Kintsugi // ATEEZ [Ishihara Sequel] ✔

45 Selfish

What they hear is a screech as Akira finds someone speeding to her, knocking her back before an arm is put around her neck, a blade placed near her skin. She hears Yunho calling out her name, but he doesn't have the time to react as he's pushed to the floor. She stays calm even as she feels the person tightening their grip around her neck from behind as a blade is pressed on the side.

"Your Majesty," San says. "Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you."

She stays mum for a moment, knowing that there's no use of her panicking, considering the people around her have done it for her. Her eyes travel to as far as she can, seeing those observing from afar - San and her are in the middle of the foyer, while the others are scattered around; on the stairs, through the open doors, or from any direction they can see where the queen is held hostage.

No one dares to move a muscle or do anything as they know that they're no match against the cursed king who is currently holding their queen hostage. Everyone remains still in their places, watching as San holds the knife against Akira's neck while locking her in place, before swinging it around as a reminder for everyone to not come close.

Yunho scrambles to get up, but even with one foot forward to approach the two, San is already wielding a knife, pointing the blade towards the general.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," San growls, clearly not himself.

"San," Akira starts calmly, but stops as she feels his blade digging deeper into her skin.

"Your existence is the very reason I'm like this," he utters, the blade glinting at the corner of her eyes.

"Choi San..." Yunho says slowly, but stops moving when the queen signals with her eyes so that he won't interfere.

"I'm not-" Akira says before she snakes her arm to push the blade away before driving her head backwards, slamming it into San's face before he shouts, clearly taken by surprise at how she retaliated.

The knife falls to the ground as San staggers backwards, and he stares at her with eyes full of malice, eyes that only bleed black with no white in sight. Both of them eye for the knife but before she can lunge forward for it, San is already slamming his body against her, causing her to skid backwards. He flicks his wrist towards the direction of the knife, swiping it up before he holds her shoulder, ready to plunge the knife into her stomach.

"No," Akira pleads, putting a protective hand over stomach as she realizes what he's about to do.

As she watches the blade is brought down to the direction of her stomach, she hears multiple screams from the people around them again. This time around, her body doesn't react fast enough as she only manages to turn her head away, but she feels a quick presence in front of her as her hair billows in the wind.

All is quiet as Akira slowly turns her face around to look in front again, realizing that someone has stepped in front of her, acting as a shield against San's attack. The sound of the blade being driven through someone's flesh fills the silence and everything turns still as the queen catches the person who had protected her in her arms, slightly wobbly as she took the hit.

"Sara," Akira utters in disbelief as she holds her in her arms. "You-"

"Don't worry about me," Sara says casually before grabbing the handle of the knife San had plunged into her flesh, gritting her teeth as she takes it out. She turns the knife around so that the blade is facing San. "So you're the other stronger presence in this palace." She stares at him as she tilts her head. "How pitiful that our first meeting is like this."

San shouts something incoherent as he speeds up towards Sara, intending to push her away as he aims for Akira again, but the witch only smirks before lightly fluttering her fingers as she directs them to the floor. Black tendrils shoot out of the floor, this time thicker and firmer as they wrap around the cursed king's body, immobilizing him in place and covering every inch of his body except for his face.