Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔

10 Tea

She opens her eyes at the sound of a ringing bell, looking at the black and white painting she has become accustomed to. Groggily, she wakes up to realize that the time is 4:30p.m. based on the wall clock and that she has immediately fallen asleep after going through the list of names. Assuming that the bell is meant for giving the sign that it's tea-time, she makes sure that she kept the list well-hidden in her luggage, stuffed under the bed. Bringing it with her might risk her to exposure, while keeping it in her bedroom feels a lot safer. Well, at least if no one barges into her room and finds it. She puts on a jacket, careful to make sure that her face is at least presentable to the people who might be present at tea later. She decides to leave the dagger behind, kept in the drawer at her bedside table. She doesn't know why she is nervous, but at the same time excited at the thought of possibly seeing all the men in the list in one room.

After making sure that she does not look like she has just woken up, she passes through the empty long hallway, and finally out into the open air. As she walks towards the dining hall, she notices Hongjoong and Seonghwa walking together, wordlessly. Jongho comes running after, still holding on to his guitar. Wooyoung comes along, walking while seemingly thinking of something that excites him as he couldn't stop smiling. Then comes another person, which she has never met before. Could he be?

"Song Mingi! I've missed you since I couldn't even see you the whole day." Her guess proves to be correct as Wooyoung calls out his name while trying to put his arm across his shoulders, which seems to be a feat for him because of their obvious differences in height.

Mingi fights the urge to roll his eyes as he grumbles. "You literally saw me last night."

"Well, that was yesterday. I didn't see you today." He pouts.

"Please stop, I'm not one of your wooed ladies. I'm not interested."

"Maybe better luck next time."

She hears their conversation until she finally arrives at the dining hall, where Yeosang is already seated at the middle of the long table. He seems to be deep in thought, but as she enters, he offers a greeting. "Good afternoon. I'm glad to see that you look much better than when you first came."

"It's all thanks to you. I might return to Lucida in a casket if it weren't for you."

"You should thank Seonghwa too. He managed to bring you back just in time before the venom seeps into your whole system. Ah, speaking of the devil, he's finally here."

They come in a group, with Hongjoong, Seonghwa and Jongho arriving at the same time. Wooyoung comes shortly after, with a slightly annoyed Mingi in tow. She doesn't see San around, but she assumes that he must be busy preparing for the tea.

"Akira, please do take a seat. We can take our time to talk during tea." Wooyoung excitedly pulls out a chair for her, where the rest of the men snicker at the sight while Seonghwa huffs slightly.

"Thank- thank you." Again, these men seem to make her falter.

"Seonghwa, are you perhaps jealous? Your eyes are changing colours," Yeosang comments, to which Akira turns to look at him. She cannot confirm herself since she cannot see it, but what Yunho had told her must be right. So his eyes do change colours according to his mood.

Seonghwa doesn't hide his eyes, but instead looks at her directly. He knows that she cannot see the colours of his eyes. "Stop talking rubbish. I'm sure my eyes change colours because I haven't gotten enough rest recently. You know how they get messed up when I don't rest enough."

Yeosang shrugs. "Fair enough."

"Can we just get on with tea? I'd love to get back to my hut sometime soon," Hongjoong speaks up while pulling out a chair. He decides to sit across Yeosang. As he lowers himself down, he adds, "I have another sword to finish moulding by tonight."