44. Anceps Cor

 

Anceps Cor: "Indecisive Heart"

 

 

 

"Which will you choose to finally pursue..."

 

 

What shall be the choice of the anceps cor?

 

 

"... when it's due to love that both you do?"

 

 

 

= = = Soundtrack: EXO-K - MAMA = = =

 

 

Kai-yah had been the spark of the fire.

 

"Kai-yah!" I shouted as before I could even breathe, he had rushed out of his hiding place and did a punch to Myungsoo-sshi's face.

 

The older male staggered back a bit, but regained composure almost immediately as he threw back his own punch, but it was blocked by Kai-yah's hand. 

 

"I never knew this side of you, Hyung-ah." He muttered before pushing Myungsoo-sshi with all his might and taking out a knife, noticing that the latter did the same. I could not contain my gasp when both made an effort of slashing the other, but it was dodged as quickly too.

 

Now that the first fight had started. Others followed.

 

"Haiyah!"

 

Myungsoo-sshi fell to the ground as I kicked him with all the anger I possessed.

 

"Shirin-ah..." Kai-yah stared on at me as I took him by the shoulder and made him turn around, just as someone was about to kick him, and he contained the force of the blow within his two hands. He then took the leg that was about to come to him and he flipped the attacker over.

 

"Watch your back." was the only thing he heard from me before I let him battle it out with Myungsoo-sshi again, placing myself by his back to guard him from other impending attacks.

 

We had managed to keep the assailants at bay, when suddenly, a man as tall as Chanyeol-sshi rushed towards me.

 

"Kai-yah, help!"

 

The next moment, the man was dead on the ground, killed by the blow I delivered to his neck. Kai-yah had lifted me up into the air, and using a little athleticism, I managed to attach myself to the attacker's shoulders and twist his neck.

 

But in this moment, Myungsoo-sshi had escaped, and we both had no idea where he could be. A frustrated "Damn." escaped his lips, and I could only reach out for his hand and hold it tight.

 

When he looked at me with evident in worry in his eyes, I just smiled before letting go of his hand and making my way to the battle area of Club Mirage, ironically the only place I knew that wouldn't have any fights brewing in...

 

... or so I think.

 

= = =

 

"You're not going in?"

 

A hard look was the only reply to Kim Myungsoo by a young man seated behind his car's steering wheel. He wasn't saying anything yet, but when he opened his mouth, Myungsoo knew he was going to speak.

 

"A bit later, I guess."

 

"Wae? You waiting for the right time?" The SkullBeaters leader jokingly asked, but was answered firmly with the serious young man.

 

"No. I'm waiting for her to be alone."

 

Silence ruled the atmosphere for a few moments as the young man just looked on at the seemingly empty battlefield. A man had come to stand by the side of the SkullBeaters' leader, apparently to guard the Kim, but it wasn't the only thing that the man was asked to do. After acknowledging the presence of the 'guard-dog', he looked at the young man again.

 

"Remember, we had an agreement. The woman for the traitor." Myungsoo had said to him.

 

In response, the young man just nodded.

 

In the distance, the two men saw a young woman emerge from the back door of Club Mirage, gun in hand and looking as beautiful as ever. Kim Myungsoo just shot a look to the young man, who in turn looked at a tall man near the SkullBeaters' leader. At the silent signal, the tall man went towards the battle area of Club Mirage.

 

At this, the young man huffed a sigh, got out of his sleek sports car, slammed the door close, and walked ahead of Kim Myungsoo.

 

"The opportunity has presented itself." The older male said in an amused tone, but the younger didn't react the slightest.

 

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious, Kim Myungsoo." He sarcastically said, causing the SkullBeaters' leader to slightly chuckle.

 

He shook his head with a smirk on his lips as he started his pace just a few steps behind the young man with long hair cascading until his shoulders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You're welcome, Lee Taemin."

 

= = =

 

A man was walking down the battle area of Club Mirage, and at the sight of him, I raised my gun to shoot.

 

But someone had beat me to it.

 

"Taemin-sshi..."

 

I murmured his name as his figure was revealed by the shot man that fell dead do the ground. He had a soft expression on his face, but it radiated another type of aura, too. It was one that I could not easily place. Is it of... evil intent?

 

From behind him, I saw another figure emerge from the shadows, and it made me grit my teeth in anger. I noticed that he was behind Taemin-sshi and worry invaded my system. I called out to my colleague, but it seemed like he did not understand me.

 

"Taemin-sshi, look behind you!"

 

He, however, just continued walking across the battle area. The worry I had for him escalated into fear when Taemin-sshi stopped his strides when he was just in front of the dead body.

 

"Taemin-sshi, st--"

 

"Stop calling onto him, will ya? He's not gonna listen."

 

My eyes widened when Myungsoo-sshi stood beside Taemin-sshi and placed an arm on the latter's shoulder.

 

I was appalled.

 

"What... What is the meaning of this, Taemin-sshi?!" I cried out to him, but was only answered by a smirk. The silent question still hung in my head, and I was expecting for an answer from this young man who I knew as my brother, my colleague.

 

But what he said in the next few moments shook me to the core.

 

"Facing the inevitable."

 

I could only stay silent as he continued to speak.

 

"When I found out that Kim Myungsoo wanted Kim Jongin alive so that he could be exacted justice upon in the SkullBeaters, I decided to work with him so that I could have you for myself. It was just a matter of time, actually. Both Jongin-ah and I are in love with you. We both can't take the idea of you being in the arms of the other. We both want you more than you could know. With that, something was BOUND to give in. It's either him or me, Shirin-ah... and I'd rather you pick me."

 

While he was speaking, I looked straight into his eyes, and I realized at that exact moment how 'changed' this had become. His eyes weren't radiating comfort anymore, like how it did when I first met him. His expression wasn't warm any longer. It had now been overpowered by a face of a man overrun by his desires and overturned in his judgement.

 

He was no longer the Lee Taemin I had almost fallen for.

 

I tried to reason with him, to tell him that it wasn't the case. 

 

But even before I could say my piece, I had been interrupted.

 

"Taemin-sshi, it's---"

 

"Shirin-ah!"

 

Next thing I knew, a masculine body had been placed in front of mine, and the fabric of Kai-yah's clothing was all I could see.

 

What he did was wrong. Really wrong.

 

What Taemin-sshi and Myungsoo-sshi wants is him, and so he shouldn't go nearer to them.

 

I just wouldn't be able to take it if he would be put into danger.

 

"Kai-yah, get behind me."

 

I muttered to him, and with his stunned "Mwo?!" I tugged on his arm and pushed him behind me, placing myself in front of his frame. I was sure that he was confused with what I did, but for now... 

 

... he had to trust me.

 

"Run, Kai-yah."

 

"And leave you here alone?! Heck no!" He muttered angrily to my ear, but his eyes weren't moving from Myungsoo-sshi and Taemin-sshi's stances.

 

"What Myungsoo-sshi and Taemin-sshi wants isn't me, Kai-yah. It's you. So don't you DARE risk yourself here. Run towards one of the VIP rooms and try to take on Myungsoo-sshi there. I'll join you later." I muttered back, taking hold of one of his hands from behind me and holding it tight.

 

"But what about you?"

 

Worry crept into Kai-yah's voice as he asked me this, but I knew I had to be strong for him. There was going to be no choice in this fight now.

 

I'd have to take on Taemin-sshi, and beat him.

 

"I'll manage. For now, just go and lead Myungsoo-sshi away from here." I whispered to him before bravely taking our intertwined hands to my lips.

 

Taemin-sshi's eyes widened at what I did, and I'm pretty sure what I did next shocked him.

 

After kissing the back of Kai-yah's hand, I placed it to my chest [making sure not to take my eyes away from Taemin-sshi] and spoke.

 

"Keep yourself safe, Kai-yah. Saranghae."

 

Just as shock registered into Taemin-sshi's features, I instructed my beloved to begin with what he has to do.

 

"Kai-yah... Run."

 

= = =

 

"ANIYA!"

 

Taemin-sshi's scream had kicked into all of us as Kai-yah made his way back inside the war zone: Club Mirage... with Myungsoo-sshi hot on his heels.

 

Next moment, I shielded my face from Taemin-sshi's punch and did a kick to his chest, which got me some breathing room. In anger, he tried to lunge for me again, but then, I knew better and decided to engage him in hand-to-hand combat.

 

"You're turning into a monster, Taemin-sshi! Stop this!" I cried out to him as I dodged a kick and a jab.

 

"No, Shirin-ah! You stop this! You were supposed to be with me!" He replied before trying to hit me again, but I managed to block him and push him away again. Now, having some distance, I had time to look at Taemin-sshi's face... and saw the tears in his eyes.

 

"He doesn't love you as much as I do, Shirin-ah!"

 

"But I don't love you as much as I do to him!"

 

A tear cascaded down Taemin-sshi's cheek as I let my real feelings out, and not long after, I found him on his knees. He was staring at me with pain in his eyes, but I know that I cannot make them stop. He is crying for me to be with him, but I cannot be with someone I don't love dearly.

 

Slowly, I went to where Taemin-sshi was and knelt down as well, before taking his face in my hands.

 

"If you really love me, you'll set me free. You'd stop this war, and you'd let me be with the one I love. I don't want to hurt you, because despite all this, I still love you as a brother. There might have been a time that I had feelings for you which is more than that, but fate has decided that I would fall in love with another... and that is Kai-yah."

 

I stood up and began my walk away from the crying Taemin-sshi, but decided to look at him one last time before I leave him to decide for himself.

 

"I don't want to go against you. So I'm giving you one last chance... Taemin-ah."