Chapter 17 – [1805]

As they returned to Woogyu and still without a word to Jungook, Wootae and Daniel made their way toward the highly guarded and secured building in all of Woogyu. Even Jungook’s room was left unguarded. But it was for the simple fact that he was a man who had nothing to hide and needed no protection, even when he sleeps. Wootae and Daniel stopped before a large cage, where the smell of urine were strong and it was dimmed with very few windows. Wootae slipped his hand around one of the cold metal bars and clutched tightly before looking to Daniel, who stood rather close to him with a worried expression. “Be careful,” he whispered before adding in a louder tone, “I must report our return to Lord Jungook for now, so promose you won't hurt yourself.” The foreigner said and after getting a nod from the teen he headed out with a sigh.

Wootae glanced toward his left where he spotted the key to the door of the cage. As he took hold of it and unlocked the door, he heard the purring of a big cat. Once he opened the door wide enough, Wootae made his way into the cage, where he was faced with a full grown male tiger. It had noticed Wootae’s entrance but remained closer to the rock set under him. At one corner Wootae noticed a pile of fresh bones, but it didn't stop him from pulling out a single knife strapped around his waist. He gripped it tightly when the tiger showed some interest in his weapon.

Meanwhile in the large room, Daniel bowed before Jungook. “We’ve successful traded our goods and returned safely, Lord Jungook,” he reported before glancing around the room, and was surprised to see Taeyo, who was supposed to be in Jongno as he and Inpyo had some business to take care of.

“Where is Wootae?” the older male, Jungook, questioned instead.

“The tiger’s cave, as you've requested earlier,” Daniel explained.

“You’ve been with him for the past few years. Tell me, how is Inpyo training that child?” Jungook questioned further, showing only his interest in the youth who was not present.

“Anything that comes to mind, Lord Inpyo has ordered Wootae to master them all,”

Though convinced Jungook has yet to witness it in person, “I want to see just how much he has improved and master, along with a guest of mine. Also I’m going to keep Wootae here for a couple of days. You are going to return to Jongno alone and report my plans to Inpyo,”

“But my lord, what do you plan—?”

“That is none of your concerns.” Jungook instantly silence Daniel before continuing, “Also, inform Inpyo of our amalgamation ritual. If I see that Wootae is ready, then he will began the ritual shortly,”

Daniel glanced up from after staring at the ground, surprised by what he had just heard, “You mean marriage?”

“Yes, marriage,” Jungook said. Taeyo who kept a straight face watched Daniel’s reactions closely.

Meanwhile Wootae on the other hand was covered in blood, which wasn’t his, and free of scratches. His chest rise slowly as the cat lie still by his feet with the knife struck in the center of its front skull. A big cat that had just had its meal is always the toughest opponent, but only if it also had the desire to kill. Hence, anyone would have declared this round Wootae’s luck. But it didn’t matter, he won the fight one sidedly. It was then that Wootae noticed the figure that has been watching him from behind the door.

A man he has never seen before.

A man with the coldest eyes he has ever seen.

It was Yungjeong.

A mere smirk was drawn on his face and slowly he applaud Wootae. “Never in my life have I thought I would witness a match between a child and a vicious animal,” he commented, with excitement and disbelief in his tone. “You must be him, the one everyone calls Yeo Wootae?”

Wootae waited a split second before he blinked, "Yes,"

In the large room, Jungook was surprised to discovered that Yungjeong had stuck around despite it being the Crown Prince’s big day. Standing off to the side, Daniel and Wootae had their heads lowered.

“I now understand why you always brag about this child. I saw it with my own eyes, he is more capable than I’ve imagined,” Yungjeong said, eyeing Jungook carefully. Jungook could see, the delighted and impressed sparkle within Yungjeong's normally annoyed eyes.

“If you’re satisfied then you’ll hire him?” The leader asked calmly. Though he was eager to hear the word ‘yes’, he tried not to let it show and sound through him. Yungjeong took one last glance at Wootae before turning back to Jungook.

“Not only physically, but I aim to take in a killer who is also mentally, verbally, emotionally, and spiritually strong. I have seen his physical and mental abilities, but I would like to see the rest as well,” Yungjeong insist.

“Then, should he prove it all to you here and now?” Jungook asked. Yungjeong wore a grin but said nothing. However, the look on his face answered Jungook immediately. “Stab him,” Jungook said out of the blue. Unexpectedly Taeyo climbed down from the steps beside Jungook and unsheathed his sword as he approached Daniel and Wootae. Without a warning, Taeyo struck Daniel at the waist, causing the foreigner to grabbed onto and gripped the assassin’s large shoulders. Betrayal was written all over Daniel’s dying red-flushed face.

Yungjeong who was surprised by the attack looked to Wootae for the answer he was searching for.

It was there.

As if nothing had happened, Wootae had not budge or showed any emotions on his face. But the people around him didn’t know what he knew, and his mind was elsewhere.

A week ago, Daniel and Wootae were out and about in the forest. They had made camp as they usually would on randomly, chosen days. Around a young campfire, Daniel was lying on his side and balancing his head in his palm while Wootae sat, staring at the dancing flames. To any child and teen, the height of the flame or its colors would excite them. However, Wootae found no amusement in it nor was he entertained. The only sound that kept their company were the crackling of burning woods and crickets.

Until Daniel broke the silence barrier and asked a question he was always curious of. “Do you believe that ghosts exist, Wootae?” Wootae heard the lad but his eyes didn’t break away from the other side of the flames. Daniel’s head was at a perfect 30 degree angle with Wootae, therefore he got a good vision of Wootae’s facial features. When Wootae didn’t answer, Daniel continued, “I believe in ghosts. Want to hear why?” He asked the rhetorical question before smiling, as he reminisce on the good memories from his past, “My mother told me that they exists, because even angry dead people has a place in this world. That is the ghost world. She claimed she saw the ghosts of my grandparents. But you see I didn’t believe her until I met a shaman, then I met his friends of shamans. They told me that what my mother had said was no lie, that the spirits and souls of angry people exists. Funny how I took strangers words for my mother's, but it happened that way and I never got the chance to apologize to her, for not believing in her.”

Silence crept back in before Daniel repeat his question, in a more serious tone, “So, do you believe in ghosts?”

Instead of granting his wish, Wootae switched the subject and dropped a bomb on Daniel, “They’re planning to assassinate you,” Wootae said, under a low whisper. His words wiped the soft smile from Daniel’s face before he grew confused.

“What?” Daniel tried to keep a smile, hoping he heard wrong.

“The spy working for the foreign traders, that's you. Isn’t it?” Wootae asked.

Daniel's eyes widen, “Wootae," he couldn't believe what was coming out of the younger's mouth, "where did you hear something like that—?”

“Save the explanation. You should know that Jungook knows.” This time Wootae and Daniel locked eyes. There, Daniel's growing smile began to fade.

“If you knew then why are you telling me this? I’m the enemy here,”

“You wouldn't be able to run away if you didn't know. Now that you do, you should leave." Wootae said lowly. 

Daniel processed the information and then heft a sigh of relief as he sat up, “How did you find out?"

Wootae broke the eye-contact first then spoke, "Jungook planted a spy among the traders."

A smile crossed the man's face, "This is the first time you've told me to run away in order to save myself. But why?"

Wootae built up the courage to face his friend, teacher, and partner before spilling out the reason, "When the time comes, you should know that I was aware of it."

The corner of Daniel's lips rose and his smile brighten behind the fire's flames, "Even if they kill me and I didn’t know that you knew, I won’t blamed you for being composed. Afterall, being part of the assassins I’ve learned that no order ever goes undone,” Daniel said.

“That’s why,” Wootae said, earning all of Daniel’s attention, “you have two options,”

“Options?” Daniel questioned with furrowed brows.

“Run now or die by my hands,” Wootae bluntly uttered. This time a weaker and softer smile was drawn across Daniel’s face.

“Why would I burden you with my mistakes?” Daniel questioned. Wootae didn’t say a word in return, but many thoughts ran through his head that night more than he could express aloud.

Daniel’s blood was smeared over Taeyo’s hands but the killer did not care. A comrade's blood was buried in his nail plates but he wasn’t bothered. There were more to the ways of the assassins other than having the ability to slay a friend in cold blood and expressed no remorse or grieve. Once Daniel’s body had fallen onto the floor over his own pool of blood, Taeyo stepped away.

“He’s hired,” Yungjeong said, before turning to Jungook for further approval.

End of Chapter Seventeen.