Mon Amour // ATEEZ

35 I'm not okay

(Hongjoong's pov)

I tumbled down from the tree, my aging bones letting out an assortment of cracks. What in the world? My gaze fixated on the ominous figures advancing towards me.

"Didn't I explicitly instruct you to stay put? You're our prisoner!" It's the gang. It's Beomgyu.

Turning my gaze, I discovered Soobin trapped in the same dire situation, an arrow piercing his arm. His face contorted in pain as he clutched his hand near the piercing projectile.

Beomgyu came closer, lowering himself to my eye level. "This arrow is laced with a deadly poison. Even for a vampire, your remaining time is limited to just a day. Your demise will be a slow and agonizing one" He declared, his laughter dripping with wicked satisfaction.

I calmly responded, "Very well."

"Very well?!" Beomgyu scoffed, his disbelief evident. "Just very well?"

I winced in pain as I sat down, struggling to find a comfortable position. "Yes, that's life. I must accept the consequences and endure. Although, I must say, life would have been much better if our paths had never crossed, you little shit"

A sinister smile spread across Beomgyu's face, filled with a twisted sense of pride. "Now, that's more like it"

His intense gaze locked with mine as he mercilessly pushed the arrow further into my abdomen. Instinctively, I retaliated by shoving him away, causing him to collide forcefully with a nearby tree.

Despite the pain etched across his face, a twisted grin formed on his lips. "That's what I want! I want to see your fury! Let's play!"

Just as he prepared to advance towards me again, our attention was abruptly diverted by a piercing scream. Oh no, it's Dalhae. "Damn it" I muttered quietly to myself.

Beomgyu casually shrugged his shoulders, his nonchalance irritating me. "I guess we better go before there's no blood left" He said, turning away. However, just as he was about to vanish into the forest, he suddenly turned back to me. "There might be an antidote located upon the top of the mountain. But I'm not telling you what you need to do to get it" He stated, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. With that final taunting expression, he vanished into the depths of the forest. Oh, how I longed to wipe that smug grin off his face!

Soobin winced, his face contorting in agony. "He's talking about a magic flower" He explained through the pain.

"A magic flower?" I couldn't help but release a weary sigh, laying my head on the cold ground. "I've really seen everything"

"We really need to leave, otherwise you won't be able to keep going" Soobin said, gently gripping my waist to help me up.

"Why are you helping me? What's the real reason? Now you're hurt because of me" I questioned, my gaze fixed on his bleeding arm.

He let out a sigh, his blond locks cascading over his eyes. "I couldn't bear to see someone else suffer as I did, forced to do things against their will. I wanted to spare them that pain," He confessed, his gaze meeting mine with a sincere smile. "Besides, it's good for my karma"

I couldn't help but chuckle. This kid is really something. We were on our way to find the flower, both of us hurt by those damn poison arrows. We may look pathetic right now with blood staining our clothes, but when I'll get back my powers, it's going to be over for everyone.

Despite my inherent unease in the opulence of my mansion, I couldn't help but long for the comfort of being there with Dalhae. Deep down, I genuinely worried about Dalhae's safety, and that bone-chilling scream pierced through me, resonating in the very depths of my being.