𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘

19) Jay

As requested; I'll try to do shorter chapters and faster updates. Aiming for one every week but please bear with me x

(Side note - I'm Jay biased 😉🖤)

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I didn't expect it to be this hard.

I knew what I was getting into, I had a plan, this was always how it was supposed to be.

But now that it's actually time to let him go, I can't do it.

All these years of watching Jungwon, I never considered that it could become more than just a fascination.

I really believed that by meeting again, by letting myself be with him just once, then I'd get him out of my system, the infatuation would end and I'd be free to move on.

I was wrong.

Because he's everything.

Talented and gorgeous and kind (and stubborn).

By some miracle he wants me too, and even if it's only in a physical way, knowing this makes it hard to care about anything else.

Even the one purpose that's driven me all my life, the Blessed-Cursed mission, suddenly seems insignificant.

But I have to see it through, even if I die trying.

It's a very real possibility, for all of us. Anyone involved in trying to take Minho down is putting their life on the line.

Which is why I can't be with Jungwon.

I've already put him in danger by bringing the circus into our plans for my own selfish reasons. I won't keep doing it.

It's good that he's angry with me, it'll make it easier for us to go our separate ways.

That's what I tell myself at least, even as I spend the entire journey from Daeyi to the treasury staring at the back of Jungwon's head, wishing he would turn around and look at me.

But he never does.

When we reach the lake and row across it, I'm very aware of him sat right in front of me, but I keep my focus on paddling. He obviously doesn't want to see me, so I won't make him uncomfortable by staring anymore.

At last, we make it into the king's treasury, and Heeseung, Sunghoon and I throw ourselves into finding the formula we've waited years to get our hands on.

And it seems like we've finally found it when Heeseung discovers an entire folder of research.

But that's not the only thing he finds, because all of a sudden I notice how still he's become, and the look of shocked horror on his face.

But before I can even open my mouth to ask what's wrong, he's running, and the document that was in his hands is floating in a swooping zig-zag to the floor.

I immediately snatch it up, and Hoon looks over my shoulder as we read it together and realise the gravity of what we've uncovered.

Niki is Minho's son.

Within seconds we're chasing after Heeseung.

Niki and Jake left together quite some time ago now, more than enough time to get off this island.

Sure enough, by the time we reach the dock, the second row-boat that was tied there is gone, and Heeseung is stood with his hands fisted at the back of his head as he lets out a guttural yell of frustration.

We got what we wanted from the prince - access to the treasury.

But I know Hee and Hoon made new plans of their own for Jake.