To Replace a Dragon with a Phoenix [BBANGSAZ AU]

19.) Gone.

Minjae's POV:

When I woke up, Han was gone and there was a cold void in my chest. The sun was blazing outside and my eyes stung from the harshness of its rays. My vision was blurry as I surveyed the room for Han but there was nothing in sight.

Rude. She left me hanging.

It felt empty without her. Something felt off but I couldn't pinpoint what. There was a dread settling into my stomach. Like something bad was about to happen. That was when I noticed my gat was placed neatly beside her pillow and my hands instinctively flew towards my face.

It was bare. It was bare. My face!

Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuckity. Fuck.

She knows.

That morning I was zipping around the palace looking for Hanni.

Not in her quarters. Obviously. Not the courtyard. Not in the library.

I raced to the location I thought she would be, the palace gardens. I quickened my pace.

"Han? Han? Hanni?! Where are you?!" I called out desperately, praying that she hadn't run off yet. I spotted her in sitting eerily still twiddling with flowers.

"Hanni!" I gave a cautious wave.

No response.

"Han?"

Ignored.

I was about to call her name out again but she gave me a glare that could kill.

My mouth was dry and my head was a mess. I didn't know what to say or even how to start this conversation. I just stared at her with my mouth agape like a fish gulping for air. But I didn't need to say anything because Hanni made the first move.

Slap.

I blinked and didn't move an inch. Hanni slowly raised her hand again.

Slaaap.

The 2nd slap hurt more than the 1st. Tears threatened to spill over from the corner of her eyes as she launched herself at me. Raining blows against my chest. It hurt, the pain was great, yet, I dare not show an ounce of pain.

"I should've known, how was I so stupid." Hanni furiously paced back and forth. She brimmed with anger. With an accusatory finger aimed at my chest. "You're fucking Kim Minjae, not Min. You liar."

Then Hanni's rage seemed to reach its peak and she exploded. Her anger flowed like hot lava. Her eyes would've killed me if they could've.

"I should've- I should've- should've," Hanni was shaking with anger.

"I should've known." Her voice turned uncannily cold. "I knew who you were the moment I met you. But then I little voice inside told me to trust you. And the one time, the ONE time, I trusted that voice. It turned out to be my worst nightmare come true."

"You know what? I regret meeting you, I regret ever saving you, I regret everything, I wish I had left you for dead that day."

She turned away from me, heading for the palace gates. I had to stop her. But I couldn't, my legs wouldn't move it was as if my legs were one with the earth. So just like that, I watched her flee and leave me. And with that, it was the last I ever saw of Hanni. The sweet girl I thought I knew was replaced by a resentful stranger in a blink of an eye. The words that Hanni said had hurt more than the blows of punches and slaps. Slaps and punches hurt in the moment but they heal. Words don't.