// Chapter 23 \\

The sun had set to the black almost-starless sky. Only a few universal constellations dotted the night of Eastern Court, as it was the only Court that had so-few stars in the sky. The one that had the fewest— meaning none— though, was Spring Court. A Court which was supposed to be dead, but I fondly remember its people's excitement when Yeosang had taken the head of the Court as its High Monarch, and the increasing decay of the place had turned into increasing growth. Yeosang had been claimed as an unbreakable hero.

I missed Yeosang. I worried about Yeosang. The other brother that was not with Hongjoong and myself. And I somehow couldn't get the thought out of my mind that this was my fault.

A shudder of all-too foreign shivers ran down my back accompanied the pulsing black vein which seemed to agree to my self-blame. It always seemed to announce its presence in the short time I've had it.

Hongjoong and I had both stopped talking to each other after the brief reminisce of our childhood adventures here. What was supposed to be a way to diffuse the awkwardness from the confession had turned into more of an awkward silence.

Hongjoong had lost the dullness from his eyes, but they didn't seem to be glints of his usual stature. In a way, they seemed sad and I blamed myself for that as well. I knew it was because of the confession and what I said. I still felt guilty.

But my mind had become a haze after our talk, fizzled images of the past, what had played out, flashed before me like a screen and I couldn't stop the fizzling cycle of scenes as if my mind could only watch and not give an input to what I was seeing.

This lasted as the new night casted its darkness upon our gazes still caught on the water— until footsteps could be heard from behind us. And when I turned around, I almost cried in relief of who I saw, those images shattering without a thought of the consequence.

Yeosang stood there, looking healthy as ever as he tried to give a faint smile of reassurance, seeing the two of us. His cyan eyes sparkled in a refreshing manner that I knew he had been healed since I last saw him in the struggle to hold up that wall of water of wild Eastern Court waves. The same hold he had which had eventually given out as the levels below had been flooded. Yet, here Yeosang was, perfect and fine as ever.

"Yeosang!" I cried out in surprise and relief. I didn't hesitate as I ran to him. I could hug him— and I almost did before I stopped myself. The evident memory of Hongjoong behind me had come back and I suddenly paused a few steps away from Yeosang, stiffening slightly.

I then turned to see Hongjoong making his way over with a bit of a grimace. His eyes had been on mine for a flash of a moment before he looked to Yeosang, and then down the length of his right arm.

I looked back to find Yeosang watching him, a grimace taking over his own face as he saw the spot on Hongjoong where a hand should've been. A part of Hongjoong that was now gone and it was my fault.

A grimace now took over my face after my smile fell. What a tragedy that seized us all. What a tragedy that would forever impale this bond. I didn't take any notice in what it had been before until I realized the shivering tension that now grew between the three of us in that moment of silence.

Then, Yeosang nodded to Hongjoong in a look of condolence. He gave a genuine whisper, "I'm sorry, Hongjoong."

Hongjoong slowly nodded, keeping his eyes on the ground as he went rigid for a slight moment before he looked up, relaxing as his gaze grew a short blaze in his response, "You have nothing to be sorry for." But his tone was not harsh or cruel. It came out soft, understanding, and... a hint of gratitude in his words. Hongjoong nodded once more, quick and more assured, "We all had to do our parts."

And the two shared a look then. Both of their eyes sparkled with a bond that I...

That I never realized before.

I almost gawked in surprise at what I saw before it was masked in a wave of guilt.

The two both looked as if they lost something precious before. And the looks they were sharing with each other was of empathy. They understood how they both felt and it made them look more like friends— brothers— than the bickering rivals they'd always been. They were actually kind to each other in this trying moment.

Perhaps it was just me that saw this shivering tension. There was a painful pulse from my back. Perhaps it was just me.

"As much as I would like to give us all a better chance to recover," Yeosang interrupted the silent moment, bringing my mind whizzing back to the two as Yeosang turned to glance my way, "We aren't exactly done."

Hongjoong furrowed his brows, the tenseness of his body returning as he clutched his right wrist, "Wh-What do you mean?"

"Como has been captured," Yeosang started, jaw set, as if the pondering of the traitor made himself uneasy, "And Ray wants answers."

Hongjoong and I both shared a look before we brought our attention back to Yeosang.

Something of familiarity about this scenario etched into my mind. I found my tone to shake in nervousness as I weakly asked, "Is she wanting to interrogate him?" Would I have to be a part of it? Would I have to read his mind?

The uncertainty and tension must've been written right on my face as Yeosang's eyes flashed my way in a look of sympathy, "Nothing of that sort has been set in place." And even Yeosang hesitated to continue, looking back to Hongjoong as if he were putting his words carefully, "Ray has been livid since we saw her this morning. The apprehension of Como did not dissipate this. From the way she spoke to me..."

"She suspects one of us." Hongjoong finished, his eyes trained on the ground for a moment before lifting to Yeosang's. He'd taken to slightly rubbing his left hand up and down his opposite arm.

"Perhaps," Yeosang gave a nod to Hongjoong, "To put it simply, she doesn't trust us. She seemed to act that way since we've gotten here, but it's almost like the attack we just had was enough for her to be wary of anyone."

I couldn't help the annoyed tsk I made despite it all, my mind relieved to pinpoint a bit of sorrow and ignite into rage at my words, "Just like Seonghwa."

"San betrayed Cress..." Hongjoong started as he connected the dots like I had.

"And Como just betrayed Ray," Yeosang nodded with narrowed eyes as he too seemed in thought."

We were all silent for what seemed a long moment, taking in what we'd all just thought.

"It's like—" Hongjoong started in an annoyed tone before a bit of color drained from his face, as if the words on his tongue became too heavy and dreading to speak.

But the three of us knew what silent words were lingering in the air and Yeosang dared to repeat them aloud:

"It's like Dawn Court all over again," Yeosang spoke with a nod. "The only difference is," his eyes flicked to mine, narrowing, "The target is more precise."

I knew my eyes shouldn't have flickered in confusion, but they did. I almost winced from the pulse in my back, but it had changed into the question I wanted to let out. And my words were slightly strained, "I'm the target?"

"San and you had been..." Hongjoong murmured and fidgeted slightly, eyes darting across the floor and arms creeping up to hug himself, "Something."

"That is... true. You two had been something." Yeosang spoke, shifting more towards my direction, "Which leaves the question: why?"

Why...

I knew that my own arms were snaking up my body to hug myself.

Why had it been me?

I bristled slightly as I drew my lips into a thin line, giving an expressive look of unknowing.

To this, Yeosang's lips also drew into a bit of a line as well and he said nothing.

And for a moment, nothing was said. All was silent.

That was, until Hongjoong cleared his throat, "Well, there's no use dodging the inevitable." he got out in a low voice before nodding his head towards the stairwell that would take us to the lower section of the docking tower where mergers were in-port. "We can talk more about this with Ray."

Yeosang's gaze left mine as they briefly traveled to the stairwell. He then turned to Hongjoong as he spoke, "I'm not sure we'll get anything beneficial out of a conversation with her as we'd get right here."

"Well, this is her Court, isn't it?" Hongjoong deadpanned, keeping his gaze locked with Yeosang's. He then took a step, facing the staircase he'd directed towards, "This is as much of her talk as it is our's."

Yeosang's hum was barely noticeable, but one I'd heard. An interest seemed to spark in his eyes before they looked my way with a look of unease. I almost flinched away from knowing they were the eyes of a friend. However, Yeosang's eyes softened immediately, "We'll get more clarity if we organize all of the ordeal as a group." And with one final nod, Yeosang walked after Hongjoong.

Despite the brief comforting look, I couldn't help but see a chasm between myself and the two brothers who were now walking away, practically at the stairwell now. They never turned back— never reconsidered— as they had their paths set. I didn't follow— I stopped to wonder how a chasm this big seemed to be there. It was like it had been there all along.

That uneasing thought wasn't given another moment as I quickly took to striding after them, now hearing the clack of armored boots on those marble stairs. I tried to pay attention to catching up with the two, but the chasm and Yeosang's question had brought my mind to a memory. It had lifted that memory back up— a memory that hadn't taken place not so long ago and my mind didn't ignore it this time.

I shivered as I thought. My mind was replaying the events in my head. I saw those vivid blue eyes prominently in my mind. I saw San in the water after I'd plunged into its depths. I saw his determined flare there, a wild glimmer that I thought the waves had mimicked. It wasn't one of crazed hunger as it had been one of crazed hope. Hope? Was it hope? No, it wasn't that. It was something else.

I shivered as the disturbing thought entered my mind, as my back pulsed and my heart thundered, remembering him taking my hand... And that crazed look which was not hunger had ignited in his eyes, full of finery that my heart threatened to burst at the emotion that had been painted on his face. That was a look from him that was far worse than any others in our encounters and why was that? He'd never been more helpless than he did then, yet he acted like he held all the cards in the room. Was it because an instinct told me that was true? Had it been a trap? No, he couldn't have done anything— but something— he did something.

The realization came back to me with a sickening churn. I wanted to ignore the question I had in my head. I wanted to forget it. But San had done something then and what had he done?

REMEMBER:​​​​​​

1. Smack dat butiful star

2. Leave a comment talkin abt dis tea

3. Share dis tea induced book with yo fwends

WHY? Because I appreciate it 🥺

\\ See u in the next chapter! \\