter is purely to explain this whole story (if you didnt understand, please feel free to comment, i'd answer any questions!) and also lowk brag about me writing this!!!

first and foremost i wanna thank you all SO much for reading this!! i hope you guys all enjoyed it as much as i did writing it (heh. I LOVE ANGST) you guys are sososos awesome and i genuinely hoped everyone enjoyed!! ty for all the comments, kudos & hits!!

i wanna say all the statuses of everyone rn:

LUKA: ALIVE

SUA: ALIVE

MIZI: DECEASED

TILL: ALIVE

IVAN: ALIVE

HYUNA: DECEASED

this au was inspired by the art i mention in the summary of the story (yes, this whole thing was inspired by one design), so i wanna give all props to the creator fancylxncy for literally giving me this whole idea unironically LMAO

also sorry for the lack of ivan, hyunwoo, dewey & isaac in this story i didnt know what to do with them

ANYWAYS feel free to ask questions in the comments!! ill answer when i see them