CHAPTER SEVEN

They all got shocked when they heard Yonghwa’s door opened rather too forcefully. Fist balled as if readying for a fight.

“Hyung what the f-“

“Don’t curse!” They saw him looked around frantically as if looking for something

“What??” They all looked at him as if he grew two horns, well maybe he really got two invisible ones. But what the hell?? No cursing?? Seriously?

“Did that came from you hyung?? You of all people??” Minhyuk looked at him incredulously “To think that cursing is your first language!”

“No no. No more cursing!” He raked his hair with his hand in frustration “This is freaking weird” he shook his head “Don’t mind me. I must be out of my mind right now” he chuckled, another reason to stare at him suspiciously

“You good spirit better come out of our brother’s body!!” Jungshin shouted, drawing an invisible cross in front of Yonghwa

“What the heck?” Yonghwa looked at him weirdly “Seriously?”

“Hyung you’re possessed!”

“Yah Lee Jungshin!” Minhyuk smacked his head, but was still looking at Yonghwa with his eyes full of unanswered questions

“” Yonghwa shook his head as he heads back to his bedroom

“Mission tonight is cancelled. Take a rest for now. We’ll do it tomorrow” he waved his hand, dismissing them nonchalantly as he closes his bedroom door.

“What in ing hell did happen??” The three guys stood in front of his door incredulously. This is freaking insane. Yonghwa has gone crazy as .

“HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPENED?!” They bolted out of their respective bedrooms as soon as they heard Yonghwa’s booming voice at the living room.

“How did they know that we’re supposed to go tonight?! Crap! There’s only few people that knows the exact plan and they’re all trusted allies.” He said, looking at the ceiling to calm his nerves “I don’t care how you’ll do it but make sure to find out whoever is the freaking culprit!”

“I’ll handle Cerulean Head, just finish it fast” he slumped back at the sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose

“What happened hyung?” Jungshin approached him

“Mea Culpa knew we’re about to steal the crystal from them yesterday. When the Cerulean Head knew we’re not going yesterday, he ordered some of the newbies to snoop around Mea Culpa’s HQ, that’s when they died. Mea Culpa planted time bombs around their vicinity before they evacuated their HQ. And if we went there yesterday I’m sure as hell we’re all good as roasted. Fu- Damnit!”

“ that’s close” Minhyuk paled, he must be imagining what could’ve happened if that’s the case

“I don’t know fu-“ he stopped and looked around before continuing, They looked at him weirdly, still figuring out what happened yesterday “I think they have a spy planted inside our HQ. That culprit probably overheard my talk with the Cerulean Dragon Head”

“It must be one of the newly recruits”

“Probably” Yonghwa sighed and once again looked around

“If you’re looking for Joohyun noona, she’s inside her room, probably still sleeping” Jungshin looked at him smugly

“Noona?”

“Yep! I’ve decided to call her noona! She’s a one hell of a feisty noona!” He wiggled his eyebrows haughtily

“You sound like a freaking ert” Minhyuk shook his head, ert maknae will always be a ert maknae.

“I’m hungry” Jungshin sighed “I’m gonna check if noona’s up already” Jungshin grinned and was about to leap out of the sofa when Yonghwa pulled him back

“Go check the kitchen byuntae”

“But she hasn’t woken up yet! How come there will be a cooked food?”

“She woke up way too early and just came back to her bedroom. Why the heck am I explaining this to you?!” Yonghwa stood up and was about to walk to the hallway leading to Seo Joohyun’s bedroom

 “Uhm hyung?” Minhyuk cleared his throat “Where are you going?”

“Why should I explain everything to all of you?!” He glared at them, stomping his way through the hallway and disappeared as he turned at the corner towards Seo Joohyun’s bedroom

He didn’t even knocked and just pushed the door open, seeing that she’s already up and was just looking outside the window, she seems to be in a deep trance, brows furrowed, shoulders tensed, and her hands placed in front of her heart, as if appeasing it.

“Seo Joohyun” she didn’t heard him walked inside her room that he caught her off guard.

“Yes?” was her breathless answer

“Who the hell are you?” his voice cold, making her shiver. His aura is scary, as if he’s being possessed. 

“What’s the matter?” she nervously said, clutching her shaking hands

“Answer me!” he growled, frightening her more. She doesn’t want to appear weak again, she’s the future Queen after all. This is her last mission. She shouldn’t fail.

“I am not a bad person”

“I’m asking you who are you and not if you’re good or bad!” he spat

“I’m Seo Joohyun. I told you I can’t remember some of it. It’s my power that I only remember” she bit her lip in frustration, lying doesn’t seem to really fit into her.

“You’re lying!”

“I’m not!”

“You freaking are!” he growled

“Just trust me please”

“How can I blindly trust someone?! I’m not stupid! And if you think you can control me just because you saved us once again you’re getting the wrong idea!”

“Then use me. But please don’t kick me out of this house” she pleaded, feeling helpless. Why all of a sudden he mentioned this again?

“Use you? And then what?? Asking for freaking comfort again once you became weaker after healing one of us?!”

“Then don’t mind me!”

“I just don’t get it! You wanted to stick with us even though you’re not obviously gaining anything out of this! This is nonsensical! There must be something behind it! You’re planning something or yet you’re the spy they’ve planted! That’s why you stopped us yesterday! That’s why you’re all shaken up awhile ago that you didn’t notice me walking into your room. You’re freaking guilty of something!!” he looked at her with judging eyes

“Not because you’re gaining something from me means I wanted the other way around too! I’m not asking for anything! Why can’t you just believe me?? I have nowhere to go but here! If it’ll make you feel better, you can kill me if you gather enough proof that I’m the spy you were saying. I won’t even fight you off, you can just kill me”

“You’re out of your crazy mind” He shook his head as he his heel and walked out of the door, just when he was halfway of closing it, Seo Joohyun spoke

“I care for all of you, and I don’t mean any harm. I would never hurt any of you” she whispered softly, wiping the tears that stubbornly fell from her eyes.

“Whatever” he lazily answered, closing the door softly, making her look at it strangely as she was expecting that he’ll close the door loudly just like what he always does.

Without knowing it she fell asleep once again, she felt emotionally drained, missing the tranquility of their old place that was near the beach.

It was awfully quiet as she walked out of her room, looking around searching for a trace of a human being and she saw none. It was oddly quiet, as if it was an abandoned place.  Her eyes widen, surely they didn’t leave her there??

She hastily ran towards Yonghwa’s room, opening the door suddenly. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw him sleeping peacefully, curling at the centre of the bed like a baby. She smiled softly seeing him unguarded.

It must be her body that did all the thinking, she walked near him, at the other side of the bed where he’s facing and crouched down eye level in front of him. He was holding a heart locket with wings engraved around a bloody red gem. It must be something important? He was clutching it with his hands as if his life depended on it. Should I find out about it? Or is it too much to do? She was about to stand up when he suddenly moved, covering her hand with his, palm to palm. Her eyes widen, it was his mother’s. The poor lady who faced a tragic death and her poor Moirai was blaming himself because of what happened. 

“How can you not trust me?” she sighed disappointedly “I would never hurt any of you, especially you My Moirai” she reached out and caressed his fringe that fell stubbornly in his forehead. “I’ll save you, no matter what, even if my life would probably be at stake.” She tried so hard to appease the pain in her chest, trying so hard to forget the fact that he ordered one of his trusted men to check her background.

.

She reached out and pecked his lips lightly

“You cursed again” she sighed and shook her head, touching her lips as she felt another tingly feeling where his lips touched. She remembered the first time she did that to him, his reaction is so funny that that’s the first time she ever saw him react like that. All thanks to Jungshin-ssi’s advice

Flashback

“What are you watching?” She sneaked behind him startling him and he quickly shut the laptop close

“Just some movie. Why are you still awake?”

“Oh, I was thirsty” she smiled shyly “What are they doing?”

“Who?”

“The one you were watching”

“Ah, they uh, they were arguing over something that it became violent. So in order to stop the guy f-from shouting back at the girl, s-she kissed him”

“And he stopped just like that?”

“Yep.”

“So that’s the way to stop him” she mumbled

“What?”

“Oh! Nothing! Can we watch it together?” She saw his eyes widen, he gulped nervously and snatched the laptop from the sofa and clutched it tightly in his chest.

“Uh I-I’m actually getting sleepy now, maybe s-some other time?” he smiled, but it looks forced and awkward

“Okay?” She looked at him weirdly “Uhm, can you tell me what’s the movie title then? I can ask Minhyuk-ssi if we can watch it together then some other time”

“Oh it’s uh- the title? Its uh- The microphone and the peanut?” She looked at him weirdly when she saw him hit himself in the head

“Are you okay?” she asked, alarmed seeing him uncomfortable

“I-I am. I should go!” he latched out of the living room, running towards his room’s direction

“The microphone and the peanut? That’s weird” she shrugged, but maybe the girl’s strategy will work on his non-stop cursing right? She smiled satisfyingly, willing to do it to him.

End of the flashback

“Should I watch together with Jungshin-ssi again?” She squealed in excitement as soon as she made her way to the living room, hoping that Jungshin’s in there again.

But to her disappointment he’s not in the living room, but she heard some noise at the kitchen and went out to look for him. He saw Jonghyun drinking water near the sink

“Hi Jonghyun-ssi” she greeted a little bit excited

“Can’t sleep?” was his silent reply

“I just woke up, I think I overslept again.” She pouted disapprovingly “Oh! C-can I ask you a favour?”

“Sure” he nonchalantly answered as he continued drinking water again

“Can you help me search for the movie titled The Microphone and the Peanut?”

Her eyes widen as she saw Jonghyun choke, water spluttering out of his mouth

“Mwo??”  

“The Microphone and the Peanut”

“Where did you get that movie title?! Wait wait, its Jungshin! He’s the one who told you that right?”

“What’s wrong with the title?”

“It’s a po- YAH!” Jonghyun marched towards Jungshin’s room and closed it loudly, few seconds later and she heard Jungshin shrieked either in shock or in pain she doesn’t know.

“What’s wrong with the title?” Her brows fu