Chapter Text
Bravery.
Courage.
Perseverance.
Valor.
Fearlessness.
Egotistic.
All those words—and more—were rooted deeply into Choi Yeonjun’s brain the second he was born. He was taught that if he showed nothing but that, he’d succeed in life. And he believed it, considering how minacious their world can be.
But he never knew it would lead him to his demise.
So, as he sits there, coughing out blood as his former clan members beat, punch, slap, whip, and kick the hell out of him, he scoffs at himself for failing his clan. For failing his parents . He never wanted this to happen. How did it even happen, anyway?
But that should be the least of Yeonjun’s concerns. Given how his former clan members are having no remorse for him, he doesn’t doubt he isn’t a member anymore. And that’s the worst that can happen to him—to anyone . Finding another clan won’t be his biggest problem—getting accepted and perceived as normal again will be.
The last thing Yeonjun sees is the fire in his (now ex) best friend’s hands before he’s finally knocked out cold.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
The first time Yeonjun wakes up, he’s alone. His former clan members are gone, and there’s no one else in sight. But he doesn’t focus on that anymore, not when the pain finally kicks in.
Thanks to the dark purple shackle on his ankle, he’s prone to feeling all the pain that was beat into him earlier. His whole body hurts so much, that it hurts to even breathe. His head is fuzzy, and his vision is blurry.
If it weren’t for the burn marks scattered all over his body, Yeonjun wouldn’t remember what happened. But he does. Vividly. And he wishes he didn’t.
Besides a form of relief from the pain, Yeonjun wishes he had his sword with him. Even looking at it would be enough to make him feel better. But he doesn’t have it anymore. It was taken away from him the moment he admitted to his mistake, and he was forbidden to use any of his powers from now on (hence the ankle shackle).
But still . Yeonjun isn’t anything without his sword by his side. Without his sword, he doesn’t know how to function. That sword is everything to him. Unfortunately, his (former) clan leader knew that, which is why she took it away from him.
Overcome with immense pain, Yeonjun starts losing consciousness again. But he tries so hard to hold onto whatever amount of consciousness he has left. He fears that if he lets himself pass out again, he won’t wake up again. And he can’t and won’t let himself die. He still has a lot to live for, and he isn’t about to give up.
But the pain is too much. Especially when his skin starts burning again. He screams in pain as the burning gets worse, and the last thing he sees is the darkness surrounding him before he finally passes out again.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
“Don’t you see the Athena symbol on his upper arm? He belongs to another clan.”
“If he did, then why did we find him almost beaten to death ?”
“I’m not having this conversation with you again…”
The raven-haired male’s eyes slowly flutter open. His head starts pounding lightly the second his eyes open, making him let out a small groan. His vision is still blurry as his eyes open, and confusion swirls inside of him as he realizes he doesn't recognize his surroundings.
Where am I?
Yeonjun tries to rely on his senses to acknowledge where he is, but he can’t, which makes him panic. He sits up immediately at the realization, only for it to be a mistake as his headache grows worse, and pain spreads throughout his entire body.
“Fuck,” he groans. His world starts spinning, so he lies back down, throwing his arm across his forehead to try to get the pounding to quiet down.
“You’re awake.”
Yeonjun looks up at the voice, his eyes landing on a woman he’s never seen before in his entire life. She certainly is pretty, standing around 5’5, with long blonde hair thrown back into a ponytail, dark, fox-like eyes, and wearing a simple white shirt and formal pants.
Immediately, Yeonjun’s hairs stand on end. He doesn’t recognize this woman, and he grows rigid. Due to the shackle on his wrist, he can’t try to at least scare her by making his eyes glow, but he still gives her a hard look.
“Who are you?” he demands.
“I don’t see how that’s any of your-”
Someone clears their throat.
The blonde rolls her eyes. “Hyojung, but only my friends call me that, so you can call me Hyolyn.”
Yeonjun nods slowly, yet he still doesn’t trust this woman. “W…where am I?”
“Byeol.”
Yeonjun’s eyes widen. “I-in Byeol ?”
“Are you deaf?”
“I can’t be in Byeol.” Yeonjun starts to panic. “M-my home’s in-”
“In Atena, we know.” Hyolyn rolls her eyes. “But luckily for you, you’re not there anymore.”
Yeonjun’s panic settles in, and despite his painful headache, he still gets up. “I can’t be here. I-I need to go home-”
“Do you want to get beaten to death this time?” Much to Yeonjun’s surprise, a single raise of Hyolyn’s eyebrow is enough to send him lying back down. He stares at her in shock, and she just looks at him with a small scowl. “You’re lucky we saved you when we did, or else wodaes would’ve gotten to you first.”
“You don’t understand.” Yeonjun tries to move, but Hyolyn’s telekinesis seems to be stronger than him. “I-I need to get home-”
“You’re not going anywhere .” Hyolyn’s eyes glow red in warning.
“You’re not-”
“Um, I think I’ll take over.” This time, a man appears, making Yeonjun’s eyes dart to him. This man is also pretty, standing around 5’10, with blond hair and soft dark eyes, and wearing a white vest and khakis. He gently places his hands on Hyolyn’s shoulder, and she huffs, before walking away. Once she’s gone, that releases Yeonjun from her telekinetic hold, making him sigh in relief.
“You okay?” the blond asks, pressing his palm against Yeonjun’s forehead.
Since he doesn’t know this man either, Yeonjun flinches from his touch. The blond seems to understand why, so he smiles apologetically and sheepishly.
“Oh, sorry,” he apologizes. “I was just trying to see-”
“-If I have a fever, I know,” Yeonjun interrupts. “What am I doing here?”
The blond sighs. “We saved you from your…old clan.”
Yeonjun’s head is fuzzy, so it’s a given that his memories are fuzzy, too. “What? No, that’s not right. W-why would you need to save me from my old clan?”
“They had beaten you half to death.”
Yeonjun feels like laughing at that, so he does. But when he sees that the blond isn’t laughing with him, he stops.
“That’s not true-”
“Lift your sleeve, then.”
“W-what?”
“Lift your sleeve if you don’t believe me then,” the blond says.
Yeonjun lets out a small scoff. Obviously, Hyolyn and this blond are just playing a joke on him, right? Yes, he has to be right. Maybe it has to do with both of them being blondes. Yeah, that’s right. There’s no way Yeonjun’s own clan beat him half to death. That’s ridiculous-
Burn marks , scratches , bruises , and all types of cuts are littered throughout Yeonjun’s skin. Subconsciously, tears well up in his eyes—but he forces himself not to cry. Maybe they’re not real. Maybe this blond Yeonjun is (stuck) with has trickery powers, and he’s playing a trick on him. But when the ravenette presses down on one of the burn marks, he feels pain, and he jerks away, much to his dismay.
Hyolyn and this blond are right, then—Yeonjun’s former clan did kick him out, and did almost beat him to death. And that’s why he’s across the country, in some region he’s never even heard of.
“I’m sorry.” The blond’s voice breaks Yeonjun out of his thoughts. “No one should ever have to go through this.”
“Why are you talking to me?” Tears start rolling down Yeonjun’s face. “I-I was kicked out of my own clan. You should find me…ridiculous, or something.”
“I do.” The blond doesn’t bother lying. “But luckily for you, my power is empathy, so I have no other choice.”
Yeonjun scoffs. No wonder, then. If the blond’s power wasn’t empathy, he’d be acting the same as Hyolyn was towards Yeonjun.
“Our leader knows about you,” the blond informs a few seconds later. “So even if you don’t want to, you have to give us your name.”
Yeonjun knows there’s no point in resisting—especially if he wants to end up alive—so he mutters, “Choi Yeonjun.”
“Yeonjun.” The blond smiles. “That’s a pretty name.”
Yeonjun doesn’t say anything.
“I’m Kim Taehyung, but everyone calls me Tae,” he continues. “You can, too.”
Yeonjun takes a shuddery breath. “W-what’s going to happen to me now?”
Despite asking, Yeonjun doesn’t want to know. It’s more likely that Taehyung’s answer will have something to do with him getting killed, but Yeonjun would rather hear it now than find out later when a rope is being tied around his neck.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Taehyung says with a small chuckle. “You’re a part of this clan now.”
Yeonjun’s eyes widen. He looks up at Taehyung, looking at him as if he grew two heads. “W-what?”
“What, did you think we were going to off you?” he scoffs as if that’s the most ridiculous idea he’s ever heard.
“Uh…yeah.”
Taehyung shakes his head. “We’re not like that, Yeonjun-ssi. We take in strays from all around the world. That’s what makes us better and more powerful than the rest of the clans out there.”
“B-but what about everyone else?” Yeonjun asks. “They’re not going to like me.”
“They won’t,” Taehyung agrees, not bothering to lie again. “But they’ll warm up to you. Eventually. And if they don’t, then it’s not the end of the world. At least you’ll have me—and at least you have a new, better home.”
Yeonjun slowly nods, figuring Taehyung has a point. But he fears nothing would ever beat his former clan. After all, that’s where he spent his childhood, grew up, and where he spent his last moments with his parents. This clan is new to him, and everyone will hate him for the first two months, at least.
“Now, I can’t stay here forever, since I have a class to teach,” Taehyung says, bringing Yeonjun back from his thoughts. “I was just here since I know how Hyloyn is, so you’re welcome. I can see that you’re still not fully well, so I’m going to tell the nurse you’re awake, so she can check up on you. Like I said earlier, everyone’s going to hate you, including the nurse, but she knows better than to do anything that’ll harm your health. So you’re in good hands.”
Yeonjun seriously doubts that, but he doesn’t say anything. He just nods, so Taehyung can finally leave him alone.
“My class is going to go on for the rest of the day, so I won’t be able to visit again until tomorrow,” Taehyung says with a small frown. “And I think the nurse will make you stay in bed for the rest of the day, too, so you won’t be able to get up, either. So, if you have any questions, hopefully they can wait until tomorrow.”
He looks at Yeonjun for confirmation and Yeonjun nods. He has a billion questions running through his mind, but he honestly just wants to be alone. Taehyung seems to get the hint, so he nods back as he gets up from the chair he was sitting on.
“I’ll take my leave now then,” he says. “Get some rest, Yeonjun-ssi.”
“Wait,” he calls out before Taehyung can leave, a question he does want to ask popping into his mind. “W-what about this?” He points to the purple shackle around his ankle, which is still glowing, and slightly burning his skin every five minutes or so. “Will I be able to get it off?”
Taehyung smiles at him apologetically for the nth time, making Yeonjun already know he’s going to give him an answer he won’t like. “I’m sorry, but no, Yeonjun-ssi. We accept strays, yes, but if they have an ankle shackle like yours…there’s a process we have to go over to make sure you won’t be a danger to us. But if you’re not, then you’ll wait two months max for it to be off.”
Indeed, Yeonjun doesn’t like Taehyung’s answer, but it’s not like he can do anything about it. So he just nods. “Okay. Thank you.”
“Of course.” Taehyung smiles at him. “Bye now, Yeonjun-ssi.”
The younger one doesn't bother saying bye back, but Taehyung doesn’t seem to mind. He just hums a small tune as he walks away, and Yeonjun is left alone once again. But despite wishing he was earlier, now he wishes that he wasn’t. Taehyung’s departure makes him realize how lonely he is now. He has no parents to rely on, all of his friends hate him, and no one he used to know will ever even want to talk to him again. Even now, in this new clan, he still has people who hate him. And with his sword gone on top of everything, he’s not sure he’s going to survive.
But he made a promise, so he’s sure as hell going to try. Even if it ends up killing him in the end.
Notes:
p.s., this is me trying to be creative, so these are the 'foreign' words i put:
byeol - stars
atena - athena, goddess of wisdom
wodaes - evil cannibalistic spirits
Chapter Text
Just like Taehyung warned Yeonjun, even the nurse is hostile toward him. She has a disapproving look on her face as she checks his vitals, and asks him questions about how he feels. As the petty person he is, Yeonjun wants to scowl back at her, and not tell her anything. But it is for his health, so he tries to bite back a scowl and answers her questions as honestly as he can. The nurse just nods and tends to the wounds that still need treatment, before leaving him alone.
As if punishment for getting kicked out of his old clan, Yeonjun doesn’t get to eat anything. No one grabs food for him, not even the nurse herself. Yeonjun tries to tell himself that since he’s the only young, conscious person in the infirmary, the nurse forgot to grab food. But he knows better, and if he actually believed that, he’d be a fool.
Fortunately, his old clan trained them for times like these, so he isn’t hungry. He pushes back any hunger that dares rise to the surface, and since his wounds still tire him out, he spends the rest of the day asleep, anyway.
The next time Yeonjun wakes up, he’s a bit surprised to see that the nurse is fixing the machines around him. He grows a bit conscious around her, his hairs standing on end again. He watches her carefully and seeming to sense eyes on her, the nurse looks down at him. When she catches the look he’s giving her, she rolls her eyes.
“If you’re smarter than you seem, you might’ve noticed that the other nurse isn’t here,” she starts. “So I’m all you got. The nurses here have healing powers, but since I’m the only one available, you’re going to be in pain.”
Yeonjun eyes her skeptically. “Why would I be in pain?”
The nurse grins at him. “You’ll see.”
Before Yeonjun can even take his next breath, the nurse starts her magic on him. She hovers her hands above his head and starts lowering her hands inch by inch. At first, nothing happens to Yeonjun. He just feels a small sting in his head, but he figures that’s just his headache.
It isn’t until the nurse reaches his shoulders that the pain starts kicking in.
The nurse’s magic is slowly healing Yeonjun, putting his skin back together one by one. Literally . Yeonjun’s skin pulls and sews its fibers and epidermal layers back together through the nurse’s healing powers, and it hurts like a bitch. The nurse’s powers must soundproof the room as well since no one grows concerned over Yeonjun’s bloodcurdling screams.
His old clan taught them how to hold in their emotions, and if they were ever to experience an agonizing pain, they’d have to suffer through it silently . Brave soldiers like them could never show their emotions, especially if they were in pain. If they did, they would be dishonored—and their families, too. But Yeonjun doesn’t care about that right now. His former clan members really did a number on him, and the nurse’s healing magic hurts so much , that he ends up passing out from the pain.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
“You made him pass out ?”
“Don’t blame it on me! It’s my powers, and you know that.”
A sigh is heard, and their chatter continues.
The ravenette’s eyes slowly flutter open, the tan ceiling of the tent staring back at him. As his eyes focus, he starts panicking, wondering where he is. But then the memories of yesterday run through his mind, and he realizes he’s across the country.
However, he starts thinking that maybe it was just a dream. It had to be a dream. His clan would never do that to him, regardless of his mistake-
“Good morning.”
That familiar voice ruins Yeonjun’s hopes of yesterday being just a dream. He looks up, locking eyes with a familiar blond.
“How’d you sleep?” he asks, dressed in the same clothes he was wearing yesterday.
“O…kay,” Yeonjun replies slowly. At Taehyung’s question, that’s when he realizes he does feel okay. His head doesn’t feel fuzzy, and he isn’t in pain anymore. To make sure, he looks down at his arms, and indeed, there’s not even a blemish in sight. His jaw drops slightly at the sight, and he looks up at Taehyung, who seems to have caught his surprise, due to the small, amused smile on his face.
“You can thank Victoria for that,” he says, motioning to the nurse, who’s talking with another nurse. “She has healing powers if you didn’t know already.”
“I-I thought healing powers didn’t exist,” Yeonjun says.
“They do here.” Taehyung lets out a small shrug. “I assume you’re feeling good enough to finally get up from bed?”
Yeonjun hesitates to reply. He knows there’d be no point in lying to Taehyung, since he knows “Victoria’s” powers are good, so Yeonjun should feel all better now, but Yeonjun honestly wants to stay in bed. The coward part of him doesn’t want to face anyone else. He knows the second he walks out of this tent with Taehyung, people will start giving him weird looks and whispering amongst themselves about him. It wouldn’t be Yeonjun’s first time having people talk about him not-so-subtly, but before, it’d be because they were in awe of him, and wanted to be just like him. Now, it’s the opposite. People want nothing to do with him, and will most likely think he’s a disgrace and a failure for getting kicked out of his own clan .
“I know you’re probably scared.” Taehyung’s voice breaks Yeonjun out of his thoughts. “But I’ll be right by your side the entire time. Not to brag, but people here really like me, so I doubt they’d do anything to us.”
“Can’t I just stay in bed?” he tries.
“You were taught to be brave, Yeonjun-ssi,” Taehyung reminds, a bit sternly. “You weren’t taught to be a coward.”
Taehyung’s words strike Yeonjun right in the heart. Whether he likes it or not, Yeonjun knows Taehyung has a point. If he stays in bed, all it’d show to the rest of the clan is that he’s a coward. And that’s not the first impression he should want to set.
“Fine.” Yeonjun sighs in defeat.
Taehyung’s face lights up. “Good!” Without even asking Yeonjun for consent, he grabs his arm and helps him up. He does it so quickly that Yeonjun doesn’t even have a chance to react.
Once Yeonjun is standing on his legs again, they wobble underneath his weight. If it weren’t for Taehyung catching him, he would’ve fallen on his bed. Taehyung grips his hand tighter, so he can maintain his balance, and Yeonjun just gives him a small smile. He looks down at his feet, frowning subconsciously at the sight of the purple shackle on his ankle.
“Since you are in basically just a rag,” Taehyung says, and for once, Yeonjun is relieved to hear his voice, “you are going to have to change.”
“Into what?” Yeonjun asks.
“We all wear white simple clothes here,” Taehyung says. With his free hand, he snaps his fingers, and in the next second, a white outfit is lying in Yeonjun’s arms, much to his surprise.
“H-how’d you do that?” he says, taken by surprise.
Taehyung raises an eyebrow at him. “You can’t do that?”
“No…”
“Oh, right, that reminds me, we don’t know your power,” Taehyung muses. But then he waves it off. “Ah, whatever, we’ll find out later. For now, just change, Yeonjun-ssi.”
“Here?”
“Ah, silly me.” Taehyung chuckles at himself, and he starts leading the younger toward somewhere. “Obviously not here, since there are other people around. Luckily, the infirmary has a changing room for occasions just like these.”
They stop in front of a white closed door, which Yeonjun assumes is the “changing room.” Taehyung lets go of his hand, and much to Yeonjun’s surprise (but relief), he’s able to stand by himself. He walks into the changing room and closes the door behind him. He takes off the "rag" he had on, and changes into the outfit Taehyung got for him out of nowhere: an off-white, long-sleeved collared tunic tucked into white trousers.
“Oh, and this, too.” Taehyung’s voice appears outside of the changing room, and in the next second, a pair of dark brown leather knee-high boots appear in front of Yeonjun. It surprises him, and he wonders once again how Taehyung did that. Nevertheless, Yeonjun decides to not waste time and pulls the surprisingly slightly comfortable boots on.
Taehyung lets out a small wolf whistle when Yeonjun opens the door, making Yeonjun look at him in surprise.
“What?” he asks, starting to panic. “Is there something wrong?”
“Yeonjun-ssi, everything’s fine.” Taehyung chuckles at the look on Yeonjun’s face. “This”—he wolf whistles again—“is harmless . It’s my playful way to tell you that you look good.”
“Oh.” Relief falls over Yeonjun. “Sorry.”
“‘S okay.” Taehyung smiles at him. “Ready to begin our tour?”
“Do I have any other choice?”
“No,” Taehyung snickers, making Yeonjun sigh. “Let’s get started, then.”
Yeonjun nods and follows Taehyung outside of the infirmary, which is just a big enough tent to fit fifty people. Yeonjun doesn’t miss the disapproving looks the nurses send him as he and Taehyung walk out, but for his (and their sake, too), he pretends he didn’t see them.
Unsurprisingly, everyone’s day has already started, despite how early it is. Just like Yeonjun expected, everyone is wearing white, and the same color boots as him. He grows a bit surprised and confused at that but doesn’t voice his questions.
Taehyung still seems to sense his confusion, though, since he says, “You’ve probably noticed that all of us wear white and the same color boots.”
“Yeah…”
“That’s because white symbolizes what we mean: purity.”
Yeonjun can’t help but scoff at that. “I’ve never met a clan that is ‘pure.’”
“Then we’re the first ones,” Taehyung says with a proud smile. “We’ve never been involved in a war, let alone have caused one. We stay neutral, and if it comes down to it, we only supply weapons to both sides. Other clans mind their business, and if we ever have a qualm, it’s quickly resolved.”
“But I thought you said this clan is the most powerful,” Yeonjun says, a bit confused.
“Why do you think we stay neutral?”
“Oh,” Yeonjun says once it hits him.
“Just like your clan, we have ranks here,” Taehyung continues. “There are three ranks: superior, center, and inferior. The people with the most powerful powers like fire and ice are superior, the ones with medium powerful powers like water and air are center, and the ones with weak powers like mind reading and telekinesis are inferior. But, it depends on how advanced you are in your power. For example, typically, someone like Hyolyn would be inferior, but because she’s advanced in her power, she’s superior. Someone with regular telekinetic powers wouldn’t be able to hold a man down with just a single raised brow,” he explains at Yeonjun’s confused look.
“What are you?” he asks.
“Superior.”
Yeonjun’s eyebrows raise. “Really?”
“I can see why you’re surprised,” Taehyung chuckles. “My power is empathy, so I should be inferior. But I grew up with the leader, so that made me center, and teachers get an immediate higher rank, so that makes me superior. And don’t worry, once we know your power, we’ll figure out what rank you’ll be in.”
Yeonjun nods, albeit already knowing he’d be a superior.
“Anyway, this is our fighting grounds.” Taehyung stops walking, so Yeonjun stops walking, too. He looks up, only to be taken by surprise by the fields before them. Different types of training methods and tools are set up across the fields, with multiple members using them. Flashes of different colors are seen, due to the members using their powers to train themselves and others. Some are even flying in the air, or making their training tools fly with or without them.
“This is where most of us spend our free time,” Taehyung continues as he starts leading Yeonjun through the fighting grounds. Somehow, the members training sense them, so they make sure to not hit them. Although surprised they’re somehow not managing to hit them, Yeonjun is relieved none of them are focused on him.
“The clan itself isn’t involved in wars and stuff, but we obviously need to keep some respect for our name,” Taehyung says with a small chuckle. “This is also where most fights break out, so I’d be careful around here if I were you.”
Yeonjun just nods, before flinching when he sees someone using their super strength to throw a literal boulder on top of someone else.
“And this is where the classrooms are.” Taehyung’s voice breaks Yeonjun out of his thoughts, only for him to grow surprised when he sees the sudden change of atmosphere in the classrooms. Not one inch of training tools are seen, and there are barely any people using their powers here. Almost everyone here either has their face buried into a book, or they’re working on class or homework.
“This is also where I work. That’s my classroom.” Taehyung points to it, and it’s one of the first classrooms you lay eyes on. Matching Taehyung, his classroom is bright, and even his door is painted in a pastel pink.
“What do you teach?” Yeonjun asks.
“How to have empathy for others,” Taehyung replies, and Yeonjun feels almost stupid for asking. “But when I don’t feel like it, I help my students strengthen and control their powers better.”
“Do you teach little kids?”
“No. This is the adult school section.”
Yeonjun nods, and he and Taehyung continue walking. As they walk, they pass by the other members, who all seem too focused on themselves or the people they’re with to even glance at Yeonjun. It’s a relief for him, but at the same time, he’s also surprised. He thought the news of him getting kicked out of his own clan would’ve spread already, and people would start hating him the second he was out of the infirmary. But that hasn’t been the case.
Not yet, at least.
“This is the food center.” Taehyung’s deep voice breaks Yeonjun out of his thoughts again. “Why do you look so surprised?” he asks with a small chuckle at the look on Yeonjun's face.
“My…old clan didn’t have a food center,” he explains. “Our meals were always delivered to our tents, even if we didn’t like what we got.”
“Oh.” Taehyung seems as if he doesn’t know what to say to that. “Well, that’s not the case here.” He leads Yeonjun inside, and almost immediately, Yeonjun is hit with the scents of different types of food. It makes him realize how hungry he is, and his stomach growls. Loudly .
“Don’t worry, I’m hungry, too,” Taehyung chuckles. “That’s why I showed you here next.” He leads Yeonjun toward the tables, and Yeonjun avoids eye contact with the people sitting there. “What would you like to eat?”
“Rice and soup.”
“That’s what you ate every day?” Taehyung’s eyebrows raise.
“Um…yeah.”
Taehyung shakes his head. “We’re switching up. Go grab a table for us, and I’ll order for us. Trust me, you’re going to love what I’m going to get you.”
Before Yeonjun has a chance to say anything, Taehyung is already walking away. Yeonjun sighs in defeat, and he scans the tables around him to find an empty one. Fortunately, he finds one a few seconds later and walks over toward it. But just as he places his hand down on the top of one of the chairs to pull it out, so he can sit, someone new appears in front of him, startling him.
“Sorry, but you can’t sit here,” a feminine voice says.
Yeonjun looks up, his eyes landing on another pretty woman, with short blonde hair and pretty features, and beady dark eyes. She’s wearing a white elbow-sleeve blouse and skirt, with the same brown boots. She has a cold yet nice look on her face, but Yeonjun still grows wary of her and subtly takes a step back.
Yeonjun knows he should just let it go, and leave, so he won’t attract any attention to him, but his petty side gets the best of him this time. Plus, this girl just appeared. Yeonjun has been here for at least five minutes, so he deserves to sit here if he wants.
“Why not?” he asks with a small frown.
“It’s reserved.”
Yeonjun looks at the table. “I don’t see a sign that says so.”
“Well, you should already know it’s reserved,” the blonde says as if it isn’t obvious. But then it seems as if something hits her, and her eyes slightly widen. “Wait, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.”
“Uh, you can have the-”
“You’re the guy who was kicked out of his own clan, aren’t you?” the blonde says before Yeonjun can try to leave. “ That’s why you don’t know this table is already reserved.”
“Uh, n-no, you got it-”
The blonde gasps, looking down, and cutting Yeonjun off. “And that’s why you even have the ankle shackle!”
Her exclamation seems to grab everyone else’s attention, and almost immediately, everyone else’s eyes are on him. They seem to start putting the pieces together as well, and just like the blonde, they gasp. But it isn’t long before all of their expressions turn cold, and they give Yeonjun the same disapproving look the nurses from earlier were giving him.
“You disgrace ,” the blonde spits. “How dare you even show your face here. We don’t accept nobodies like you.”
Fortunately (and finally), that’s when Taehyung appears. He has a bag in his hands and a smile on his face, but it falters when he notices the tension between Yeonjun and the blonde.
“What’s going on here?” Taehyung questions.
“How dare you bring this disgrace into the clan,” the blonde scowls. “We don’t accept nobodies like him. Get him the fuck out of here, Taehyung.”
“Jeongyeon, we both know it’s not my decision to make,” he says pointedly. "Nor yours."
“Then tell the leader!” the blonde, “Jeongyeon,” exclaims. “Because a stigma like him brings dishonor to our name.”
“Jeongyeon.” Taehyung gives her a look. “You know we accept all types of strays.”
“Not dishonorable people like him .” Jeongyeon’s eyes grow darker than they already are. She then scoffs when Taehyung still gives her the same look. “No wonder you and Jimin are friends.” With that, she walks away, leaving Taehyung and Yeonjun alone.
“Alright, everyone, there’s nothing to look at!” Taehyung calls out since people are still staring at them. “Continue on with your meals.”
Not wanting problems with a superior, everyone obeys. Taehyung sighs and turns to Yeonjun, who has a stoic expression on his face.
“I’m sorry about that,” Taehyung says. “If I knew-”
“Don’t bother,” Yeonjun interrupts. “We both knew that was going to happen sooner or later, Taehyung.”
The blond knows Yeonjun is right, so he nods, but still smiles apologetically. He figures Yeonjun doesn’t have an appetite anymore, so he leads him outside. Yeonjun follows him wordlessly, and Taehyung’s guilt can’t help but grow.
“Anyway, this is the kid school section,” he says nonetheless, making Yeonjun look up. Unsurprisingly, there are a bunch of kids running around, and some are even using their powers to play with their friends. But of course, teachers and adults are watching them, just to make sure they don’t use their powers for anything else.
“And this is where our homes are,” Taehyung says a few moments later. Much to Yeonjun’s surprise, the members’ homes aren’t tents—they’re cabins.
“I don’t know how things worked in your clan, but we don’t pay rent or anything like that here,” Taehyung informs. “We all work for free if we want, and everything is for free here.”
“Then how do you guys earn money for weapons and all those things?” Yeonjun asks.
“We have our own blacksmiths,” Taehyung replies. “Their powers are fairly easy for them, so they don’t ask for much. Plus, they are superiors, so…” He looks at Yeonjun with a small smile. “And I think that’s everything. Any questions?”
“What about the…leader?” he asks slowly. “Shouldn’t I meet them?”
“Our leader keeps to himself,” Taehyung says with a small, sheepish chuckle. “Rarely anyone sees him, and if they do, it’s because he asked for them. Even I, who grew up with him, don’t get to see him much. So you don’t have to worry about that, Yeonjun-ssi.”
The younger nods. “What now?”
Taehyung opens his mouth to reply, but he doesn’t get the chance to.
Not when an arrow appears from nowhere, and strikes Yeonjun right in the shoulder.
But much to Yeonjun’s surprise, he doesn’t feel anything. Only a small sting when the arrow landed inside his shoulder. It’s as if he was never struck by an arrow; there’s no pain or even blood.
“Oh my god!” Taehyung, on the other hand, is panicking, and his eyes seem frantic. “What the fuck!?”
“Wooyoung, you idiot!” The sound of running footsteps rushes toward them, making Yeonjun and Taehyung look up.
Only for Yeonjun’s eyes to land on the most handsome, prettiest, cutest, and sexiest man he’s ever seen. The man stands at 6’1, at least , has red hair that looks so soft, and is wearing an off-white long band collar, long-sleeved that's tunic tucked into white trousers, with the same brown boots as Yeonjun’s and everyone else’s.
“Oh! Hey, S-”
Taehyung cuts himself off when the ( hot ) redhead simply grabs the end of the arrow—that’s still in Yeonjun’s shoulder, by the way—and pries it out unapologetically.
“Excuse you,” he mutters, wincing a little when the arrow is pulled out of his skin.
The hot redhead doesn’t even glance at him and simply walks away with the arrow that was in Yeonjun’s shoulder. Yeonjun is too focused on frowning at the back of the redhead’s head to notice that the arrow’s tip doesn’t even have any blood on it.
“What a jerk,” Yeonjun frowns.
“I’m sorry about him,” Taehyung sighs. “I forgot to warn you about the extra shitty people here.”
“Who even was he?” Yeonjun asks, the frown still on his face.
“That was Choi Soobin. A.K.A. the leader’s second in command, and the best archer we have.”
Chapter Text
This “Choi Soobin” definitely caught Yeonjun’s attention, but before he can ask Taehyung more about him, Taehyung changes the subject. Yeonjun doesn’t want to seem weird by bringing Soobin up again, so he goes along with it. Taehyung leads him toward another set of fields, which he forgot to show Yeonjun earlier, and the two eat their breakfast there.
Much to Yeonjun’s surprise, what Taehyung got him is delicious. His eyes widen when he places a spoonful of the food in his mouth, and his tastebuds almost immediately fall in love.
“It’s delicious, right?” Taehyung says with a small chuckle, noticing the look on Yeonjun’s face.
“Yes,” he replies. “What is it?”
“Doenjang jjigae. It has soybean paste, tofu, and fresh vegetables. It takes a while to make, which is why I took so long earlier, and couldn’t intervene between you and…”
Yeonjun just nods, knowing whom Taehyung is referring to. “What happened was definitely worth it, then.”
Taehyung chuckles, and he and Yeonjun continue eating. They eat in silence since Yeonjun is too focused on eating to talk, and Taehyung knows Yeonjun won’t answer any of the questions he has for him, anyway. But at least that lets him focus on his food as well, and the two eat the rest of their breakfast in a comfortable silence.
“What now?” Yeonjun asks when they both finish their breakfast.
Taehyung smiles at him. “What do you say you watch me teach?”
“Um, are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“No,” Taehyung sighs. “My students will hate you.”
Yeonjun just nods and pretends as if Taehyung’s words didn’t send a slight pang of pain to his chest.
“I’m going to be teaching for the rest of the day,” Taehyung muses. “And I can’t leave you by yourself.”
“I can be fine by myself,” Yeonjun says, immediately in defense. “Just because I have this stupid thing”—he motions to his ankle shackle—“doesn’t mean I’m weak.”
“It’s going to be the entire clan against you.” Taehyung raises an eyebrow at him. “Are you sure?”
Yeonjun doesn’t want to say “no,” so he stays silent. Taehyung takes his silence as a no either way and smiles in amusement.
“The only thing I can think of is to leave you with the Three Musketeers,” he says.
“Who are the-”
“I think they’ll hate you, too, but they won’t harm you,” Taehyung continues, mainly thinking out loud to himself. “I hope.” He looks at Yeonjun with a smile. “Let’s go, then.” He gets up and collects their trash. He turns to leave, but that's when he notices that Yeonjun is still sitting down. He raises an eyebrow at him, and Yeonjun sighs in defeat, getting up.
“I don’t know why you guys went through all this trouble if I’m just going to end up dead anyway,” he mutters as he follows Taehyung to probably his death.
“You’re not dying.” Taehyung gives him a look. “Our clan members might hate you, but they know better than to kill someone that I took under my wing. My power might be empathy, but I’m still pretty powerful.”
Yeonjun sighs. “If you say so.”
Taehyung rolls his eyes and continues leading Yeonjun to wherever he has in mind.
(probably his death.)
Much to Yeonjun’s surprise, they stop in front of a tall, vast clock tower. It’s built in brick painted a dark brown, and looks at least a thousand years old. Multiple clan members are coming in and out of the building, most with their friends, and holding notebooks and textbooks.
“I forgot to show you this, but this is the library,” Taehyung informs.
Yeonjun’s eyes widen. “You guys have a library ?”
“Why wouldn’t we?” Taehyung says smugly. “We’re one of the oldest clans out there, so it’s a given that we have ancient books, too. This is where most of our clan members spend their time, too, either for their schoolwork, or to learn more about their powers, and how to strengthen and control them.”
“I thought that’s what you were for.”
“I’m just a visual learning technique. The books have more information, and teach better than I ever could.”
Yeonjun lets out a small nod, and he follows Taehyung inside the tower. Unsurprisingly, the inside is just as ancient-looking as the outside, but at least it smells decent. There are multiple sets of stairs in almost every direction, and chatter fills the halls as members walk in and out.
“The Three Musketeers always spend their time here,” Taehyung continues. “Which is a surprise, since they act as if they only have three brain cells.”
Yeonjun would laugh if he knew whom Taehyung was talking about.
“The three of them are studying to be teachers, though, but I still think they have three brain cells,” he says. “Nevertheless, they’re one of the nicest people here, and I’m sure, once they get to know you, they won’t hate you as much anymore.” He smiles brightly at Yeonjun as if that’s a good thing.
“This is pointless, Taehyung,” he sighs. “Everyone hates me. Why wouldn’t they? Even I would hate myself. And I do hate myself. Who the fuck gets kicked out of their own clan?” He mutters the last part to himself, but he knows Taehyung heard him, anyway.
“Yeonjun-ssi, if I didn’t trust these three, I wouldn’t be leaving you with them,” Taehyung says pointedly. “So even if you don’t believe me yet, you’ll see soon that I am leaving you in good hands.”
Yeonjun still seriously doubts that, but he doesn’t say anything. Taehyung can still see it by the frown on his face, though, and just sighs at him.
“Anyway, those losers always spend their time almost at the top of the tower,” Taehyung resumes. “And we only have stairs, so…”
Yeonjun looks at Taehyung incredulously.
“I’m just kidding,” he giggles. “We obviously have elevators here. But they are old, and no one has fixed them in ages. But I’m sure we’ll be fine. Come on.”
Like always, Yeonjun has no choice but to follow Taehyung. As he walks next to him, Yeonjun avoids eye contact with everyone. He can already tell they know he doesn’t belong here, and he hasn’t missed the few dirty looks that have been sent to him. But he tries to remind himself that he shouldn’t focus on them, and just follow Taehyung, so he won’t cause any problems.
“Hey, why did that girl ‘Jeongyeon’ say that, ‘No wonder you’re friends with Jimin’ earlier?” he asks when he remembers, and mainly just to focus on anything that isn't the dirty looks members are sending him.
“Jeongyeon is…something,” Taehyung starts. “Her power is weapon proficiency, which makes her a center. The rest of her friends are either centers, too, or superiors, so they always have a certain table reserved at the food center, which is why she got mad at you when you were about to sit down at their table.”
“They’re that picky?”
“Unfortunately,” Taehyung sighs. “Anyway, we’re here.” He stops, so Yeonjun stops, too. He looks up at their arrival, only to be staring at an antique elevator. “Hopefully, it won’t stop on us,” he says as he presses the up button.
Yeonjun decides to ignore Taehyung’s last statement and returns to their topic from earlier. “You didn’t answer my question, though.”
Taehyung turns to him. He opens his mouth to say something, but he’s interrupted by a creaking sound. Unsurprisingly, it’s the elevator doors opening that made the noise, and he smiles a bit sheepishly at Yeonjun as they step inside. Taehyung presses the 120th button, and after a few (awkward) seconds, the elevator creaks again, before it starts ascending.
“What question?” Taehyung questions, turning to Yeonjun.
“I asked why Jeongyeon said, ‘No wonder you’re friends with Jimin.’”
“Oh. That.” Taehyung sighs. “You’ll meet all of my friends soon, but my bestest friend is Jimin. His power is super speed, which makes him an inferior, but he also grew up with our leader, so he’s a center. And he’s also a teacher, so he’s a superior.”
“Then what’s the beef between him and Jeongyeon?”
“Don’t tell him I told you this, but…” Taehyung takes a step closer to Yeonjun, and lowers his voice as if he’s scared anyone will hear them on an ascending antique elevator. “Back when Jeongyeon thought she was straight, she and Jimin used to date.”
“Oh.” Yeonjun was expecting something more juicy.
“And they had a nasty breakup,” Taehyung continues. “Jimin made Jeongyeon realize she’s gay, and Jimin got offended when he found out, so he said things he didn’t mean, and she said things she didn’t mean. It ended with Jeongyeon almost shooting Jimin in the leg if it weren’t for us and her friends stopping her right on time.”
“And they’ve hated each other ever since?”
“Yup,” Taehyung replies with a bright smile, as if he’s talking about adopting a ganpi .
Yeonjun eyes Taehyung weirdly but doesn’t say anything. Taehyung doesn’t say anything else, so the rest of the elevator ride is silent. It’s awkward for Yeonjun, since the elevator is rising slowly , and they’re not even halfway to the 120th floor yet.
“By the way, you might notice there’s some unresolved romantic—and honestly a bit sexual—tension between two of the Three Musketeers, but don’t say anything,” Taehyung says a few moments later. “Do that, and you’ll definitely turn out dead.”
“Um…okay.”
Taehyung just smiles at him, and Yeonjun is starting not to be surprised by how eccentric he is anymore. They stay in an (awkward) silence once again, and finally, after what seems like forever, the elevator stops, its doors opening a few seconds later.
“Thank god it didn’t stop on us,” Taehyung says in relief as he and Yeonjun step out of the elevator.
“How are you going to get back down?” he asks as Taehyung starts leading him somewhere (most likely his death).
“There’s always someone on each floor that has teleportation powers.”
“Why didn’t we use them, then?”
Taehyung looks at him, and that’s when it hits Yeonjun.
“Oh.”
Taehyung lets out a small chuckle at him. He and Yeonjun continue walking, and a few moments later, they stop outside a dark brown wooden door. It has the number 3 engraved onto it, and the doorknob is glowing yellow, pink, and green. Yeonjun assumes the doorknob will injure you if you touch it, especially since instead of just opening the door himself, Taehyung knocks on the door.
Yeonjun expects to hear someone say “Come in,” but instead, the door opens by itself. It takes him by surprise, whilst Taehyung doesn’t seem fazed by it. He steps inside the room, and Yeonjun has no other choice but to follow after him.
“Guys?!” he calls out as he and Yeonjun look around, finding no one. “It’s me! Taehyung!”
“We know who you are, hyung,” comes a deep but soft voice from somewhere. It isn’t as deep as Taehyung’s, but it’s still deep, catching Yeonjun’s attention.
“What are you doing here?” comes another voice, which is more high-pitched.
“Aren’t you supposed to be teaching?” says another voice, which is almost as high-pitched as the second one.
“My students will understand if I’m late,” Taehyung chuckles. “Where are you guys?”
“Over here.” Suddenly, a white glowing dusty trail appears in front of Taehyung and Yeonjun, and Taehyung seems to know what it is since he starts following it blindly. Yeonjun is confused about everything, but he still follows after Taehyung, so he won’t get lost in this big "library."
When the trail stops, Taehyung’s face lights up. Yeonjun doesn’t fail to notice, so he looks up, wondering who or what Taehyung is looking at. Only for his eyes to land on three men, two of which are floating in the air. The one who isn’t has silver hair, big doe eyes, a tall nose, pink lips, and wearing an off-white long-sleeved button-up tunic tucked into white trousers, which accentuates his slim waist, and the same brown boots.
One of the two floating in the air is in a lying down position, reading a book (or pretending to). He has long black hair cut into a wolfcut with white streaks in it, as well as big eyes, but not as big as the silver-haired one’s. His nose has a perfect slope, and his pink lips are almost full, and look soft. He’s wearing an off-white collared long-sleeved tunic tucked into white trousers, with the same brown boots.
The second one floating, and the last one Yeonjun laid eyes on, has mint hair. His features look a bit foreign to Yeonjun, but nonetheless, the guy is still overly handsome. He’s wearing an off-white long-sleeved tunic tucked into white trousers, with the same brown boots. He’s sitting criss-cross in the air, and he’s the only one looking at Taehyung and Yeonjun. He smiles at Taehyung, but when his eyes land on Yeonjun, he raises a brow, and Yeonjun doesn’t fail to notice how his eyes turn a light green.
“Hey, guys,” Taehyung greets with a smile.
“Hi, hyung.” The silver-haired one and the guy with the white streaks in his black hair don’t even look up.
“Who did you bring with you?” The mint-haired one still has an eyebrow raised.
The mint-haired one’s question seems to pique the other two’s interest since they look up almost immediately. They’re also surprised at the sight of Yeonjun, and the two floating in the air stop, lowering to the ground next to the silver-haired one. The three stay together as their eyes turn into slits whilst looking at Yeonjun, who is getting a bit freaked out by their stares.
“This is Choi Yeonjun,” Taehyung introduces. “He’s-”
“-the guy who got kicked out from his own clan,” the wolfcut guy interrupts, still staring at Yeonjun as if he hates him (which he probably does). He finally looks away from Yeonjun to look at Taehyung. “Why the hell did you bring him to us?”
“Because I have a class to teach, and I can’t bring him,” he replies. “So I’m leaving him in your guys’ capable hands. Bye!”
“You’re not going anywhere, hyung.” The silver-haired male’s eyes glow a light yellow, and he says something under his breath. Yeonjun doesn’t catch what it is, but he figures it’s a spell since he manages to stop Taehyung in his tracks and pull him back toward where he was.
“Why did you bring him here, hyung?” The mint-haired guy turns more serious, and he stares Yeonjun down. Yeonjun tries to remain brave, but he’s never met these types of people before, so he avoids eye contact.
“You know we don’t accept… disgraces like him,” the silver-haired one says with a small scowl.
“I taught you better than that, Tae.” Taehyung gives the other “Tae” a look, but Tae just stares back at him with the same look.
“We don’t want him here,” the mint-haired one says with a small scoff. “Take him with you.”
“I brought him here because I trust you guys,” Taehyung says, turning serious this time. “So please, let him stay here with you guys. At least until my classes are over. You know I can’t bring him with me.”
“Then that’s his problem,” the wolfcut guy scoffs. “His fault for getting kicked out of his own clan.”
Taehyung sighs. “Please? You know I never say please unless I really need it.”
The other three look at each other, as if trying to make a silent agreement. The three still have small scowls on their faces, and Yeonjun can just hope they’re not deciding on whether or not to kill him once Taehyung is gone.
“Fine.” The mint-haired one sighs in defeat, the other two seeming as if they don’t want to agree, but will, anyway. “Just because we owe you after…”
Taehyung’s face lights up, and Yeonjun notices the relief that falls over his face. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” The wolfcut guy rolls his eyes. “Just leave, hyung.”
Taehyung’s smile grows, and he turns to Yeonjun. “I’ll be back. You’re in good hands.”
The younger is close to opening his mouth and embarrassing himself by begging Taehyung not to leave, but as if to save him from the embarrassment, Taehyung leaves before he can. When the other four hear the door close behind him, that’s when they’re finally alone.
Yeonjun hates that they are. He’s still facing them, and if he looks up, they’ll make eye contact, which is why he continues staring at the floor. He can sense the other three’s eyes on him, and he hopes the silver-haired one won’t mutter something under his breath that’ll end his life.
“Which clan did you get kicked out of?” Taking Yeonjun by surprise, he hears the mint-haired guy’s voice. It doesn’t sound nice, but at least he isn’t killing him.
“Um… A-Atena ,” he replies hesitantly.
The wolfcut guy’s eyes widen, and he scoffs. “What type of idiot would get kicked out of that clan?”
Me, apparently , Yeonjun thinks to himself bitterly.
“Yeah, you, apparently.” The silver-haired one seems to be a mind reader as well, and Yeonjun’s eyes widen as he looks up at him.
“We’re going to be stuck here with you for a while, so we might as well get comfortable.” The mint-haired guy sighs. “Or at least try to.”
“I’m Choi Beomgyu,” the wolfcut guy says, crossing his arms. “My rank is superior since I’m a wizard.” He holds out his arm, and a small whoosh is heard before a long, brown wooden staff is suddenly in “Beomgyu’s” hand. “One wrong move from you, Choi Yeonjun , and I can end you just like this.” He snaps his fingers.
Much to Yeonjun’s relief, nothing happens to him.
Beomgyu looks at the silver-haired one, and even the mint-haired guy looks at him, too. But the silver-haired one remains silent, so the mint-haired one turns to Yeonjun next.
“I’m Kai Kamal Huening,” he starts. “My friends call me Kai, so you can call me Kamal. My rank is also superior since my power is omnificence.”
Once he’s done, Kai—or Kamal—and Beomgyu turn to the silver-haired one again, waiting for him to say something.
“I’m not introducing myself to this idiot,” he scoffs. “It’s none of his business, anyway.”
“ Tyun , we talked about this,” Beomgyu reminds, lowering his voice slightly.
“I’m not introducing myself to some failure,” the silver-haired one scowls. “He can go to habiogl , for all I care.” He mutters something under his breath before Beomgyu and Kai can say something, and in the blink of an eye, he disappears. Beomgyu and Kai sigh, shaking their heads at their ‘friend.’
“ He ”—Kamal motions to the spot where the silver-haired one was standing, he and Beomgyu shaking their heads—“is Kang Taehyun. He’s also a superior since he’s a sorcerer.”
“Usually, he’d introduce himself to new people,” he says. “But you can see why he didn’t introduce himself to someone like yourself.”
“What’s your power?” Kamal asks Yeonjun, looking at him.
“Um…” Yeonjun doesn’t want to reply. He knows that if he does, Beomgyu and Kamal are more likely going to ask him to show them his sword, or how his power works, but due to his ankle shackle, he can’t. And if they find out about his ankle shackle, they’ll hate him even more.
“Oh.” Beomgyu’s voice breaks him out of his thoughts. Yeonjun looks up at him and frowns when he catches Beomgyu’s gaze looking down.
“Who the fuck do you must think you are?” Kamal scoffs, also catching sight of Yeonjun's ankle shackle.
Tears threaten to burn in Yeonjun’s eyes, but he blinks them back. He refuses to show any type of vulnerability. Besides, why is he even showing emotion, anyway? He isn’t supposed to. He shouldn’t care about what anyone says or thinks about him, and just focus on himself and himself only.
But he’s never been able to do that. Not even in Atena.
Which is probably one of the reasons why he got kicked out.
“I don’t even know why Tae-hyung thought it’d be a good idea to leave him with us,” he hears Beomgyu mutter, mainly to Kamal. But Yeonjun still hears him.
Beomgyu and Kamal then get engulfed in their own world, leaving Yeonjun alone. He knows better than to leave…whatever room they’re in, so he decides to just walk far away enough from the other two.
As he walks, Yeonjun looks around his surroundings. There are rows and rows of shelves filled with thick books, and Yeonjun doesn’t doubt they’re filled with ancient spells, curses, and what-not. But he doesn’t feel like being curious for once, and when he finds a corner, he slides down against the wall until his bottom touches the floor. He can still hear Beomgyu and Kamal talking amongst themselves, but he drowns their voices out.
Yeonjun curls himself into a ball, and once he has his arms around his knees, that’s when every emotion he's been holding back since his parents died starts hitting him.
And for the first time ever since he was a baby, he lets loose and cries.
Notes:
ganpi - puppy spirit
habiogl - the underworld
Chapter Text
After what seems like forever to Yeonjun, Taehyung finally returns. Yeonjun can tell that the sky has turned dark by now since there isn’t any sunlight coming in from the open windows anymore, and more lights are turned on in the library. Beomgyu and Kamal haven’t talked to him for the rest of the time they were together, which he is relieved about. He’s sure that if they did, he would’ve shown vulnerability to them, and they would have something else to make fun of and ridicule him about.
When Taehyung returns, Yeonjun doesn’t fail to notice the look of relief on his face. He knows it’s due to him being relieved that Yeonjun is still alive, but Taehyung tries to wipe off the look the second he notices Yeonjun’s eyes on him. Nevertheless, Yeonjun honestly doesn’t care. He’s just glad—and relieved—Taehyung is finally back.
Taehyung spends a few moments with Beomgyu and Kamal, and Yeonjun drowns them out for the most part. If the other two say something about him, Yeonjun doesn’t hear it and moves to wait for Taehyung by the door. Taehyung joins him a few seconds later and gives him a small smile as the door opens by itself again.
Taehyung and Yeonjun walk toward the antique elevator in silence, and Yeonjun is relieved that almost no one is around.
“I’m sorry if they said anything to you.” Taehyung breaks the silence between them. “You shouldn’t listen to anything they say. Just like you and me, they’ve been programmed and trained to hate anyone who gets kicked out of their clan.”
Yeonjun just nods, not wanting to talk. He still feels a bit shaken up after his crying session, and he fears that if he even opens his mouth, he’ll break down again. And he won’t afford to show vulnerability any longer. Crying once was enough.
They step inside the creaking elevator, and Taehyung presses the first-floor button. After a few long seconds, the elevator starts descending. Fortunately, Taehyung seems to get the hint that Yeonjun isn’t in a talkative mood, so he stays silent for the rest of the elevator ride.
They arrive on the first floor almost five minutes later. The elevator didn’t stop on them, which makes Taehyung relieved as he and Yeonjun step out of the elevator. Unsurprisingly, since it is nighttime now, there aren’t a lot of people in the tower anymore. The few that are seem too tired to even send Yeonjun dirty looks, which he’s grateful for.
“You spent the first two weeks here in the infirmary.” Taehyung breaks their silence again. He looks at Yeonjun as they walk out of the tower. “You do remember that, don’t you?”
Yeonjun shakes his head. How is he going to remember something that happened whilst he was unconscious?
“Well, you spent those two weeks in the infirmary,” Taehyung continues. “We thought you would never wake up, so we didn’t really talk about your housing situation.” He looks a bit sheepish, but Yeonjun just stares at him blankly. “And I don’t think assigning you a house in the nuisegh would be the best idea, anyway. So I think the best idea—and kinda only option—we have right now is for you to…live with me for the meantime.”
A bit of dread creeps up in Yeonjun. Whilst he doesn’t exactly dislike Taehyung, especially since he’s the only one who’s nice to him here, he doesn’t think he’d be able to live with him. Taehyung is this bubbly person, who seems as if he has a lot of friends, and Yeonjun doesn’t doubt that those said friends come to visit him almost daily.
“Is there any other option?” Yeonjun asks, not caring if he sounds rude.
“Not really.”
Yeonjun sighs in defeat. “Then I’ll guess we’ll live together.”
A bright smile breaks out on Taehyung’s face. “We’ll be roomies, then!” He links his arms with Yeonjun’s, and it takes everything in the ravenette not to make a disgusted face at him and snatch his arm away.
“Where do you even live, anyway?” he questions as they continue walking.
Taehyung grins at him. “You’ll see.”
They continue walking for the next few minutes, and fortunately, it’s late enough for most members to be in their cottages already. The few people that are outside barely pay Taehyung and Yeonjun any attention, but at this point, Yeonjun is honestly a bit too tired to even care if people send him dirty looks.
“ This is my lovely home,” Taehyung says when he and Yeonjun finally stop in front of a cottage. Yeonjun looks up, unsurprised to see that Taehyung’s cottage sticks out from all the other cottages next to and across from his. Plants are overcrowding his land, even the area around his house, and his cottage is painted white and pink. It has a big ‘Welcome!’ sign painted on his surprisingly pastel purple front door, and little purple hearts on the steps lead to his front porch.
More dread rises in Yeonjun. Whilst he doesn’t overly hate pink, seeing too much of it makes his eyes and head hurt. And that’s exactly what Taehyung’s home is doing to him.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Taehyung gushes as he leads Yeonjun to the front porch.
Yeonjun doesn’t bother lying, so he just looks at him blankly, which makes Taehyung giggle. They walk on the steps that lead them toward the porch, and Yeonjun isn’t surprised when he hears small tunes coming from them the second he steps on them.
“My friend’s, Yoongi-hyung, power is music, so he made that for me.” Taehyung motions to the steps. “Isn’t it amazing?”
Yeonjun doesn’t bother saying anything, but Taehyung still giggles. They arrive on his front porch, and much to Yeonjun’s surprise, his doorknob is glowing, too. It’s glowing different shades of purple, and Yeonjun once again figures that if he touches it, it’ll injure him in some way.
Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t hurt Taehyung. He places his hand on the doorknob, and the doorknob glows a normal shade of purple for a second before a small click is heard, and the door is opened. Taehyung smiles when it does, and he takes off his boots before stepping inside his cottage. Yeonjun steps in after him once he does the same, and it doesn’t surprise him when the inside is just as pastel-ly and bright as the outside.
The living room is the room right after the front door, and Yeonjun is a bit surprised at the plethora of framed pictures hanging on Taehyung’s wall. Yeonjun doesn’t recognize any of the people in the pictures, but he knows they’re Taehyung’s friends, given by the bright smiles on their faces.
“Sorry for the mess,” he apologizes, a bit sheepishly. “I haven’t really had time to clean up.”
Yeonjun looks around Taehyung’s cottage and sees that it’s spotless. The only thing that isn’t in its place is a single sock.
“Your place is spotless,” Yeonjun deadpans.
Taehyung ignores him. “Luckily for you, I have two bedrooms. Do you want pajamas?”
“Uh-”
Before Yeonjun can answer completely, Taehyung snaps his fingers, and suddenly, a simple white top and plaid loose pants are in Yeonjun’s arms. Taehyung snaps his fingers again, and a purple toothbrush and toothpaste also appear in Yeonjun’s arms, on top of his pajamas. He doesn’t get the chance to say anything, since Taehyung starts walking up the stairs, and not wanting to get accidentally lost, Yeonjun has no choice but to follow after him.
When they arrive upstairs, Taehyung leads him to a room. Much to Yeonjun’s dismay, the walls of the room are painted pink, but he tries to push his disgust for the color back, since after all, Taehyung doesn’t need to be letting him stay in his house.
“This is your room,” he says, motioning to it. “My room’s right across the hall.” He turns slightly to point to the door across from Yeonjun’s "room," and Yeonjun turns to look where he’s pointing. He isn’t that surprised to see that Taehyung’s bedroom doorknob is also glowing purple, so he knows better than to barge in unannounced. “If you need anything, just call out for me, and I’ll appear. Do you need anything right now?”
Yeonjun shakes his head.
“Make yourself at home then,” Taehyung says with a small smile. “I’m beat, so I’m going to bed. Holler if you need anything.” With that, Taehyung turns and walks into his bedroom. Once he closes the door behind him, that leaves Yeonjun alone, and he lets out a small sigh as he walks into his new room.
Yeonjun places the things in his hands on his new bed. He ignores the floral bedding and lies down on it. He stares up at the ceiling, which is fortunately a normal white. Tomorrow will be his first official day in this clan, and he’ll probably even get the clan’s logo branded on him.
The thought reminds him that he still has Atena’s logo on him. It brings conflicted emotions in him, and he can’t help but feel melancholic as he pushes his sleeve up until he can see his old clan’s symbol. It’s the silhouette of the goddess Athena, but Yeonjun can somehow still see a pair of eyes on her, which are glowing red and glaring at him, as if even the Goddess Athena, who is the goddess of all knowledge, doesn’t even know how Yeonjun managed to get kicked out.
I’m so sorry I failed you.
Yeonjun runs his finger through the symbol, and whilst it doesn’t surprise him that the touch evoked pain, it still pains him to be reminded that he won’t be needing this symbol anymore.
And now, his whole life has changed.
For the better or for the worse, he doesn’t know.
But it has, whether he likes it or not.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Much to Yeonjun’s surprise, the next day goes almost just like yesterday. He follows Taehyung around whilst Taehyung runs errands. The only thing that has changed is that today, Yeonjun watches Taehyung teach. Whilst he is a bit relieved he isn’t with Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Kamal again, he’d honestly prefer being with them than being with thirty or so people he doesn’t know that probably have a death wish on him.
But due to Taehyung being there with them, all people do is send dirty looks to him, even though he sits in the back of Taehyung’s classroom. Yeonjun tries to focus on Taehyung’s teaching rather than the looks, but of course, he doesn’t succeed.
However, watching Taehyung teach isn’t the main reason why Yeonjun is surprised. What he is surprised about is that it’s been the third day he’s been here (conscious, at least), and he still hasn’t been branded with this clan’s symbol. Usually, when clans accept new members—even if they’re babies—it takes up to three days maximum for them to be branded. It’s extremely rare if they go any longer without getting branded; it’s practically unheard of. But that’s the case for Yeonjun, so it makes sense why it confuses him.
Yet, he isn’t complaining. If he’s branded with a new clan’s symbol, his old one will be immediately removed, and he isn’t sure if he’s ready for that yet. So, he doesn’t bring it up to Taehyung.
Even so, the blond still seems to know that he’s thinking of that, since as they’re walking back to his cottage, he says, “Wondering about our symbol?”
“Uh…” Yeonjun stares at Taehyung in surprise, wondering how he read his mind. “Yeah.”
“You don’t have to worry about that right now.” Taehyung waves him off. “You’re still new here, and since we accept strays, we don’t immediately brand them. I know I’ve known you for the past three days, but I don’t really know you, you know? For all I know, you might be some terrorist, and pretending to be someone who got kicked out of their clan to get intel on us, so you can destroy us.”
“Oh.”
Taehyung lets out a small giggle at the look on Yeonjun’s face. “You can never be too careful, Yeonjun-ssi. So until we do a proper search on you, you won’t get branded for now.”
Relief washes over Yeonjun. “Okay.”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t be so relieved.”
“Why not?”
“Because it just shows you’re not one of us yet. Do you really think that’s a good thing here?”
Yeonjun falters at that, realizing Taehyung is right. “No.”
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
The next few days continue as normally as they can. Yeonjun continues to be stuck to Taehyung’s side like glue, and at this point, no one is really surprised to see them together anymore. People continue sending dirty looks to Yeonjun, and the ravenette is a bit glad to say that it’s slowly starting to affect him less.
Before Yeonjun knows it, a whole month has passed. It’s been a whole month since he was kicked out of his old clan and was rescued by this one. Although not everyone welcomed him with open arms, they still let him stay, and deep inside, he knows he’s grateful for that.
Since he still lives with Taehyung, Yeonjun is slowly growing used to him. It isn’t always the best between them, since there are days when Yeonjun wants to be left alone, and Taehyung doesn’t get the hint, but other than that, things are good between the two. Hell, if Yeonjun was sentimental, he’d even consider Taehyung his friend .
Although it does give him something to do, Yeonjun doesn’t go with Taehyung to his classes every day. He wants to start becoming independent again, even if it does scare him. He knows he can’t rely on Taehyung for the rest of his life—or at least for the rest of his time here—so he might as well get used to it.
Yet, it takes him an entire week to convince Taehyung to let him be by himself in the clan. Taehyung is still very overprotective of him, and Yeonjun knows why, but he isn’t a child. He’s an adult , already twenty-five , for gods’ sake. Nevertheless, Taehyung doesn’t want to hear it, and they even fought about it the other day. But finally, Taehyung relented but only agreed if Yeonjun met up with the clan’s messenger hourly to send him check-ins of how he’s doing.
And now, it’s finally the day. Evidently, Yeonjun is a bit nervous to be by himself in the clan for the first time, but he tries to assure himself that he’ll be okay. People might still hate him, but they know he’s under Taehyung’s wing. They know better than to do anything to him.
“If you need anything , or if anything happens to you, call me,” Taehyung says for the nth time as they walk toward his classroom. “I don’t care what it is, you call me. Okay?”
“ Okay , hyung,” Yeonjun says with a small eyeroll. A month has passed, so markedly, Yeonjun and Taehyung know each other’s ages by now. It didn’t surprise Yeonjun that Taehyung is older than him, but it did—still does—annoy him a bit that he has to call Taehyung “hyung.”
“Ugh, I just don’t want to leave you alone,” he frowns. “You know what, I won’t-”
“ No , hyung, you promised. And you don’t break promises.”
“I just-”
“-worry about me, I know,” Yeonjun finishes. “But I’ll be fine . I’m under your wing, remember? People know better than to mess with me.”
Taehyung seems as if he’s still doubtful, but he tries to let Yeonjun’s words comfort him. “Fine. Just be careful, okay? Especially by the training fields.”
“I know.” Yeonjun gives him a small smile. “Good luck teaching.”
“Thanks.” Taehyung tries to give him a small smile back, but it quickly fades. Yeonjun motions him to leave for his classroom, and Taehyung does after a bit more hesitation and a sigh of defeat. Not wanting to wait any longer for his day to start, Yeonjun turns to walk away, and before Taehyung can change his mind about being okay with leaving him completely alone for once, and walk after him.
It’s just another regular day. Members are moving in and about, some with their friends, and others alone. Some are using their powers, and some are not, which is normal. And what’s also normal is the few glances spared at Yeonjun. But the ravenette won’t be affected by them today.
Today is going to be a good day. He can feel it.
Ever since Taehyung showed him here, Yeonjun has been waiting to try out the practice battling field. Most of the equipment will require him to use his power, but he’s been trained well enough to know how to do some of it without his power. Some of the equipment has never even been used by him, and he can’t wait to try them out.
The first spot he arrives at is an obstacle course. In the air. There are bricks for the members to run on, different types of obstacles that they have to go through, and the most difficult one is dodging the bombs flying in your direction, whilst running toward the finish line, with the bricks underneath your feet disappearing a second after you step on them.
Yeonjun can’t wait to try it out.
Unsurprisingly, there’s a short line, so Yeonjun stands in line. He watches the member on the obstacle course and lets out a small wince when he trips over one of the blocks in the air. The trip makes him lose his balance, and the member falls to the ground.
“Next!” the instructor calls out, not caring about the fallen member.
The guy two spots in front of Yeonjun lets out a small gulp before hesitantly starting the obstacle course. It doesn’t surprise Yeonjun when he has the same fate as the member before him.
“Next!”
The member in front of Yeonjun has a bit of luck, but the last and most difficult course gets the best of him. A bomb hits his shoulder, and the second it does, it explodes, creating a loud noise that makes Yeonjun flinch slightly.
“Next!” the instructor calls out as the member falls.
Yeonjun steps up, and at his appearance, the instructor looks at him. He doesn’t fail to recognize him, and he lets out a small scoff at the sight of him.
“You really think you’d be able to do this?” the instructor says in disbelief.
“Yes.” Yeonjun looks up at him with an eyebrow raised.
The instructor chuckles. “Okay.”
Yeonjun rolls his eyes and takes a deep breath before he jumps onto the pod that leads him toward the obstacle course. He jumps out when the pod arrives in no time, adrenaline running in his blood as he jumps and defeats every obstacle before him. He hasn’t felt this good ever since he was in Atena , and it makes him smile. When he reaches the last course, he ignores how tired he’s getting and the weight of the shackle on his ankle, before sprinting on the bricks and expertly dodging every bomb flying his way. He reaches the end and feels confident enough to even do a small flip as he jumps off the finish line. He lands in front of the instructor, kneeling and panting, but with a proud and smug smile on his face as he gets up, locking eyes with him.
“You said?”
“Whatever,” he scoffs. “Just fuck off.”
Yeonjun is too happy to let the instructor’s words hurt him, and he even happily skips off to another course. When he arrives, he sees that it’s a self-defense one, which makes him perk up.
The instructor is the one teaching the members self-defense moves, and then challenging them to a small fight to see how they’d defend themselves. Yeonjun knows all of these moves already, but he figures it wouldn’t hurt to practice them on his new fellow members.
“Who’s next?” the instructor asks as the member she was with walks off.
The member in front of Yeonjun walks in front of her, and the instructor teaches him a bit of self-defense. The member seems as if he knows everything already, but when it’s time to put those skills to use, he ends up losing. It makes Yeonjun try with all his willpower to hold back a smile, but one still cracks loose. Fortunately, no one notices.
“Next?” the instructor says, looking at the line. Her eyes widen slightly when they land on Yeonjun, who’s walking toward her, but she still gives him a small smile. “Hello. Yeonjun-ssi, correct?”
Yeonjun nods. “Correct.”
The instructor nods back. “Let’s get started, then.” Just like Yeonjun thought, he knows everything she ‘teaches’ him, but he knows it still benefits him to hear the instructions of the self-defense moves again.
“Are you ready to put the skills I just taught you to use?” the instructor questions.
“Was born ready, ma’am,” Yeonjun replies, getting into stance.
The instructor’s eyes widen slightly when she notices, but she figures Yeonjun is smarter than he looks. She also gets into stance, and since Yeonjun doesn’t move, she makes the first move: throwing a punch in Yeonjun’s direction. Just like she expected, he dodges it right in time and even grabs her wrist before she can react, twisting it behind her back, before pushing her away.
When she recollects herself, the instructor seems a bit surprised but nonetheless lets out a small smile. She eyes the smug look on Yeonjun’s face and takes the chance to quickly kick the back of his knees, sending him to the ground. His eyes widen in surprise, and the instructor can’t help but laugh at the look of shock on his face as he looks up at her.
“Truce?” she inquires, holding out a hand to him.
Yeonjun nods with a small smile and grabs her hand. But instead of using it to help himself up, he tightens his grip on it and pulls on it hard enough in order to bring the instructor to the ground. He gets up before she can even blink, and grips her wrist a certain way that has her recoiling. She tries to get up, but Yeonjun’s grip is too strong.
“Okay, fine, you win!” she says in defeat. “Just let me get up before a robakwi crawls into my ear.”
Yeonjun smiles in triumph and helps the instructor get up. He smiles at her a bit sheepishly, and she can just let out a small chuckle as she dusts herself off.
“You sure know your stuff, Yeonjun-ssi,” she says. “I say you should teach these kids.” She looks at the line of members who are waiting for their turn. “Who wants a small self-defense match with Yeonjun-ssi?”
“I do.” Much to the ravenette’s surprise, he hears a familiar voice almost a second later. He looks up, and indeed, his eyes land on a familiar mint-haired man.
The instructor smiles at Kamal. “He's all yours then, Kai.”
The mint-haired male smiles at her in thanks as they pass each other, and Yeonjun stares at Kamal in small shock as he stops in front of him. The last time he saw Kamal was when Taehyung dropped him off with him, Beomgyu, and Taehyun. Ever since, he’s never seen the three.
At that moment, that’s when Yeonjun remembers that Kamal’s power is omnificence , which means he has unlimited powers of creation . If he wanted, he could create a beast out of nowhere and make it attack Yeonjun until it wants to, or until Yeonjun dies.
But Yeonjun has been taught to be fearless. And he isn’t about to show fear in front of someone who thinks he’s ridiculous.
(which he is, but that isn’t the point.)
“Hi, Yeonjun-ssi.” Much to the ravenette’s surprise, Kamal smiles at him. “Long time no see.”
Yeonjun furrows his eyebrows at him slightly. “Why are you trying to make conversation?”
“To distract you.” Before Yeonjun can even react, he feels hands on him. More specifically, his slender waist—and Kamal is using it to pull him closer. At first, he wonders what Kamal is doing, before it hits him when Kamal's hands lower to his ass: Kamal’s trying to molest him. Or maybe he’s trying to teach him something, since it is a self-defense course, after all, but Yeonjun still feels disgusted. He knees Kamal’s groin, putting some strength into the kick, before his hands can go any lower, and elbows his chin.
“You perv,” Yeonjun scowls, glaring at him.
Kamal just smirks at him, clutching his chin. In the blink of an eye, he kicks the back of Yeonjun’s knees, sending him to the ground. It’s unexpected for Yeonjun, but he’s quick to react. He kicks Kamal’s ankles before Kamal can even take a step closer to him, and Kamal’s legs give out.
Yeonjun takes the chance to start trying to get up, but that’s when he suddenly feels a hand on his ankle. He looks down at the hand, seeing that it belongs to Kamal, and he tries to kick it away. But Kamal’s grip is strong, and he grips Yeonjun’s ankle in a certain way that makes him let out a small whimper in pain. It sends him to the ground again, and he tries to get up, but even placing his foot on the ground hurts.
“What did you do to me?” he asks, slightly panting, as he looks at Kamal.
“I created a painful, paralyzing drug, and inserted it in your ankle,” he replies with a sweet smile—but it’s anything but. “So now, you can’t move.”
And that’s when Yeonjun starts to panic. “B-but we can’t use our powers.”
“Do you really think the instructor cares?” Kamal smirks and gets up. Fear rises in Yeonjun, and he goes on his stomach to try to crawl away from Kamal. But the mint-haired male grabs his ankle in the same death grip before he can get too far, and pulls Yeonjun back with all his strength. Yeonjun struggles against his grip, trying to free himself, but all he does is create more leverage for Kamal. The mint-haired man pulls him toward him and flips him onto his back. The moment he is, Yeonjun uses his good leg to try to knee Kamal in the groin again, but Kamal simply touches his knee, and Yeonjun is paralyzed from his other leg, too.
“I thought it was obvious not to try anything stupid,” Kamal says as he climbs on top of Yeonjun’s half-paralyzed body.
But Yeonjun doesn’t care. Anger boils in his blood, and he uses his arms to punch wherever he can reach. He manages to get a good punch across Kamal’s face, making it turn to the side, and he smiles in triumph. But it doesn’t last for long, not when Kamal finally snaps and grabs both of Yeonjun’s wrists with one hand, and pins them on top of his head.
The position they’re in looks so intimate to others that the people who were watching them leave to give them some space. The instructor seems to be one of those people since Yeonjun doesn’t even receive help from her .
“I knew you weren’t as good as you looked.” Kamal’s voice breaks Yeonjun out of his thoughts.
Yeonjun glares up at him. “Only because you cheated and used your powers.”
“Aw, you poor baby,” he coos mockingly. “You actually thought I’d go by the rules? Especially when I’m against you?”
“You volunteered !-”
“Why do you think I did?”
Yeonjun spits in Kamal’s face. “You sick pervert.”
“I’m not sick, Yeonjun-ssi,” he chuckles, not bothering to wipe away the spit with his free hand. “If I were, don’t you think you’d be naked already?”
“Then release me.”
“No.” Kamal smiles. “I might hate your guts, but I’d be a blind fool if I didn’t notice your beauty. And you look so pretty underneath me, don’t you think?”
“You sick, fucking-”
“Am I interrupting something?”
The familiar voice stills Yeonjun. He doesn’t remember where he’s heard it from, but he just knows it sounds familiar . And it brings him dread that someone he knows is seeing him in a vulnerable (and intimate) position like this.
Kamal, however, seems not to care, and his face even lights up as he recognizes the new voice. “Soobin-hyung!”
And that’s when Yeonjun remembers why the voice sounded familiar. It belongs to Choi Soobin , a.k.a. the guy who pulled an arrow out of his shoulder as if it were nothing on his second day here.
Yeonjun didn’t think he’d ever see Soobin again, let alone when he's in a position like this.
“Get off the guy, Hueningkai,” Soobin says with a small sigh. “This isn’t the place for that, and you know that.”
“Chill, hyung,” Kamal chuckles and finally gets off of Yeonjun. “It’s not like we were really going to do anything.”
Soobin stares at Kamal blankly, and he just smiles sheepishly. Soobin shakes his head, before noticing that the guy Kamal was on top of is still lying on the ground.
“Oi, why are you still lying on the floor?” Soobin asks. “Get up.”
“He can’t,” Kamal informs. “I paralyzed him.”
“ Unparalyze him, then.”
“That’s no fun.”
Soobin gives him a look.
“Fine.” Kamal sighs in defeat. He walks over toward Yeonjun and places a hand on his knee. Almost immediately, Yeonjun can feel his legs again, but before he can move them to kick Kamal in the face, he’s already by his arms to “unparalyze” them, too. The second they are, Yeonjun is quick to get on his feet. But that seems to be a mistake, since he underestimated how weak he’d be, and he stumbles. Fortunately—but not for Yeonjun—Kamal catches him by the waist before he can fall back on the floor.
“Get your hands off me.” Yeonjun tries to pull away, but Kamal doesn’t let him.
“Unless you want to make a fool of yourself in front of the leader’s second-in-command, I’m going to keep my hands on you.” Kamal gives him a fake smile this time.
Kamal’s words remind Yeonjun that they’re not alone, and he looks up, his eyes indeed landing on a familiar redhead. He doesn’t look amused at the sight of them—in fact, it looks like he doesn’t even care. Nonetheless, Yeonjun’s cheeks still heat up, and he averts eye contact.
“Um-”
“The leader wants to see you,” Soobin says, making Yeonjun's heart drop with six simple words.
Notes:
nuisegh - neighborhood/small village
robakwi - brain-eating insects
Chapter Text
Yeonjun stiffens at Soobin’s words, blinking like he didn’t hear them right the first time. “Th-the leader wants to see me?” he echoes, voice cracking just slightly.
Soobin raises a brow. “Are you deaf?”
Kamal shoots Soobin a sharp look. “Soobin-hyung…”
“I’m not repeating myself,” he replies with a sigh, already turning on his heel. “Move it, before I tell the leader you were too busy grinding to answer his call.”
Yeonjun goes still, mortified, his whole body burning with embarrassment. Kamal, of course, lets out a loud laugh, making it worse. Yeonjun elbows him in the ribs, hard enough to make Kamal wheeze—but not sufficient to shut him up completely.
Still pink in the face, Yeonjun follows them down the corridor, his steps uneasy but determined. He walks slightly behind, trying to will his thoughts into order. Why would the leader want to see him now? And why out of nowhere? Certainly, it isn’t to finally kick him out of the clan after a whole month, and after making him believe they accept strays, right?
The deeper they go into the compound, the quieter it gets. The halls seem taller here, colder, the air heavy with something Yeonjun can’t quite name. When they finally reach a large, blackened door lined with silver carvings, Kamal slows, knocking lazily with the back of his hand.
But Soobin doesn't even wait. He pushes the door open, his tone level but commanding. “Leader. Yeonjun-ssi is here.”
The moment Yeonjun steps into the room, a thick tension wraps around him. It's silent—oppressively so—and yet, he feels seen . Watched. Judged. The leader hasn’t even spoken, but Yeonjun can feel the gravity of his presence like a weight pressing against his spine.
Kamal gives Yeonjun a pat on the back, not helping in the slightest. “Good luck,” he whispers with an amused grin, clearly enjoying himself.
Yeonjun ignores him. Swallowing his nerves, he takes a step further into the room, lifting his chin despite how shaky he feels. Whatever this is, it’s important. He can feel it.
And ready or not, he’s about to find out why.
He looks up, his eyes finally landing on the leader himself, who looks just as intimidating as Yeonjun thought. His hair is black and swept to the side. His face is well-defined and oval-shaped, with a strong yet gentle jawline, monolid eyes that hold an intense look in them as he practically stares Yeonjun down, his nose is straight and well-shaped, his lips are full, plush, and naturally pink, his skin is clear with a warm, honey-beige tone, and unlike the clan members, he’s wearing a full black outfit. His shirt is long-sleeved and seems to be tucked into black trousers. Navy blue boots are on his feet, and Yeonjun guesses his outfit is the opposite colors of the members’ so he can stand out, and make it obvious who’s the leader.
But Yeonjun doesn’t let himself pay much attention to the leader’s appearance any longer. The man is still staring him down, as if scrutinizing him, and judging him like his clan has done for the past month Yeonjun has been here. His gaze has pinned Yeonjun to his spot, and it’s so intense and intimidating that it makes Yeonjun forget that Soobin and Kamal are with them.
Another thing his old clan taught him is to maintain eye contact, no matter what. Looking away first, or not even looking at the person in front of you, was seen as a sign of weakness and cowardice, so it was drilled into Yeonjun’s mind since he was young to never break eye contact. But ever since he joined—more like forced to join—this clan, he’s been breaking his old clan’s rules left and right. So unsurprisingly, it doesn't take him long to look away from the leader’s gaze, too nervous and scared to continue holding eye contact with him any longer.
It continues to be silent for the next few moments. For Yeonjun, it seems like years have passed as the leader remains silent, staring at him and only him. He wants more than anything to bolt right out of there, but he isn’t about to embarrass himself again just like that in front of Soobin-
(not that he cares, though.)
-or the leader.
“So, you’re the stray we took in that everyone has been talking about.” Finally, the leader speaks. His voice is as deep as Yeonjun thought, but un like what he thought, it doesn’t hold any venom or malice in it. In fact, the leader even sounds amused, as if he thought Yeonjun was going to look or act worse or something. “Choi Yeonjun.”
The ravenette looks up at him, a bit in surprise. “H-how do you know my name?”
“How can I not know your name?” The leader chuckles, and much to Yeonjun’s surprise, slightly deep dimples appear on both his cheeks at the action. Despite himself, Yeonjun can’t help the urge to poke them. “You’re all everyone is still talking about these days. And as the leader, I like to be pretty informed of everything and everyone that goes around here.”
“Not to sound mean, but…why did you call for me?”
“Why else do you think, Yeonjun-ssi?”
Although the leader didn’t outright answer his question, the younger one already knows what he means by that—he called for him not only to finally meet him, but also to alas start the process of getting him to officially join the clan. Which Yeonjun is completely sure he’s definitely not ready for.
“But why wait a whole month?” he asks, despite being pretty sure he knows the answer.
The leader shrugs. “I had to see whether you were worth it, and whether or not you were a danger to my people.”
“It took you a whole month to see that?”
“Are you really in the position to be questioning my choices, Yeonjun-ssi?”
The ravenette immediately curses himself, looking down, almost guiltily. He had gotten so used to being around Taehyung, and talking to him however he felt like that he had forgotten that he can’t be like that with everyone . Especially not with the leader , who can easily whisk him away to his torturous death if he so wishes.
“N-no, sir,” Yeonjun replies, quietly. He clenches his fists, trying to be subtle about it, as he hears not-so-quiet snickering from behind, knowing it undoubtedly belongs to a certain mint-haired male.
“Now, I’ve heard you’ve been staying with Taehyung these past few weeks. Am I correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And how’s he been treating you? Well, I hope.”
Yeonjun nods. “He has, considering what happened to me.”
“You’re lucky his power is empathy,” Kamal says behind him. “Or else you wouldn’t have lasted even a week, Yeonjun-ssi.”
“Kai.” The leader gives him a look.
“What?” he chuckles. “It’s the truth, hyung. Don’t pretend Yeonjun-ssi would still be in one piece if Tae-hyung’s power wasn’t empathy. It’s only because of him that Yeonjun-ssi is still even breathing. If it weren’t for Tae-hyung, he would’ve been dead a long time ago.”
“That’s enough.” The leader’s voice deepens, as well as his glare. “You are dismissed from the room, Kai.”
Surprisingly (to yeonjun, at least), it’s as if the mint-haired male couldn’t care less that he infuriated their leader enough to make him kick him out of his office. He just shrugs and even hums a small tune as he strides out of the room, leaving Yeonjun alone with the leader and Soobin.
Nevertheless, the leader doesn’t apologize for Kamal’s behavior, at least, before turning back to Yeonjun. “Anyway, as I was saying, since you’ve been living and spending all your time with Taehyung, I’m sure he’s taught you everything there is to know about the clan.”
“He has,” he confirms. He doesn’t bother mentioning that he’s forgotten most of it already.
“Great.” The leader lets out a small smile. “Let’s get started, then.”
“Started with what, exactly?” Yeonjun is quick to ask, before they can even move an inch.
“With your joining progress of course.”
Yeonjun smiles, a bit nervously. “Um, do we really have to do that now? I mean-”
“Was your old clan not strict about their rules, or were you just too dumb to follow them?” A familiar deep (and harsh) voice interrupts him, as well as a sudden, intimidating presence behind him. Yeonjun looks up, almost flinching at the icy cold glare Soobin is sending his way.
“Soobin-”
“No, he doesn’t get the right to be a lil crybaby anymore,” he scowls, his eyes darting to the leader. “He’s in this clan now, whether he likes it or not.” He turns sharply to Yeonjun, poking him in his chest as he says lowly, “Your clan kicked you out for a reason. Whether you remember it or not is not our problem, but it was big enough for them not to want you anymore. If it weren’t for one of us finding you, you’d be a stray. And do you know what happens to strays?” Soobin waits for Yeonjun’s face to fall a little as he realizes what would happen to him if he stayed a stray. “Exactly. So shut the fuck up already, get your head out of your damn ass, and cooperate. You should be lucky we’re even considering letting you stay.”
Soobin’s harsh words not only hit Yeonjun like a slap to the face, but they also bring unwanted emotions. Emotions like hurt and sadness that he was taught to never feel. So maybe Soobin’s right, maybe he was too stupid to follow his old clan’s rules, because here he is, wanting to lock himself in a room, and cry over the words of the only man he’s attracted to right now. But he forces every emotion down, and uses all his willpower to remain a straight face.
The leader sighs, but doesn’t even bother apologizing to Yeonjun about Soobin’s behavior, either. Instead, he turns to him with a small smile. “So, we ready to get the process started?”
“Um-”
“You either say yes right now, or I’m throwing you over my shoulder to the branding room,” Soobin’s deep voice comes again, and his glare deepens. If that’s even possible. “Your choice.”
Yeonjun looks up at him, slightly in disbelief. “You wouldn’t.”
Soobin takes a step closer to him, almost threateningly. “Wanna bet?”
The leader places a hand on Soobin’s chest to stop him from getting any closer to Yeonjun. “That won’t be necessary. Right, Yeonjun-ssi?”
The ravenette glances at Soobin, trying to ignore how his proximity is making his heart beat faster, before looking away as he nods at the leader. “R-right.”
“Good.” The oldest lets out a small (slightly relieved) smile. “Let’s head to the branding room, then.”
The leader walks out first, and since Soobin doesn’t follow immediately after him, Yeonjun is left to walk behind him, which leaves Soobin to walk behind him . As they walk to the “branding room,” Yeonjun can feel Soobin walking so closely to him, as if to make sure he thinks twice before even considering trying to escape. Yeonjun even almost wants to ask Soobin if it’s really necessary for him to be standing this close to him, but at the same time, he doesn’t really mind the way he can practically feel Soobin breathing down his neck.
They walk for what seems like forever until the leader finally stops outside a silver door. It has a bronze brass plate in the center with a single star engraved into it. Much to Yeonjun’s slight surprise, the doorknob is also glowing, but what surprises him even more is that it’s glowing a pure black. He doesn’t doubt that touching this doorknob will also injure him somehow, and the only person it won’t injure is the leader, since it seems to be custom-made for him. Yeonjun’s suspicions are confirmed when the leader places his hand on the doorknob, and nothing happens to him. He opens the door easily, and he steps in first. Yeonjun hesitates to enter, and he wouldn’t have if it weren’t for Soobin basically pushing him forward.
Once they’re inside the room, Yeonjun can just look around in awe. Despite the colors of the door, the inside of the room is purely white. The only things that stand out are the huge black cauldron in the center of the room and the twice as huge ogre standing next to it, using a black, thick iron stick to stir the contents of the cauldron. Even from where Yeonjun is standing, the stench of the cauldron’s contents reaches him, making him struggle to hold back a gag. But unlike him, the leader and Soobin are completely unaffected by it, yet somehow aren’t surprised to see that Yeonjun is repulsed by the smell.
“Lovely day we’re having today, aren’t we, Sihun?” The leader smiles at the ogre, who looks a bit surprised to see him, but smiles back at him.
“Oh, yes, such a lovely day, Nam-” Yet, the ogre stops himself, his eyes growing as wide as saucers when his eyes land on Yeonjun, who’s standing almost next to the leader, thanks to Soobin pushing him there. The ogre seems as if he can’t believe his eyes, and, surprising Yeonjun, even squeals as he does his best to hide behind the cauldron.
If it were any other circumstance, Yeonjun would laugh. How can an ogre as big as him be scared of someone less than twice his size?
“Ah, forgot to mention, but we brought the stray with us,” the leader says, a bit apologetically. “Hope you don’t mind.”
“Hope I don’t mind?!” the ogre says incredulously, still hiding. “Of course I mind! D-do you not know what my people say about his…his ‘type’ ?”
“Oh, trust me, I’m pretty aware of that,” Soobin chuckles, amused as he crosses his arms. “Even more reason why we brought him.”
“Ugh, you brought the mean one with you,” the ogre grumbles with a small frown.
The leader chuckles. “You know I had to for a situation like this.”
“Yes, I know,” the ogre sighs, looking back at his stirring.
The leader shakes his head at him before turning to Yeonjun. “Yeonjun-ssi, this is one of our shapeshifters, Park Sihun. He’s an inferior, but because he’s the clan’s brander, he’s a center. Sihun, I’m pretty sure you know this already, but I’m introducing him to you anyway. This is Choi Yeonjun, the stray we took in.”
Despite being taught to remain indifferent to every new person (or creature, thing, etc.) he meets, there’s something in Yeonjun that tells him the ogre means no harm. Besides, the leader already scolded him once for being rude. He doesn’t need another warning from him (which would most likely be the last).
“Hi.” Yeonjun gives him a small, kind smile, hoping it’ll relax the ogre’s nerves.
Fortunately, it does, since it gives him a small smile back. “H-hi.”
“Although Sihun can shift into any form he wants, he likes staying in this ogre form most of the time,” the leader continues. “Mainly because it comes with a lot of strength, which he needs when he’s branding.”
“Exactly,” Sihun agrees, his smile growing. “Hope that doesn’t weird you out, Yeonjun-ssi.”
“Even if it did, I don’t think I’d be able to leave.” The ravenette slightly forces a smile.
Sihun’s eyes dart to Soobin, who’s standing barely an inch behind Yeonjun. He chuckles as he looks back at him. “Yeah, I can tell.”
“Is the mark ready?” the leader asks.
“Yes,” Sihun replies, looking back inside the cauldron. “I’ve been preparing it since the morning, so it should be.”
The leader nods and turns to Yeonjun. “Yeonjun-ssi, where’s your Atena mark?”
The ravenette hesitates before touching his upper arm. “Right here.”
“And where would you like this mark?” Sihun questions.
“Um…” Yeonjun doesn’t know what to say. Mainly because he doesn’t want to answer, since that’d mean he’d officially be getting rid of the Atena mark, which still means a lot to him, given it’s been on him ever since he was a baby. But also because he truly doesn’t know what spot would be good.
“Some members get it on their necks,” the leader suggests, trying to be helpful.
“Or on their upper arms,” Sihun adds.
“I-I’ll get it on my back,” Yeonjun decides, much to the leader’s and Sihun’s surprise.
“Well…that’s a first,” the leader says.
“No one’s ever done that before?” Yeonjun was pretty sure there has.
“No, there have been members who’ve gotten it on their backs,” Sihun confirms. “It just…hasn’t happened in a while.”
“Why do you want the mark on your back?” the leader asks.
Yeonjun doesn’t want to tell him that it’s so he won’t have to see it every time he looks at himself in the mirror, so he simply says, “Why not, right?”
The leader and Sihun seem pretty satisfied with that answer. They begin talking amongst themselves about the branding process, whilst Yeonjun tries not to focus on the way he can feel Soobin’s gaze burning into his back. Something tells him that Soobin knows he’s full of shit, but he tells himself that there’s no way Soobin can know. He barely even knows him, so how would he know he’s lying?
“Alright, Yeonjun-ssi, you ready?” Sihun questions, looking at him.
Yeonjun nods, hesitating before nearing him.
“You’ll have to take off your shirt,” the leader points out.
“Oh. Right,” Yeonjun mutters, feeling stupid for forgetting. He hesitates once more before grabbing the hem of his shirt and pulling it off. He’s left shirtless in front of the other three, but tries not to think much of it as he turns, so his back faces Sihun. This lets him be almost face to face with Soobin, but he doesn’t let himself even look at the redhead, let alone make eye contact with him.
Yeonjun can just stand there as he waits for the branding to happen. He knows the iron stick Sihun was using to stir the cauldron is actually the branding iron, so he isn’t surprised to hear him taking it out of the cauldron. His nerves grow, and almost all his hairs stand on end, knowing the branding is going to hurt like a bitch. He braces himself for the pain, and when the hot iron finally touches the bare skin of his back, he can’t help but let out a small whimper as he barely manages to constrain his screams.
But the almost unbearable pain the branding iron brings isn’t the only thing he feels. As the mark begins settling into his skin, he feels a tingling sensation start in his upper arm. He doesn’t even have to roll up his sleeve to know that it’s the Atena mark disappearing. It hurts him to know that a significant part of his past is disappearing right before his eyes, and there’s nothing he can do about it except let it happen.
“All done,” Sihun announces moments later, much to Yeonjun’s relief.
“Would you like to see it?” the leader asks him.
Despite every fiber in Yeonjun’s being telling him to say no, he still replies, “Y-yes, please.” He knows seeing this new mark on him will only bring him more pain, but at the same time, his curiosity and wanting to see what the mark even looks like gets the best of him.
The leader snaps his fingers, and in the next second, a camera lies in his hands. He stands behind Yeonjun to take a picture of his back, before standing next to him to show him the photo. Yeonjun looks at it and is surprised at what’s staring back at him. The mark isn’t exactly big, but it isn’t exactly small, either. It’s almost the perfect size, and maybe it’s just the camera’s flash, but Yeonjun swears it’s glowing as it settles into his skin. It’s glowing white and dark blue, the colors swirling around together. Unlike his old clan, the mark isn’t a picture of some god or goddess. Instead, its design is the word ‘Eternal’ spelled out in elegant cursive, with multiple, different-shaped diamond stars surrounding it. Underneath the word and stars is a sword lying horizontally, which makes Yeonjun let out a small gasp.
“Taehyung’s been telling you we’re pretty unique,” the leader says with an amused smile, chuckling at the surprised look on Yeonjun’s face. “Welcome to The Star Seekers , Yeonjun-ah.”
Chapter Text
Now that he’s an official The Star Seekers member, Yeonjun doesn’t know how to feel.
But what concerns him the most is that he doesn’t know who he is anymore, and The Star Seekers brand still stinging lightly on his back isn’t helping. Yet, even if he still had the Atena mark on him, he knows that wouldn’t help, either.
Suddenly, a knock on the door snaps him out of his thoughts. “Yeonjun-ah?” It’s the leader. “You okay in there?”
“Y-yeah,” Yeonjun replies, clearing his throat once he hears how hoarse his voice sounds.
“Okay. Well, hurry it up in there, because we need to continue the rest of the process.”
“Rest of the process?”
“Yeah. To get you officially settled in here, remember?”
“I thought we were done,” Yeonjun mutters, mainly to himself.
“Just try to hurry up,” the leader says, before his footsteps are heard walking away.
Yeonjun is left alone once again, and he sighs. He gets up from leaning against the wall and looks at himself in the restroom mirror. His reflection looks the same as ever, yet Yeonjun can’t recognize himself anymore. He doesn’t know who the man is staring back at him anymore, and doesn’t know whether that’s a good or bad thing.
With a shaky sigh, and after splashing some cold water on his face, Yeonjun finally opens the restroom door. He steps out and can’t bring himself to look at anyone.
Except Soobin.
For some reason, he’s the only one Yeonjun can look at. And Yeonjun doesn’t know why. Soobin should be the last one he’s able to look at, given how Soobin has treated and talked to him, but here Yeonjun is, unable to keep his eyes off him. Unsurprisingly, Soobin’s eyes are cold as he stares back at him, and the longer Yeonjun stares, the colder Soobin’s gaze gets. So after a few seconds, he looks away and looks at the leader instead, who is looking at him with a kind gaze.
“Ready?” the leader asks, handing him his shirt back.
Yeonjun wants to say no, he’ll never be ready for anything he’ll ever face in this clan, but he finds himself nodding anyway. He pulls his shirt back on, looking back at the leader.
“What’s next?” Yeonjun says.
“I’ve always wondered how someone can go so long carrying around a nasty thing like that with them for so long,” the leader replies, instead of giving Yeonjun a proper answer, as he looks down.
Yeonjun grows a bit confused, so he follows the leader’s gaze, which is on his ankle shackle. Yeonjun has gotten so used to carrying it that he doesn’t even remember he has it sometimes.
“You…get used to it,” he mutters.
“But don’t you wish you could take it off?”
Yeonjun lets out a small frown at the leader’s question. Is this some tactic he’s using to implicitly make fun of him, and the torture he’s had to endure of being unable to use his power for almost two months?
“Of course I have,” he replies, almost scoffing. “Why wouldn’t I wish that?”
Contrasting Yeonjun’s frown is the leader’s almost bright smile. Yeonjun feels a bit of annoyance welling up in him. Not only does he have to endure the whole clan’s ridicule, but also the leader’s? Isn’t he supposed to be more mature and set the example for his fellow members?
Despite the small scowl replacing Yeonjun’s frown, the leader still steps closer to him. His smile makes his dimples pop out, and he places his hands in his pockets as he looks at Yeonjun. The ravenette can just look back at him in slight confusion, before noticing that the leader isn’t smiling at him cheekily, smugly, or anything of the sort. It’s a genuine smile, one Yeonjun hasn’t seen in ages, and the scowl on his face is immediately washed off with surprise. Why is the leader smiling at him like that?
“Yeonjun-ssi, you have proven yourself to be a worthy member of this clan,” the leader begins, surprising Yeonjun once again with the sincerity in his tone. “You have shown that you are trustworthy, skilled in every way necessary, and despite everything, you still have a kind heart. As the leader of The Star Seekers, I am glad to officially call you a member of our dear clan.” With that, he sticks his hand out for Yeonjun to shake.
Yeonjun can just stare at it. He still doesn’t know what’s going on, and so many questions are running through his head, but he tells himself he shouldn’t leave the leader hanging like that. So reluctantly, he places his hand in the leader’s and gives it a slightly firm shake. The leader pulls his hand away with a smile, making Yeonjun wonder why he’s still so smiley.
But then that’s when he feels it.
And sees it.
Not even five seconds after the leader pulls his hands away, there’s a sudden burst of bright light that almost blinds all four of them. It’s almost— almost —enough to distract Yeonjun from the sound of something clicking, and then he feels the weight leave his body. He’s never felt freer. His ankle feels lighter now, and he almost stumbles as he moves his foot slightly. He looks down, thinking it’s too good to be true, but there it is, the dark purple ankle shackle that used to once be on him, weighing him down, is lying in two pieces on the floor, now fading from purple into black.
With the feeling of the brand still settling in on top of finally being free, Yeonjun feels energetic. But most of all, he’s the happiest he’s ever been in months. He even feels tears of joy welling up in his eyes, and he smiles. A genuine , joyful smile. The shackle used to weigh him down, and stay as a reminder that he doesn’t belong in The Star Seekers, and that he did something so terrible that the clan that was once his home kicked him out. It also prevented him from using any type of power he has, but now that it’s off, he can feel power running through his veins again. It isn’t as much as before, but hes grateful for it nevertheless. He doesn’t even notice that his eyes glow different shades of purple as his power finally starts running through him again.
“I…I…” He can’t even find the words to speak, still in disbelief that he finally got that horrendous shackle off him.
“Congrats, Yeonjun-ssi!” Sihun is the first to talk, and lets out a small squeal. His squeal is enough to make the ravenette’s happiness grow, and he squeals back. He doesn’t know what comes over him, but the next thing he knows, he’s throwing Sihun into a hug, which is a bit hard given his orge form, but Sihun makes it easier by lifting him off the ground, and hugging him back tightly.
“Okay, Sihun, put him down before you choke him,” the leader says with a small chuckle after a few moments pass.
Sihun smiles, a bit sheepishly, as he places Yeonjun back down on the floor. “Heh, sorry.”
“How do you feel?” the leader asks Yeonjun.
“Is that even a question?” The ravenette can’t keep the smile off his face. “I-I feel so…so…powerful! As if I can do anything. Hell, I can probably even do, like, thirty cartwheels right now!”
“Well, you’re not powerful.” Unsurprisingly, Soobin shortens Yeonjun’s moment of happiness and relief. He has an expressionless look on his face as he crosses his arms, looking at Yeonjun as if he were stupid. “Just because you got that shackle off doesn’t mean all of your power is back already. And given your brand, I’m assuming the main source of your power comes from a sword?”
Yeonjun’s smile falters. He had been so happy about finally getting the shackle off that he had forgotten the most important thing to him: his sword.
“I assume you don’t have it with you,” Soobin continues with a scoff.
Yeonjun hesitates, before slowly shaking his head. “N-no…I don’t,” he says quietly, almost heartbroken.
“Do you know what happened to it?” the leader asks, his voice gentle unlike Soobin’s.
“The…leader of Atena took it when…” Yeonjun can’t finish his sentence, but he knows the other three know what he’s talking about.
“It’s just a sword,” Sihun says, trying to lighten up the mood. “I’m sure it can be remade here.”
Yeonjun shakes his head as the happiness he felt is replaced with sadness. “I-it was a gift from my parents. They made it custom-made for me. I-it…it can’t be remade.”
“Probably not, but we’ll find a way,” the leader says, also trying to be optimistic, but Yeonjun highly doubts that. It seems as if the leader can see his doubt, since he nears him, and places a hand on his shoulder. “I mean it, Yeonjun-ah. We’ll find a way to get you your sword back.”
“How?” he says sadly, looking up at him. “My clan leader-” He stops himself immediately, knowing she isn’t anymore. “My old clan leader took it away. There’s no way I’ll get it back.”
“We’ve been known for being unique.” The leader gives him a small wink. “So just wait and see.”
“Leader-”
“Ah, classes are almost ending soon,” he says, glancing at his watch. “I’m sure Taehyung must be anxious to see you after leaving you by yourself for the first time.”
Yeonjun wants to continue complaining, but there’s a small voice in his head that’s telling him to believe the leader’s word. For once, he listens to it. He bows and thanks the leader and Sihun for their help, pointedly avoiding eye contact and communication with Soobin, before finally leaving the branding room. Thoughts of his sword, powers, and recent branding run through his mind as he walks towards the classroom area, not even noticing how the clan members he passes are surprised to see that he doesn’t have his shackle anymore.
When he arrives at the classrooms, Yeonjun sees that he arrived just in time. Members are barely walking out of their classes, and some are too engrossed in their conversations with their friends to even notice Yeonjun. But the ones who do can just stare at him in slight disbelief, and the ravenette tries to ignore them as he walks to Taehyung’s classroom.
Yeonjun walks into the room a few seconds later, seeing Taehyung’s back facing him as the blond wipes the whiteboard clean.
“Hi,” Yeonjun greets, keeping his voice soft so as to not startle him.
Taehyung looks up, his eyes lighting up when they land on Yeonjun. “Jun!” He places the eraser in his hands down, and runs over to the younger, making him let out a small “Oof!” when he ambushes him into a hug.
“Someone’s happy to see me,” he says, a bit teasingly. His arms stay limp by his sides, before he hesitantly wraps them around Taehyung as well.
“And relieved,” he adds. He pulls back, scanning Yeonjun’s face for any injuries. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did people say stuff to you? Do you need me to beat anyone up? Oh, please tell me you’re okay. You’re not, aren’t you? Oh, I knew I shouldn’t have-”
“Hyung, I’m okay,” he assures with a small chuckle. “But…a lot did happen, so what do you say we grab something from the food center, and eat at home?”
Taehyung’s look of concern is replaced with a look of slight confusion and suspicion. “Okay…”
Yeonjun just smiles at him and lets Taehyung link their arms together as they walk to the food center. Taehyung talks to him about his day, and when they arrive at the center, he lets him order their food. Taehyung orders them teriyaki chicken rice, and spam, egg, and rice bowls, and continues talking about his day as they wait for their food. When it’s ready, they each carry a bag as they walk to Taehyung’s cottage.
Once they arrive, Taehyung unlocks the door with a simple touch of his hand on the doorknob and steps inside first. Yeonjun steps inside after him, and as they take off their boots by the door, Taehyung asks him if he wants water, juice, or wine with their dinner. After the day he’s had, Yeonjun knows he needs something strong, so he goes with wine.
“So, why did you want to eat at home instead of at the center?” Taehyung asks as he retrieves a bottle of wine and two wine glasses from the kitchen, whilst Yeonjun sets up their food at the dining table.
“I’m surprised you haven’t noticed yet,” he says, a bit amused.
“Haven’t noticed what?” Taehyung says, joining him in the dining room.
“You really don’t see it?”
Taehyung’s confusion grows, and he opens his mouth to ask Yeonjun what he means. He looks Yeonjun up and down, and it doesn’t hit him until he notices how plain Yeonjun’s left pant leg looks. It takes him a few seconds to realize why it looks so plain, and when it does, his jaw drops, and he quickly places down the wine and glasses before he can drop them.
“You got your ankle shackle off?!”
Yeonjun nods, letting out a small chuckle. “About time you noticed.”
“What the hell happened today?” Taehyung questions, moving to uncork the wine.
Yeonjun explains. He starts with how he spent part of the morning in the training field, before he got caught up with Kai, who wouldn’t keep his hands to himself, and was being a bastard on top of everything, when Soobin suddenly appeared, and told Yeonjun that the leader was asking for him. Then, he explains the rest and finishes with how the leader was able to get the shackle taken off with just a few simple words.
As expected, Taehyung is overly ecstatic for Yeonjun. He hugs him tightly, telling him how happy he is to finally have him as an official clan member, and just like him, he’s immensely relieved that his shackle is finally off.
“But Kai really did all of that to you?” Taehyung inquires once their excitement dies down a little.
“Unfortunately,” Yeonjun mutters, letting out a small frown at the mention of Kai.
“I just… I can’t believe he’d really take advantage of the situation like that. Let alone put his hands on you like that.” Taehyung shakes his head in disapproval. “I’m going to have a long talk with him, and by the end of it, he’ll think twice about even looking at you wrong.”
“Don’t bother, hyung,” Yeonjun says with a small sigh. “People like Kamal won’t change. He sees what he wants to see in me, and that won’t change until he lets it.”
“Still. Someone should try putting him in his place.”
“Enough talk about him,” Yeonjun says, taking a long sip of his wine. “Who I’m really confused about is…Soobin.”
“Really? Why?”
“You should’ve seen the way he was even looking at me. He wouldn’t stop looking at me as if I murdered his entire family or something, and the way he spoke to me…”
“So he was just being his usual asshole self?”
Yeonjun looks up at Taehyung in slight confusion. “‘Usual’?”
“Yeah,” he says with a small sigh, taking a sip of his wine. “Soobin’s always been an asshole, which only grew once he became the leader’s official second-in-command. He’s not nice to anyone, and is more often than not snapping at people, and taking his anger out on them.”
“Why?”
Taehyung shrugs. “Who knows. He’s always been like that.”
“Well, someone should say something.”
“You really think Soobin’s gonna let someone try to put him in his place?” Taehyung chuckles, as if that’s the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard. “They’ll have an arrow lodged between their eyes before they can even open their mouths.”
“Yeah, but…he doesn’t even know me,” Yeonjun says. “I haven’t even done anything to him, and he looks at me as if I’m the person he hates most in the world.”
Taehyung doesn’t say anything to that. Instead, he looks down at his glass and downs the rest of it.
“Want some more wine?” he offers.
“Tae-”
“Yes or no?”
“No,” Yeonjun sighs. “You’re not-”
“Let’s just focus on eating.” Taehyung gives him a small smile before grabbing his chopsticks and continuing to eat. “Hurry up now, before your food gets cold.”
Yeonjun can just stare at Taehyung, wanting him to notice, so that he can look up, and Yeonjun can finish interrogating him. But Taehyung doesn’t look up once, seeming too focused on his food. After a while, Yeonjun gives up and lets out a small sigh as he also returns to his food, whilst trying not to think of a certain red-haired archer.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Much to Yeonjun’s surprise, once the news of his ankle shackle coming off and that he’s now branded in their clan’s logo spreads, people’s attitude and mood towards him change. They smile at him as they pass by him, and only a few still resort to glaring at him and avoiding him. But it’s a big change, and Yeonjun almost can’t believe that all it took was his ankle shackle coming off and getting branded for the clan members to finally see him as a person.
But unsurprisingly, there’s still one person who sees him as anything but. Soobin steers clear of him, and if they happen to pass ways, Soobin sends him a sharp, icy cold glare, cold enough to send shivers down Yeonjun’s spine. Soobin even seems to have followers (or friends, yeonjun supposes, but he goes with followers), since the same people who are still hostile toward him hang around Soobin sometimes.
Yet, Yeonjun doesn’t let himself think of that. Good things are finally going on in his life, and he tells himself it isn’t worth focusing on some random guy’s unreasonable hatred towards him. Even if he does find that guy unbearably hot, and would rather be under him than trying to get over him.
But there’s still one thing missing in Yeonjun’s life, and that’s his sword. With his ankle shackle off, he can do mundane things like snapping his fingers to have whatever he wants in his hands, and having his eyes glow, but that’s it. His true power comes from his sword, and he’s accepted the fact that he’s never going to see it again ever since he was kicked out of his old clan.
Until he’s proven wrong a few weeks later.
Understandably, the training field is his favorite place to be. More specifically, the swordsmanship area. Even though fighting with regular swords will never feel the same as fighting with his own, Yeonjun still finds a thrill in it. He doesn’t need his special sword for his skills to come into play, since he is, after all, the most skilled and powerful sword master out there. And he uses it to his advantage. He defeats everyone who feels brave enough to sword fight with him, even the ones he deems are The Star Seekers’ most skilled in swordsmanship. But now Yeonjun holds that title.
Currently, he’s getting ready for his next sword fight. He hasn’t seen who he’s fighting against yet, not until he looks up, only for his eyes to land on a familiar blonde.
“Jeongyeon?” he mutters.
“Long time no see,” Jeongyeon says as she enters the fighting area. “Glad to see you’re not trying to steal tables anymore.”
“I’ve been here for a while now,” Yeonjun says. “So I’ve learned how sensitive some people can get over something as simple as a table.”
Jeongyeon lets out a small, humorless chuckle. Then, taking Yeonjun by surprise, the sword of Ali, a.k.a. Zulfiqar, appears in her hand before he can even take his next breath. The sword is longer and more dangerous than the plain, regular sword in his hand, and he knows Jeongyeon is using that to her advantage. But what she doesn’t know is that regardless of what swords he comes across, Yeonjun will always find a way to beat them.
“Do you and your clan have something against breaking training rules?” he asks as he grips the hilt of his sword tightly.
“Just when it comes to you.” Jeongyeon smiles. “Now, you continue talking, or actually show me what you got?”
“Oh, I’ll show you, alright,” Yeonjun grumbles, before making the first move, catching Jeongyeon by surprise. But she composes herself and manages to dodge his attack with her own sword.
Unlike what Yeonjun expected, Jeongyeon knows her stuff. She manages to avoid every single advance he makes toward her, but Yeonjun knows that if she really knew what she was doing, she would’ve taken advantage of the double-pointed blade of her sword, and used it to grab Yeonjun’s sword off balance, and throw it onto the ground already.
Their fight continues for what seems like hours. They’re both pretty skilled, but Yeonjun is determined to show that he’s better. And he’s about to, his sword clashing so harshly with Jeongyeon’s that it makes her almost lose her balance. She manages to steady herself before she can, and moves to make her next attack.
Which Yeonjun would’ve easily avoided if he didn’t hear a sudden voice behind him, “The leader is looking for you.”
Yeonjun’s loss of focus is enough for Jeongyeon to send his sword flying, cutting his arm in the process. The sting is what makes Yeonjun realize he’s lost, and he looks up at Jeongyeon, who has a smug look on her face.
“Guess you’re not so great after all,” she says, before sauntering away.
Yeonjun glares after her, before turning to who spoke. Much to his surprise, his eyes land on a familiar silver-haired male. He still has that expressionless look on his face, but unlike when he first met Yeonjun, there isn’t any coldness or hatred in his eyes directed at him anymore. Yeonjun doesn’t know whether that’s a good or bad thing.
“The leader’s looking for me?” he repeats, in case he didn’t hear right.
“Yes,” Taehyun confirms. He then looks to where Jeongyeon disappeared. “Didn’t think Jeongyeon would defeat you so easily.”
“Only ‘cause I got distracted,” Yeonjun mutters, a bit defensively.
“A true sword master wouldn’t let himself get distracted so easily.”
Yeonjun tries not to focus on how much Taehyun’s words sting. “I’m just…out of practice.”
“Right.” Taehyun sounds as if he doesn’t believe him. “Anyway, you coming or not?”
Yeonjun nods and begins following Taehyun to the leader’s quarters. “Why didn’t…Soobin come instead?”
“Hyung had other stuff to do.”
“Does he, or did he just use that as an excuse to not see me?”
“You’re smarter than you look.”
“It wouldn’t take a blind fool to notice his resentment towards me.”
Unlike Taehyung, who tried to justify Soobin’s cold attitude towards him by saying he’s like that with everyone, Taehyun doesn’t say anything.
For some reason, Yeonjun finds himself asking, “Where’s…what’s his name? Beomgyu?”
Yeonjun doesn’t fail to notice the way Taehyun tenses up slightly at the wizard’s name, but tries to play it off. “He’s off on some assignment with Kai. They’ll be back soon.”
“Why didn’t they take you with them?”
“I had an assignment of my own.”
Yeonjun nods. He wants to ask what kind of assignment Taehyun had, but he figures Taehyun probably still hates him. He doesn’t want to add another reason why Taehyun should hate him.
They arrive at the leader’s quarters a few minutes later, but the second they do, Yeonjun feels something weird stirring in him. He feels a tingling sensation throughout his entire body, and he furrows his eyebrows slightly, finding it weird. But he tries to shrug it off as he continues following Taehyun to the leader’s office.
They arrive outside the door seconds later, and Taehyun knocks. They hear the leader’s voice telling them to come in, and Taehyun opens the door. He steps in first, before Yeonjun steps in after him. But the second he does, he stops in his tracks, his eyes widening as he looks at the scene before him.
Lying a few feet away from him on the leader’s desk is his sword .
“Glad you could come.” The leader smiles, before his eyes drift to Yeonjun’s still-bleeding arm. “What happened to your arm?”
But Yeonjun doesn’t focus on anything he’s saying. All he can do is stand there frozen as he stares in disbelief at his sword , which he thought he’d never see again.
“H-how…” is the only word he can manage.
“I told you we’re pretty unique.” The leader winks at him. “We also have pretty powerful sorcerers and wizards who’ll do anything for their fellow clan members.” He glances at Taehyun, who looks away.
Yeonjun can’t believe his eyes or ears. He can’t believe his sword is really here, but he also can’t believe what the leader is implying. Beomgyu and Taehyun really worked together to get his sword back? But why would they do that? Don’t they profusely hate his guts?
“This isn’t some sort of sick prank?” he says, looking up at the leader.
“No,” he chuckles. “This is all real, Yeonjun-ah.” He motions to his sword. “Why don’t you come see for yourself?”
Yeonjun doesn’t need to be told twice. He nears the desk, and his smile grows once he sees his sword up close after so many months of not seeing it. He reaches his hand out to grab it, hesitating for a bit, before finally grabbing it. Once it’s in his hand, a burst of purple light glows all throughout the sword, and even an aura pulses off of it. It even hums against his skin as if it remembers him and his touch. It feels right in his hand, and he grazes his thumb over the hilt, which was custom-made by his parents. He feels tears welling up in his eyes, and he can’t stop one from rolling down his cheek. It falls onto his sword, and the spot it falls onto glows a light purple.
This moment feels more than monumental to Yeonjun. This is all he’s been waiting for— living for. His sword is not just a weapon—it’s his identity , his honor, the part of himself that was taken away when he was exiled. The leader going through so much work just to get it back for him shows he trusts him, enough to give him his power back, and that he feels like Yeonjun truly belongs here just like anyone else.
“How do you feel?” the leader asks, his smile never fading.
“Powerful. And complete,” Yeonjun replies, still staring fondly at his sword and in awe. “Like I can do anything. I-I’ve waited so long for this moment.”
The leader’s smile turns soft, and he places a hand on Yeonjun’s shoulder. “You deserve it.”
Chapter Text
With his sword back, Yeonjun’s life feels almost complete. He can’t believe he really has it back in his hands. The source of his power, one of his main reasons for living, his identity—he has it all back now. Almost as if nothing happened.
But something did. And Yeonjun can’t stop thinking about it, even though the only emotions he’s supposed to feel are relief and happiness.
“Yeonjun.” The leader’s voice breaks him out of his not-so-positive thoughts, making him look up. “Is everything alright?”
“Y-yes,” he partially lies. He clears his throat, slightly forcing a smile. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“You were zoning out for a bit there. And your smile lost its radiance for a bit.”
Yeonjun takes a shaky breath, deciding to say the partial truth. “I’m happy I have my sword back, of course I am, but it…it’s bringing some bad memories. Th-the last time I had it in my hands led to the moment of me getting kicked out.”
“Completely understandable,” the leader assures. He places his hands on Yeonjun’s shoulders, giving them a small squeeze. “But you shouldn’t let yourself think that way anymore. All of that is in the past now. The Star Seekers is your present—and your future. That’s all you should focus on now.”
Yeonjun nods, giving the leader a small smile. “Yes, you are correct, I suppose, sir.”
“Hyung,” the leader corrects, his smile softening. “Call me hyung.”
Yeonjun’s eyes widen slightly, and so do Taehyun’s, who’s still there, both of them taken by surprise.
“I-I don’t want to make you uncomfortable-”
“Nonsense.” The leader chuckles smoothly. “I have a feeling we’ll have a close bond, Yeonjun-ah.”
The ravenette nods. “If you say so, sir- uh, I mean, hyung.” He smiles, a bit sheepishly and nervously.
The leader lets out a small laugh and looks at Taehyun. “Alright, well, I’ll leave you two to it, then. Taehyun-ah, I’m sure you’ll show Yeonjun-ah the haps of how to use his power around here, won’t you?”
“Yes, hyung,” he assures.
“Great.” The leader turns back to Yeonjun. “Congratulations on getting your sword back, Yeonjun-ah. I’ll see you both around.”
The younger two bow to the leader before finally leaving his office. Yeonjun and Taehyun walk in silence, but for once, Yeonjun isn’t focused on the awkward tension surrounding them. He’s more focused on the sword in his hands, smiling fondly down at it, as if it’s been missing for all his life. But then, the leader’s words from earlier suddenly run through his mind, and he glances at Taehyun, who has an unreadable expression on his face like always, staring straight ahead as they walk in step with each other.
“Hey, Taehyun-ssi?” he calls out, a bit hesitantly.
“What?” Taehyun replies, and unlike Yeonjun expected, his voice holds no emotion. Not even hatred.
“Is what the leader said true?”
“What part?”
“Did you and Beomgyu really…get my sword back?”
Taehyun stays silent. His pink lips form into a small line, and he continues staring straight ahead. Yeonjun’s shoulders slump slightly, feeling stupid for thinking Beomgyu and Taehyun would really be capable of doing that when they hate his guts so much that-
“Yes.”
Yeonjun’s eyes snap back up to Taehyun, whose expression is still unreadable. Yeonjun stares at him in shock and disbelief, not knowing whether he heard right or not.
“W-what?”
“Are you deaf? I said yes.”
“But…why? Don’t you guys hate me?”
Taehyun stays silent for another while, before quietly saying, “Just because we do doesn’t mean we’re heartless.”
“It still doesn’t make sense, though.” Despite knowing he should shut up and just be grateful he has his sword back, Yeonjun’s mouth won’t stop running. “On the day we met, you didn’t even want to introduce yourself to me. You were the coldest out of Beomgyu and Kamal, but now…now you did everything in your power to get the thing that means the most to me back. You don’t do that for someone you profusely and is in your nature to hate.”
Taehyun stays quiet once again. But Yeonjun notices the way his expression shifts, almost as if Yeonjun got through him. Yet, that unreadable expression is back on his face just as quickly as it disappeared.
“Just be grateful you have your sword back,” he mutters. He then sighs as they step out of the leader’s quarters and starts leading Yeonjun back to the training fields. “Now that you have your sword and powers back, there are things you need to know.”
“Like what?”
“Our rules regarding our powers.”
“I’m sure the rules here are the same as-”
“Rule number one,” Taehyun interrupts sharply, “you never use your powers to harm your fellow clan members. It should go without saying, but unfortunately, some people are stupid and don’t know that. So, don’t use your powers to kill or harm anyone, or you’ll face severe consequences.”
“Consequences like that?”
“Rule number two,” Taehyun continues, ignoring Yeonjun’s question, “no power should be used without intent. All powers must be used with clear intention. Accidental bursts, especially during emotional spikes, are not punished, but you or your fellow members must report them for monitoring and guidance. Rule number three: sparring must be supervised. Training with powers against another member must be authorized and supervised. Unauthorized fights result in probation—or worse, depending on the damage. Rule number four: no power amplification without approval. It’s rare, but it does happen at times. You may not use runes, relics, or enchantments to amplify your powers unless granted permission from a superior or the leader. Rule number five: respect power boundaries. Rule number six: Interference with the clan’s infrastructure is forbidden. You break a bridge with fire? You rebuild it with your bare hands. Any destruction of clan resources using powers equals immediate disciplinary action. Rule number seven: your power must serve as protection, not your ego. Every power in the clan exists to defend peace. Using your gift for ego, fear-mongering, or personal vendettas is the fastest way to lose rank or be exiled. Lastly, and what I personally think is the most important rule, is rule number eight: mastery training is mandatory. Every member must attend power control training. Even the strongest must refine. Skipping these sessions without a valid reason will delay rank progression. Even if you’re a superior."
“That’s a…lot of rules,” Yeonjun mutters, having a bit of trouble keeping track of everything Taehyun just laid out before him.
“It’s important you remember them all,” Taehyun says sternly. “Breaking one can lead to-”
“-severe consequences, yes, I know,” Yeonjun says. “Trust me, I’ve dealt with enough of breaking rules and facing ‘severe consequences.’ I’ll have trouble keeping up with all the rules, but you won’t get any rule-breaking from me.”
“Good,” Taehyun says. “Now, about training: everyone must train in coordination with each other. It’s important that you do, in case something tragic and fatal like a war breaks out. It hasn’t happened in decades, but we can never be so sure.”
“Well, that’s easier said than done. I’m pretty sure everyone here still hates me.”
“If they did, you’d be getting a bunch of dirty looks right now,” Taehyun says pointedly. Looking around them, he sees that barely anyone is even paying attention to them. “Time sure does heal wounds, especially once you got branded, so you shouldn’t worry much about clashing with others once you train with them.”
Yeonjun nods. He’s about to wholeheartedly agree with Taehyun, knowing the silver-haired male wouldn’t be telling him all this if it were just to reassure him, when he suddenly remembers a certain archer.
“Either way, I don’t think I’ll be getting along with everyone .”
“Yeonjun-ssi, I literally just told you-”
“I know what you told me,” Yeonjun interrupts. “But there’s still one person who hates me the most of all.”
“Who?-” Taehyun’s eyebrows furrow, before it finally hits him. “Oh. Right.”
“Yeah,” Yeonjun mutters, looking away. “So I don’t think he and I will have a peaceful sparring match. Or that he’ll even want to train with me.”
“Well, that’s too bad for him,” Taehyun says, much to Yeonjun’s slight surprise. “Even as the leader’s second-in-command, he has to keep up with the mandatory training. He’ll just have to suck it up if he really does hate you that much.”
“Please, he’ll probably take the chance to kill me during our training session.”
Taehyun rolls his eyes. “If he wants to get exiled, then yeah, you can count on him doing that.”
Yeonjun just sighs. Despite Taehyun’s words, he still thinks there’s a chance Soobin would do anything in his power to hurt him. He just seems to have forgotten that the first time one of Soobin’s arrows hit him, it didn’t do any harm to him. Not even a small scratch.
“Besides, you shouldn’t worry much about him.” Taehyun’s voice breaks Yeonjun out of his thoughts. “You have something more important to focus on now.” He motions to Yeonjun’s sword. “Don’t let some grumpy ass ruin that.”
“Um…thanks,” he says, surprised Taehyun gave him advice.
Taehyun himself seems surprised as well, since he clears his throat a bit once he realizes what he did. “Don’t mention it,” he mumbles, looking away.
“Hey, Taehyun-ssi?”
“What now?”
“You’re not as bad as I thought you’d be.”
Taehyun gives him a small glare. “I never was bad.”
Yeonjun looks at him in amusement. “You sure about that?”
“...Shut up.”
Yeonjun laughs. It might be the joyful emotions swirling inside him due to the return of his sword, but he has a feeling that he and Taehyun are going to be great friends.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
And he turns out to be right.
He and Taehyun bump into each other more often than not, and Taehyun finds himself unable to refuse Yeonjun whenever he asks him a question or when he suggests that they do something together. Most of their sparring matches are even against each other, and Taehyun is a great opponent. Not only is he as competitive as Yeonjun, but he’s patient enough to teach him new things every time they spar.
As the days pass, Yeonjun finds himself hanging out with both Taes: Taehyun and Taehyung. Whilst Taehyung is off teaching, Yeonjun is with Taehyun, and vice versa when Taehyun needs time for his studies. Taehyung is proud of both his dongsaengs, since he’s glad Taehyun managed to push aside his feelings, and see that he did the right thing by giving Yeonjun a chance, and that Yeonjun was able to make another friend besides him.
With Taehyun’s help, Yeonjun eventually starts warming up to the rest of his clan members. There are still some that refuse to even look at him without glaring at him, which Yeonjun assumes are Soobin’s followers (or friends), but he doesn’t let them affect him much. He follows the rule of mandatory training daily, since it’s his favorite thing to do to pass time. Not only does it also give him an excuse to use his sword, which makes him feel powerful and as if he can do anything, but he gets a chance to grow closer to the clan members who are willing to give him a chance.
But of course, there is one member who refuses any sort of communication with him at all.
And the leader hasn’t failed to notice.
“You called for me, hyung?” the oreo-haired male says as he appears out of nowhere in front of the man.
The leader would be startled if he weren’t used to Beomgyu’s antics by now. “You know, I’d really appreciate it if you stopped using spells to read my mind. I hope you know it also goes against one of our rules.”
“When have you ever seen me following a rule?” he scoffs, as if that’s the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard.
The leader rolls his eyes. “ Anyway , yes, I did call for you. Where’s Soobin?”
“He’s your second-in-command. Shouldn’t you know?”
“Beomgyu…”
The younger snickers. He grips the tip of his staff, his eyes glowing a light pink. A second later, they return to normal, and he looks up at the leader. “He’s in his training room.”
“Of course he is,” he mutters, not knowing why he even asked.
“Want me to call for him?” Beomgyu asks with a grin, already knowing the answer.
“Yes. And tell him not to be in such a mood when you two return.”
“Aye.” Beomgyu salutes, before gripping his staff and vanishing into thin air.
Thanks to the transportation spell he’s used for almost two decades now, Beomgyu lands perfectly in Soobin’s training room. Unsurprisingly, Soobin has his training gear on, which most members don’t usually have. But Soobin’s power is powerful, and he can never be too careful.
The small whoosh sound that appears when Beomgyu arrives is enough to make Soobin know he isn’t alone anymore. He pulls back the arrow in his hand, closing one eye to make sure he has a precise shot. Then he releases the arrow, which hits the target perfectly, making a blue aura surround it, before it crumbles to the ground in ashes.
“Nice shot,” Beomgyu comments behind him.
“What do you want?” he asks, emotionlessly, as he prepares another arrow into the bow.
“Hyung is calling for you.”
“What does he want?” Soobin gets into stance to shoot the arrow again.
Beomgyu shrugs. “Beats me. All he told me was to get you. Now, hurry up. I only have ten minutes before I catch up with Tyun.”
“God forbid you don’t see your boyfriend every hour,” Soobin mutters sarcastically.
Beomgyu feels his face heat up, and he gives the back of Soobin’s head a small glare. “He’s not my boyfriend. Now, hurry up.”
Soobin sighs. He shoots the last shot, and this time, a red aura surrounds his target before it bursts into flames. He ignores the fire and puts his bow and arrow into the holster in the back of his training gear. Beomgyu just looks at him, amused, before gripping his arm to pull him closer, and whispers the transportation spell under his breath. In the next second, they’re back in the leader’s office.
“We’re back,” Beomgyu announces, grinning. He smirks when Soobin snatches his arm out of his grip.
“You wanted to see me?” Soobin questions the leader, looking at him blankly.
“Yes,” he replies. “I haven’t seen you around lately, Soobin-ah.”
“Because I haven’t been out lately.”
“Let me guess, you’ve been spending all your time in your training room.”
“Yeah, so?”
The leader sighs. “As my second-in-command, I thought you’d understand the importance of following the rules. You need to be out in the training fields , not your training room . It’s important that you train and cooperate with your fellow members, Soobin. Especially since most of them all look up to you and respect you.”
“More like they fear him,” Beomgyu mutters under his breath, making the leader send him a small look.
“I do train and cooperate with them,” Soobin says with a small scowl. “But I don’t need to do so every single fucking day. I have a life.”
The leader sighs. He’d scold Soobin about his vulgar language if he knew Soobin would care.
“You’re right, you do,” the leader says. “But not with everyone.”
Soobin’s jaw clenches, already knowing whom he’s talking about. “So what?”
“The rule specifies that you train with everyone , regardless of who they are. Yeonjun is no exception.”
“He is for me. I am not training with him.”
“Well, that’s too bad, because you are.”
Soobin scoffs. “You can’t-”
Interrupting him is the sound of the door suddenly knocking. The leader looks away from Soobin to glance at the door. “Come in,” he says.
The door opens, and a familiar silver-haired male walks in, the raven-haired male Soobin and the leader were just talking about stepping in after him. The door closes behind them, and Taehyun makes eye contact with Beomgyu first, giving him a small smile, before he turns more serious as he looks back at the leader. Whereas Yeonjun grows tense the moment his eyes land on Soobin.
“You called for us, hyung?” Taehyun asks.
“Yes,” the leader replies. “But more specifically, I called for Yeonjun.”
“You did?” he says, surprised and confused.
“Yes.” The leader’s smile grows a bit smug. “Yeonjun-ah, Taehyun-ah did tell you about our rules about training, didn’t he?”
“He did…” Yeonjun trails off a bit, wondering where the leader is going with this.
“And he did include the part where every clan member has to train with everyone , regardless of who they are, right?”
Yeonjun tenses again, starting to get a sense of where the leader is going with this, and why Soobin is here, too. “Yes…”
“So you can imagine my surprise when my second-in-command and the boy I’m looking forward to succeeding haven’t even been on the training fields together, not even once,” the leader continues. “You and Soobin haven’t trained not even once, Yeonjun-ah. Why is that?”
“Um…” Yeonjun licks his lips nervously, not knowing whether he should say the truth or not.
“I’ll tell you why,” the leader says. “Because you two are too stubborn to see past your problems, and cooperate with one another like you should. So here’s what we’re going to do: you two will start training together every day around this time. Failure to comply with my demand will result in me linking you two up together.”
“What is that going to do?” But despite asking, Yeonjun isn’t sure he wants to know the answer.
“You two will basically be stuck at the hip 24/7,” Beomgyu answers, grinning brightly, as if this is the best news he’s ever heard.
“So, unless you want that to happen, I suggest you start training,” the leader says, putting his hands in his pockets. “Dismissed.”
“Hyung-”
“I said dismissed.”
Yeonjun sighs, glancing at Soobin, who is looking at anything but him. He hesitates before leaving the leader’s office, Beomgyu and Taehyun following behind him.
“Shouldn’t… he come with?” he asks when he notices Soobin isn’t following after them.
“He’ll catch up with us,” Taehyun says. “He just needs a second to calm down from his tantrum.”
“He’s been having a lot of those lately,” Beomgyu muses with a small smirk as the three of them begin their way to the training fields.
“He really does hate me,” Yeonjun mutters, more to himself than to the younger two.
But Beomgyu and Taehyun still hear him. Yet, they don’t bother saying anything to try to comfort him, and instead only share a look.
“Do you have your training gear with you?” Beomgyu questions, changing the subject.
“You mean my sword?” Yeonjun looks up at him. “Yeah, I always have it with me.”
“That’s not what Gyu-hyung means,” Taehyun says. “Training gear is more like protective gear, to protect you from your opponent’s hits and attacks.”
“Oh. No, I…I didn’t even know we needed that.”
“We don’t really need it,” Beomgyu says with a small shrug. “But Tyun and I strongly suggest you use it, since you’re going up against Soobin.”
“But he’s just an archer. What damage can he do to me when I can easily avoid his arrows?”
Beomgyu and Taehyun share another look. “You underestimate him,” the youngest says with a small chuckle.
“Trust me, you’ll thank us for recommending it,” Beomgyu adds.
Yeonjun looks at them, a bit weird. He doesn’t bother telling them that they’re slightly freaking him out, since he doesn’t want them to think he’s weak. Instead, he decides to ask, “Where do I get this gear, then?”
“Easy.” Taehyun smiles. He whispers a spell underneath his breath, and before he knows it, Yeonjun is dressed in a wide, quilted leather corset-style belt in a deep plum shade. The belt wraps around his slender waist multiple times, secured with visible buckles and giving off a warrior-meets-noble aesthetic, and to secure armor or his sword. Just a few inches below, matching brown leather harnesses wrap around his left thigh and hip, which are also possibly designed for holding his sword or utility gear.
“Wow.” Beomgyu lets out a small wolf whistle, earning him a small glare from Taehyun. “That looks hot on you.” Then he lets out an “oof!” when the shortest elbows him in the ribs.
“Is all this really necessary?” Yeonjun questions as he looks down at himself.
“Yes,” Taehyun replies. “The spell I just cast was to call for the gear specifically made for you, and to help you in your training and combat sessions.”
Yeonjun nods, figuring Taehyun has a point, given the harnesses wrapped around his lower body. “Will Soobin have training gear, too?”
“He doesn’t go anywhere without it.”
Minutes later, Yeonjun finds himself with Beomgyu and Taehyun on the training fields. They’re in the free rein area, where there aren’t any obstacles or members blocking their way. Yeonjun looks ready, his sword in his hand, and pulsing a small hum as it glows purple in his hand. Beomgyu and Taehyun are immersed in a conversation amongst themselves, whilst they wait for Soobin to appear.
He does a few minutes later, and much to Yeonjun’s slight surprise, Beomgyu and Taehyun were right—he is wearing his training gear. A broad brown leather strap crosses his torso diagonally, anchoring a finely detailed archer’s shoulder guard on his right side. The guard has an embossed, almost dragon-scale-like pattern, reinforcing his elite warrior status. He holds a long, curved bow crafted in wood and dark metal, resting calmly against his chest, and on his back, Yeonjun can spot the quiver, hinting at the countless arrows at his disposal—metaphorically and literally. And like always, his expression is cold and unreadable.
“About time you show up,” Beomgyu says, amused, as he crosses his arms once he notices Soobin finally joining them.
Soobin ignores him. He steps into the official reign area, and Yeonjun hesitates before doing the same.
“You got this, Yeonjun-ssi!” he hears Taehyun call out behind him.
“Beat his ass!” Beomgyu adds.
But Yeonjun doesn’t focus much on their encouragement. All he focuses on is Soobin, who’s staring at him with so much hatred in his eyes that it makes Yeonjun feel guilty, even though he’s never done anything to him.
“Pathetic,” he scoffs under his breath, getting his bow and arrow ready. He looks back at Yeonjun. “Try to keep up. I don’t have time to babysit fallen warriors.”
Maybe it’s the tension surrounding them that is finally making Yeonjun snap slightly, or the fact that Soobin’s unjustified hatred is finally getting to him, but he finds himself saying, “Good. I wasn’t planning on going easy on you, anyway.”
Then, they begin. They circle each other, eyes locked. When Yeonjun lunges first, Soobin’s already gone, a blur of motion. An arrow whizzes past Yeonjun’s ear—not close enough to hit, but close enough to warn.
“You’re slow,” Soobin says, already nocking another arrow. “Is that how you survived your old clan? Pity?”
That makes Yeonjun snap. The ground beneath his boots lights up faintly, sparks trailing behind him as he charges forward with his blade. Their powers clash—fire ignites midair from Yeonjun’s swing, whilst Soobin’s arrows fly ice-cold, slicing through the heat.
But Soobin’s arrow doesn’t even graze him, leading to Yeonjun undermining Soobin’s precision. He moves to lunge again, but then he feels a prickling sensation in his shoulder. It doesn’t hurt, but it stings. It’s sharp and makes him stop in his tracks. He looks at Soobin, who’s smirking.
“That would’ve been your throat,” he taunts.
But Yeonjun doesn’t let that stop him. He closes the distance with speed and forces Soobin to dodge back—barely.
—
It quickly becomes clear that they’re perfectly matched in power and skill.
Too perfect.
And yet, they clash in every way, unwilling to cooperate with one another.
“You always think you’re the best at everything,” Yeonjun scowls, his sword pulsing in his hand. “You’re too arrogant for your own good.”
“At least I wasn’t thrown away like trash,” Soobin bites back, making Yeonjun freeze. Soobin takes advantage and throws an arrow straight at his sword, making it fly back until it pins it against the nearest building a hundred feet away from them. With the arrow in the blade, the sword stops pulsing, and the purple glow fades away.
“You don’t know anything about me,” Yeonjun manages to say, once he’s found his voice.
Soobin’s voice stays cold as he says, “And I don’t want to.”
That stings. More than Yeonjun wants to admit.
Luckily, before Soobin can say anything harsher, a familiar voice interrupts them. “That’s enough.”
Yeonjun looks up, surprised to see Taehyung standing a few feet away from them, Beomgyu and Taehyun standing behind him, looking at each other. Yeonjun immediately knows they were the ones who called him, knowing they did it before things could get too ugly between him and Soobin.
“You two are supposed to learn how to train together peacefully, not tear each other apart,” Taehyung continues, his voice stern, albeit his words are more directed at Soobin.
The redhead scoffs. He holds out his hand, and the arrow that was pinning Yeonjun’s sword against the building flies back to him. His jaw tightens before he walks away, leaving the other four standing there. Yeonjun does the same thing Soobin did with his own hand, and his sword flies back to him. He lingers, silently gripping his sword like it’s the only thing holding him up.
Taehyung looks away from Soobin’s retreating figure to look at Yeonjun, a small frown growing on his face when he notices the pain in his eyes. He heard what Soobin told him, and knows that it must’ve felt like a knife in his heart.
“Jun-”
“D-don’t,” he says softly, taking a step back. A tear manages to escape, and he wipes it away, hating that he’s showing such vulnerability to the other three.
“Want me to transport you back to your room?” Beomgyu asks, his voice soft for once.
Yeonjun wants to say that he doesn’t need his help, but his offer sounds too tempting. He finds himself nodding, and two seconds later, he’s in his room. He looks down at his sword, which isn’t glowing anymore, but it does when a tear falls onto it. Yeonjun scoffs—not at his sword, but at himself. He places his sword down before walking over to the windowsill. He sits down on it and curls himself into a ball, Soobin’s words repeatedly running through his mind.
Yeonjun didn’t think Soobin would hate him so much that he would throw his past right at his face just like that.
That night, Yeonjun cries himself to sleep for the first time in a while.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
The next morning, Yeonjun doesn’t want to leave his room. His head pounds slightly from all his crying the night before, giving him more reason to stay in bed.
He’s even about to go back to sleep when he hears a sudden, soft knock at his door. “Jun? May I come in?” It’s Taehyung.
Yeonjun’s first instinct is to tell the blond to go away, but he remembers everything he’s done for him over the past few months. Letting out a small sigh, he lets out a small, “Okay.”
The door to his bedroom opens, and Taehyung appears, dressed and ready for the day. There’s a worried look on his face, and he nears Yeonjun’s bed.
“How are you feeling?” Taehyung asks.
“Like shit.” Yeonjun doesn’t bother lying.
“Are you planning on staying in bed the whole day?”
Yeonjun nods.
“Well, don’t. Get up. Get your day started.”
“Hyung-”
“I’m not telling you this to be annoying,” Taehyung interrupts, almost gently. “I’m telling you this for your own good. If you stay here, you’ll just let Soobin know how much he affects you. You’ll be letting him win this round. Is that what you want?”
No , Yeonjun immediately thinks. But at the same time, he isn’t sure he’ll be able to maintain his composure if Soobin throws his past back at him like that again.
“Don’t let him think he’s gotten to you,” Taehyung continues.
“I thought he was your friend,” Yeonjun says quietly, wondering why Taehyung isn’t defending Soobin.
“Even as his friend, I still hate him for being such an asshole to you last night., That was uncalled for. So c’mon, get up, and start your day. Don’t let that asshole ruin it when he doesn’t know anything.”
Yeonjun sighs. As much as he wants to stay in bed, he knows Taehyung is right. He just seems to have forgotten that his and Soobin’s training session yesterday didn’t go perfectly, and the leader won’t be okay with that. He doesn’t think of the consequences as he gets up and begins getting ready for the day.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
This time, it’s the leader who comes to them.
Yeonjun is in the library with Taehyun, quizzing him on terms he should know for his studies. Helping Taehyun study has let Yeonjun keep his mind off Soobin, which he’s grateful for. He isn’t sure if he’s ready to see the taller one anytime soon.
“What should you do when-” Interrupting Yeonjun is a small whoosh coming from behind them. He and Taehyun look up, their eyes widening slightly when they land on the leader.
“Hyung?” Taehyun is surprised to see him here, since the leader rarely ever comes to look for people himself.
“Hi, you two.” The leader gives them a small smile. “Not too busy, I hope?”
“Um…no,” Yeonjun says, glancing at Taehyun, who glances back at him. “I was just helping Taehyun-ssi study.”
“Good. You two are coming with me.”
“Where?” Taehyun asks.
“You’ll see.” With a smile, the leader manages to transport them to the training fields. More specifically, the free rein area, where everything went down between Soobin and Yeonjun.
“What are we doing here?” he says, unable to help the small frown growing on his face.
The leader doesn’t answer. Instead, he simply looks up, making Yeonjun and Taehyun follow his gaze. Much to Yeonjun’s dismay, his eyes land on a familiar redhead, who’s being pulled—more like dragged—toward them by familiar oreo-haired and mint-haired males.
“Sorry we took so long,” Beomgyu says with a sigh once they arrive. “ Someone was being a pain in the ass.” He shoots Soobin a look.
“What’s new?” Kai cackles as he lets Soobin snatch his arm away.
“Thank you both for bringing him here,” the leader tells Beomgyu and Kai, who nod, before stepping off to the side with Taehyun. The leader then looks at Soobin and Yeonjun, both of them looking like they’d rather be anywhere but here. “Now, I’m sure you two are wondering what you’re doing here, and really, I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out for yourselves yet: you’re training together once again today.”
“What?” Yeonjun says in disbelief. Soobin doesn’t look surprised, but he doesn’t look happy about it, either.
“You heard me, Yeonjun-ah,” the leader says. “You will be training with Soobin again today.”
“Why?”
“You thought yesterday was enough?” The leader raises a brow at him. “You and Soobin were barely in sync with each other. You kept clashing at each other, and if what Taehyung told me is true, you also almost tore each other apart.” But just like Taehyung, the leader’s words are more directed to Soobin. “So, you will continue having training sessions until you can learn how to cooperate with one another.”
“But, hyung-”
“My decision is final,” the leader says sharply. “Either learn how to cooperate with one another, or be each other’s demise in this clan. Your choice.” With that, he vanishes from sight, leaving the five alone.
But Yeonjun’s focus is only on Soobin. The rest of the world around them becomes a blur, and he notices the way the redhead’s hands clench into fists. How his jaw tightens. How cold his gaze directed towards him is.
But this time, Yeonjun meets Soobin’s cold gaze with one of his own. Yesterday was like a slap in the face to him. It proved just how much Soobin hates and disrespects him, and Yeonjun is tired of letting Soobin’s unreasonable hatred toward him slide.
If Soobin wants to play this game, Yeonjun can, too.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
But that ends up with them getting nowhere.
Each training session is spent with them saying harsh words to each other, and Soobin’s arrows and Yeonjun’s sword clashing at every turn. Regardless of how much the leader forces them to train together, they don’t learn. Their hatred for each other is way too strong.
So finally, the leader snaps.
“Time and time again, I have told both of you to work out your shit, and learn how to deal with it!” he yells, having called Soobin and Yeonjun to his office after their nth failed attempt at training together. Soobin is just looking away with a scowl, whilst Yeonjun has his head bowed down. Despite his ongoing feuds with Soobin, he’s never liked it when someone yells at him. “But do you listen? No, and I am tired of telling you two to learn how to cooperate with one another! You’re lucky I’m feeling nice, or else I would’ve put temporary shackles on both of you a long time ago.”
The mention of shackles is enough to make Yeonjun tense. He’s had his fair share of shackles, and he isn’t sure if he’ll be able to live through another experience like that again.
“So, here’s what we’re going to do.” The leader looks at them, his expression darkening. “The training fields aren’t working. I think you both need to see just how real things can get when your partner isn’t in sync with you. So, I’m sending you both on a mission. Together .”
“What?” Soobin is the first one to speak, unable to believe his ears.
“You heard me.” The leader crosses his muscular arms across his chest. “You two will be going on a mission, or a small assignment if you will, and learn how to work together. And if even that’s not enough, then I will have to resort to temporary shackles.”
“Going on a mission together is just going to-”
The leader silences Yeonjun with a simple raise of his hand. “Save it, Yeonjun. I’ve given you two chances to prove that you can work together, but you two refuse to show any progress. So if forcing you both to go on a mission together is the way to prove to you both how critical it is to cooperate with your fellow clan member, then so be it.”
“You can’t be serious,” Soobin scoffs.
“Oh, I’m the most serious I’ve been in my life,” the leader says.
“Isn’t there another option? I don’t think we can-”
“There’s no other option,” the leader interrupts sharply. “Either you go on this mission and prove yourselves, or you’ll be living with temporary shackles.”
Soobin and Yeonjun stay silent.
“That’s what I thought,” the leader mutters with a small scoff. “Now, I’m sending you both on a recon mission. It’s something small—all you’ll be doing is scouting the perimeter of a nearby corrupted zone. It shouldn’t be much, but if what the villagers are saying is true, then you should be careful. Danger is always lurking nearby, and most likely, it’ll take both of you to figure out what to do if things go wrong. As expected, you’ll be going together— alone —and you can leave as soon as you’re ready.” He glances at his watch. “It’s nearing four o’clock, so I suggest you both get a move on before it gets dark. That’s all. You’re dismissed.”
Soobin is the first one to leave. He scoffs as he storms out of the leader’s office, the door slamming closed behind him. That leaves Yeonjun and the leader alone, and Yeonjun moves to leave the office as well.
“Wait a sec, Yeonjun-ah.” The leader’s voice calls him back, and it’s softer than before.
Yeonjun hesitantly turns back to him. “Yes?”
“I understand tension is high between you and Soobin,” he starts. “But do try to work together with him. I’d hate to see your downfall before you can get anywhere in this clan. Don’t let him get to you.”
“That’s easier said than done,” Yeonjun mutters with a small frown.
“I know,” the leader says with a small sigh. “But just try this once. You might be grateful for it.”
Yeonjun wonders what the leader means by that, but the warning look he sends him tells him he shouldn’t ask.
“You’ll meet Soobin at the exit of the village,” the leader informs. “I’m sure Soobin is already there, anyway. And one more thing: do try to hurry, Yeonjun-ah. That place is corrupted for a reason.”
Yeonjun nods. He bows to the leader before leaving his office. He knows he doesn’t need anything except his sword and training gear, so he extends his hand, and his sword comes flying to him. He snaps his fingers, and in the next second, his training gear is on him. He inhales a bit shakily as he tucks his sword in the harness around his thigh and hip, and makes his way to the exit of the village.
Just like the leader said, Soobin is already there. His training gear is also on, and his quiver stands out from his back like always. He looks up once he hears Yeonjun’s footsteps, and his gaze immediately turns cold. Yeonjun’s gaze almost turns cold as well, before the leader’s words run through his mind.
“You’re probably too dumb to know what to do on missions like these, so just let me handle everything,” Soobin says with a small scowl as they begin walking, which is enough to make the leader’s words vanish from Yeonjun’s mind.
He glares at Soobin. “Why do you always think you have the right to make every decision for everyone?”
“Because I’m smarter than everyone. Especially you.”
“You don’t even know me!”
“And like I’ve always said, I don’t want to.” Soobin’s voice is sharp. “Now stop arguing, and listen to what I say.”
“No,” Yeonjun scoffs. “I don’t have to listen to you.”
“If we do what you say, you’re going to get us both killed.”
Yeonjun’s glare deepens. “Can you stop undermining my input on everything? You don’t even know-”
“How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t want to?” Soobin snaps. “Now, shut. Up. And listen without complaining for once.”
But Yeonjun doesn’t. They eventually reach the corrupted zone and continue arguing. They argue over strategy and who should listen to whom. They both think the other is in the wrong, and just like always, they get nowhere.
However, eventually, their fighting comes to a stop. They’ve had enough of each other, and neither feels like wasting their breath on the other anymore. Yeonjun even walks slightly ahead, gripping the hilt of his sword to help ground himself.
As they trek deeper into the valley of the zone, the sudden mist surrounding them thickens, each step they take crunching over fractured glass-like debris that glitters under the moonlight, which proves how long they had been fighting for.
Silence cloaks them—taut, waiting.
But they both come to realize that it’s too silent, especially in an area like this.
Yeonjun remains walking ahead, sword sheathed but ready. Soobin follows, bow in hand, eyes never still.
Then the air shifts.
The temperature drops. The silence becomes unnatural.
Soobin draws an arrow, voice clipped. “We’re not alone.”
From the fog, a figure emerges—Yeonjun’s face mirrored back at him in twisted, warped glass. Its body ripples like smoke, shards of reflective crystal jutting out at sharp angles. Its smile is wrong. Familiar. But still so wrong.
Soobin immediately recognizes it as a Mirror Wraith.
“You let them die,” it whispers in Yeonjun’s voice. A low echo, full of guilt and venom. “You were supposed to protect them.”
Yeonjun freezes. His pulse spikes as the creature’s words hit too close to home. He’s been repressing the memories of that day for so long that he can’t hold them back anymore, especially not now that they’re being shoved in his face again.
Another Wraith steps forward—this time, it wears the face of his former clan leader, eyes blazing, mouth curled in disgust. “I should’ve killed you the day you dropped that sword.”
Yeonjun can just stand there, each word hitting him like a dagger to the heart. His grip on the hilt of his sword grows weak. A part of his mind tells him to snap out of it, that this isn’t real, but the guilt and regret are too much. Tears blur his vision, and he forgets that Soobin is even standing there, only a couple of inches away.
But Soobin doesn’t just stand there, already moving. An arrow flies—straight through a Wraith’s head. It shatters with a sharp crack into dust.
“Don’t look at them,” Soobin snaps. “Keep your mind clear, or they’ll—”
Too late.
A third Wraith takes on the form of Yeonjun’s mother, her voice soft and cruel. “You always wanted to be special. But you were never good enough, were you? ”
Yeonjun stumbles back as a sharp burn suddenly rips through his shoulder. He barely has time to register the pain before he’s hit—slashed by one of the Wraiths whilst distracted. Worst of all, it was by the Wraith in the form of his mother. His sword clatters to the ground.
“Shit—Yeonjun!” Soobin’s shout is followed by the twang of another arrow.
But even his focus fractures for a second when a Wraith morphs into Yeonjun, voice venomous: “You’re scared of him. Why else are you always watching?”
Soobin growls and tries to draw back, but then a sudden crack echoes through the air painfully . A Wraith slams into him hard, breaking through his guard. He hits the ground with a grunt, pain radiating from his ribs.
There are too many.
“We need to move— now! ” Soobin barks, grabbing Yeonjun by the arm, ignoring the blood he feels there. “They’re feeding on your memories.”
Yeonjun can only nod shakily. He doesn’t trust his voice.
They run. Or limp, really—wounded, breathless, chased by whispers and fog and broken versions of themselves. Just when Yeonjun’s about to collapse, Soobin spots a crumbling ruin half-swallowed by vines and fog.
“In there!”
They burst through a broken archway, collapsing inside the shell of what used to be a stone hall. The fog presses outside like it’s waiting.
Inside, it’s cold and damp, but still. Silent. The Wraiths don’t follow.
Yeonjun sinks to the floor, back to the wall, clutching his bleeding arm. Soobin leans against the opposite wall, hand pressed to his side, breath shallow.
Neither of them speaks at first.
Finally:
“…You okay?” Yeonjun asks, his voice hoarse.
Soobin lets out a low hiss as he shifts. “Cracked a rib.”
Yeonjun feels guilt welling up in him. “That’s my fault.”
“You’re damn right it is.”
“I let them get to me,” Yeonjun mutters, bowing his head down in shame.
“I noticed,” Soobin says. Then, softer, “That’s what they do. Twist what you already believe about yourself. That’s how they win.”
Yeonjun closes his eyes. “You should’ve left me behind.”
“You think I’d do that?” Soobin snaps. “You think I want to be here in this godforsaken ruin, ribs broken, bleeding— because I want to babysit you? ”
Yeonjun flinches at the bitterness. But still…Soobin didn’t leave.
He stayed.
“…Thanks,” Yeonjun says quietly.
Soobin doesn’t reply. Just exhales slowly, shutting his eyes as the mist outside coils around the ruin like it’s waiting for a chance to come back.
For a while, there is only silence between them. But not the comforting kind. The kind that crackles with too much unspoken bitterness.
Until Yeonjun finally breaks it again when he notices the way Soobin is breathing shallowly and won’t stand straight, given his broken ribs. Which he only got because he was trying to snap Yeonjun out of his trance.
“You know,” he mutters, not looking at him, “I get that you don’t like me. But is there actually a reason behind it? Or do you just wake up every day and decide to hate me for sport?”
Soobin doesn’t respond right away. Just stares out through the broken wall, jaw tense.
“You act like I personally destroyed your entire life,” Yeonjun continues, voice sharper now. “I’ve tried. Every day since I got here. I took the crap you all threw at me and kept my head down. I even followed your lead at first, even when you treated me like—like I didn’t belong.”
“Because you don’t ,” Soobin snaps, finally turning to face him. His eyes are cold. Not angry—cold. Like someone who had to freeze over something inside himself to keep functioning. “People like you…” He shakes his head. “You don’t understand what it means to protect something. You want to be accepted, but you’ve never had to sacrifice for it. You don’t know what I’ve had to do to survive.”
Yeonjun stares at him. “Then tell me. Enlighten me. Because all I see is someone who’d rather hate than try.”
A beat. Soobin’s lip curls slightly, like he wants to say something cruel. But he doesn’t.
Instead, his voice drops lower. “The last outsider we let in—he betrayed us. Nearly got two of our own killed. And I vouched for him. I believed in him.” He looks away again. “I won’t make that mistake twice.”
Yeonjun’s breath catches.
The pieces click together. The bitterness. The anger. The fear.
“So you hate me because I remind you of him.”
“I hate you because you’re just like him. ”
“I’m not him,” Yeonjun says quietly. “And you don’t know a damn thing about me if you think I’d betray this place. This is all I have now.”
Soobin doesn’t reply. He just stares at the ruined wall again, chest rising and falling unevenly. Eventually, he speaks again—but not to Yeonjun. He takes out an arrow from his back and speaks into it. Yeonjun manages to hear him say that both he and Yeonjun are injured, and that they need rescuing. He then shoots the arrow out of the ruin as best as he can with his injured ribs, before leaning back against the wall again.
Then, it’s silent between them again. They don’t speak, not even when the extraction team arrives.
But something has shifted.
And neither of them quite knows what to do with it.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
On the way back to the clan, Soobin and Yeonjun don’t talk. They barely even look at each other.
The healers rush to them the moment they arrive at base, splitting them off into separate rooms for treatment. But for some reason, despite how injured they are, Yeonjun wants to argue, to say something—maybe not even to the medics, maybe to Soobin. Maybe to prove that just because of their ‘moment’ in the ruin, nothing has changed between them. Or maybe so that he won’t focus on the reason why Soobin hates him so much. But he doesn’t.
Not like he has the chance to, anyway. Soobin is already gone by the time he tries opening his mouth, swallowed by white walls and a crowd of concerned faces that only ever seem to gather for him.
Fortunately (or not), Yeonjun’s recovery is short. Physically, at least. The healers work quickly, and with Taehyung, albeit freaked out that Yeonjun got so hurt when it was supposed to be a simple mission, by his side, Yeonjun managed to heal quicker. Magic surged warm and bright through his veins, patching torn skin and broken muscle. But the heaviness in his chest stays stubborn.
That night, even after Taehyung’s relentless coddling and making sure he was alright and comfortable in his bed, he finds himself unable to sleep. So he walks.
The halls of the Star Seekers’ compound are quiet after midnight, all ivory and silver in the moonlight. His steps echo faintly, but he pauses when he sees a shadow near the training arena balcony.
Of course, it’s him.
Soobin stands at the edge, half his torso still bandaged. He doesn’t turn when Yeonjun approaches. Just says flatly, “Don’t you have a room?”
“Can’t sleep.” Yeonjun leans on the railing beside him. “Didn’t expect you to be out here.”
Soobin shrugs. “Didn’t expect to be stuck with you on a mission.”
Yeonjun laughs softly—dry, almost bitter. “Right. Because that went so well.”
“You’re reckless,” Soobin said suddenly. “Back there—you didn’t try to defend yourself. You let the Wraiths get to you. That was stupid. If I hadn’t taken that blow, you would have died.”
Yeonjun looks at him. “Why do you care?”
Silence. Again. That infuriating Soobin-brand silence.
“You hate me, remember?” Yeonjun adds, his voice quieter now. “So why does it matter what I do?”
Soobin still doesn’t answer right away. He just exhales, eyes locked on the night sky beyond the balcony. His voice comes quieter when he finally speaks: “Because I don’t want you to die before I figure out what to do with you.”
Yeonjun blinks. “...What does that even mean?”
Soobin glances at him then. Really looks at him. “It means you’re not what I thought you were. And I don’t know if that makes things better or worse.”
Their eyes hold for a beat too long.
Yeonjun doesn’t know whether to feel relieved or more confused. But something in Soobin’s voice—strained, honest, uncertain —tugs at the wall he built around his own heart.
He doesn’t say anything back.
He just stays there, standing beside him in silence, letting the cold night wind bite at their skin, whilst the distance between them—both literal and emotional—shrinks just a little more.
Chapter Text
But despite the small moment they shared that night (entire day), it’s as if nothing happened, because everything stays the same between Soobin and Yeonjun. The archer acts as if nothing happened between them the following day, leaving Yeonjun confused and conflicted. He tries to shove those feelings down, though, telling himself it’s just classic Soobin-asshole behavior, and he shouldn’t have thought anything about what happened between them, anyway. It’s not like it was enough to suddenly make Soobin stop hating him.
But still. Yeonjun can’t stop thinking about what Soobin told him. More specifically, about why he hates him so much.
“The last outsider we let in—he betrayed us. Nearly got two of our own killed. And I vouched for him. I believed in him. I won’t make that mistake twice… I hate you because you’re just like him .”
Those words keep running through Yeonjun’s mind. He wants to know more about this last outsider they let in, and what he did to get Soobin’s trust. But what he wants to know even more is how in the world he’s just like him.
On a few occasions, Yeonjun thinks about asking Taehyung or even Taehyun about it, but decides not to at the last minute. Both Taes will probably tell him something along the lines of “don’t worry about it” and “it’s Soobin’s story to tell.” Or—more like Taehyun—won’t want to tell him anything. So his only option is to stay in the dark, whilst having those thoughts unwillingly live in his mind rent-free.
Since they returned from their mission so injured, when it was just supposed to be a simple one, the leader agreed to give Soobin and Yeonjun a break on their mandatory training. The healers did heal their injuries, but the leader figures they could use the break. When they returned, he already knew the tension between them had grown thicker, which was the opposite of what he wanted. He just hopes that the break will be what they need.
But despite that, Yeonjun still finds himself in the training fields more often than not. He doesn’t see Soobin whenever he’s there, and he doesn’t know whether he’s relieved or not about that. Nevertheless, he tells himself not to focus on the archer. Doing so will simply complicate everything, and he already has a lot going on.
Which brings us to now. Yeonjun is dressed in his training gear, holding his sword tightly in his hands. He’s sparring on his own, a dummy a few feet away from him. But just as he’s about to swing the sword down and slash it through the dummy’s head, it suddenly misfires in a surge of purple-black energy, singeing not only all of the dummy but part of the arena floor as well.
Everything and everyone go silent.
Everyone else on the training fields stop whatever they were doing to stare at Yeonjun and what his sword just caused in surprise.
If the dummy were a real person, they'd be dead.
But Yeonjun himself doesn’t know what happened. His grip on his sword has grown limp, and he doesn’t even notice the way his sword is emitting faint pulses of dark violet light, almost like it’s breathing.
The onlookers begin murmuring amongst themselves. Yeonjun doesn’t know what exactly they’re murmuring about, but it wouldn’t take a fool to know they’re talking about him. And suddenly, it feels like it’s his first day here all over again. His fellow clan members won’t stop staring at him, some even beginning to look at him with distaste once again, and Yeonjun feels like he’s on display at a museum.
But then, it’s as if nothing happened. Everyone else returns to what they were doing, which confuses Yeonjun. Weren’t they just staring at him as if he doesn’t belong again?
“Hm, feels kinda like déjá vu, don’t you think?” a familiar voice says behind him. Yeonjun looks up, a bit surprised when his eyes land on a familiar mint-haired male.
“K-Kamal?” Yeonjun says, surprised and confused.
“In the flesh.” Kai grins, before his eyes lower to Yeonjun’s sword. “Why’s your sword acting like that?”
Yeonjun brings his sword up to view, which isn’t emitting anything anymore. It’s back to normal, which doesn’t strike Yeonjun as odd. Not like he noticed anything was even off at first, anyway.
“I…I don’t know,” he says, a small frown subconsciously growing on his face. “I-it was fine, and then suddenly…that happened.” He motions to the dummy, expecting most of it to be blackened and in ashes, but when he turns to look at it, it’s all in one piece. His eyes widen. “W-what the-?”
“Omnipotent, remember?” Kai’s grin returns, motioning to himself. “You’re welcome.”
“ You’re the one who did all this?” Yeonjun motions to everything seeming back to normal.
“Yeah.” The smugness in Kai’s grin is replaced with genuineness. “Take it as a start of my apology. I take it you don’t need our clan members acting like it’s your first day here again.”
“I really don’t,” Yeonjun mutters. “But the start of your apology?”
Kai nods, growing a bit sheepish. “I wasn’t really welcoming when we first met. Even after . I was probably just as much of an ass as Soobin-hyung.”
Yeonjun tries to hide the way he tenses at the mention of the redhead. “It’s…alright, I suppose. If I were in your shoes, I probably would’ve acted the same towards some strange outsider.”
“Yeah, but it wasn’t right of me to put my hands on you like that when we first sparred,” Kai says pointedly. “If you could even call it sparring, that is. So, I’m sorry, Yeonjun-ssi.”
The ravenette lets out a small smile. “Apology accepted, Kamal-ssi.”
“Kai,” he corrects with a smile. “And no need to be so formal. ‘Kai-ah’s’ fine. And hopefully, you won’t mind if I call you ‘hyung.’”
“I won’t. But how do you know I’m your hyung?”
Kai’s grin returns once again. “Omnipotent, remember?”
“Right, right.” Yeonjun rolls his eyes with a small chuckle. “So, that’s you and Taehyun-ssi. That leaves Beomgyu-ssi.”
“Oh, don’t worry too much about him.” Kai waves Yeonjun off. “Beomgyu-hyung’s usually just putting on a brave act, especially if Tae is putting one up, too. But once he sees that you and Tae are practically besties by now, I’m sure it won’t take him long to warm up to you, too.”
Yeonjun nods, a bit of relief falling over him. “Speaking of…what’s up with him and Taehyun-ssi? Are they, like…a couple or something?”
“I ask myself that every day, hyung.”
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Kai’s intervention on that day was enough for Yeonjun to forget how weird his sword acted. And he continues not noticing that anything’s wrong.
But a few days after that small ‘incident,’ the blade continues throbbing with soft, dark violet light, each pulse slow and steady, as if something beneath its surface is breathing. When Yeonjun is training or holding it, the sword feels heavier in his hand, like it’s resisting him slightly. The usual comforting hum it gave off is gone. Instead, it hums differently —sharper, lower, almost like a growl.
And yet, he isn’t alarmed by any of it. He shrugs it all off, thinking it’s probably just a side effect of his sword being locked away for so long.
Until a week later, when his mind is forced to change.
The training field buzzes with late-afternoon energy, blades clashing, boots pounding against dirt, orders being barked across the open grounds. Despite the leader’s orders to take a break, Yeonjun is mid-spar with Taehyun—again. The two keep each other on their feet, and Taehyun knows Yeonjun should rest, but every time he brings it up, Yeonjun riles him up enough to make him agree to spar with him. Lately, their sessions have been more frequent, more focused. Taehyun is quick with his strikes, sharp with his critiques.
But today, for some reason, Yeonjun isn’t sure he’s keeping up.
His sword hums in his grip, the pulse in its hilt matching his heartbeat.
“Again,” Taehyun says, breathing lightly. He twirls his staff and plants his stance. “You’re holding back.”
Yeonjun exhales and tightens his grip on his sword. “Alright. No holding back.” He lunges, sword arcing through the air with force—but the moment the blade slices downward, something happens.
A sudden flare of light erupts from the blade—deep purple laced with black veins. The ground trembles, and a shockwave bursts out in every direction, which is strong enough to throw Taehyun across the field like a ragdoll, slamming into the dirt with a grunt that chokes the breath from his lungs.
A split second of silence follows—horrified silence.
Every spar comes to a halt.
Even the wind seems to stop.
All heads turn to Yeonjun.
Yeonjun stands frozen, eyes wide, sword trembling in his grip. The weapon in his hands steams , faint curls of violet mist rising from the blade like smoke. It pulses—once, twice, like a second heartbeat.
He drops it.
The metal hitting the ground is deafening. The sword bounces, lands flat, and hums low like it’s still hungry for more. Faint cracks of black light pulse across its surface before fading.
Yeonjun steps back. “I didn’t—I didn’t mean to—”
Taehyun groans from where he landed, still conscious, but clearly winded. Beomgyu, appearing out of nowhere, rushes to his side.
“Everyone back!” someone shouts. “Get the healers!”
This time, Kai isn’t here to make everything seem normal again. Multiple pairs of eyes burn into Yeonjun, and he feels his breath and pulse quickening, scared that he might’ve harmed Taehyun immensely. He doesn’t fail to notice a few of the older warriors exchange looks—dark, wary ones, which makes his panic rise to the surface.
“Yeonjun!” A healer suddenly grabs him by the arm, appearing from nowhere as well, before he can have a full-on panic attack. “Come. Now.”
He doesn’t resist. He can’t. He just stares at the sword as they pull him away.
—
Yeonjun sits in the healer’s quarters, shirt off, the cold metal of an enchanted probe pressed to his back. Runes pulse softly on his skin, scanning, measuring. A glowstone orb hovers beside his head, flickering in and out like it can’t get a stable reading.
The lead healer frowns.
“No infection,” she says at last. “His vitals are clean. The Wraith magic didn’t sink into him.”
Despite his confusion at the sudden mention of the Wraiths, Yeonjun exhales—but it doesn’t feel like relief.
“Then what happened?” he mutters.
Another healer, older and gruff, eyes the blade lying carefully sealed across the room in a warded glass case.
“It’s not you , boy,” he says. “It’s the sword.”
Yeonjun stiffens. “What?”
“You brought that thing into a corrupted zone. Let it absorb power from something twisted. And now it’s turned.”
The room falls silent.
One of the older warriors, passing through the doorway, mutters just loud enough to be heard: “Corrupted weaponry. I’ve seen it before. Sacred relics that twist from inside out. Power changes. It becomes…hungry. Unstable.”
Yeonjun’s throat goes dry. “Can it be fixed?”
No one answers immediately.
The older healer finally says, “We’ll have to watch it. And you.”
He feels the words like shackles. Like déjà vu.
“You’re saying I’m a danger again.”
“No,” the lead healer says, but even she doesn’t sound sure. “We’re saying this is new territory . And you need to be careful.”
Yeonjun glances through the glass at his sword.
It used to hum when he held it—warm, steady, like a tether to who he was.
Now it flickers. Growls, even in silence.
And he can’t help but wonder if it's still his sword at all.
That’s when it all finally hits him. How weird his sword has been acting. That day when it suddenly misfired in purple-black energy, but Kai was able to fix everything. How heavy and different it began to feel in his hands, as if it didn’t recognize him anywhere. It all began right after his and Soobin’s mission in the corrupted zone, where they encountered the Wraiths. Yeonjun was so focused on not letting the creatures get to him—and failing—and then getting to safety, that he didn’t realize what danger could’ve happened to his sword .
And now it’s probably too late.
It doesn’t surprise him when the healers say they can’t return his sword to him just yet. He leaves the infirmary empty-handed, but he doesn’t know whether that’s exactly a bad thing. He’s so immersed in his thoughts that he doesn’t notice the stares and whispers around him.
Not until he’s on his way to the classrooms, seeking comfort in the form of Taehyung. He hears a familiar voice talking not-so-subtly about him, and he recognizes that voice anywhere. It’s the same voice that’s been so petty towards him since his first conscious day here, and has continued being petty towards him ever since.
“Ever since his mission with Soobin-ssi, his sword isn’t the only one acting strange,” the blonde is saying. “He brought back something with him. I just know it. We let a stray like him in, and now we’re facing the consequences of that. Now the whole clan can suffer.”
Yeonjun freezes at her words. His fists clench weakly by his sides, and he feels tears prickling in his eyes. But he doesn’t dare let one escape. He can hear Jeongyeon snickering and gossiping about him amongst her friends, and he knows better than to go to the classrooms, even if it’s to be with Taehyung.
What if he thinks I’m suddenly corrupted, too?
Now wanting to be alone, and having nowhere else to go, Yeonjun changes directions and makes his way toward the blond’s cottage, trying to ignore (but failing) the whispers and stares he receives.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Unfortunately for him, the news of what happened with his sword doesn’t take long to spread throughout the clan. Soon, everyone knows what happened, and some even spark up rumors that he amplified his power without permission, breaking one of the rules, so that he could intentionally hurt Taehyun.
It’s just like his first month here all over again. Despite all the progress he made, people are back to seeing him as an outsider—someone who doesn’t belong, and is just here to bring them to their demise. Yeonjun’s overthinking and insecurities make him think that even Taehyung is probably thinking the same way as everyone else, making him stay cooped up in his room, and not want to talk to anyone, not even him.
So unsurprisingly, the news even reach the leader, too. He knows in his heart that Yeonjun would never do anything to harm anyone, let alone their clan; otherwise, he wouldn’t have even considered letting him stay for so long. He sighs as he looks out the window in his office, which overlooks most of the clan. He sees members walking about, but his eyes are mainly focused on the training fields, where he doesn’t see Yeonjun anymore, even though he’s always there.
“You called for me?” The red-haired archer doesn’t even bother knocking before walking straight into the leader’s office, sounding monotone like always.
It’s late evening. The sun is already beginning to set, and the office glows softly with floating lanterns, casting warm shadows. The leader looks out at the scenery outside his window once more, before walking to his desk, sitting down. Soobin stands before his desk, his posture rigid.
The leader is quiet for a long moment, fingers steepled under his chin.
“Soobin-ah,” he finally says, voice low but steady, “we both know the members are growing…uneasy.”
Soobin doesn’t respond. Despite keeping to himself ever since his mission with Yeonjun, he knows what this is about.
The leader continues, “They’re concerned about Yeonjun’s sword. About what it means. Its reaction after the Mirror Wraith encounter wasn’t just a flicker—it was a disturbance . One we can’t ignore.”
“So take the sword,” Soobin says bluntly.
The leader shakes his head. “We take the sword, we take his last thread of identity. That might do more damage than good.”
“So what do you want from me?”
A beat. Then: “I want you to watch him.”
Soobin’s jaw clenches. “You’re serious.”
“As serious as the Wraith that cracked your rib.”
“I’m not a babysitter.”
“You’re not. You’re the one person I trust to be unbiased .”
Soobin scoffs. “Unbiased? I still hate his guts.”
“Exactly.” The leader stands, walking around the desk until he’s directly in front of him. “You won’t be swayed by sympathy. If something’s wrong—if he’s slipping—I know you won’t hesitate to act. To tell me.”
“And if he’s not?”
“Then you’ll know that, too.”
Soobin exhales sharply, gaze darkening. “This is a mistake.”
“Maybe,” the leader agrees. “But if he is corrupted, we won’t get a second chance to find out.”
A long silence stretches.
Soobin finally nods—short, sharp. “Fine. I’ll watch him.”
The leader claps a hand on his shoulder. “I know you will. Keep it quiet. No one else needs to know.”
As Soobin turns to leave, the leader adds, “And Soobin?”
He pauses.
“…Don’t let your feelings get in the way. Either of them.”
Soobin doesn’t reply. He just walks out, expression unreadable.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
It takes another week for Yeonjun to finally feel brave enough to return to going outside, mainly thanks to Taehyung. Also like his first month here, everyone can hate and badmouth Yeonjun as much as they want, but they know he’s untouchable, since not only does he have the blond’s protection, but he also has the leader’s. If people know better than to cross Taehyung, they know especially not to cross their leader, unless they want to get exiled.
The first thing he does once he steps out of Taehyung’s cottage is go check up on Taehyun. He checks the infirmary first, and the lead healer tells him the silver-haired sorcerer was released an hour after he was checked in. Taehyun is a strong sorcerer, after all, and didn’t need that much medical attention. Nonetheless, the lead healer tells Yeonjun that despite that, Beomgyu is forcing him to be in bed rest, so he should find him—and probably Beomgyu, too—in the sorcerer’s cottage. She tells him where it is, before Yeonjun thanks her and follows her directions.
Minutes later, he arrives at the cottage, and it’s way different than all the other cottages, especially Taehyung’s. Taehyun’s cottage is modest and clean-cut. It’s tucked a little farther away from the other cottages, since it isn’t a secret that he likes being slightly isolated. The stone walls are pale gray, almost blending into the misty forest behind them, with simple white trimming around the windows and door. There are a few well-tended plants outside—lavender, sage, a few other low-maintenance herbs—but not many flowers. A small stone path leads to the front door, lined with sharp, orderly rocks.
But despite seeing how Taehyun is doing being what he had in mind, Yeonjun can’t find it in him to take another step. What if Taehyun is back to hating him? What if he agrees with their clan members and thinks Yeonjun is bringing corruption to their clan? What if the second he sees Yeonjun, he curses him for the rest of his life? So many possibilities and insecurities run through Yeonjun’s head that it’s enough to change his mind, and make him want to walk—read: run—away.
But by some miracle, he doesn’t. He tells himself to be strong, and that if Taehyun did want him dead or harmed, Yeonjun’s sure he would’ve done it by now. Or Beomgyu and Kai would’ve done it for him. Taking a deep breath, Yeonjun steps onto the stone path and reaches the front door a few seconds later. He hesitates once more, before ringing the doorbell, which is a lively tune, much to his surprise.
A few seconds later, the door is opened, and he isn’t surprised when he’s met with a certain oreo-haired wizard. Beomgyu looks a bit surprised but amused to see him, so much to Yeonjun’s relief, he doesn’t glare at him.
“Yeonjun-ssi.” Beomgyu’s tone isn’t curt, either. “What a surprise to see you here.”
“Hi.” Yeonjun gives him a slightly nervous smile. “Is, um, Taehyun-ssi here?”
Beomgyu nods. “Yeah. He’s in the living room. Wanna come in?”
Yeonjun nods. Beomgyu steps to the side to let him in, and Yeonjun does. Beomgyu closes the door behind him, whilst Yeonjun looks around the cottage, a bit subtly, unsurprised that the interior is almost as clean-cut as the exterior. But he doesn’t focus much on the house anymore when Beomgyu begins leading him to the living room. Yeonjun is hit with the reminder of why he’s here, which makes his nerves grow.
“Tyunnie, you’ve got a visitor,” Beomgyu announces, a bit sing-songy.
Taehyun looks up from his floating book, glasses perched up on his nose, which makes his wide eyes seem even wider, as he looks up at Yeonjun. The oldest expects Taehyun to scowl, his eyes to glow a certain color as he casts some detrimental spell on him, or something of the sort, so it surprises him when, instead, all Taehyun sends him is a smile.
“Hi, Yeonjun-ssi,” Taehyun greets. “I thought you’d never come.”
“H-hi.” Yeonjun is surprised that he even has his voice.
Taehyun seems to know why Yeonjun is so surprised, since he lets out a small giggle. “Why do you look so surprised?”
“I…” Yeonjun clears his throat. “I thought you…hate me.”
“Why would I hate you?”
“I kinda threw you across the field the other day, and literally knocked the breath out of your lungs?”
“Correction: your sword threw me across the field, and did all that. You had no part in it.”
“Y-yeah, but-”
“But nothing,” Taehyun says, getting up. Although he seems perfectly fine, Beomgyu is quick to ‘steady’ him by grabbing onto his slim waist. Taehyun seems used to it, since he barely even flinches at the touch. In fact, he even leans into it as he looks at Yeonjun warmly. “That wasn’t your fault, hyung.”
Taehyun calling him “hyung” is enough to let Yeonjun know that he truly isn’t mad at him, or thinks it was his fault. It’s like a burst of fresh air for someone to even look at him so warmly, and it’s so warming to Yeonjun that it makes tears prickle in the corners of his eyes.
“I-I’m still sorry,” he says. “I’m the one in charge of my sword, but I couldn’t control it from harming you like that.”
“You overworry too much,” Taehyun says with a small chuckle, waving him off. “Look, I’m in one piece, breathing, talking, and walking normally. Besides, it’ll take more than a lil whiplash to bring me down.”
“Y-you’re really not mad at me?”
“No,” Taehyun reassures. “So stop beating yourself up over it, hyung.”
That’s enough to make Yeonjun barely refrain from crying. He swallows a sob and smiles at Taehyun shakily.
“Thank you,” Yeonjun says, his voice barely a whisper.
Taehyun nods and grabs his hand to lead him to the couch. The three of them sit down, and Taehyun gives Yeonjun’s hand a small squeeze.
“But I know what people have been saying these days,” Taehyun says, making Yeonjun tense slightly. “And just know that you shouldn’t listen to them. They don’t know what they’re talking about.”
“Don’t they?” he says quietly, looking down at his hand in Taehyun’s. “ I’m the one who brought back the corrupted sword.”
“Which wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know it’d get corrupted. People are just stupid and don’t have a life besides gossiping.”
“Tyun’s right,” Beomgyu speaks up, much to Yeonjun’s surprise. “Besides, you shouldn’t be so affected by this, Yeonjun-ssi. Isn’t it exactly like your first month here?”
Yeonjun nods, knowing Beomgyu has a point.
“So you should know all people are is just talk,” he continues. “They’re all bark, but no bite. They won’t do anything to you. They know better than to.”
“Since when did you two get so good at comforting me?” Yeonjun says, a bit playfully, with a small sniffle.
“When we decided that we weren’t any better than those airheads talking about you when we were doing the same,” Taehyun says, giving Yeonjun’s hand another squeeze.
“Not to ruin the moment, but…where’s your sword?” Beomgyu asks, a bit hesitantly, once he barely senses that Yeonjun doesn’t have it with him.
Yeonjun lets out a small sigh. “The healers still have it with them.”
“Did they say when they’d return it to you?” Taehyun says.
“All they said was soon.”
As if on cue, the doorbell suddenly rings.
“I’ll get it,” Beomgyu says before the other two can even move. He lets go of Taehyun to open the door, and returns a few moments later with the lead healer of the infirmary. Yeonjun is a bit surprised to see her, but grows even more surprised when he sees his sword lying in her hands.
“Yeonjun-ssi, Taehyun-ssi.” She nods to them in a greeting, and they nod back. “I hope this isn’t a bad time.”
“It’s not,” Taehyun assures. “We were just talking.”
The lead healer nods before looking at Yeonjun. “I went to Taehyung-ah’s cottage first, but then one of my colleagues told me you were here instead.”
“Yeah, I wanted to patch things up with Taehyun, and make sure how he was doing alright after…” Yeonjun trails off, but knows the lead healer knows what he’s talking about. “Um, is everything okay?” He glances, a bit warily, at his sword.
“For now,” the healer replies. “I came to return this to you.” She hands him his sword.
For the first time in forever, Yeonjun hesitates in grabbing it. He doesn’t know what’ll happen if he does, and he doesn’t want to cause another incident. But it’s as if the sword is calling his name, since he finds himself reaching to grab it, anyway. Once it’s back in his hands, it feels heavy like it did before, but not as much. It also doesn’t misfire any energy or throw someone across the room again, so he figures that’s a win. But still, he remains wary.
“We ran multiple tests on your sword to see what we can do to it,” the healer begins, eyeing the sword in Yeonjun’s hand.
“And what did you find?” he asks, looking at her.
“Nothing,” she answers, much to his dismay. “Unfortunately, there isn’t anything that can help us return it to normal. But one of our other wizards was able to cast a protective relic on it, and it shouldn’t cause any more harm. Not until we figure out how to return it to normal, at least. But I’d still be careful if I were you, Yeonjun-ssi.”
The ravenette lets out a small frown. “I don’t think I want to risk it.”
“Don’t let fear get to you,” the healer says. “I have a feeling your sword can sense it, and who knows what it’s capable of now that it has corrupted magic in it. It might use your fear against you. You can’t let it control you.”
“Who knew stupid, simple Wraiths were enough to do all this shit?” Beomgyu mutters behind them, earning him a harsh nudge from Taehyun.
“I suggest you continue using it as if nothing happened,” the healer continues. “It’s still the source of your power, after all.”
Yeonjun nods, figuring she’s right. “I know. I’ll try.”
“Good.” The healer lets out a small smile and gets up. “I’ll leave you to it, then.” She then looks at Taehyun. “How are you feeling?”
“Good,” he responds. “My lungs and breathing are back to normal.”
“That’s good.” The healer then takes her leave, leaving the three alone in Taehyun’s cottage once again.
“You alright, Yeonjun-ssi?” Beomgyu asks, noticing the look on the tallest’s face.
“I…don’t know,” he admits, giving his sword a small frown. “I know the healer’s right, that I should use my power, but…”
“You’re scared,” Taehyun finishes.
Yeonjun doesn’t want to admit it, but knows he has to. “Yeah.”
“That’s understandable,” Beomgyu says. “But the healer’s right. If you let your fear get to you, it’ll do more harm than good. Who knows what the corrupted magic can do. But y ou’re in charge of the sword, not the other way around. Besides, with the relic it has now, I’m sure nothing will happen.”
Yeonjun nods, hoping Beomgyu’s right.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
It takes another week for Yeonjun to start getting used to using his sword again. Despite the leader’s and Beomgyu’s warnings, he’s still wary of it. And he isn’t the only one. But he remembers Beomgyu’s swords— “ You’re in charge of the sword, not the other way around” —and that’s enough for him to use his sword as if nothing happened to it.
Besides the occasional whispers and stares he still receives, it’s as if everything is back to normal.
Well, almost everything.
Wherever he goes, and whatever he does, Yeonjun can’t help but feel as if he’s being watched. Especially when he’s using his sword. He doesn’t know what it is, but he gets this feeling that someone is watching his every move. Yet, whenever he looks around his surroundings, he sees no one paying him any more attention than necessary. Everyone is mainly focused on their own thing, so Yeonjun writes himself off as being paranoid and imagining things.
But one morning, he’s in the food center, deciding to eat breakfast before heading out to the training fields. He and Kai agreed to spar together for the first time today, and their agreed-upon meet-up time is at nine. It’s eight-thirty, so Yeonjun has enough time to get breakfast, maybe even some for Taehyung if he hurries up.
But despite knowing that his and Kai’s sparring was today, Yeonjun barely got any sleep last night. Or the last few nights, that is. He’s been losing sleep lately due to his sword, and instead of sleeping, he finds himself staring at his sword, which lies a few feet away from his bed, and stares at it pulsing continuously, almost as if it wants to cause chaos and wreckage once again. Even though it hasn't (yet, at least), Yeonjun doesn’t want to let his guard down, wanting to be able to stop his sword before it can do something again.
Hence, he’s still a bit sleepy as he orders his and Taehyung’s breakfast. He orders them rice buns, coffee for himself, and tea for Taehyung. His order is ready a few minutes later, and feeling too hungry, he takes a rice bun out of the box. He thanks the person who handed him his bag before he heads out of the food center, a rice bun in one hand, and sleep still in his eyes.
The usual morning bustle of clan members chatting and training fills the background as he makes his way out. He turns a corner—and nearly bumps into Soobin.
The red-haired archer barely even flinches.
Yeonjun steps back instinctively, his body tense once he realizes whom he almost bumped into. But his lack of sleep overpowers the need to avoid Soobin, and be quiet like he used to be around him before, so he’s unable to stop himself from saying, “Wow. Good morning to you, too.”
Soobin just stares at him. It’s unreadable, like always—but there’s something else there. Not coldness. Not irritation. Just…scrutiny.
“…What?” Yeonjun narrows his eyes, too sleepy to deal with this.
“Nothing,” Soobin replies flatly. But his eyes flick to Yeonjun’s sword, which is in the holster in the harness around his hip, before returning to his face.
Yeonjun frowns. “Okay. No offense, but you’re acting kind of weird.”
Soobin steps closer. Not in a threatening way, but close enough for Yeonjun to feel his breath.
“You’ve noticed it, haven’t you?” Soobin asks quietly. “Your sword. The way it’s pulsing differently. The energy it gives off—it’s not the same.”
Yeonjun’s free hand instinctively tightens around the hilt. “It’s just…adjusting. To the Wraith encounter.”
“So you did notice.”
Yeonjun hesitates. “It’s fine .”
But Soobin’s gaze lingers on him. On the way Yeonjun shifts his weight. On the slight shimmer of purple energy flickering at the edges of the blade, like something alive.
“You sure about that?”
Yeonjun doesn’t answer. Just glares and brushes past him, his voice low as he says, “You’re creeping me out.”
But Soobin doesn’t follow. Just watches him leave, gaze sharp and unreadable like always.
As he walks away, Yeonjun tries to shrug their encounter off. Soobin doesn’t speak to him in weeks, and this is the first thing he says to him after so long? What does Soobin care, anyway? It’s not like he cares about Yeonjun, let alone some part of him.
I’m too sleepy for this.
After dropping Taehyung’s breakfast off at his classroom, Yeonjun makes his way to the training fields. The few sips of coffee he’s taken have been enough to wake him up slightly, so when he arrives at the free rein area and sees Kai already there, he feels ready.
“Took a lil detour to fill your stomach, Choi?” Kai says, an eyebrow raised, as he sees the older man putting down his food and drink on the ground nearby.
“That’s hyung to you,” he says as he nears him.
Kai chuckles. “Is getting your precious breakfast why you took so long?”
His encounter with Soobin flashes in Yeonjun’s mind, but all he wants to do is forget about it, so he doesn’t bother mentioning it. “Yup. Knew it could possibly annoy you if I kept you waiting.”
Kai shakes his head, yet the smile stays on his face. “Whatever you say, hyung .” He then turns a bit worried, looking at Yeonjun more seriously. “But are you sure you’re up for this?” He glances at his sword, making Yeonjun know what he’s really asking.
“Yes.” Yeonjun takes his sword out, trying to ignore the way it pulses in his hand. “Besides, you're omnipotent, remember? Anything my sword causes, you can reverse it. Or create something bigger to challenge it.”
“True.” Kai’s concern is replaced with smugness, and a flash of green appears, before he’s dressed in his training gear as well. He circles his wrist, and a small, green glow appears in his hand, before he’s equipped with a long sword of his own. “Let’s get this sparring started, hyungie.”
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Yeonjun spars with Kai for the rest of the morning. Kai creates multiple weapons to challenge him—or more like his sword—and fortunately, both of them keep up with everything he hits them with. Some are harder than others, making Yeonjun lose his balance and breath here and there, but nothing he can’t handle. Kai’s impressed.
But now, the sun has begun to lower, and Kai isn’t sparring with Yeonjun anymore, claiming he had duties to tend to now. Yeonjun was a bit disappointed since Kai was keeping him on his toes, but he said his goodbyes to Kai before he left anyway. Now it’s just him, and he’s training with dummies again, hoping his sword will continue behaving.
As he slashes a dummy’s head, the sun slowly fades beneath sudden clouds, which cast a silver light over the open terrain. But Yeonjun doesn’t let the sudden change in lighting distract him. He continues training with the dummies, and as he trains, he feels eyes on him. But glancing back, he sees that it’s just Beomgyu and Taehyun, sitting nearby as they observe, but don’t interfere.
Yeonjun knows they’re not here to observe him . They’re here to observe his sword, and although it should relieve him that they’re here in case anything goes wrong, it annoys him slightly. He and his sword don’t need to be watched 24/7.
But ironically, he begins having that feeling of someone watching him again. He turns and sees that Beomgyu and Taehyun are still there, but they’re not looking at him anymore. They’re more focused on each other, immersed in conversation, so Yeonjun knows it’s not them who’re watching him. Other clan members aren’t paying him much attention either, yet that feeling lingers.
And turning once more, his eyes finally lock with familiar dark ones.
Standing on the training arena balcony is Soobin, who’s dressed in his training gear, and staring at him. His gaze is the same way as it was in the morning: scrutinizing and sharp. Yeonjun’s lack of sleep makes him find it annoying, and he narrows his eyes at him. That’s enough to make Soobin start moving, and before Yeonjun knows it, he’s standing a few feet away from him.
“Let’s go back to our…joint mandatory training,” Soobin says, his voice sounding a bit strained, as if it pains him to say those words.
Yeonjun gives him a slightly weird look. “Why on earth would we do that?”
“Because our break has gone on long enough, and I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not have the leader put me in temporary shackles.”
Soobin’s words remind Yeonjun about the leader’s warning: if they don’t get to training and learning how to cooperate with one another, they’ll be living with temporary shackles. And Yeonjun’s had enough of being restrained, even if it means training with Soobin, which is honestly the last thing he wants to do today.
“Fine,” he mutters, gripping his sword tighter, as he steps into the free rein area.
Soobin draws his bow as Yeonjun steps into the sparring ring, his sword already humming faintly. There’s a mutual silence between them, not hostile. Just… strung tight .
Yeonjun sighs. “You gonna keep staring like that, or are we actually doing this?”
Soobin releases a shot—a warning arrow, aimed just inches from Yeonjun’s foot. It sinks into the ground, humming with faint energy.
“You’re slower today,” Soobin notes coolly.
Yeonjun grows more annoyed. He knows his ‘slowness’ today has more to do with his sparring with Kai in the morning, but to spite Soobin, he says, “Maybe it’s because someone was stalking me all morning.”
“‘Watching’ is the word you’re looking for.”
Yeonjun’s eyes narrow as the pieces finally click together at Soobin’s words. “What, were you assigned to do that or something?”
Soobin doesn’t answer.
Which is an answer.
Yeonjun steps forward with a scoff, sword flaring with a swirl of purple and indigo. “Unbelievable.”
They clash—sword against arrow, light against precision. Yeonjun dodges a shot with ease, twisting midair and landing behind Soobin. Soobin doesn’t hesitate—spins, drops, and knees Yeonjun in the stomach. Yeonjun stumbles back with a groan.
But then, a crackle of corrupted magic leaks from Yeonjun’s sword once again mid-swing. The blade’s energy flares violently.
Soobin reacts fast—too fast. He raises his hand and summons a shield of translucent energy between them. The corrupted burst hits the shield and dissipates harmlessly.
They both freeze.
Yeonjun lowers his blade, breathing a bit hard with slightly wide eyes. “That…wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Soobin doesn’t say anything. Just lowers his hand, tension in every inch of his posture.
Then, without thinking, Yeonjun mutters, “…Thanks.”
Soobin raises a brow. “Did you just thank me?”
“Don’t get used to it.”
“…Wasn’t planning to.”
Another pause.
Then Soobin says, more carefully this time, “You need to be more careful. If that thing lashes out during an actual battle, it won’t be me on the receiving end—it’ll be one of the others. And they won’t be able to block it.”
Yeonjun’s eyes lower to his blade. “I know.”
Surprisingly, Soobin softens his tone, just a little. “Maybe we should train…more. Until you get a handle on it.”
Yeonjun looks up, caught off guard. “What?”
“I said—”
“No, no, I heard you. I’m just…wondering if someone hit you on the head when I wasn’t looking.”
Soobin rolls his eyes and turns away, but his voice carries: “Meet me here again tomorrow. Same time.”
With that, Soobin walks away, leaving Yeonjun alone in the sparring ring. He looks down at his sword, which is back to pulsing and glowing a light purple. He then looks up, catching Beomgyu’s and Taehyun’s gaze. They look almost as confused as him, before Beomgyu suddenly lets out a small smirk, and whispers something in Taehyun’s ear. Instead of rolling his eyes and pushing Beomgyu away like he usually does, Taehyun actually looks contemplative for once.
“What’s wrong?” Yeonjun asks, nearing them.
“Nothin-”
“Soobin-hyung’s been acting a bit weird lately, don’t you think?” Beomgyu says before Taehyun can continue, his smirk growing a little.
“I haven’t noticed anything,” Yeonjun says, growing confused. “He still acts the same, as far as I’ve noticed.”
Beomgyu must notice something Yeonjun doesn’t, since he just says, “Uh huh,” whilst his smirk continues growing.
Taehyun rolls his eyes this time and nudges Beomgyu. “Stop thinking like that. Soobin-hyung would literally put an arrow between your eyes if he knew what you were thinking about.”
“Good thing he doesn’t, then,” he smirks.
“What are you thinking about?” Yeonjun questions, looking at Beomgyu, a bit suspiciously.
“Things that he shouldn’t and that are none of his business ,” Taehyun replies before Beomgyu can say anything, looking at him sharply. Beomgyu can just snicker. Taehyun rolls his eyes again before looking back at Yeonjun. “You should go back to training, hyung. Gyu-hyung and I will continue observing.”
Given what happened earlier with Soobin, Yeonjun isn’t too annoyed at that anymore. But then he remembers what the redhead revealed to him, and says, “There’s no point in you two watching when Soobin’s already got that handled.”
“‘Course he does,” Beomgyu says with the smuggest grin known to man.
“Choi Beomgyu, I swear to god, if you don’t shut up in the next five seconds…”
“Fine, fine,” Beomgyu snickers and smiles at Yeonjun cheekily. “You should listen to Tyun, Yeonjun-ssi. We’ll continue staying here.”
Yeonjun looks at him weirdly, before looking at Taehyun, who’s shaking his head at Beomgyu. Yeonjun wants to comment on it, but he has a feeling Taehyun will actually curse the sorcerer or something if he does, so he just settles for a wary, “Okay…” before heading back to the free rein area.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Later that night, the moon hangs low, silver and cold above the training fields. Mist curls around the edges of the terrain like it doesn’t want to leave. Most of the clan is asleep by now, but unsurprisingly, Yeonjun isn't.
He stands in the center of the field, illuminated by moonlight, his sword gripped tightly in both hands.
Clang—shhhkkk!
The blade hisses mid-swing. A pulse of dark light runs through the runes etched along its surface. His arms jolt from the sudden force, and he stumbles back a step.
His breathing is heavy. His brows furrow.
He resets. Focuses. Swings.
But again, the sword hums wrong. This time, the pulse flares brighter—darker—like a flash of corrupted lightning trying to break free. The wind kicks up for half a second before the energy fizzles out, leaving a sharp sting in his palm.
Yeonjun grits his teeth, frustrated. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Maybe it’s not the sword,” comes a low voice from behind.
Yeonjun whips around, sword raised on instinct—only to find Soobin standing just beyond the edge of the field, shadows clinging to the heel of his boots.
“How long have you been standing there?” Yeonjun demands, not lowering his sword.
Soobin steps forward, calm, unreadable as ever. “Long enough.”
“Don’t you have something better to do? Like… not stalk me?”
“I was on patrol.”
Yeonjun narrows his eyes. “Right. In full uniform, with no weapon, standing in the shadows for half an hour?”
Soobin exhales through his nose, but says nothing.
Yeonjun lets his sword fall, the tip digging into the dirt. His voice is tired now, not angry—just raw. “If you’re going to keep watching me, then at least talk to me.”
Soobin looks at him then—really looks at him. The moonlight catches the edge of his jaw, his eyes unreadable, conflicted.
“I don’t trust it,” Soobin finally says, nodding toward the sword.
Yeonjun’s fingers tighten around the hilt. “No one does.”
“It’s reacting to something inside you.”
Yeonjun flinches—like the words hit deeper than Soobin intended.
Soobin adds, quieter this time, “I don’t think you’re trying to be dangerous. But that sword…it’s tied to you. And right now, it’s unstable.”
Yeonjun swallows hard, gaze lowering. “You think I’m unstable, too?”
“I think…” Soobin hesitates. His jaw clenches. Then, with a sigh, “I think you’re still figuring out who you are here. And that sword is feeding on it.”
Yeonjun closes his eyes, like that hurts more than being accused outright.
“I didn’t ask for this,” he mutters. “None of this. I didn’t ask to be kicked out, to end up here, to—be questioned every time I breathe.”
“I know,” Soobin says. It sounds too honest. Too close.
Yeonjun finally meets his gaze again, and something shifts. The air grows heavier between them—not with hostility, but with the weight of everything unspoken.
For a moment, neither of them speaks.
Then Soobin says, almost reluctantly, “I’ll walk you back.”
Yeonjun doesn’t answer. But he doesn’t say no, either.
As they leave the training field together, their footsteps fall into an unintentional rhythm.
Still distant.
But not quite as far apart as before.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Days pass, and Yeonjun tries to go through them as if nothing is wrong, despite knowing the exact opposite is true. Luckily, at least, the clan has stopped whispering and staring at him everywhere he goes. His training sessions with Soobin also become more frequent, just like Soobin suggested, and Yeonjun would be lying if he said that his attraction to the archer wasn’t returning.
But the clan’s silence for the past few days seems to have just been the calm before the storm.
Currently, it’s late afternoon. Yeonjun is walking through the common courtyard after his training session with Soobin for the day (or for the afternoon). His sword is sheathed around his hip, pulsing faintly—too faintly. The color of the glow has changed. It’s deeper now. A purplish-black that wasn’t there before.
He notices the stares before he even hears the whispers.
Two members passing by suddenly go silent. One of them—Jinwoo—narrows his eyes as Yeonjun walks by.
Then: “Hey.” The word hits the air like a warning bell.
Yeonjun turns. Jinwoo steps forward, flanked by three other clan members—none of whom look particularly friendly.
“What’s up?” Yeonjun asks, casual. Too casual.
“Your sword,” Jinwoo says. “It wasn’t glowing like that yesterday.”
Yeonjun blinks, his hand moving to rest near the hilt out of instinct, as he tries to act normal, as if nothing’s wrong. “So? Swords change.”
“Not like that,” another member—Yura—adds. “Don’t bother trying to lie to us, Yeonjun-ssi. We all know your sword’s corrupted. Anyone with a decent sixth sense can feel it.”
Yeonjun’s jaw tightens. “It’s fine .”
“Is it?” Jinwoo challenges, stepping closer. “Because last time I checked, Wraith corruption doesn’t just go away. If your sword absorbed their magic, who’s to say you didn’t, too?”
Yeonjun’s stomach twists. “That’s not how it works.”
“You sure about that?” a third voice joins—this one sharper. “We’ve seen it before. Corruption doesn’t fade. It festers. Then it spreads.”
The crowd is growing now. More members gather in the courtyard, murmuring amongst themselves.
Yura crosses her arms. “Maybe the leader let you in too soon. Maybe we were right to be wary of you.”
Yeonjun looks around at the faces. The judgment. The doubt. His fingers twitch near his sword, though he doesn’t draw it.
And then—Soobin’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade.
“Back off.”
Heads turn. Soobin’s standing a few feet away, arms crossed, face unreadable. “If he were unstable, I’d be the first to know.”
Jinwoo narrows his eyes. “Since when do you vouch for him?”
“I don’t,” Soobin says flatly. “But I’ve trained with him. He’s not a threat.”
The crowd murmurs again, unsettled, but Soobin’s authority is hard to argue with. Gradually, people begin to back off, though the suspicious looks don’t disappear.
When it’s just the two of them left in the courtyard, Yeonjun lets out a breath. “Thanks.”
Soobin doesn’t look at him. “Don’t thank me.”
Yeonjun tilts his head. “Then why’d you speak up?”
Soobin hesitates. Then, quietly: “Because if you lose control…I want to be there to stop it.”
He walks away before Yeonjun can say anything else.
Yeonjun’s hand lingers on the hilt of his sword. The blade hums beneath his touch—deeper, darker, and somehow…restless.
And for the first time, he wonders if everyone else is right.
What if it really is changing?
What if he is?
It’d make sense. Everything’s done nothing but change. Soobin has gone from hating his guts and wanting nothing to do with him to watching his every move of the day. At first, Yeonjun told himself he was okay with it, but now, he realizes he isn’t. He’s pissed. It’s humiliating that the leader’s second-in-command has to watch him like he's some baby.
But worse than that…a part of him is scared. Because sometimes, especially when he’s lying awake at night, he feels the sword calling to him. And at times, he doesn’t want to put it down.
That recurring thought is enough to keep him on edge for the rest of the day, especially at night.
When night finally comes, and he’s back in Taehyung’s cottage, he can’t sleep. Again.
He sits curled in Taehyung’s window nook, knees hugged to his chest, staring at his sword glowing faintly in the dark. It won’t stop pulsing. Won’t stop flickering. Won’t stop reminding him that something’s wrong.
Taehyung steps into the room quietly, not saying a word at first. Then he sits beside him, holding out a steaming cup of tea.
“I figured you’d be up.”
Yeonjun doesn’t speak. His grip tightens on his knees.
“I’m not dangerous,” he whispers eventually. “But they all think I am.”
Taehyung stays silent, listening.
“My sword...it’s like it doesn’t recognize me anymore,” Yeonjun says shakily. “And I don’t know what to do. If I lose control—if I hurt someone—”
“You won’t,” Taehyung says gently.
“But what if I do?”
“Then we’ll deal with it,” Taehyung replies. “Together.”
Yeonjun lets out a breath and leans his head against Taehyung’s shoulder, finally letting the tears fall, silent and warm. Taehyung lets him. He places the tea cup down, before wrapping his arms around Yeonjun, and letting him cry against him.
They stay like that until the glow from the sword dims to a soft, tired hum.
—
The leader stands on the balcony of his quarters, watching the lights of the compound flicker below.
“Spying again?” Soobin’s voice is dry as he walks up.
“I was waiting for you.”
“I’m not babysitting him anymore,” Soobin says, since he knew what this was about the second the leader called for him.
“I gave you an order,” the leader reminds him calmly. “You’re supposed to follow through with it, especially as my second-in-command.”
Soobin’s jaw clenches. “You should’ve just taken the sword from him.”
“I considered it,” the leader reveals, much to Soobin’s slight surprise, “but that would’ve done more damage than good. To the sword. And to Yeonjun.”
Despite the words he’s told Yeonjun, Soobin finally says what he’s actually been thinking these past few days: “He’s unstable.”
“He’s hurting.”
“That makes him dangerous. ”
The leader turns, eyes sharp. “And what about you, Soobin? You’ve been dangerous since the day I named you second-in-command. But I didn’t take your bow away.”
Soobin flinches.
“I’m not saying trust him blindly,” the leader continues. “But watch him. Learn him. Maybe it’ll teach you something, too.”
Soobin doesn’t respond. He stares out at the compound again, fingers twitching slightly against the railing.
“I’ll continue watching him then,” he says eventually. “But don’t expect me to forgive him for something he hasn’t done.”
“I don’t expect forgiveness,” the leader replies. “Just understanding.”
Soobin’s silence says everything.
Chapter Text
Given how almost the entire clan has been treating him lately, Yeonjun stays cooped up in Taehyung’s cottage for most of the time for the next few days. He barely goes outside; if it is, it’s only to get food. He avoids eye contact with anyone and tries to ignore the whispers that appear whenever someone sees him.
But the whispers aren’t the only thing he notices. Every time he goes out, he almost immediately begins having that feeling that someone is watching him. Unlike before, he doesn’t scratch it off as just paranoia, because he knows he isn’t being paranoid. He knows someone is watching him—someone who has no business watching him, especially since he’s the one person in the world who hates him so much. But Yeonjun tries to ignore Soobin’s gaze on him each time he goes out, and only focuses on what he came for, before quickly retreating to Taehyung’s cottage.
He doesn’t accept any visitors, either. Except Taehyun. Despite the short amount of time he’s known him, Yeonjun feels like the silver-haired male is the only one he can trust besides Taehyung. Even after getting blasted across the field by Yeonjun’s sword, Taehyun shows no resentment towards him, and in fact, that incident seems to have brought them closer.
It’s mostly because of Taehyun that Yeonjun is still sane.
But then, when a week passes, Taehyung comes home bearing dreadful news (for yeonjun, at least).
“You don’t have a choice in this, Jun,” Taehyung says, a bit serious, but still gentle. “When the leader calls a briefing, everyone has to attend.”
“Do you really think people will even want me there?”
Taehyung’s eyes narrow. “Enough about caring what other people want. What happened to the strong, hot-headed Yeonjun I once knew?”
“Maybe he also got corrupted,” Yeonjun mutters under his breath, looking away.
Taehyung sighs. “Look, I know it won’t be easy, but it’s important that you’re there, Jun. You have to attend.”
“What if I don’t?”
“Then…” Taehyung is stumped there. He actually doesn’t know what’ll happen to someone if they don’t attend the leader’s briefing, but he has always assumed the outcome for them would be bad. “You’ll be on manure cleanup for an entire month.” Which is probably false, but Yeonjun doesn’t need to know that.
And that seems to finally crack through Yeonjun, since he seems horrified at the thought of cleaning up cow poop for an entire month . If he’s an outcast now, he’ll only be seen as more than an outcast if people—especially Soobin—witness him doing something as degrading as cleaning up manure.
“...Fine,” he finally gives in.
“Good.” Taehyung smiles. “Be there bright and early.”
Yeonjun’s eyebrows furrow a little at that, and he looks back at him. “What, I’m not going with you?”
Taehyung lets out a slightly apologetic smile. “No… The leader is holding an entirely different meeting for the people he wants on his council, which is gonna be held even earlier than tomorrow’s briefing, so by the time you wake up, I’ll already be gone. But don’t worry, I’m sure Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Kai will be there, too. Or at least one of them will be.”
“The leader is creating a council?”
Taehyung’s slightly apologetic smile turns into an amused one. “Yes, which you would know if you went out of the house for once.”
“...Shut up,” Yeonjun grumbles. “Who else is gonna be in this ‘council’?”
“Um, I think a few of the older superiors,” Taehyung replies. “And a few of my and the leader’s friends. I think.”
“Why is he suddenly creating a council?” Yeonjun asks. For as he knows, the leader has been perfectly capable of leading the Star Seekers by himself for the past who knows how many years.
This time, Taehyung doesn’t answer right away, which Yeonjun doesn’t fail to notice. He also doesn’t fail to notice the look in his eyes, which always appears when something about the corruption of his sword and any other topic negatively related to him pops up.
“It’s about me, isn’t it?”
Taehyung hesitates before nodding with a small sigh of defeat. “Yeah. For the past few days, people have grown doubtful of the leader’s leadership, and some are even going as far as thinking he’s somehow a spy, who’s leading all of us to our demise just because he won’t exile you, or put you back in shackles, at least. Hence, they keep suggesting that the leader shouldn’t be the only one leading anymore, and have called for a council to be made. The leader doesn’t need any more stress laid upon him, so he’s listening to them.”
“I see,” Yeonjun mutters, his voice growing quiet. If the leader is listening to what the people are saying now about a council, since they’re doubting his leadership, he wonders how long it’ll take for him to listen to them about exiling him.
“Don’t think too much about it,” Taehyung says, gently squeezing Yeonjun’s shoulder. “We both know if the leader wanted you gone, you would’ve already been a long time ago.”
“Yeah, I know,” he says, yet there’s a part in him that doubts it.
“Here, why don’t I make us some tea?” Taehyung suggests, already walking to the kitchen.
“No, that’s not necessary,” Yeonjun is quick to say. He’s sure even tea will make him queasy right now. “I think I’m just gonna go to bed. I should get some sleep if I have to wake up early tomorrow.”
“Right.” Taehyung nods, yet he can’t help but notice the look in Yeonjun’s eyes that he knows too well. He sighs to himself, wishing he could do more to help. “Goodnight then, Jun.”
The ravenette just gives him a small smile before heading upstairs. He walks to his room, and once he’s inside, he closes the door behind him. The room is dark, save for the purple glow his sword is pulsing. Yeonjun tells himself he should turn the light on, but he can’t move from where he’s leaning against the door. What Taehyung told him a few minutes ago keeps running through his mind: people are so afraid of him that they’re even turning against their leader , since he isn’t doing anything to ‘constrain’ Yeonjun. Whilst the ravenette is grateful for it, he can’t help but wonder why the leader hasn’t done anything, especially if his people are so insistent on it.
And now Yeonjun has another reason why he won’t get any sleep.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
The next morning, Yeonjun is woken up by the sound of his alarm clock. Thanks to Taehyung, the sound is shrill and annoying, making Yeonjun almost want to call his sword to him and use it to stab the dumb clock relentlessly. But it’s too early to be violent, so he simply lets out a sleepy groan and turns it off.
Once the alarm clock is off, Yeonjun stays in bed for a few more minutes, staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom. Although he’s surprised he managed to fall asleep by himself for once, he isn’t surprised that he only got two hours of sleep. It leaves him feeling restless, making him want to fall back asleep, but then the pulsing of his sword grows louder, reminding him why exactly he’s been having insomnia for the past few weeks.
He groans, which only grows louder when he remembers why he set up an alarm clock: the leader called for a briefing today. A part of Yeonjun still doesn’t want to go, but a bigger part of him would rather go than ever clean up manure. So, without letting himself think any longer, he gets up from his bed and decides to take a shower to try to make himself feel more alive.
After his shower, he doesn’t bother staring at his reflection for long. He doesn’t feel like doing his skincare routine, especially since he doubts he has enough time, so he simply moisturizes his face and lotions up the rest of his body before changing into his simple white tunic tucked into white trousers. He knows his boots are downstairs, so the only thing he retrieves from his bedroom is his sword before heading downstairs.
Just like Taehyung said last night, he’s already gone by the time Yeonjun woke up, so Yeonjun isn’t surprised to see that the downstairs is empty. Still, he wishes Taehyung were here, so he wouldn’t have to head to the briefing by himself.
Sighing, Yeonjun doesn’t bother with breakfast and only chugs down a cup of coffee before heading to the door. He pulls on his boots and snaps his fingers, making only the harnesses around his hip and thigh appear. He sheathes his sword in the holster around his hip before looking up at the door.
The last time he went out was two days ago. It’s been two days since he last stepped outside, or even talked to anyone who wasn’t Taehyung. He knows the second he steps foot outside the blond’s door, other clan members will see him, and in a flash, everyone will be whispering about him like always. He’ll also be back to being watched by a familiar archer, and despite the small thrill that runs through him at the thought of seeing Soobin again, Yeonjun would rather not be watched like he committed a heinous crime.
Alas, he tells himself that if he continues stalling, he’ll get nowhere. He won’t make it to the leader’s briefing, and (according to taehyung), he’ll be having to clean up cow poop for a month. Taking a deep breath, Yeonjun hesitates before finally placing his hand on the doorknob, which glows a lighter purple for him, and opens the door. He steps out of Taehyung’s cottage, closing the door behind him. He hesitates once more before he begins walking, trying to ignore the whispers and stares that he unsurprisingly begins receiving almost immediately.
The morning sky is still streaked with mist as he makes his way to the hall (which he only knows where it is since he’s following everyone else). When he arrives, the hall is cool and hushed, light barely filtering in through narrow, high windows. Morning mist clings to the glass, and outside, the compound stirs with the first signs of movement. Inside, it’s tense. Packed with warriors and scouts and the low murmur of expectation. As he joins the crowd, unfortunately unable to find Beomgyu, Taehyun, or Kai, he tries not to fidget, pretending not to notice the way heads shift subtly when he walks in, and the murmuring that rises once people see him.
Luckily, the leader's voice cuts through the murmuring: “Good morning, everyone. Thank you all for joining on such short notice. Now, the reason I called you all here today is because scouting teams have reported minor disturbances in the southern glades. Wraith-corruption pockets—small, but spreading. We’re sending teams to neutralize them before they root deeper.” He then goes into calling the names of the people who will be assigned to certain teams, and much to Yeonjun’s surprise, the leader says his name.
Yet, he can’t help but feel the way people shift when he’s assigned. The glance from Jinwoo. The murmured "figures" under someone's breath. He ignores it.
He tries to, at least.
The leader continues: "And that’s all for Team Two. Team Three—Kai, Yeonjun, Minjun—you’ll cover the northwest perimeter. Neutralize any corrupted fauna or artifacts. Keep it clean. Keep it fast."
A few quiet gasps ripple through the room at the leader’s assignment for Yeonjun.
Luckily, however, he doesn’t get the chance to focus much on people’s reactions when he notices a familiar cloud of mint hair heading his way. Kai’s smile is radiant as he makes his way toward him, and when he arrives, he surprises him by pulling him into a hug.
“Ugh, hyung, it’s been, like, forever since I last saw you,” Kai says, his grip growing a bit tighter.
For a second, Yeonjun can just stand there, his entire body tense. But then his mind registers that he hasn’t been focusing on anyone else except Kai since the moment the younger appeared. So he lets himself soften, and lets out a small smile as he hugs Kai back.
“Hello to you, too,” he says softly.
Kai smiles sheepishly as he pulls away. He surveys Yeonjun’s body language, noticing how he’s still tense and a bit nervous. Kai knows it has more to do with their fellow clan members’ reactions at seeing him again than it has to do with the mission, but something tells him he should still not mention their clan members, just in case.
Which is why he elbows him lightly as he says, "Easy mission, hyung. Don’t stress. Nothing to stress about anyway, since you’ll be with me."
Yeonjun only offers a tight smile he doesn’t feel as he nods, not trusting himself to speak.
Whether Kai notices the lack of genuineness in Yeonjun’s smile or not, he doesn’t comment on it. He continues trying to take Yeonjun’s mind off things as he asks, “So, do you know who Minjun is?”
“Uh, no, actually,” Yeonjun replies, barely realizing he doesn’t. “Who is he?”
“His full name is Im Minjun,” Kai starts. “His power is celestial weaving, which means he can weave threads of starlight into chains that tether souls, anchor illusions, or lock down corrupted magic, and the web structure allows him to form barriers or sensory traps. Hence, he’s a superior. I’ve never really talked to him much, but he seems pretty chill. Hm, let me see if I can find him…”
As Kai uses his tall height to his advantage as he skims the crowd for Minjun, Yeonjun takes the chance to skim the crowd as well. Most of the clan members have stopped looking at him to pay attention to the leader instead, which relieves him. But just as he sweeps his gaze across the room, he catches a certain redhead’s gaze, which is unsurprisingly sharp, assessing, and distant.
Yeonjun feels as if he’s rooted in his spot. Even though it’s been two days since he last stepped outside, it’s been longer since he’s seen Soobin. So seeing him now is bringing a rush of emotions to Yeonjun, most of which aren’t hatred.
But he forces himself to look away, telling himself not to think about Soobin’s gaze (which he can still feel on him). The only reason Soobin’s even looking at him is because he was ordered to. He’s supposed to keep an eye on him 24/7, so Yeonjun shouldn’t feel special that he’s watching him. If anything, he should feel annoyance and anger.
“Oh, there he is!” Fortunately, Kai’s voice breaks him out of his thoughts. He points to someone a few rows ahead of them. “You see that guy with long, brown hair? Yeah, that’s him.”
Yeonjun tries to follow the direction in which Kai’s finger is pointing, but that’s when the leader seems to end the briefing, since people start getting up and heading to the doors. Yeonjun doesn’t even register that he should be moving as well until Kai grabs his wrist and pulls him out of the briefing hall with him.
“You okay, hyung?” he questions once they’re outside, a bit concerned. “You’ve been a bit…off ever since earlier.”
“I’m…fine,” Yeonjun lies. “Just a bit tired, I guess.”
Kai nods, not thinking much of it. “‘Kay, well, we can wait here, whilst we wait for Minjun.”
Yeonjun nods, and usually, when he’s with Kai, he thinks of something to say, which leads to them almost talking endlessly. But he wasn’t lying when he told Kai he was tired, so he stays silent this time. That leads to Kai being the one to start talking, but nevertheless, Yeonjun keeps his responses to a minimum. Kai doesn’t fail to notice, but he doesn’t comment on it, knowing it has to do with the whispers and stares Yeonjun has been (and still is) receiving lately.
Minjun joins them before Yeonjun can start getting impatient. He indeed does have long, brown hair, and his eyes are a light brown. They aren’t kind, though, as they look at Yeonjun, and he gives him a curt nod, but they aren’t kind when they look at Kai either, so Yeonjun takes that as a win-win.
“Our assignment’s easy enough,” Kai says as they begin heading towards the southern glades. “We just have to neutralize any corrupted fauna or artifacts, and keep it clean and fast. Easy peasy.”
“Just because it sounds easy doesn’t mean it will be,” Minjun says, his voice low and stern, as his eyebrows furrow a little. “We need to treat this like any other mission, and be on high alert. No distractions.”
“Hm, forgot people say you’re a control freak,” Kai mutters under his breath, but loud enough for Minjun to hear, which he does. He glares at Kai, who pretends not to notice, yet the faint smirk on his face gives him away.
Meanwhile, Yeonjun stays silent. He still doesn’t feel like engaging in too much conversation. Whilst he knows Minjun has a point, he still hopes Kai turns out to be right. He doesn’t want this mission to last any longer than it should. All he wants to do is get it over with and head back home.
By the time they make it to the glades, it’s already late afternoon. The glades are eerie, even at this time of hour, damp with rot and magic. Moss hangs heavy from the trees, which are twisted and claw skyward like fingers. The air is damp and sharp with magic residue. Everything smells like rain and ozone and something just beneath the surface going sour.
Kai whistles low. “If I see a talking rabbit, I’m leaving you both here.”
“Focus,” Minjun says. His voice is clipped as he raises glowing chains, casting a web of light between his hands. “Targets ahead.”
And there—emerging from the trees—are the deer. Only, they shouldn’t move like that.
Not with limbs that stutter like broken marionettes. Their eyes are white-hot, glassy and endless, bodies flickering at the edges like static.
Yeonjun hesitates before he takes out his sword. It pulses one—quiet, but alive. “Corrupted,” he breathes, his focus trying to stay fixed on the deer, but failing. He tells himself to focus, since the mission can go sideways if he doesn’t, but he can’t help but think about the last time he faced corrupt magic: it was with Soobin when they faced the Mirror Wraiths, which led to the first—and probably last—moment of vulnerability and truth between them.
But then, he’s forced out of his thoughts when the corrupted deer move toward them, their bodies flickering faster and their eyes darkening in color.
Minjun is the first to move, and he moves fast, summoning chains that snap and bind three of the creatures. Kai is next to move, casting a radiant dome that locks down the clearing, magic buzzing at the perimeter. It’s precise. Controlled.
Yeonjun is the last one to move, stepping forward, sword still pulsing in his hand.
But then—the sword thrums .
Something flares beneath the hilt—deep, violet-black—and a shockwave ripples down his arms. He tries to redirect, to steady his swing, but the force is wrong—too wild. It launches forward in a burst, obliterating the corrupted deer—and hurling Minjun backward like a ragdoll.
The sound of impact is sickening.
Minjun slams into a tree with a grunt before collapsing onto the mossy ground, unmoving.
“K-Kai—!” Yeonjun chokes, stumbling forward. “Minjun—did I—”
“I got him,” Kai says, crouching beside the fallen warrior. “He’s breathing. Just…give me space.”
Yeonjun stands frozen, chest heaving. He turns to his sword—glowing a deep, ominous purple-black—and for a heartbeat, he swears he hears it hum like a living thing.
The corrupted deer dissolve into mist.
But the damage is already done.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
By the time they return to the courtyard, news has already spread. Whispers have already begun, and they’re worse than before. Word spreads fast here. Faster than truth.
Yeonjun walks behind Kai, whose expression is tight. Behind them, two medics float Minjun’s unconscious body between them on a stretch of starlight-threaded magic. He’ll survive. The healers said so. But that doesn't matter right now.
Not when every step Yeonjun takes feels like a guilty drumbeat.
Not when every pair of eyes turns to follow him.
He wants to disappear.
The crowd thickens near the center of the courtyard—low murmurs and sideways glances. No one speaks to him. But they don’t need to.
Their silence speaks volumes.
And just when it becomes unbearable—
"Enough."
The sudden sound of Soobin’s voice cuts across the courtyard like a drawn blade. Everyone freezes, including Yeonjun.
He steps between the shorter and the gathering crowd, arms crossed, gaze cold. "It was an accident. It’s handled. Get back to your duties."
The crowd disperses slowly, reluctantly. No one wants to argue with the second-in-command.
Yeonjun stares at Soobin, stunned. Not grateful—not exactly. Just…stunned.
Soobin doesn't even look at him. Just mutters under his breath: "Get your sword under control, before they do it for you."
And then he walks away.
That leaves Yeonjun standing there, alone. His heart is still beating rapidly against his ribcage, and his mind is still trying to wrap itself around everything that just happened. The feeling of his sword pulsing against his hip is the only thing (ironically) keeping him grounded. If not, he would’ve spiraled the second Minjun slammed into that tree.
And now, someone else is hurt because of Yeonjun. More fear has spread throughout the clan, making more people unwilling to trust him, because of something his sword did that he couldn’t control. Again . What kind of swordmaster is he if he can’t even control his own sword?
“Hyung.” Snapping Yeonjun out of his thoughts is Kai’s voice, and he looks up, his eyes landing on Kai’s slightly concerned face. “You okay?”
“Does it look like I am?” Yeonjun says quietly. Not rude, but tired.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Kai tries to console. “You didn’t-”
“Doesn’t matter,” Yeonjun interrupts, his walls building up again. He was so stupid to think his sword would behave, at least for once, today. Now someone else is hurt again because of him, and who knows when Minjun will wake up. “People still think I’m the corrupted one here. And maybe they’re right.”
“Hyung-”
Yeonjun takes a step back as Kai tries to reach out for him. “I-I just wanna be alone right now, Kai-ah. I’ll see you later.” With that, he walks away, leaving Kai looking after him with a small frown.
Yeonjun makes a beeline for Taehyung’s cottage, keeping his gaze fixed on the ground. He knows people know better than to defy the second-in-command’s orders, but Yeonjun can still feel them looking at him. Can still feel them misjudging, criticizing, and badmouthing him as he walks past them. They look at him in distaste, as if he doesn’t belong here, and Yeonjun is finally believing that he doesn’t.
But as he lets those thoughts cross his mind, he tries to ignore the way the branding mark on his back stings.
He arrives back at Taehyung’s cottage soon enough. He quickly heads to the front door, stepping inside. He takes off his boots in haste before heading to the window nook. He snaps his fingers, which are beginning to slightly shake, and his harnesses vanish, leaving his sword. His magic places it on the other side of the window nook, and Yeonjun can just stare at it. He feels tears burning in his eyes, but he doesn’t let himself cry. He sits down across from his sword and curls into himself, hugging his knees to his chest.
But as he sits there, staring wordlessly at his sword, his mind replays the images of what happened today. Most importantly, when his sword acted up again, and almost ended Minjun’s life. Yeonjun keeps replaying that moment over and over again, which is enough to make his hands shake more, and a tear to escape. Whenever he gets to this part in his sorrow, Taehyung seems to always appear right before he can fully spiral.
But this time, Taehyung isn’t here. Yeonjun doesn’t even hear his footsteps walking up the porch.
Which means he’s alone.
The thought terrifies him.
So he stays there, curled into himself tighter, as he continues staring at his sword, and wallowing in his own sorrow and regret for the rest of the afternoon.
It isn’t until he chokes back on his nth sob that he tells himself moving will feel better than sitting still. A part of him still doesn’t want to get up anyway, because that means he’ll have to face the clan’s judgemental stares and whispers again, but he’s at the point in his sorrow where he tells himself he doesn’t care. So he gets up, leaves his sword where it is, and heads to the door on slightly shaky legs. He pulls his boots back on and hesitates a little before opening the door and stepping back outside again.
He doesn’t know exactly where he’s going. All he knows is that he needs to keep himself moving.
Moments later, he finds himself walking alone down the shadowed edge of the food center courtyard. Although he hasn’t eaten anything all day, he isn’t hungry. Not really. But he’d rather be here than in the sun, where everyone can see him clearly.
And that’s when he hears it.
A group of people speaking nearby, talking not-so-quietly amongst themselves, and not-so-subtly glancing at him every few moments. But much to Yeonjun’s surprise, he recognizes a certain blond in the crowd, which answers his questions as to why he wasn’t there to comfort him earlier, like he always is before it gets too late.
For a second, Yeonjun’s heart drops. He hears what the people around Taehyung are saying, which makes him think Taehyung joined the group to go behind his back and talk badly about him, too.
Yet, the look on Taehyung’s face makes Yeonjun think that he’s there to do the opposite. Maybe he joined the group to defend him, and prove the others wrong. Yeonjun doesn’t want to give himself high hopes, but out of anyone, he has the most faith in Taehyung.
However, he doesn’t know if Taehyung only made things worse when he says, “It could’ve been worse. We’re lucky his sword didn’t do much damage, and Yeonjun-ah was able to stop it. Right?” Nevertheless, his tone is gentle, concerned, like he’s worried for Yeonjun. But it’s calculated.
A chill runs through Yeonjun’s spine as he thinks about Taehyung’s words. But he doesn’t stop. Doesn’t confront him. He just walks faster, heart heavier still as he makes his way back home, already deciding to lock himself in his room for the rest of the night, especially to for once avoid Taehyung, too.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
That night, Yeonjun doesn’t get much sleep, either, which is starting to be less and less surprising. The amount of sleep he does get is short once again, since interrupting his slumber is a knock at his bedroom door.
His sleepy mind makes him forget what he heard Taehyung say yesterday about him, so he doesn’t even hesitate as he gets up to open the door. Just like he expected, Taehyung is on the other side, seeming to have been woken up as well, since he’s still in his pajamas.
“Sorry to wake you,” he says, a bit amused at how disheveled Yeonjun looks. “But someone’s here to see you.”
That’s enough to almost wake Yeonjun up fully. He snaps his head up, looking at Taehyung with slightly wide eyes. “W-what?”
“He’s downstairs,” he says, before walking away, leaving Yeonjun standing there still at his door, unable to believe what Taehyung just told him.
When he finally snaps out of his shock, Yeonjun worries about who it could be and what they could want. He knows Taehyung wouldn’t let anyone who wants to bash him in, but Yeonjun can’t help but still be wary. He doesn’t want to bother changing out of his pajamas, so he hesitates before leaving his room and heading downstairs.
Much to his surprise, his eyes land on the leader when he arrives.
“H-hyung?”
“Yeonjun-ah.” The leader gives him a small, kind smile. His eyes then flick down to Yeonjun’s clothes, and his smile turns a bit sheepish. “Sorry for waking you.”
“It’s…fine,” Yeonjun says. He looks between the leader and Taehyung. “What’s going on?”
Before the leader can answer, there’s a knock at the front door. That surprises both Taehyung and Yeonjun, whilst the leader’s smile grows a little. Taehyung walks away from them to open the door, but once he does, his eyes widen when he sees who’s standing on the other side.
“Soobin.” The leader smiles at the archer as Taehyung lets him step inside. “Nice of you to finally join us.”
Yeonjun’s eyes widen, and that’s when he starts regretting not changing out of his pajamas, or doing something to make himself look more presentable, at least. But he tries to keep his cool as Soobin and Taehyung walk back to him and the leader, keeping his gaze on either the oldest in the room or somewhere else that isn’t Soobin. Taehyung stops right next to him, whilst the redhead stops a few inches away from the leader.
“What is so important that even you had to come to Taehyung’s cottage?” Soobin asks, not bothering with honorifics for Taehyung, unsurprisingly.
“Well, I’m sure Yeonjun-ah appreciates that we’re doing this in his house instead of making him walk across the compound to my office, where our clan members will undoubtedly start badmouthing him,” the leader says, before turning to Yeonjun. “Isn’t that right, Yeonjun-ah?”
The ravenette wasn’t expecting to be put in the spotlight like that, but the leader’s right—he does appreciate that he came to his house instead of making him go through the shenanigans of going to his office. “Um, yes. But what are we doing here exactly?”
“As I mentioned, our clan members have shown you hostility these past few days,” he starts, making Yeonjun tense up a little, “and mainly because of how your sword’s been acting lately. So, I’m assigning you on more missions from now on, Yeonjun, to help you keep your sword in control. Hopefully, that’ll show our clan members that you don’t mean any harm and are willing to do anything to calm down the source of your power. But your sword is too unstable for you to be alone on these missions, so you and Soobin will begin doing every mission together. It’ll also be good for balance and some oversight.”
For a few moments, all Yeonjun can do is stare at the leader in slight shock and disbelief, before it starts being replaced with annoyance. Not only has he already assigned Soobin to be practically his babysitter, but now he has to join him on missions too, as if Yeonjun can’t fend for himself? Yeonjun wants to argue that he’ll be fine on his own, and he doesn’t need Soobin to watch his every move on missions either, but there’s a part of him that knows it’s necessary. And then another part of him that tells him he won’t exactly mind being alone with Soobin on these missions.
He immediately shuts that part up.
“Are you sure that’s the right decision?” Much to Yeonjun’s surprise, Soobin’s voice is calm and monotone, like always. He doesn’t look annoyed like Yeonjun does, and instead looks as if he was expecting this from the leader.
“Yes,” he replies. “You’re the person I trust the most, and the only one who won’t hesitate to do anything if it comes down to it.”
The hidden meaning in the leader’s words makes a shiver run down Yeonjun’s spine.
The leader then turns to Yeonjun. “Do you have anything to say, Yeonjun-ah?”
“No,” he replies hesitantly. If Soobin can be indifferent about this, then so can he be. “This is…fine.”
“Great.” The leader smiles. “I’ll be calling both of you to my office around this time every time a mission pops up. I’ll see you later.” He clasps his hands behind his back, sending Taehyung a last smile, before vanishing. That leaves Soobin, Yeonjun, and Taehyung alone.
It’s silent between them. Tension rises in the room, and Taehyung isn’t oblivious to it. He looks between Soobin and Yeonjun, who aren’t looking at each other.
“Well, that was…interesting,” Taehyung says, breaking the silence between them. He looks at Soobin to ask chirpily, “Would you like to stay for breakfast?”
“No,” he answers, before Yeonjun can even register what Taehyung asked. “I have things to do.”
“You sure do, Soobin-ah.” Taehyung grins, as if he knows something, and the taller side-eyes him, before leaving their cottage.
“Did you seriously offer him to stay for breakfast ?” Yeonjun hisses the second the door closes behind Soobin.
“Yeah.” Taehyung continues grinning. “I thought you wouldn’t mind.”
Yeonjun groans, putting his head in his hands. “It’s enough that he watches me like a hawk everywhere I go, but now I have to deal with him on missions, too, hyung. I do not need or want him to stay for breakfast when that’s the only time I have for peace.”
“Right.” Taehyung doesn’t seem to believe him. “So, what do you want today? Eggs, toast, cereal…?”
As Taehyung continues listing breakfast options, Yeonjun sits down on the kitchen island. He answers something about waffles being okay before he lets himself be absorbed into his thoughts. Whilst the part that’s head over heels for Soobin certainly does not mind at all that they’ll be alone during missions, which can last for who knows how long, the majority of Yeonjun’s brain is not okay with this. The fact that Soobin will have to be there for every mission he goes on wears him out. At this point, the leader should handcuff them together to make sure Yeonjun is never unattended.
But then the thought of handcuffs and Soobin is enough to make Yeonjun’s mind go into an entirely different direction, and he groans to himself.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
The first mission they’re assigned to is the next day. The leader makes them go back to the southern glades to finish what Yeonjun didn’t with Kai and Minjun, which brings up bad memories, but he tries not to think of them and tries to focus on the mission at hand more.
But then, the missions keep on coming.
One after another, and every single one with only Soobin and Yeonjun assigned. The leader keeps claiming it’s for balance and oversight, that their magic complements each other, that their combined strength keeps them and the mission stable.
But after the first mission, where Soobin let him do most of the work, and kept his eyes mostly on his sword, Yeonjun knows better. It isn’t balance. It’s a test. A leash.
Soobin never complains. He accepts every order with that same unreadable expression, never questioning, never objecting, never even looking at Yeonjun unless necessary. Like he doesn’t care. Like it doesn’t affect him.
Yeonjun tries to act the same. Cool. Unbothered. Detached.
But every mission makes it harder.
The way Soobin barks commands like he's still above him. The way he never asks if Yeonjun is hurt. The way he pulls away when they stand too close. The way he never lets a ‘moment’ between them last. The way he keeps being an asshole about everything, making Yeonjun want to throttle him.
But it also wears him down.
And tonight is no different.
Well, almost no different.
The leader, for once, assigned other members to their team, which relieved and disappointed Yeonjun at the same time. The leader claimed it was because there were more dangerous, corrupted creatures this time, and he wanted to be safer than sorry, since Yeonjun’s sword was included. Luckily, the members he assigned to their team barely batted an eye at Yeonjun, and their mission should’ve gone okay, since there were more people.
But it didn’t. Yeonjun’s sword acted up again. It wasn’t as bad as before, but it could’ve left a visible scar on one of their team members if Soobin hadn’t pushed it away in time.
Now, they're meant to be resting and heading back, the corrupted creatures from the last battle already fading into ash. The others return to camp to report, but Soobin lingers. Yeonjun stays too, walking off alone under the tree line to cool off.
His sword is still humming—unstable. Unsettled. And his hands won’t stop shaking.
“You need to get a grip on that thing,” Soobin’s voice comes low and sharp behind him.
Yeonjun stiffens, closing his eyes for a breath before turning. “I know that.”
Soobin steps closer, eyes hard. “It almost struck one of the others with us today. You were five seconds from losing control.”
“I’m trying ,” Yeonjun snaps. His voice cracks—more raw than he meant. “I didn’t ask for this sword to react to corrupted magic. I didn’t ask for it to change.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Soobin says. “If you can’t control it, someone else will have to.”
Something in Yeonjun’s chest twists. “Is that a threat?”
“No. It’s a warning.”
They stand there, suddenly too close now. The glow of the sword faint between them. Yeonjun’s breath shallow, Soobin’s jaw clenched tight. For a moment, neither moves. Neither speaks.
And for a heartbeat, it feels like everything might snap—or change.
Yeonjun opens his mouth, not even sure what he means to say.
But Soobin is already stepping back. Already pulling away.
“Figure it out,” he mutters. Then he turns and walks off, leaving Yeonjun standing there in the dark, surrounded by the soft hum of his weapon and the silence that always follows Soobin’s retreat.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
When Yeonjun returns to Taehyung’s cottage, the lights inside are already turned off, which means Taehyung is asleep. Yeonjun moves slowly and carefully as he takes off his boots and heads upstairs. He walks into his room, unsheathing his sword, and staring down at it. It’s glowing a light purple, which is the only source of light in the room, but despite the light color, Yeonjun knows it’s full of plain darkness underneath.
And it breaks him.
Blinking back tears, he places it in the sealed shelf that Beomgyu and Taehyun came to install a few days ago. They claimed it was for protection against the sword, and they put powerful protection spells against it, but given how it’s been acting lately, it’s as if nothing was cast against the sword. And Yeonjun doesn’t know what to do anymore.
After staring wordlessly at the sword on the shelf for a few moments, Yeonjun decides to take a shower to wash off everything that’s happened today. Or try to.
But as he stands under the water, which is ice cold, making goosebumps appear on his skin, his mind keeps replaying Soobin’s words from earlier. He’s been known that Soobin will be the one to step in if anything were to go wrong with his sword, but to hear it from Soobin’s mouth, to hear him give him that warning —which was clearly a threat , not a “warning”—it leaves Yeonjun more unsettled than ever.
He steps out of the shower and dries himself before changing into his pajamas. He hesitates before looking at his reflection in the mirror. Unsurprisingly, he doesn’t recognize the man staring back at him.
He returns to his room and sits down on the edge of his bed. The room is still dark, except for the faint, sickly purple glow of his sword lying across the room. It glows faintly from where he left it, still resting on the sealed shelf, violet runes gleaming like coals. With every throb of light, something inside him answers. His blood stirs.
Suddenly, he wants to move. To touch his sword, for some reason. To hold it again.
But he doesn’t.
He tells himself he can’t, not with everything it’s caused lately.
So he stays seated, knees pulled to his chest, staring at that quiet, steady glow. Wondering what happens if it wins.
Wondering if it already has.
Chapter Text
That morning, Yeonjun wakes up restless. He once again didn’t get enough sleep last night, but this time, it wasn’t only because of his sword—it was also because of Soobin. His words kept replaying through Yeonjun’s mind, haunting and taunting him, and regardless of how many times he tried to stop thinking about him, his sword, everything , nothing helped. And Yeonjun’s getting tired of trying.
But if there’s one thing that Atena taught him well, that’d be preserving and never giving up. And Yeonjun’s not about to give up, not when he needs to and should want to prove he belongs.
Yeonjun doesn’t hear noise coming from downstairs, or Taehyung humming like he usually does as he begins breakfast, which lets Yeonjun know he’s not here. It surprises him, since Taehyung is always here in the morning, and on the rare occasions he’s not, he makes sure to tell Yeonjun so the night before. But this time, he didn’t. Yeonjun knows he’s not still in his room either, because Taehyung isn’t the type to sleep in.
Nevertheless, despite his slight concern, Yeonjun figures that’s a good thing. He feels too restless and exhausted—both mentally and physically—to deal with Taehyung’s usual interrogations that occur after every mission he goes on, and he honestly isn’t in the mood to deal with Taehyung’s teasing about him being on a mission with Soobin, either. Especially not after everything that occurred between them last night.
Minutes later, Yeonjun finds himself alone in the kitchen, a mug of hot coffee in his hands. He’s holding the mug with both hands, letting the heat from the coffee warm up his hands, as he just stands there, not sipping the coffee or anything—just staring off into space.
It’s rare moments like these that make Yeonjun wish his parents were still alive.
Tears blurring his vision are what make him finally realize where his thoughts are heading. He clears his throat, straightening a little, as he wipes his eyes, and turns to the counter. He places the mug down and tells himself he can’t be alone any longer. If he is, his thoughts will just spiral into his parents’ deaths, and him being in a deep depressive episode after everything that’s happened is the last thing he needs right now.
Only one person comes straight to mind when he thinks about whom he wants to keep him company: Taehyun. He knows the shorter won’t mind either, so he goes upstairs to quickly change out of his pajamas and make himself look a bit less dead, before heading outside.
Fortunately, the path to Taehyun’s cottage from Taehyung’s is deserted enough during this time in the morning, so Yeonjun doesn’t come across many clan members. The ones he does come across seem too tired to even register they’re walking, so they barely pay him much attention.
Yeonjun arrives at Taehyun’s cottage not long after. He walks up the stone path that leads to Taehyun’s front door and hesitates before ringing the doorbell. A few seconds later, Taehyun answers the door, still dressed in his pajamas, and looking a bit surprised to see him.
“Hyung?”
“Hi.” Yeonjun gives him a small, barely there smile. That, and the sad look in his eyes, is enough to let Taehyun know nothing’s okay, and he quickly steps to the side to let Yeonjun come in.
“What’s wrong?” Taehyun asks as he leads Yeonjun to the living room.
“W-what isn’t wrong,” he chuckles, a bit bitterly. He sits down on the couch, and Taehyun sits next to him, a worried look on his face. Yeonjun’s fake smile stays for a few more seconds before he lets it falter, and he looks at Taehyun with only pure exhaustion and sadness in his eyes. “I’m tired, Tae.”
“Tired of what?” he says softly, though he knows the answer.
“Everything.” Yeonjun looks away to stare blankly at the coffee table. “My sword, the members’ reactions whenever they see me, me trying to prove myself, and failing over and over again, feeling like I don’t belong.”
“And…?” Taehyun says, knowing there’s no more.
“...Soobin.”
Taehyun’s eyebrows furrow a little. “Why Soobin? Why do you care so much about his approval? He’s literally the biggest ass on the land, and you’re over here, spiraling about getting him to approve of you, and making it sound as if you’re in love with him.”
Yeonjun’s silence is the only confirmation Taehyun needs.
Taehyun’s eyes widen. “You’re in love with him?!”
“Not willingly ,” Yeonjun mutters, though even he knows that’s a lie. Kind of.
“Well, if he weren’t such an ass to you, I’d understand why you have such feelings for him,” Taehyun says. “But hyung, he’s literally the worst person on earth to you. How do you still like him? You should hate him, just as much as he hates you.”
“I do. It’s just…a dumb part of my brain still gets giddy every time he even looks in my direction.”
“Even if it’s with a glare?”
“ Especially if it’s with a glare?”
“Wow, didn’t know you were such a masochist,” Taehyun mutters, making Yeonjun glare at him, whilst his cheeks burn. Taehyun cracks a cheeky smile before he turns serious and squeezes Yeonjun’s hand. “But all jokes aside, you shouldn’t care about what he thinks. You shouldn’t seek his approval. You should do things for yourself , not for a man who despises you for even breathing.”
“Yeah, well…I’ve been dropping hints left and right that you should finally tell Beomgyu how you feel, but I guess we both don’t listen.”
Yeonjun’s words leave Taehyun stumped. His mouth is open, as if he wants to say something, probably to defend himself, but no sound is coming out. He’s just staring at Yeonjun in disbelief, whilst Yeonjun lets himself crack a small, real smile.
“W-we’re not even talking about me!” Taehyun says once he finds his voice, which is a pitch higher than usual.
Yeonjun’s a bit smug as he says, “We are now.”
“You little-” Taehyun glares at him, and Yeonjun can’t hold back a snicker. Taehyun inhales a bit sharply and gives him a stern look. “Don’t change subjects like that.”
“Don’t keep pining after Beomgyu, then.”
“Hyung!”
This time, a real, albeit small, laugh escapes Yeonjun, and Taehyun wants to stay mad, but he softens a little at hearing the sound.
“I’m trying to be serious here,” he says. “And I’m not only talking about Soobin. You shouldn’t listen to what other people say about you, hyung. They don’t even know a fraction of what you’ve been through, and even if they did, they still don’t get to judge. It’s your life, not theirs. And about your sword…I’ve been thinking about researching it.”
That surprises Yeonjun. “You have?”
“More like researching corruption,” Taehyun clarifies. “But since your sword is corrupted, it’d have something to do with it, too.”
“That’s nice of you, Tae, but you don’t have to. I know you have bigger things to focus on.”
“You think I care about my studies right now?” Taehyun raises a brow, as if being in disbelief that Yeonjun would think such an atrocious thing. “One of my best friends is hurting and his life is spiraling, and you really think I won’t do everything I can to help?”
Taehyun’s words stun Yeonjun. He stares at him with slightly wide eyes, whilst his heart can’t help but warm. “Y-you really see me as one of your best friends?”
“Of course I do.” Taehyun smiles fondly. “Why wouldn’t I?”
Tears brim in Yeonjun’s eyes again, and before he can stop himself, he throws his arms around Taehyun into a tight hug. The sudden hug surprises Taehyun slightly, but he doesn’t mind it, and he smiles as he hugs Yeonjun back. The two then just sit there, hugging each other, and feeling safe in each other’s arms. Yeonjun’s worries even start disappearing.
And they all would have disappeared for now if it weren’t for the small whoosh they both hear.
Without even having to pull away, both Yeonjun and Taehyun know that whoosh came from a certain wizard, who is looking at them in slight amusement as they pull away from their hug to look at him.
“Didn’t take you as the type to hug people, Yeonjun-ah,” he says with a slightly cheeky grin, speaking informally on purpose.
Yeonjun gives him a small glare. “You’re lucky I don’t have my sword right now.”
“Oh, whatever would I do if you did?” Beomgyu says tauntingly, making Yeonjun’s glare deepen.
Taehyun sighs. “What are you doing here, hyung?”
Beomgyu snickers, smirking at Yeonjun once more, before letting his gaze settle on Taehyun. “Can’t I visit my two best buds for no reason?”
Yeonjun raises a brow. “You always come visiting Taehyun out of nowhere, and transporting into his cottage without permission?”
“Yup,” Beomgyu and Taehyun reply in unison. Beomgyu’s tone is cheery and proud; Taehyun’s sounds like he’s done with him.
“What are you really doing here, Gyu?” Taehyun says.
Beomgyu fake gasps, putting a hand over his heart. “It offends me that you’d think I’d be here for a reason, and not just to see you.”
“Oh, so do you want me to leave you guys alone?” Yeonjun’s expression makes it seem as if he’s innocently asking, whilst his tone holds an underlying one that suggests he’s asking for an entirely different reason that isn’t innocent.
“As much as I’d like that,” Beomgyu says with a playful sigh, making Taehyun’s cheeks burn as he glares at him, “I unfortunately did come for a reason.”
“Which is?” Yeonjun asks.
“The leader’s calling for you.”
Those five, simple words are enough to make Yeonjun’s face fall.
“Did he say for what?” he says, a bit hesitantly.
Beomgyu shakes his head. “He just said to come get you.”
“What did I do now?” Yeonjun mutters, mainly to himself. His mind starts spiraling, especially when he remembers last night, and he knows that Soobin undoubtedly already told the leader about how his sword acted up, which is probably why he’s calling for him now.
“He probably just wants to check up,” Taehyun tries, but they’d all be fools if they actually believed that.
“Do I have to go?” Yeonjun looks at Beomgyu with a small frown.
“Thought you weren’t a wimp?” Beomgyu raises a brow at him. “You keep surprising me today, Yeonjun-ah.”
“That’s hyung to you,” he grumbles as he gets up to near him, Taehyun following after him.
“Potato, potahto.” Beomgyu grins. Once both Yeonjun and Taehyun are close enough, he grabs them, before his eyes glow a light pink, and Yeonjun hears another whoosh , before the setting changes. They’re not in Taehyun’s cottage anymore and are instead surrounded by the white walls of the leader’s office.
But much to Yeonjun’s dismay, the leader isn’t the only one waiting for them.
“About time you guys showed up,” he says as he finishes talking with Soobin, who unsurprisingly has a blank expression on his face as he turns to look at them. Yeonjun tries to avoid looking at him.
“Not my fault,” Beomgyu says. He motions to Yeonjun as he adds, “Someone was being a wimp, and didn’t want to come.” That earns him a sharp nudge from Taehyun and a side eye from Yeonjun.
The leader looks a bit surprised, and he looks at the ravenette. “Is that true, Yeonjun-ah?”
The younger’s silence and avoidance of eye contact are the only answer the leader needs.
“Well, I wouldn’t blame you, I suppose,” he says, much to Yeonjun’s surprise. “You have been going through a lot these past few days.”
Soobin lets out a small scoff behind the leader, which doesn’t go unheard by the other four. The leader doesn’t say anything about it, though, and Yeonjun tries to ignore the slight pang of hurt that hit his chest the second Soobin made that sound. Meanwhile, Beomgyu and Taehyun are sending him looks, Taehyun’s more murderous than Beomgyu’s, but Soobin pays them no attention, staring daggers into Yeonjun instead, whilst Yeonjun tries not to focus on him.
“Is there a reason why you called for me?” Yeonjun asks, hoping his voice isn’t as shaky as he hears it.
“Yes,” the leader replies. “I have another mission for you and Soobin to go on.”
Soobin must’ve already gotten the news before Yeonjun arrived, since he doesn’t look surprised. He just looks more annoyed as he crosses his arms and turns slightly to look out the window.
“What…type of mission?” Yeonjun says, a bit hesitantly.
“You and Soobin are to head to the southern ridge,” the leader starts. “I’ve been informed by the scouts that there are more corrupted creatures over there, and I'm sending you two because the creatures will only respond to powerful magic.”
If it were any other circumstance, Yeonjun would feel flattered that the leader thinks he’s powerful—even though he knows it’s true—but this time Yeonjun feels anything but powerful. He feels power less and highly doubts he’ll be any help in this mission. Not to mention how his sword will react being around corrupted creatures once again.
“I know you’re worried about your sword,” the leader says, as if reading Yeonjun’s thoughts. “But remember, this is just more practice for you to try to control it. And if anything goes wrong, that’s why you’ll have Soobin with you.”
Much to Yeonjun’s relief, Taehyun speaks up for him. “I’m sorry, hyung, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
The leader’s eyebrows furrow a little. “You don’t?”
Taehyun shakes his head. “Yeonjun-hyung’s sword has acted up enough over these past few days and missions. What if him going on all these missions is just doing more harm than good? What if this time, it hurts him ? Or worse ?”
The leader seems to be thinking about Taehyun’s words, since he stays silent. Seconds later, he turns to him with a slightly more serious expression. “I appreciate your concern, Taehyun, but I assure you, this situation is handled. You have a valid point, but what if Yeonjun not going on all these missions ends up harming him instead? And as mentioned before, Soobin will be there. Doubt the sword all you want, but don’t doubt my faith or Soobin’s abilities. Soobin’s got this handled. Don’t you, Soobin?”
“Of course I do,” comes his cold response.
The leader looks back at Yeonjun. “You and Soobin should leave before it gets too dark. You’re all dismissed.”
Taehyun opens his mouth, probably to say more in Yeonjun’s defense, but Beomgyu grabs his arm, shaking his head. Taehyun sighs and looks away from Beomgyu to look at Yeonjun. They make eye contact, and Taehyun mouths “sorry.” Yeonjun gives him a small, barely there smile before walking out of the leader’s office.
Not even ten seconds later, Soobin joins him in the hallway, just as Yeonjun is snapping his fingers to get dressed in his training gear. He tries not to pay Soobin much attention as they begin walking out of the compound and to the exit of the village.
“Aren’t you going to summon your sword?” he asks once they’re a few feet away, and notices Yeonjun’s sword is still nowhere in sight.
Soobin doesn’t hear a response from Yeonjun, but he does see his hesitation and the slight fear in his eyes.
He scoffs. “Are you really letting your fear take over?”
Yeonjun finally looks up at him, locking eyes with him. “Wouldn’t you?”
“No,” he scowls. “I’d get over myself and get this over with. Summon your damn sword already, and stop wasting our time. We don’t exactly have a lot.”
“Can’t you at least try to understand?” Yeonjun questions, growing annoyed.
“That’d be a waste of time,” Soobin grumbles, before leaving Yeonjun there as he finishes walking to the exit of the village.
Yeonjun just stares after him in disbelief. He stays there in his spot for a few more seconds before hesitating, and finally summoning his sword to him. It flies right into his hands, like it always has, but it feels heavy, like it has lately. It’s glowing a light purple already, white glows swimming through the runes underneath, and even pulsing a little. Yeonjun is already getting a bad feeling, but he grips it tighter in his hands, pleads to whatever god up there that his sword behaves , and follows after Soobin to the exit of the village.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
The sky is a slate-gray bruise by the time Soobin and Yeonjun reach the southern ridge. A bitter wind threads through the valley, carrying the faint stench of decay—metallic, sour, wrong.
Yeonjun tightens his grip on his sword, glancing sideways. Soobin walks just ahead of him, silent and unreadable as always.
“We stay sharp. No mistakes,” Soobin mutters without turning, finally speaking for the first time in what seems like hours. “If your sword so much as flickers—”
“I know,” Yeonjun snaps. His voice is sharper than he intends, but Soobin has been making his patience with him run out ever since he scoffed at him in the leader’s office earlier. “You’ve said that already.”
Soobin finally turns his head, dark eyes narrowing. “Then start acting like you’re listening.”
Yeonjun’s mouth twitches. He wants to say something cruel, wants to push back—but the sudden surge of corrupted magic pulls them both up short. A creature slithers out of the mist ahead, its body stitched together with smoke and ash, eyes glowing like dying embers. Another follows. Then a third.
For a moment, Yeonjun freezes. His grip on his sword falls a bit loose, and he’s too focused on his spiraling thoughts, and Soobin’s too focused on watching the creatures’ movements that neither of them notices how darker Yeonjun’s sword’s glow is turning.
Yeonjun can’t focus on anything. The corrupted creatures look almost too much like the Mirror Wraiths, which are the reason why his sword is corrupted in the first place. Their dealing with corrupted creatures is bringing back a lot of bad memories to Yeonjun, and he doesn’t want to move from his spot. He can’t afford to get any more bad rep, and his sword is already pulsing differently, reacting to the creatures’ corrupted magic-
“Focus.” For once (at least today), Yeonjun is relieved to hear the sharpness and coldness in Soobin’s voice. He’s already drawing an arrow, his expression focused and cold. “You can’t afford to lose it.”
Yeonjun doesn’t speak, not trusting his voice. He just draws his sword, trying to ignore how it’s pulsing, and moves.
The battle is brutal. Fast. The creatures strike like coiled wire—snapping, clawing, shrieking. Soobin handles two on his own, movements fluid and mechanical. Yeonjun dances around the third, blade spinning, legs burning with each dodge. They should be winning.
But then—the sword pulses harsher.
A searing heat crawls up Yeonjun’s palm like wildfire. He stumbles mid-step, gasping as the blade emits a high, whining noise. A jagged crack splinters down the center—almost splitting it.
“YEONJUN!” Soobin yells. “ Back off! ”
But one of the beasts lunges—and Yeonjun reacts. The blade tears through it with a violent burst of light. The corrupted creature disintegrates, but the sword buzzes, dangerously unstable.
Yeonjun drops to one knee, clutching the hilt. Smoke rises from his gloves.
Soobin is in front of him in an instant, fury in every line of his body. “What the hell was that?!” he demands furiously. “You could’ve killed us both!”
“I wasn’t trying to!” Yeonjun pants, chest heaving. “It just—it surged again!”
“Then control it!” Soobin snaps. “It’s part of you now, or have you not figured that out yet?”
“You said you didn’t even want to try to understand, so don’t act like you do!” Yeonjun stands abruptly. “You think I want this happening?”
“Then prove you don’t!”
They stand inches apart, anger ricocheting between them like lightning. The sword thrums between them. Soobin looks down at it, expression unreadable.
“Next time,” he says coldly, “I won’t be there to stop you.”
Yeonjun’s glare deepens. “Then don’t be.”
He regrets it the second Soobin turns and walks away without another word.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
An hour later, Yeonjun finds himself back in the compound. Since it was just him and Soobin, news of what happened hasn’t spread, but the members still look at Yeonjun as if he were an enigma. Which he probably is. They steer clear of him, especially once they notice his sword in his hands, and Yeonjun tries not to focus on how much it affects him. He avoids eye contact or communication with anyone, tears burning in his eyes. His grip on the hilt of his sword is tight, and everything in him wants to throw it across the field. But he holds onto it tighter instead, not wanting to risk the consequences of what’d happen if he did throw it.
Once again, he’s already spiraling. Dark, degrading thoughts are already swirling in his mind, and he can’t stop them. When it gets this bad, there’s only one person who can help: Taehyung. But he’s still nowhere in sight, and once again, Yeonjun has to face his own spiraling by himself.
He walks around for a spot he feels safe enough in to clear his head. He walks deep into the forest behind the compound, where there aren’t any corrupted creatures or anything of the sort, and walks around for another twenty minutes before finding a cliff. It overlooks the other side of the compound, and Yeonjun feels envious of the members looking carefree, talking, and laughing, as if they don’t have anything weighing them down.
A tear manages to escape, and it slides down Yeonjun’s cheek as he sits down on the edge of the cliff. He finally lets go of his sword, placing it next to him as he finally gives in to his thoughts. He curls himself into a ball, whilst more tears run down his cheeks.
Unsurprisingly, the most dominant thought in his head is Soobin. But none of the thoughts are positive, romantic, or anything of the sort. Instead, they’re all the words the archer has said that have stuck with Yeonjun. He knows Taehyun is right—that he shouldn’t let Soobin affect him so much, and he shouldn’t be seeking his approval—but it’s hard. It’s hard not to want the approval of someone you care and like so much, regardless of how shitty they treat you.
The sudden glow of his sword finally tears Yeonjun’s gaze away from the other side of the compound. He looks down at his sword, watching the crack running through it glow faintly in the dark, like another reminder that something inside him is breaking too. He lets out a shaky exhale, unable to bring himself to look away, as another tear manages to slip free.
He hears footsteps before he sees the figure.
Taehyun approaches, hands in his coat pockets, gaze soft but concerned. “You okay?”
Yeonjun doesn’t look up. “What do you think?”
Taehyun hesitates before sitting beside him. “I did what I said earlier: I’ve been looking into what’s happening with your sword,” he says. “And with you.”
Yeonjun’s head snaps up. “You found something?”
“Not everything yet. But…I’ve learned that this isn’t just absorption. The corruption isn’t dormant—it’s evolving. Changing your weapon. Maybe more than that.”
Yeonjun swallows. His throat feels dry. “You think it’s changing me ?”
Taehyun nods slowly. “It’s bonding with your aura. Syncing with your magic, but distorting it in the process. Like it’s feeding off something…emotional.”
Yeonjun goes still. His mind flashes back to his anger, to Soobin, to that moment of chaos when everything snapped.
“Don’t tell anyone yet,” Taehyun says. “Especially not…him.” He says that as if reading Yeonjun’s mind once again.
Yeonjun lowers his gaze. “Why would I tell him anything in the first place? He already thinks I’m a threat.”
“Then don’t give him a reason to be right.”
Yeonjun shakes his head, still staring at his lap as tears brim his eyes again. “No matter what I do, he’ll always look at me like I’m something he has to deal with, like I’m a burden, or gum he can’t scrape off his shoe.”
“That just proves he’s an asshole that doesn’t deserve your time, let alone your tears.” Taehyun tilts Yeonjun’s face up gently, wiping the tear that falls at the same time away. “No one deserves your tears, hyung. It breaks my heart to see you cry.”
Taehyun’s words make Yeonjun choke back a sob. “D-don’t say that. Not if you don’t mean it.”
“I do.” Taehyun cups his face. “I know we had our differences at first, but I care deeply about you now, hyung. I meant it when I said you’re my best friend. You get me like no one else does.”
“N-not even Beomgyu?” he says through his tears.
Taehyun smiles softly. “Not even Beomgyu.”
For the first time, Yeonjun lets himself be vulnerable around someone who isn’t Taehyung. He breaks down as Taehyun continues cupping his face, and Taehyun is quick to pull him into a hug. Yeonjun grips the fabric of his white tunic tightly as he continues sobbing quietly, and Taehyun wants more than anything to cast a happy, calm spell on him to get him to stop crying, but he knows that’ll just lead to Yeonjun repressing his emotions. So, Taehyun continues holding him throughout his tears, whispering comforting words and stroking his back comfortingly, letting Yeonjun wet his collar with his tears.
After what seems like forever, Yeonjun’s sobs eventually come down to soft cries, then to small sniffles. Taehyun takes the cue to pull him away gently a little, his heart breaking a little at the sight of Yeonjun’s red and puffy eyes and nose. He doesn’t fail to see the sadness still lingering in his brown eyes, and Taehyun wipes away a lingering tear.
“Want to head back home?” he asks softly.
Yeonjun shakes his head. “I-I think I just need to stay outside for a bit longer. Alone, if that’s okay.”
“Of course it is,” Taehyun assures with a soft smile. He kisses Yeonjun’s forehead gently before getting up. “I’ll be at my cottage if you need anything.”
Yeonjun nods. Taehyun gives him a last smile for now before walking away. Seconds later, Yeonjun doesn’t hear his footsteps anymore, so he figures Taehyun is completely gone now, which leaves him alone once again. He finds himself hugging his knees to his chest once more, staring at the other side of the compound again. Taehyun’s presence and comforting hug and words seem to have worked, because now Yeonjun’s spiraling thoughts are gone. He doesn’t feel hurt anymore, either—just numb.
Hesitantly, he decides walking will be more helpful than just sitting there, staring off into nothing. He puts his sword in the holster of the harnesses around his hip and thigh, and leaves the cliff to walk around the forest for some more. Just like he thought, moving around helps clear his mind better, but the numbness he felt earlier still lingers.
By the time he reaches the lower hill near the cottages, the sky has darkened further. He sits, hugging his knees to his chest again as he watches faint lights flicker in the training grounds far below. Now, he’s exhausted, still a bit angry, but numb all at once.
“Found you,” a voice says behind him—low, melodic, too casual.
Yeonjun’s eyes widen when he recognizes the voice, and he looks up, his eyes indeed landing on a familiar blond, who’s strolling up to him with that usual lopsided smile. Once he’s close enough, Yeonjun notices he's holding two sticks of dried mango, offering one out like a peace offering.
“Hyung.” But Yeonjun pays the mango stacks no attention, relieved to see him, and stands up to hug him, taking him by surprise. But Taehyung smiles and pats his back. “Where have you been? You’ve been gone all day.”
“Council meetings,” Taehyung replies, much to Yeonjun’s surprise. “They went on and on all day.”
“The council’s created now?”
Taehyung nods. “Surprised you didn’t know.”
“...I’ve been kind of busy.”
“I’ve heard,” Taehyung says, a bit amused. “I also heard you skipped dinner. Again.” He holds out the dried mango stick again, waving it slightly for Yeonjun to take it.
He does with a small sigh. “Didn’t feel like eating.”
“Mm. I figured.” Taehyung drops next to the spot Yeonjun was on, stretching out lazily. Yeonjun hesitates before sitting down next to him. “Soobin chewed you out again?”
Yeonjun snorts softly. “That obvious?”
“Only to everyone.” Taehyung nudges him. “You know, when people fight this much, it’s usually not about the fight.”
Yeonjun stays quiet.
“It’s what’s beneath the fight. Tension. Emotion. Maybe even…” He pauses, grin twitching. “Care.”
Yeonjun turns his head sharply, but Taehyung is already gazing out at the horizon like he didn’t just drop a grenade.
“What…are you trying to say?”
“That you should be careful who you trust.” Just like that, Taehyung abruptly stands, despite just sitting, and brushes himself off.
Yeonjun looks up at him, a faint chill crawling down his spine. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Taehyung gives him a small smile—but this one doesn’t reach his eyes. “Rest well, Jun. Tomorrow’s not going to be easy, either.”
And then he’s gone.
…What the hell was that?
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
The rest of the night falls hard and fast. The Star Seekers’ wards pulse gently across the perimeter, shielding the inner grounds with warm, golden light.
But just beyond their reach, in the cold woods past the boundary stones, something stirs.
Two cloaked figures stand still among the trees. Their faces are obscured, but the insignia on their armor glints faintly in the moonlight.
One kneels, touching the cracked ground where Soobin and Yeonjun had fought earlier. Fingers smear through the ashes of the corrupted creature.
“Still unstable,” the figure mutters. “But stronger than before.”
The other one stares toward the glowing ward barrier, then tilts his head as if listening for something.
“He’s still ours,” he whispers. “Even if he doesn’t remember it yet.”
The two figures vanish a second later, swallowed by darkness. But the cold they leave behind lingers.
Chapter Text
After Taehyung leaves, Yeonjun continues sitting there on the lower hill near the cottages, thinking over his words. He stares off into space now, wondering what Taehyung meant by “you should be careful who you trust” and “Tomorrow’s not going to be easy.” Does Taehyung know something Yeonjun doesn’t? What is he trying to say? Why is he saying all these things now, right when Yeonjun’s mental health isn’t doing so well?
The whirlwind of today’s events leaves Yeonjun feeling unsettled and tired. He stays on the lower hill for a few more moments before getting up with his sword. He places it in its holster in the harnesses around his hip and thigh as he begins walking toward Taehyung’s cottage.
At this point, all Yeonjun wants is to lie in bed and hope sleep will come over him easily tonight. Everything that has happened today has tired him out, mainly emotionally, so much that he doesn’t even notice that the cottage is empty. Yeonjun simply takes off his boots, snaps his fingers to make his harnesses disappear, and grabs his sword as he walks upstairs.
He places his sword in its sealed shelf before collapsing onto his bed and contemplating whether he should shower or not. Almost five minutes later, he decides to just get it over with and gets back up to head to the bathroom.
Thirty minutes later, he’s back into his room, freshly showered, his raven hair still damp, and dressed in his usual pajamas. He climbs under the covers of his bed, and just as he’s closing his eyes, feeling sleep finally overcoming him, the room is suddenly bathed in a light purple glow. But he doesn’t groan just yet, wanting to give that glow the benefit of the doubt, and hope it doesn’t mean anything.
Only for his sword to begin pulsing five seconds later.
Yeonjun squeezes his eyes shut. If he had more energy, he’d probably curse his sword out. But he feels too tired to even get mad. He just stares up at the ceiling, knowing sleep won’t overcome him anytime soon.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Yeonjun manages to fall asleep five hours later, when it’s nearing six a.m. His sword’s pulsing has calmed only a little , but it’s enough for his eyes to close fully, and sleep to finally overcome him.
Unfortunately, that leads to him only getting two hours of sleep. His body is used to waking up around six a.m., but because of how sleep deprived he’s been lately, it’s as if his body is punishing him even further by only giving him two hours of sleep.
But as he blinks to clear his vision, and his senses become more heightened, he realizes he woke up to…silence.
Not the peaceful kind. Not the soft hush of morning mist or the gentle rustle of wind through the trees. This silence is wrong . Heavy. Dense.
He sits up slowly, every movement stiff, like his limbs are moving through molasses. His sheets are tangled around his legs, and he knows he didn’t dream—otherwise, he would’ve woken up in a cold sweat from a nightmare , not a dream—but his chest is tight as if he did dream—a dream that had hurt.
His gaze shifts to the far wall.
His sword sits where it always does—on the sealed shelf Beomgyu and Taehyun carved protection runes into days ago. It should be glowing. It always glows . Even at rest, it pulses faintly, dark runes flickering like a second heartbeat.
But now?
It’s still. Dark. Silent.
Yeonjun swings his legs over the side of the bed, heart thudding. The air is cold against his bare feet as he approaches, each step cautious, careful, like he’s nearing something sacred—or dangerous.
But the blade still doesn’t even move.
No hum of magic. No flicker of light. Not even a whisper of the corrupted energy that’s been haunting him for weeks.
He hesitantly reaches for it, breath catching. The second his fingers touch the hilt, a sharp, ice-cold sting shoots through his palm—not pain, exactly, but a disconnect . Like the blade is there, but not there . Like it’s watching him from someplace deeper, darker.
He pulls it free from the shelf, holds it in front of him. It’s heavier today. Not in weight, but in intent. Like it’s waiting. Quietly. Too quietly.
Yeonjun swallows. “Why aren’t you doing anything?” he whispers to it, voice dry.
The blade stays silent.
A knock startles him from behind. It comes from the front door—light, but urgent.
Yet, Yeonjun doesn’t move from his spot, knowing Taehyung’s going to open the door. He’s always up at this time, anyway.
But when a second knock comes, Yeonjun finally looks up from his sword. There shouldn’t have been a second knock. Taehyung always opens the door before there is. Concern rises in Yeonjun, and he’s about to start getting worried about Taehyung, before he remembers their conversation from last night. It strikes Yeonjun a bit odd that the council would have another meeting this early again, but then again, everything that’s been happening lately isn’t normal. When a third knock comes, that’s enough to snap him out of his worried thoughts about Taehyung and tell himself he should go open the door.
Still, he hesitates, looking back at the sword. It’s still quiet, and its silence concerns him most of all. But he tells himself he won’t get anywhere if he just stands there staring at the sword, so he puts the sword carefully back into the shelf, the glowless runes glaring back at him like bruises. He then walks downstairs, pulse still uneven as the sword and its silence linger in his mind.
When he finally opens the door, he’s surprised to see Taehyun standing there, clutching a leather-bound satchel to his chest. But Taehyun doesn’t greet him with a smile. Doesn’t tease him like usual. His eyes are wide and tight at the corners, like he hasn’t slept.
“Tae?” Yeonjun says, confused, surprised, and a bit worried all in one.
Taehyun doesn’t wait for Yeonjun to let him in, walking past him in silence, then turning, voice quiet but edged with something tense. “I found something.”
Yeonjun’s breath hitches as he closes the door. “About the sword?”
Taehyun nods. “About you , too.”
“M-me?” Yeonjun isn’t sure if he wants to hear what Taehyun has to say. He was supposed to be researching corruption, so how did he find something about him ?
Taehyun doesn’t answer, simply heading over to the dining table. He opens the satchel and pulls out a bundle of old scrolls and torn pages—fragments from old magical records, half-burned and smudged with ink and time. “This wasn’t easy to track down,” he mutters. “Most of the archives refused to classify anything as corruption-related. Too risky. Too political.”
Yeonjun’s eyes flick to the scrolls and pages, then back to Taehyun. “What is it?”
Taehyun places one scroll in front of him, the edges brittle with age. He points to a symbol sketched in faded charcoal—an unfamiliar crest Yeonjun doesn’t recognize, surrounding a jagged, broken blade.
“This,” Taehyun says, “is a mark left behind by something called evolution corruption . It’s not just when a weapon absorbs dark magic. It’s when it adapts to it.”
Yeonjun frowns. “Adapts how?”
“It syncs. It learns its wielder’s emotions—fears, anger, grief—and begins using them as fuel. It creates a feedback loop. You get unstable, it gets stronger. You resist it, it gets hungrier.”
Yeonjun stares down at the scroll. “So it’s feeding off me.”
Taehyun nods once. “And it’s not just your sword anymore. It’s connected to your aura. Your essence . Which means even if the sword’s sealed or destroyed…”
“…It stays in me.” Yeonjun finishes, the words like ice on his tongue.
Taehyun doesn’t deny it. “I’m still trying to figure out if it can be reversed.”
Yeonjun steps back, away from the table. His knees hit the edge of the chair behind him, and he sinks down slowly, heart pounding.
“I knew something felt different this morning,” he whispers. “The sword was quiet for once. As if it were watching me. Waiting. But for something else.”
Taehyun sits across from him, quiet for a moment before saying, “There’s one more thing.”
Yeonjun doesn’t speak, not sure if he still wants to hear more.
Taehyun lays a second paper in front of him—this one newer, with modern writing and a familiar emblem drawn in the corner. The Star Seekers’ crest. “One of the scrolls referenced something called a Null Bloom . A rare phenomenon where corrupted weapons begin to erase their own magical signatures—go silent—right before evolving into their next stage.”
Yeonjun’s mouth goes dry. “You’re saying this is just the beginning?”
Taehyun meets his gaze. “I think something’s coming, hyung.”
Yeonjun leans forward, elbows on his knees, hands buried in his hair. The silence in the room is broken only by the sudden faintest thrum now echoing from the sword upstairs—soft, subtle, like a beast stirring in its cage.
He looks up at Taehyun, eyes wide, terrified. “What if I can’t stop it?”
Taehyun’s answer is immediate. “Then we do it together.”
The silence that follows his words is almost worse than the truth itself.
Yeonjun sits frozen, the weight of the sword’s presence thick in the air, even though it’s still upstairs. The thrum that started faintly minutes ago hasn’t stopped—it’s deepening. Warping. Echoing like a heartbeat in a cave.
Yeonjun stares at the scrolls Taehyun brought with him.
“The sword’s quieter now,” Yeonjun says hoarsely, “but it’s not gone. I can feel it. It’s under my skin.”
Taehyun doesn’t respond at first. Just watches him, carefully. Patiently. The same way you’d watch someone standing too close to a ledge.
“I’ve always known something was wrong with me,” Yeonjun continues, his voice thin. “Even before I came here. I thought I was cursed—like maybe Atena exiled me because they saw this coming. Because they knew I’d turn into…” He swallows. “Into this.”
Taehyun shakes his head firmly. “You didn’t ask for any of this, hyung. You didn’t choose to carry this weight.”
“But I am carrying it,” Yeonjun bites out. “And now it’s in me. It’s using me. What happens if I stop being strong enough to fight it? What happens when I start…liking the power?”
That last confession feels like a betrayal—like speaking it aloud confirms the worst parts of himself.
“I’ve been angry for weeks, Tae,” he admits. “Angry at them. At Soobin. At myself. And every time I touch my sword, it feels easier to let go. Easier to just feel that rage and use it instead of trying to quiet it.”
Taehyun’s jaw tightens. “That’s exactly what the corruption wants.”
Yeonjun stands abruptly, unable to stay seated anymore. His chair scrapes back loudly, jarring the quiet room.
“I don’t want to be a weapon.”
“You’re not ,” Taehyun says, rising with him. “You’re still you . You’re Yeonjun, you’re my friend . You’re the one who gave up everything just to survive, and you’ve still fought every day since.”
Yeonjun’s lips tremble. “But what if one day, fighting isn’t enough?”
Taehyun steps forward and grips his shoulder, grounding him. “Then I’ll remind you who you are. As many times as it takes.”
Yeonjun shuts his eyes. Lets the tears well, but doesn’t let them fall. “I don’t want to hurt anyone else.”
“You won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I believe it.” Taehyun’s voice is steady now. “That’s enough for both of us.”
Yeonjun nods shakily.
Taehyun steps back, gentler now. “I’ll go. Let you breathe.”
Yeonjun wants to protest—wants to say, “no, stay, I don’t want to be alone” —but he knows he needs this time. Needs space to think, to not be watched , especially not by someone who still sees the good in him.
“Okay,” he says quietly. “Thank you.”
Taehyun gives him a final look—one part reluctant, one part fiercely protective—before heading for the door.
And then it’s just Yeonjun again.
The sword hums louder from upstairs like it’s waiting for him to acknowledge it. And he does. He looks at the stairs before climbing them up and heading back to his room. The first thing his eyes lie on is the sword still in the sealed shelf, now glowing a darker shade of purple. Yeonjun hesitates before he walks toward it, slowly, like it might spring to life.
He reaches out—not to touch it. Just to hover his fingers over the glass of the shelf. He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to. The air between him and the blade buzzes.
It hears him.
It feels him.
And it pulses.
A single flicker. Darker violet. Then stillness again.
Yeonjun exhales shakily and steps back, his head aching and his eyes burning.
It isn’t until he tastes the saltiness in his mouth that he realizes he’s crying. His hand shakily lifts to touch his cheek, and indeed, it’s wet. But this time, he doesn’t bother wiping his tears away. He lets them fall—but the more tears that fall, the darker the sword glows. And all it does is remind him of Taehyun’s words: “You get unstable, it gets stronger. You resist it, it gets hungrier.”
Nothing Yeonjun does will ever fix his sword’s corruption. He doesn’t know how to do anything except get unstable and try to resist his sword, and both are helping the sword’s corruption grow. He doesn’t know what to do, and he’s feeling desperate at the same time he’s feeling overwhelmed.
Maybe he shouldn’t have begged for mercy that day.
Maybe he should’ve just let them end him once and for all.
Those thoughts linger in Yeonjun’s head for the rest of the morning. He curls himself into a ball on the floor in front of his bed, hugging his knees tightly to his chest as he continues crying silently. With each cry, his sword hums or pulses louder, which doesn’t help the swirl of negative emotions in Yeonjun’s mind at all. But he has no other escape. He has no choice but to be here, stuck in the cottage, unless he wants to make himself feel even worse by stepping outside.
It isn’t until midafternoon that he finally gets a distraction from his crying and dark thoughts: another knock on the front door. This knock sounds different from the one in the morning, so Yeonjun knows it isn’t Taehyun. A part of him wants to ignore the knock and continue rotting there on the floor, and he’s about to listen to it, but then the knocking continues, louder .
Yeonjun heaves a sigh, and not wanting anyone to see him in this state, he wipes his tears away and splashes cold water on his face. It helps only a little, but he figures it’s better than nothing. He walks downstairs and heads to the door. He checks the peephole, only for his eyes to land on a woman he’s never seen before. She has a neutral look on her face, so Yeonjun just hopes she isn’t here to ridicule him, or anything of the sort.
“...Yes?” he says hesitantly, unsurprised to hear how hoarse his voice sounds.
“Hello, my name is Bae Eunkyung, and I’m one of the council aides,” she says, her voice and facial expression still neutral. But her words surprise Yeonjun. He didn’t know the council had aides, let alone needed some. “I’m here to deliver a message on behalf of the leader.”
Once those words are out of her mouth, Yeonjun knows everything he needs to. He now knows why she’s here, and part of him wants to tell her to deliver a message to the leader on his part that says he wants no part in whatever mission he has for him now. He doesn’t doubt he’s paired up with Soobin on this one as well, and after what happened between them yesterday, Yeonjun would rather be locked in his room with his sword all day than face Soobin again. But the rational part of him knows he has no choice in this, so he stays silent.
“You have another mission, which you will be handling with second-in-command Choi Soobin,” the aide, “Eunkyung,” continues. “You will meet up with him at the village gates, and you are advised to meet him there as soon as possible. That is all.” With that, she disappears into thin air, but Yeonjun is too done with this whole thing to even pay attention to it.
He closes the door, staring at it for a few seconds. Whilst the (slowly growing small) part of his brain that’s still head over heels for Soobin is screaming and going haywire that he’ll be alone with him again, the rest of Yeonjun is dreading this. He does not have the energy or mental capacity to deal with the mission and Soobin’s shenanigans again. But he doesn’t want to infuriate the leader, so he hesitantly goes upstairs to get ready.
He takes his time in doing so. Not out of vanity. Just…hesitation. Exhaustion. He straps on his harnesses slowly, fingers brushing over the metal clasps like they might give him a reason to stop. His sword hums quietly against his hip—not angry, not calm. Just…waiting.
Like it knows something’s coming.
He steps out of the cottage and begins heading to the village gates, where Soobin is waiting for him. The closer he gets to the gates, the more his stomach twists. Not because of fear. But because he’s already tired of the silence that’s for sure about to happen between him and Soobin.
When he arrives at the gates, he sees Soobin standing near the post, back straight, arms crossed like he’s carved out of stone. As always. No greeting. No glance. Just cold silence.
Yeonjun stops a few paces away, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. It pulses once, low and deep. But Soobin doesn’t even flinch.
“You could at least pretend to look less annoyed,” Yeonjun mutters.
Soobin doesn’t respond. Just turns and starts walking.
Typical.
Yeonjun follows, jaw tight, boots dragging slightly as they walk through the outer wood. No words. Just wind, leaves, and silence sharp enough to draw blood.
But the unbearable silence makes Yeonjun snap first.
“You’ve been quieter than usual,” he says, his tone clipped. “Do you get some kind of thrill out of waiting for me to screw up?”
Soobin keeps walking. “I don’t need to wait.”
Yeonjun stops. “Excuse me?”
Soobin halts, too. Doesn’t turn around. “You’re already screwing up just by being here.”
The words hit harder than they should.
But Yeonjun laughs—bitter, sharp. “You’ve been waiting to say that, haven’t you?”
“I don’t wait for anything,” Soobin says, finally turning to face him. His gaze is icy. “Especially not for someone who was never supposed to be here in the first place.”
Yeonjun steps in, teeth bared. “Then say it. Say what you’ve been dying to say since the day I got here.”
Soobin’s jaw tightens.
Yeonjun’s voice lowers. “You hate me. I get it. So why the hell do you keep following me around like a shadow?”
Silence.
Yeonjun scoffs and turns. “Forget it.”
But before he can walk away, Soobin’s hand shoots out, grabs his arm, and yanks him back. Yeonjun stumbles, shocked—but Soobin doesn’t let go.
His voice is a growl when he speaks: “I follow you not only because it's a direct order from the leader, but also because if someone doesn’t, you’re going to get us all killed.”
Yeonjun goes still.
Soobin steps closer. “You think you’re some tragic warrior stuck with a cursed sword? Wake up. You’re a risk. You’re unstable. And the only reason you haven’t been exiled is because the leader still thinks you’re fixable .”
The words slice deep—deeper than Soobin knows. Or maybe he does know. Maybe that’s the point.
Yeonjun stares at him, breath caught in his throat.
Soobin lets go like he’s disgusted to have touched him in the first place. “So stop looking at me like I’m the enemy, Yeonjun. You’ve already brought enough of those with you.”
Then he turns and walks off, leaving Yeonjun alone on the path, heart pounding, breath caught, sword pulsing faintly in the cold air.
➴
Yeonjun doesn’t chase after him.
He stands frozen in the middle of the path, Soobin’s footsteps crunching away behind him until there’s nothing left but wind and ringing silence.
The pain doesn’t hit all at once. It trickles in slowly. First, a dull ache behind his ribs. Then a tightening in his throat.
Then— “You’re already screwing up just by being here.”
Yeonjun’s fingers twitch. His chest rises too fast.
“You were never supposed to be here.”
He hears it again. And again. Until it doesn’t sound like Soobin’s voice anymore. Until it sounds like every voice that’s ever told him he wasn’t enough. That he didn’t belong. That he’s just a mistake with a heartbeat.
The wind kicks up. Leaves scatter across the path. His sword vibrates faintly at his hip, as if sensing the unraveling of its wielder, the grief threading itself through his pulse.
Yeonjun sways.
His knees buckle before he knows what’s happening, and he sinks to the forest floor like the weight of Soobin’s words physically knocked him down. He doesn’t cry at first—just stares blankly at the dirt beneath his fingers, trying to breathe around the invisible hands clutching at his chest.
His breath hitches.
Then breaks.
And suddenly he’s curling forward, forehead against his knees, shoulders shaking as the tears come fast, hot, humiliating. A quiet sob slips out before he can stop it—raw and low and strangled.
He wishes he hated Soobin. It would be easier if he did.
But instead, all he feels is that same unbearable ache, that same hollow pressure in his chest—the one that only ever shows up when it’s him .
And all he can hear is:
“You’re a risk.”
“You’re unstable.”
“You’ve already brought enough enemies with you.”
Yeonjun presses the heels of his palms to his eyes, like it’ll shut the words out. Like it’ll stop the sword from humming again beside him—slow and steady now, almost soothing, like it’s the only one listening.
The thought makes his stomach twist.
He doesn’t know how long he stays there—knees drawn up, back bowed, broken in a place no one can see. But when he finally lifts his head, his cheeks are wet, his eyes are swollen, and he’s never felt more alone.
➴
But…there’s still a mission to finish. And Yeonjun doesn’t leave things unfinished, regardless of how he feels. So he stands—on slightly shaky legs—tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword, mainly to ground himself. He doesn’t know where Soobin could have gone, but maybe it’s best if he doesn’t. Maybe that’s a sign that they are better off separate.
So, Yeonjun turns and heads in the other direction. His sword hums quietly as he moves, on high alert for whatever corrupted creature they were sent to conquer. The ache from Soobin’s harsh words still lingers in Yeonjun’s chest, and his eyes feel numb from his crying, but he puts all his attention on the mission, telling himself it won’t do him any good if he’s distracted.
As the sun begins to set, Yeonjun finally recognizes where he is: the southern ridge. The wind howls low as the sunset dyes the forest in deep reds and rusted golds. It’s quiet—but not the good kind. More like the kind before a storm.
Looking up, Yeonjun’s eyes finally land on a familiar red-haired archer. Although he knows he shouldn’t be, since Soobin is, after all, here for his safety (regardless of what they both think), Yeonjun is disappointed to have found him. But he tells himself he should be the bigger person here, and inhales a bit shakily as he tries to push down the ache that’s still lingering from Soobin’s words from earlier.
(keyword: tries .)
Soobin doesn’t make it noticeable that he knows Yeonjun has caught up to him, but Yeonjun knows he knows. He wouldn’t be an elite, superior warrior if he didn’t, and Yeonjun knows Soobin’s far too skilled to not know when he’s not alone anymore. Soobin walks ahead, but still without speaking. Yeonjun hesitantly follows, sword still pulsing at his side. Neither of them, especially Yeonjun, bothers saying a word since their fight from earlier. Not even a glance at each other.
The silence is suffocating. At least to Yeonjun.
But that’s not the only thing he focuses on when he notices corrupted energy suddenly creeping along the ground like fog. He also notices how heavy the air is, thick with static and the scent of rot.
They reach the ridge’s edge, where the trees split like cracked bone—and the first creature finally appears. Then another. Then five more, shambling and snarling like they’ve been waiting.
Soobin moves first. An arrow snaps from his bow, nailing the first beast straight through the skull. It collapses without a sound. Yeonjun doesn’t wait—he’s already leaping forward, blade humming and slashing through the air.
The battle kicks off fast—blades flashing, arrows flying, claws raking. They fight like they’ve done this a hundred times. But it’s different now. Angrier.
Every time Yeonjun swings, the sword pulses darker, deeper. The corruption in the air, his lingering anger, self-hatred, and sadness only feed it. And Soobin notices. Every time the blade lights up too violently, he’s there, blocking, shouting, yanking Yeonjun back by the wrist when the pulse turns wild.
"Focus!" Soobin barks, slamming a creature down with a blast of raw energy.
“I am focused!” Yeonjun yells back, even though his sword hums violently in his hands.
“No—you’re slipping.”
“Maybe if you stopped breathing down my neck, I wouldn’t be!”
They continue screaming over crashing magic and snarling monsters. A nearby tree cracks from a misfire of Yeonjun’s energy. Another corrupted beast lunges. Soobin cuts it down mid-air—but he’s had enough.
“Do you even realize what you’re doing?” he shouts, grabbing Yeonjun by the arm and forcing him back a few steps as the smoke clears. “You’re not fighting them—you’re feeding off them. You’re letting it in !”
Yeonjun’s chest rises and falls fast, but it’s not just from the fight anymore. “You think I want this?! That I’m choosing to lose control?”
“If the sword’s not choosing you, maybe that’s your answer,” Soobin growls. “Maybe it’s trying to find someone else.”
Yeonjun flinches like he’s been stabbed. “You think I’m not worthy of it.”
“I think you’re going to get someone killed.”
Silence.
The final corrupted creature falls behind them, Soobin’s arrow thudding into its chest. But the air is heavier now than it was when the monsters were here.
Yeonjun’s voice drops, shaking. “Then why do you keep bothering to come with me?”
Soobin doesn’t answer. His jaw clenches. His eyes flash.
Then: “Because even the leader doesn’t trust you not to fall apart.”
He turns and starts walking back toward the path, leaving Yeonjun behind in the blood-red clearing.
Sword pulsing.
Breath caught.
And heart fracturing.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Yeonjun doesn’t even know how he got to Taehyun’s cottage.
One second, he was still in the southern ridgers, frozen in the same spot Soobin had left him in after once again speaking to him harshly, and the next, he found himself standing in front of Taehyun’s cottage, hoping he’s home.
“Hyung?” comes just the one voice he wants to hear right now.
Yeonjun turns around, his eyes landing on Taehyun—but he’s not alone. His arm is linked with Kai’s, who seems just as worried as him. The two’s smiles falter, and they look at Yeonjun in concern. Yeonjun’s walls are crumbling far too fast for him to even care about Kai being here, too.
The second tears are shining in Yeonjun’s eyes, Taehyun knows something bad happened.
“Hue, help me get him inside, please,” he tells Kai as he heads to the door, who immediately nods and heads to Yeonjun’s side.
“Hyung?” Kai says softly, wrapping an arm around Yeonjun’s slender waist. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Oh, please don’t cry.”
Ironically, that’s enough to make Yeonjun start crying. He wraps his arms around Kai’s neck and lets his sobs fall freely now. Kai frowns and tightens his grip around Yeonjun’s slim waist as he begins pulling him inside Taehyun’s cottage. The second they step inside, they find Taehyun in his kitchen, already brewing one of his famous calming teas. He hears Yeonjun and Kai coming in, and looks up, only for his frown to deepen when he sees that Yeonjun is already crying.
Kai leads Yeonjun to the couch, sitting him down gently. He tries to pull away to talk with Taehyun in the kitchen, and ask what’s going on, but Yeonjun simply holds onto him tighter. Kai gets the message and doesn’t pull away. He sits down next to Yeonjun on the couch and wraps his arms around him tighter as well. Just like Taehyun, he can’t produce anything that’ll help Yeonjun calm down without making him repress his emotions, so all he can do is hold onto him tightly, and whisper comforting nothings into his ear, whilst stroking his back comfortingly.
Minutes later, Taehyun finally emerges, holding a cup of still-hot tea in his hands. He sits down on Yeonjun’s other side and hands him the mug wordlessly. Yeonjun hesitates before letting go of Kai to grab the mug. But he doesn’t take a sip yet, letting the tears fall down his cheeks, whilst his hands shake around the heat of the cup.
After a couple of minutes pass, and he takes three sips of Taehyun’s tea, Yeonjun finally manages to calm down enough. He isn’t crying anymore, but tears still fall silently down his cheeks. He sniffles here and there, and Taehyun and Kai continue looking at him in concern and with frowns on their faces.
“Feeling better now, hyung?” Taehyun asks gently.
“A-a little,” Yeonjun says quietly, his voice hoarse from all the crying he did.
“Can you tell us why you cried for hours straight?” Kai says, his voice also gentle.
Yeonjun’s eyes burn as he thinks back to what happened between him and Soobin earlier. Soobin’s harsh words still linger in his mind, and if it weren’t for Taehyun, his calming tea, and Kai, he would’ve already spiraled into an endless self-hatred spiral. Simply just thinking about everything Soobin told him is enough to make him want to be a sobbing mess again, but he blinks back his tears, not wanting to cry over that infuriatingly hot asshole again.
“It…it was…Soobin,” Yeonjun finally says, his voice still quiet.
Taehyun’s eyes immediately narrow. “What did he do?”
Yeonjun hesitates before he spills everything to them. His voice cracks and stumbles when he tells them all the harsh words Soobin told him, and he’s too focused on only his tea, not trusting himself not to break down if he looks up, that he fails to notice the way Taehyun’s and Kai’s expressions harden the more he speaks.
“He really is unbelievable,” is the first thing Kai mutters once Yeonjun finishes.
“And a fucking bastard,” Taehyun adds, scowling. “Who the fuck does he think he is?”
“H-he’s right though,” Yeonjun says, keeping his gaze on his lap, making Taehyun and Kai turn sharply toward him. “I don’t belong here. I-I never did. Now I’m just a threat, and he’s right for keeping an eye on me to make sure I…I don’t kill anyone.”
“Don’t tell me you actually believe that, hyung,” Kai says, his frown returning.
“W-why shouldn’t I?” Despite his efforts, tears brim in Yeonjun’s eyes again. His grip on the mug tightens, albeit shakily. “Everyone knows and thinks so. S-Soobin’s just the only one brave enough to say it aloud.”
“No, he’s just the only one who’s asshole enough to think it’s true, and even dare say it out loud.” Taehyun’s scowl deepens, if that’s even possible. “Well, he’ll learn not to even think about you like that again once I’m done with him.” He stands up, ready to grab his coat to storm over to Soobin’s quarters and show him a lesson, but a single sigh from Kai is enough to make him sit back down. “Hue-!”
“You won’t get anywhere with violence and yelling, Tae,” he says, and the older one hates how much he’s right. “It’s not like Soobin-hyung will change, anyway. Not until he’s ready.”
“Yeah? And when will that be?” Taehyun snaps. “Once he destroys all of hyung’s self-esteem? Once he’s got what he wanted by making hyung get exiled? Whether you think it’ll work or not, someone needs to smack some sense into that stupid, annoying, asshole of a man. And that ‘someone’ will be me, because no one hurts my best friend, and gets away with it.”
Kai sighs, knowing Taehyun’s too stubborn (and protective) to convince otherwise. “Fine, but Yeonjun-hyung needs you more. You can deal with Soobin-hyung later.”
Taehyun softens, knowing Kai’s right. He looks back at Yeonjun, who’s still staring blankly down at his cup of unfinished tea.
“Will me kicking Soobin in the balls help you feel better?” Taehyun asks Yeonjun, his voice ironically gentle now.
That’s enough to make Yeonjun crack a tiny, barely there smile, but Taehyun will take it.
“It’ll be satisfying, but I don’t think it’ll help,” Yeonjun says, voice still quiet.
“Then what do you need?” Taehyun questions. “You name it, and I’ll get it for you. Or Hue will, actually.”
“S-sleep.” It’s been the #1 thing in Yeonjun’s mind. “I haven’t gotten a proper sleep in ages.”
“I can cast a spell on you to get proper rest,” Taehyun offers. “Do you want that?”
Yeonjun nods, almost desperately. “More than anything.”
Taehyun nods back. “Let’s get you to my room, then.” He and Kai help Yeonjun up and lead him to his room, where they lie him down on the bed. Taehyun coaxes him to take a few more sips of the tea before covering him with the bedsheets. Taehyun’s eyes glow a light yellow as he mutters something under his breath, and seconds later, Yeonjun’s eyes grow droopy, before they fully close, and his breathing deepens. Kai waves his hand in front of him and even snaps his fingers loudly, but Yeonjun doesn’t even stir. Taehyun’s spell truly worked.
“He looks better already,” Kai muses, his eyes still focused on Yeonjun’s face, which looks calmer now that he’s asleep.
“He does,” Taehyun agrees, smiling softly, before his face hardens. “Someone still needs to talk to that piece of shit, though.”
Kai’s eyebrows raise slightly. “You mean Soobin-hyung?”
“Who else?”
“You really think talking to him will do anything? Knowing him, he’ll have an arrow between your eyes before you can get a word out.”
“Then I’ll just curse him for life.”
Kai sighs. “Talking to him won’t do anything, Tae. Like I said earlier, hyung won’t change until he wants to. Nothing nor no one can help change that.”
“But it’s not fair the way he treats Yeonjun-hyung,” Taehyun says with a small frown. “Look at the way he left hyung today. Who knows how much damage he can do next time. Hyung’s already believing he doesn’t belong here, and thanks to who? Thanks to Soobin . Soobin’s only doing more harm than good, and that’s not what the leader assigned him for.”
“Talk to the leader, then.”
“That won’t do anything either,” Taehyun sighs. “He already has enough on his plate with the council still being made, and he doesn’t need me to whine to him just because Soobin’s being mean. Not like he’ll do anything about it, either. He knows how Soobin is, and still assigned him to Yeonjun. He knew what he was doing.”
“Then maybe we just have to trust that he does,” Kai says. “I don’t think the leader would intentionally put Yeonjun in harm’s way.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Taehyun mutters, figuring Kai has a point. He looks back at Yeonjun, staring at his calm sleeping face. “I just hope it won’t do any more harm to hyung, because he deserves a break. From everything and everyone, especially that dumb archer.”
“That ‘dumb archer’ has a name, Tae.”
“Stupid, dumb, idiotic, bastard, cunt, bitch asshole?”
Kai just sighs.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Yeonjun doesn’t wake up until two whole days later.
When he wakes up, he finds himself in an unfamiliar room, but before he can panic, he hears familiar humming coming from downstairs, and remembers he’s in Taehyun’s cottage.
Despite everything that happened two days ago, the only thing Yeonjun can focus on is how well rested he feels. The sleepiness he always used to feel after waking up isn’t there anymore, and he doesn’t have the strong urge to fall right back asleep, either. His whole body, especially his mind, feels lighter, and he can’t believe just how much better he feels from just a simple ‘nap.’
He isn’t aware of how long he truly slept, not even as he heads downstairs, where he finds Taehyun in the kitchen, preparing either breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Yeonjun isn’t sure, but what he is sure of is that he’s hungry.
“Hi, Tae,” he greets, even smiling as he joins the shorter in the kitchen.
Taehyun smiles up at him, looking a bit amused. “Morning, Sleeping Beauty.”
“Morning?” he returns, sounding a bit unsure. “Are you making breakfast, then?”
“No,” Taehyun chuckles. “I’m making samgyeopsal, which is dinner.”
“Oh. So I only slept for a few hours, then?”
Taehyun stops what he’s doing and looks up at Yeonjun, even more amused. “Do you really not know how long you slept, hyung?”
“No…?”
Taehyun chuckles, resuming his cooking. “You slept for two days , hyung. It’s Wednesday now.”
Yeonjun’s eyes widen. “What?”
“It’s technically almost Thursday,” Taehyun says as he glances at the clock. “So you almost slept for three days.”
“Y-you’re playing with me.”
“I’m not,” Taehyun chuckles. “But I can understand why you’re so confused and surprised. I cast that spell on you, remember? And I made sure to cast one that’d help you catch up on all the sleep you need.”
“No wonder I feel so well rested,” Yeonjun mutters, mainly to himself. He looks back up at Taehyun. “Did anything major happen whilst I was asleep?”
“No,” he replies, much to Yeonjun’s relief. “Though, you did miss me almost beating Soobin’s ass.”
Almost immediately, Yeonjun tenses at the mention of the archer. Everything that happened two days ago finally returns to him, and he falters at the memory. But he tries to push through it, trying to pretend as if he isn’t affected by the memory, and lets out a small, barely there smile.
“‘Almost’?” he echoes.
Taehyun nods. “I was going to, but Hue stopped me before I could. If it weren’t for him, Soobin would be in the infirmary right now, and cursed for life.”
“Why? Did he do something?”
Taehyun gives him a small look. “Don’t tell me that your sleep was so good that it affected your memory.”
“No,” he says with a small sigh. “Unfortunately, I still remember everything…Soobin told me.”
“Exactly. He deserves a good ass whooping for that, but apparently, Hue doesn’t think it’s worth my time.”
“It isn’t,” Yeonjun agrees, and Taehyun rolls his eyes at him.
“You’re just saying that because despite everything, you’re still in love with that ass,” Taehyun grumbles.
Yeonjun doesn’t bother denying it, but he does try to ignore the heat that rises in his cheeks. “And because it won’t get you anywhere. You know how…Soobin is.”
“Ugh, you sound just like Hue,” Taehyun huffs, making Yeonjun’s smile grow a little.
“Thank you, by the way,” he says after a few seconds of silence.
Taehyun looks up at him, a bit confused. “Thanks for what?”
“For the day before yesterday. If it weren’t for you and Kai, I probably would have spiraled into an endless abyss of self-hatred and whatnot. I owe special thanks to you, too, for that sleep spell you cast on me.”
“What are best friends for, right?” Taehyun grins.
Yeonjun softens at the mention of Taehyun being his best friend, and he lets out a small smile. “Yeah, exactly.”
“Anyway, help me wash the lettuce,” Taehyun says as he motions to the bowl of lettuce near the sink. “Helping me cook will surely take your mind off that ass and other things. Besides, I’m sure you’re starving.”
As if on cue, Yeonjun’s stomach growls. Loudly.
“Thought so.”
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Yeonjun spends the next two days mainly in Taehyun’s cottage. He doesn’t bother heading back to Taehyung’s, since something tells him he’ll just be alone over there, and being alone isn’t what he needs or wants right now. Besides, he’d end up in Taehyun’s cottage sooner or later, and it’s not like Taehyun minds him staying with him.
The first time Taehyun has errands to run, Yeonjun doesn’t go with him. He's still recovering from everything that happened with his sword and Soobin two days ago, and he doesn’t want to face the backlash that undoubtedly would’ve come from the members if they saw him. On top of that, he also doesn’t want to run into Soobin, which is enough reason alone for him to stay in Taehyun’s cottage, even if it means being alone.
But the second time Taehyun needs to run errands, which is later that day, Yeonjun comes with—mainly because Taehyun forces him to. He tells him staying cooped up in the cottage all day won’t do him any good, and it’ll just show that he’s too much of a coward to face his problems head-on. Yeonjun tries to protest by saying that he has been facing his problems head-on, and look where that’s gotten him, but Taehyun won’t take no for an answer. But he promises to take Yeonjun out for ice cream on the way home if he cooperates, and that is enough for Yeonjun to cooperate.
Fortunately, the rest of the time they are out went great. Taehyun glares at anyone who dares to look at Yeonjun the wrong way, and not wanting to have problems with a superior, let alone one as powerful and strong as Taehyun, people leave Yeonjun alone, and rarely look at him. Taehyun is able to run his errands without a hassle, and Yeonjun is able to finally feel at peace outside, even if it is only for a little bit. And as Taehyun promised, they indeed stop by the food center to grab ice cream on the way home.
Now it’s Saturday, which is three days later. Yeonjun is expecting—and hoping—that today goes like the last three days: without hassle and peacefully. Even his sword has been calm, and he doesn’t want anything to change that.
But his prayers are rarely ever answered.
Just as he and Taehyun are finishing breakfast, there’s a knock at the door.
“Are you expecting someone?” Yeonjun asks, looking at him.
“No.” Taehyun looks just as confused as he does.
“Is it Beomgyu or Kai?”
“I doubt it,” Taehyun mutters as he gets up. “If it were them, they wouldn’t even knock. They’d just appear.”
Yeonjun continues being confused, but tries to shrug it off, telling himself Taehyun has whoever is at the door handled. He returns to his cup of coffee, about to take a sip of it, when he hears Taehyun calling his name. That alone should tell Yeonjun that something is up, but he stupidly still has hope that nothing will happen today, so he doesn’t strike Taehyun calling him over as weird as he heads over to him.
“Yes-?” Yeonjun stops himself when he looks up, only to recognize who’s standing right in front of them. Dread creeps up in him, and all his hopes of today also passing like normal go down the drain.
“Choi Yeonjun-ssi.” Eunkyung gives him a small nod as she turns to him. “I bring a message on behalf of the leader.”
“I already know what it is,” he says with a small sigh, a frown already growing on his face. “It’s another mission, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Eunkyung confirms. “Your mission on the northern terrain this time, and you will be accompanied by-”
“-Soobin, yes, I know,” Yeonjun sighs. “Is that all?”
“Yes. You will meet up with the second-in-command at the village gates once again.” With that, Eunkyung disappears.
“Is she one of Soobin’s new minions or something?” Taehyun questions as he closes the door behind her.
“No,” Yeonjun mumbles. “She’s a council aide.”
“Oh. Didn’t know they existed.”
Yeonjun would crack a smile if he were feeling any better. But he isn’t. He should’ve known the way he was feeling these past few days was too good to be true.
“Hey, don’t frown like that,” Taehyun says softly, lifting Yeonjun’s chin a little. “It’s just a mission.”
“Yeah, with Soobin ,” he reminds. “When do missions with him ever go well?”
“Look, I’m not a big fan of that complete asshole either,” Taehyun says. “But it’s a direct order from the leader, and we both know better than to let you defy it. You just don’t say anything to that jerk. Just show up, let him lead to where the mission is, complete it, and that’s it. Nothing else. You guys don’t need to talk or anything.”
“What if he tries to?”
“I seriously doubt that, but if he does, then just ignore him. Unless it’s something related to the mission, of course.”
“But what if my sword acts up again?” Yeonjun worries, knowing that’s a high possibility.
“Then it does, and you deal with it.” Taehyun places his hands on his shoulders comfortingly. “You deal with it before Soobin can. Show him that what he thinks of you is wrong. You’ll be fine, hyung. You got this.”
Yeonjun wants to continue being in doubt, but he knows he doesn’t have much time for that. So he just nods, giving Taehyun a small smile in thanks, before he snaps his fingers. His training gear wraps itself around his willowy waist, hip, and thigh, and he holds his hand out, his sword flying right to him. It feels heavy in his hands like always, but he tries not to focus on it much as he sheathes it into the holster on the harnesses around his hip and thigh. He says his goodbyes to Taehyun before leaving the silver-haired’s cottage, and heading to the village gates.
The closer Yeonjun gets to the gates, the more dread creeps up in him. He really doesn’t want to see Soobin again, but he tells himself he eventually would have to. It’s not like he can keep himself away from Soobin forever, regardless of how much he’d like to. The leader put them together for a reason, and just like Taehyun mentioned earlier, Yeonjun knows better than to defy a direct order from the leader, even if that means facing the man whom’s been the biggest jerk to him out of everyone (and whom’s also the one man yeonjun is stupidly in love with).
Yeonjun arrives at the village gates minutes later. Soobin is already there, face expressionless and jaw tight like always. He’s staring daggers in the direction Yeonjun assumes they’ll be going in, but he notices something in his hands. It looks like a scroll of some sort, and Yeonjun hopes it isn’t anything related to him, his sword, or corruption.
When Yeonjun’s footsteps grow closer, that’s when Soobin finally looks up at him. They make eye contact for the first time in three days, and it’s enough to make Yeonjun freeze, and almost want to turn back to Taehyun’s cottage. But he (somehow) manages to stand his ground and keep eye contact with Soobin, although everything in him is shaking to look away.
“About time you arrived,” Soobin’s cold voice cuts through the air like always, making a light shiver run down Yeonjun’s spine. “We need to get going if we want to make it there before sunset.”
“Where exactly are we going?” he asks, hoping his voice doesn’t sound as shaky as it feels.
“To the clearing marked on this map.” Soobin holds up the scroll, which turns out to be a map, much to Yeonjun’s relief. He unrolls it and lets Yeonjun see it. “We’ll have to head north.”
Yeonjun nods, handing it back to him. Soobin grabs it, and Yeonjun tries to ignore the small spark he feels when their fingers barely brush.
Just like Taehyun advised him to, Yeonjun stays silent as he and Soobin begin walking. Much to his relief, Soobin stays silent, too. But the silence is awkward and almost unbearable, making Yeonjun feel as if he’s being suffocated. Yet, he tries to push through it to not make the situation any worse.
➵
The air is brittle with cold when Soobin and Yeonjun arrive at the clearing marked on the map. Fog coils low to the ground, dense enough to muffle footsteps. Trees lean in like they're listening.
They still haven’t spoken since leaving the village gates.
Soobin walks ahead, his cloak shifting with each step, jaw set tight. Yeonjun follows silently, sword strapped at his side, heart heavier than ever now that the silence between them has given him time to think about how things have been between them. Unsurprisingly, Soobin’s harsh words from three days ago are what’s more prominent in his mind. He’s more hurt than angry now, too tired to summon the fire that used to burn between them.
They reach the site, and Yeonjun slows, gaze sweeping the terrain. Much to his surprise, there are no signs of corruption—no warped vines, no rotted bark, no residue in the air. Just stillness.
Too much stillness.
Yeonjun stops walking. “This doesn’t feel right.”
Soobin doesn’t turn around. “It’s quiet. That’s the point. We find the source before it spreads.”
“It’s too quiet.”
Soobin finally turns, about to retort—but then the ground shudders.
From the fog, figures burst forth. Not stumbling or snarling like usual, but fast. Coordinated. Their eyes glow with corrupted light, but their movements are calculated. Intelligent. Tactical.
“These aren’t feral,” Yeonjun breathes. He unsheathes his sword in a flash.
“Form left!” Soobin orders, already drawing his bow. “Three coming in.”
They fight. Together, despite everything. Arrows whistle through the air, sharp and true. Yeonjun’s blade arcs in (luckily) controlled sweeps, pushing back one creature after another. But the creatures don’t scatter—they circle. Herd them. Maneuver.
Yeonjun pants, muscles burning. “They’re not just corrupted. They’re being—”
But before he can continue, everything suddenly stops. A low, strange whistle slices through the clearing. The corrupted creatures fall back silently. Obediently. Like they’re listening to something else.
Some one else.
A figure steps through the fog—tall, cloaked in dark navy, hood drawn low.
Yeonjun freezes, sword raised halfway. Meanwhile, Soobin doesn’t even lower his bow, moving to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
The figure doesn’t even spare a glance at Soobin.
They only look at Yeonjun.
And then, they speak. “You’ve grown,” they say, voice smooth, genderless in the fog. “But I’d know you anywhere, Eugene.”
Yeonjun flinches. That name—it digs up something sharp and old inside him. I haven’t heard that name in years , he thinks to himself, his worry and fear growing.
The figure seems to be a mind reader, since it tilts its head. “Then it’s time you remembered who you really are.”
Before Yeonjun can respond, a flicker of corrupted light pulses at the figure’s fingertips. And just like that, everything explodes into motion. The corrupted creature lunges again, and Yeonjun doesn’t move.
He can’t .
The instant the cloaked figure spoke, something in him stopped functioning. Like time folded inward. Like the weight of a thousand buried memories dragged him under in an instant.
“Eugene.”
The name slices through the battle haze like a blade to the gut. His legs won’t listen. His sword hangs uselessly in his grip, pulsing erratically with jagged purple light.
Because that name…it isn’t supposed to exist anymore. It’s the name he left behind. The one that belonged to who he used to be , before the exile, before Atena cast him out like a curse. No one here should know it. No one could know it.
And yet, someone just said it like they’d been waiting.
The cloaked figure doesn’t attack. Doesn’t run. They stand still, face half-shrouded, eyes gleaming beneath the hood. Not feral. Not random. Intentional.
But Soobin doesn’t hesitate. The second he sees Yeonjun freeze—sees the fear in his eyes, the way he’s not breathing—he moves without thinking. One arrow flies past Yeonjun’s shoulder and right into the heart of the corrupted creature, making it scream before it shrivels up and turns into ash. Another arrow flies past Yeonjun’s shoulder again, but this time, it lodges in the ground inches from the cloaked figure’s foot.
A warning.
“Step back,” Soobin orders coldly, eyes narrowed like a drawn bowstring.
The figure smiles. Or maybe it’s just the tilt of their head. “You’ve done well guarding him,” they say softly. “But you can’t protect him from what’s already inside.” And just like that—they’re gone. No flash. No sound. Just mist and emptiness. The corrupted energy that surrounded them flickers out with their disappearance, leaving only stillness behind.
The forest breathes again.
Soobin steps forward, placing himself between Yeonjun and the space where the figure stood. His hand is on his bow, but he doesn’t nock another arrow. Instead, he turns, and for the first time, Yeonjun sees something flicker in his face that isn’t cold or distant.
It’s something closer to concern, but not for Yeonjun.
And beneath that: anger .
“What the hell was that?” Soobin demands. “Why did he know your name?”
Yeonjun doesn’t answer. His mouth opens, but nothing comes out.
Soobin grabs his arm, not roughly, but firm, demanding . “What aren’t you telling me? Yeonjun—who the hell is Eugene?”
The name makes Yeonjun flinch. His gaze falls to the forest floor, the weight of his sword like lead in his hand. The runes along its blade still glow faintly, dark violet pulsing like a second heartbeat.
“I…” He swallows hard, his throat dry. “I don’t know.”
Soobin stares at him. For a moment, the anger wavers. “You froze,” he says. “That wasn’t just surprise. That was fear.”
Yeonjun doesn’t deny it. Because it’s true.
“I think…” he whispers, barely able to hear himself over the thudding in his chest, “they were waiting for me.”
The words hang between them like fog.
Soobin doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak. But he doesn’t let go of Yeonjun’s arm either. And Yeonjun doesn’t pull away.
Not until Soobin finally realizes what he’s doing, and immediately lets go. He turns to look back at the spot where the figure stood, his eyes narrowing as the gears in his head turn.
“Whatever that was sounded like he knew you,” he says, turning back to Yeonjun, as his voice gets colder. “Don’t bullshit me, Yeonjun. Tell me who that was.”
“I’m telling the truth ,” Yeonjun says, desperate. He doesn’t bother hiding his fear anymore. “I…I don’t know who that was.”
Soobin stares at him, as if he doesn’t know whether to believe him or not. After a few more moments, he scoffs and begins walking away. Not wanting to be left alone, Yeonjun forces his legs to walk after him.
➶
The walk back is silent.
Soobin doesn’t look back once. His strides are long, determined, and impersonal—like he’s escorting a prisoner instead of returning from a joint mission. His cloak sways stiffly with each movement. Yeonjun trails behind, slower, jaw clenched, still hearing the echo of that voice in the woods calling him by a name he hadn’t heard in years.
His sword is unnervingly quiet now. Not glowing. Not pulsing. Just inert in its sheath. It feels heavier than it should.
When they reach the compound gates, the guards stiffen but say nothing. Still, their eyes linger too long on Yeonjun, just like they always have, but this time it feels as if they know what just happened. It makes Yeonjun feel uneasy, and he looks away quickly. The tension that has been present is so thick it might as well be physical. Soobin’s gaze never strays.
They make it halfway across the courtyard before Soobin stops.
“You’ll report to the leader,” he says curtly, without turning.
Yeonjun blinks. “About the mission?”
“What else?”
“Doesn’t that mean you have to come with me, then?”
“No.”
“…Why?”
Soobin’s tone is flat. “You were the one he called for. I’ll give my own report later.”
Yeonjun looks at the back of his head, the way his shoulders are drawn taut beneath the white of his uniform. He swallows whatever sharp thing is climbing up his throat and nods. “Fine.”
Soobin walks off.
And Yeonjun is left to face the leader alone.
➴
Yeonjun leaves the leader’s office not feeling any better—but not any worse, either. The leader just asked follow-up questions about the mission, and Yeonjun was forced to tell him everything, including about the cloaked figure. That was enough to make the leader’s mood and attitude take a whole 180, and his next questions were sharp, almost critical. Yeonjun knows the leader isn’t like the other members—he wouldn’t accuse him of something.
Not right to his face, at least.
Now, he’s heading back to Taehyung’s cottage, seeking his comfort. He hasn’t seen him in almost four days, and Yeonjun wants nothing more than to be in his embrace and hear his voice telling him it’ll be okay, even if they both don’t know that.
But when Yeonjun arrives, the cottage is quiet and dark. Not a single lamp lit. Disappointment wells up in him, since that means Taehyung is already asleep by now. He sighs and nears the front door. His fingers are just curling around the doorknob when a low voice cuts the silence behind him.
“You froze.”
Yeonjun turns. Soobin stands a few paces away, arms crossed, half in shadow. His face is unreadable, as always. But there’s something colder than usual in his eyes.
“You froze,” he repeats. “In the middle of a fight.”
Yeonjun exhales sharply. “I handled it.”
“You hesitated. You let your guard down. That ‘thing’—whatever the cloaked figure was—could’ve killed you.”
“So could the dozens of things we’ve fought before this,” Yeonjun says, trying to keep calm. “Why are you acting like this was different?”
“Because it was. ” Soobin steps closer. His voice drops an octave—calm, calculated. Almost accusing. “The creature we faced earlier wasn’t feral. It was controlled. And the cloaked figure that was behind it knew your name. Not Yeonjun. The other one.”
Yeonjun’s spine stiffens.
“I don’t know what they wanted,” he mutters.
“Maybe not.” Soobin’s gaze sharpens. “But they weren’t confused about coming for you. And that’s enough.”
Yeonjun feels it—his throat tightening, his chest growing heavy. “You think I planned for that to happen?”
“I think you’re hiding things,” Soobin replies without flinching. “And I think if I weren’t there today, you’d have gotten yourself killed.”
That hurts more than it should.
Yeonjun takes a breath. “I didn’t ask for your help.”
“No,” Soobin agrees. “You didn’t. But I’m being forced to give it anyway.”
“Then why throw it in my face?”
“Because the leader needs to know if we can trust you,” Soobin says sharply and quietly, like the question is a knife meant to be twisted. “And right now, we can’t.”
Yeonjun flinches.
“I’ve done everything I can to prove myself to this clan,” he says, voice beginning to tremble. “I’ve trained. I’ve gone on every mission. I’ve tried to keep this sword from hurting anyone. But none of it matters—because you’ll never see anything other than a threat.”
Soobin doesn’t blink. “Then stop acting like one.”
Yeonjun’s face twists. “You’re unbelievable.”
“I'm realistic.”
“No, you’re a coward.” The words are out before he can stop them. “You’re so scared of getting hurt or being wrong that you push everyone away before they can prove you wrong.”
Soobin's eyes narrow, but his expression remains cool. “That’s rich coming from someone who flinches at the sound of his own name.”
The silence that falls is thunderous.
Yeonjun stares at him like he’s been slapped. “You really think that little of me.”
“I don’t think of you at all,” Soobin replies flatly.
That’s the final blow, which lands harder than anything Yeonjun expected.
“Then I won’t waste your time,” he says, voice hoarse. He turns his back and walks inside the cottage without another word, shutting the door softly behind him.
Soobin doesn’t move. He stays standing in the dark for a long time, arms still crossed, jaw tight.
Eventually, he glances once at the closed door, then turns and walks away into the shadows without a sound.
Chapter Text
Understandably, Yeonjun doesn’t get any sleep that night. His and Soobin’s ‘discussion’ at the front porch keeps running through his mind; on top of that, his sword’s pulsing never stops. So for the rest of the night, he lies there, staring blankly at the ceiling, Soobin’s cold words running through his mind. And if he cries at some point, well, that’s nobody’s business except his.
But then, just before sunrise, he hears something he’s never heard in his months of being here in the Star Seekers: bell tolls .
It begins as a low, distant hum—so faint Yeonjun thinks it might be his imagination. Then it swells. A metallic clang echoing through the compound, sharp and rhythmic, signaling one thing only: emergency alert.
Yeonjun bolts upright from his bed. The world outside the window pulses red, warning lights glowing like blood through the mist. For a moment, he’s disoriented. The weight of Soobin’s voice still lingers in his head, cold and cutting from the night before: “Because the leader needs to know if we can trust you. And right now, we can’t.”
But he barely has time to feel it. Because then he hears the shouting.
Yeonjun opens the sealed shelf and grabs his sword, the hilt already warm in his hand, like it woke before he did. His fingers tighten around it out of instinct more than comfort.
Outside, the compound is alive with motion. Footfalls thunder through stone pathways. Cloaks snap in the wind. Magic crackles faintly in the air. Sentinels are gathering at the north gates. He spots Taehyun weaving through the crowd, already armored and focused, issuing instructions to junior mages without raising his voice.
Yeonjun pushes into the tide of movement and makes for the main courtyard.
The leader is already standing at the heart of it all, flanked by council aides. His expression is stone, backlit by the rising sun, which casts an eerie gold glow against the chaotic red pulse of the warning wards. Soobin stands a few paces off to the side, cloak pristine, expression unreadable. He doesn’t spare Yeonjun a glance.
“Three outer villages were struck before dawn,” the leader says, voice carrying clearly over the crowd. “Simultaneously.”
Yeonjun’s stomach twists.
“Scouts found signs of destruction,” the leader continues. “Multiple casualties. Fires still burning. It wasn’t corrupted beasts. There were no signs of decay. No rotted roots. No ambient magic left behind. These were people. Fast. Precise. Coordinated.”
Yeonjun feels the shift in the air. The quiet dread, the mounting suspicion.
Someone in the crowd whispers, “But who would—?”
“We don’t know yet,” the leader cuts in. “They wore dark cloaks. Masked faces. Nothing to trace back. Whoever they were…they knew exactly where to strike. And they did it with intent.”
Intent . The word echoes through Yeonjun like a hammer. He hears something beneath it—not the leader’s voice, but something…smaller. Closer. Not out loud.
“They’re coming back. You felt it, didn’t you?”
Yeonjun goes still.
His fingers twitch around his sword hilt. It’s vibrating again—so faintly it could almost be imagined. No glow. No hum. Just a tremor through the steel, like something inside the weapon is stirring. Or speaking. He swallows tightly.
Across the courtyard, Soobin’s gaze flicks to him. Not by accident. Not by chance. It’s direct and unflinching. Yeonjun has never felt so exposed. He holds Soobin’s gaze for as long as he can—which is around five seconds, give or take—before looking away and looking back at the leader.
Due to the urgency of the situation, the leader’s briefing goes on for the next ten minutes. He warns people to stay safe, report if they find anything—or anyone—out of place, and to stay vigilant. He orders a few troops to back up the scouts still at the villages before ending the briefing.
Once it ends, the courtyard clears in waves. Footsteps echo against stone, warriors dispersing toward their stations with weapons in hand, armor clinking like distant war drums. The red glow of the wardlamps makes everything feel sharper, more brittle. Like a dream right before it turns into a nightmare.
Yeonjun doesn’t move. He watches them all go, the swirl of white cloaks and iron glints fading into the mist. He sees Beomgyu vanish down one corridor, Taehyun another. Even the leader retreats without a word. But one figure remains.
Soobin.
He stands at the far edge of the courtyard beneath a shadowed arch, arms folded tight, his back turned halfway to the world. He’s watching something in the distance—maybe the trees, maybe the sky, maybe nothing at all.
Yeonjun approaches slowly, footsteps nearly silent on the stone path.
“Soobin.”
No answer.
He stops a few paces behind. The red glow from the alarm reflects faintly off Soobin’s cheekbone, casting it in the sharp lines of a statue. Cold. Still. Beautiful, but untouchable.
“Soobin,” Yeonjun tries again, softer this time. “Can we talk for a second?”
Soobin doesn’t move. Doesn’t blink. For a moment, Yeonjun thinks he’s going to ignore him entirely—but then he speaks. “Make it quick.”
Yeonjun swallows. “It’s about my sword.”
That gets a small reaction. Soobin turns his head slightly, just enough to let Yeonjun know he’s listening—but not enough to look at him fully.
“It…whispered something,” Yeonjun continues. “Right before the wardlights turned red. I wasn’t near anyone. No one else heard it. Just me.”
“What did it say?” Soobin asks, voice emotionless.
Yeonjun hesitates. “It said…they’re coming back.”
A pause.
Then: “And who do you think ‘they’ are?”
“I don’t know.”
“Convenient,” Soobin says coldly.
Yeonjun’s shoulders tense, breath catching. “I came to you because you were there when it reacted last time. You saw what it did to me—how it reacted. I thought maybe if it started again, you’d want to—”
“You thought wrong,” Soobin interrupts. He turns now, finally facing him. His expression is unreadable—masklike—but his eyes are razor sharp. “You should’ve gone straight to the leader. Or Taehyun. Or literally anyone else with the energy to deal with the instability of you and your sword.”
Yeonjun blinks. “So I’m unstable now.”
“You’ve always been.”
The silence between them stretches thin and cruel.
“You really think I’m doing this on purpose?” Yeonjun asks quietly, like he’s afraid of the answer.
“I think you’ve let that sword get inside your head,” Soobin says evenly. “And I think you’re slipping faster than you realize.”
Yeonjun exhales shakily. “You said you’d stop me if I lost control.”
“I meant it.”
“Would you even hesitate?”
Soobin doesn’t blink. “Not for a second.”
The words hit like a fist to the ribs. There’s no fire in his tone. No satisfaction. No hesitation. Just fact.
Yeonjun drops his gaze. His hands curl slightly at his sides. He nods once—sharp and small—and takes a step back. “So that’s what I am to you,” he says, voice flat. “A problem you haven’t had to solve yet.”
“You’re a mission the leader hasn’t shut down yet,” Soobin replies, already turning away. “Don’t make it harder for him to justify.” And just like that, he walks off. No glance back. No pause. No softness.
Yeonjun watches him disappear through the courtyard archway, heart twisting in his chest, sword humming faintly at his side like it’s reacting to his grief again. He doesn’t chase after him. He doesn’t speak. He just stands there until the wardlight fades back to silver. The silence that follows is louder than anything the sword could ever whisper.
But Yeonjun doesn’t stay alone for long. He hears the footsteps before he hears the voice, and nothing could have prepared him for who it turned out to be.
“Yeonjun-ah.” The leader’s voice is deep and soft like it’s always been when talking to him, but the ravenette can detect the underlying stern tone underneath.
Yeonjun turns, eyes slightly wide. “H-hyung.” He and the leader haven’t spoken in days, and he’s scared to see what the leader might want now. “I thought you had left.”
“I only went to talk to one of the council aides for a bit,” he explains, before he adds, as if reading Yeonjun's mind, “Seems like ages since we’ve last spoken, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah,” he says, a bit hesitantly. “I was just thinking that.”
The leader gives him a small smile, before looking in the direction Soobin went off in. “I saw you talking to Soobin. Everything okay?”
Given the attacks in the village, Yeonjun knows better than to tell the leader the truth. He doesn’t doubt Soobin will tell him sooner or later anyway, but for now, Yeonjun doesn’t want to be the one dealing with the leader’s reaction to it.
“Everything’s…fine,” Yeonjun lies with a fake smile.
Unfortunately for him, the leader sees right through it. “Nothing is ever ‘fine’ when you and Soobin have a private conversation. I know my second-in-command well enough to know that.”
“It’s fine,” Yeonjun continues lying, trying to wave it off.
“It’s not,” the leader says, and Yeonjun doesn’t bother lying there. “Don’t try to wave off his behavior, Yeonjun-ah.”
The younger spares him a glance. “If you know how he treats me, then why do you keep pairing me up with him?”
“I’m pretty sure he’s told you that himself a bunch of times already.”
Soobin’s voice appears in Yeonjun’s head, reminding him he wouldn’t even hesitate for a second if he lost control. That’s enough for Yeonjun’s shoulders to tense once again, and he looks away. “Right,” he mutters.
The leader lets out a small sigh. “My intentions are never hurtful, Yeonjun-ah. I wouldn’t be pairing you up with Soobin just so he can verbally abuse you on a daily basis. But with everything going on, especially with your sword, we can’t take any risks. You understand that, right?”
As much as he hates it, Yeonjun does.
“Luckily, for today, there’s no need for you and Soobin to go on a mission,” the leader says, much to Yeonjun’s relief. “So, if you’d like, you can join Taehyun-ah in the library.” He gives Yeonjun a small smile before turning to leave.
Despite wanting to join Taehyun in the library like the leader permitted him to, Yeonjun can just stand there in his spot and watch the leader walk away. There’s something in him that tells him that the leader knows more than he’s letting on, but he just won’t say it. Probably to respect Soobin’s privacy and boundaries, but Yeonjun figures the archer berates him too much for him to care at this point.
“Hyung, wait!” he calls out before the leader can walk away too far. He jogs to close the distance between them faster.
“Everything okay?” the leader asks, a bit confused.
“You…know something, don’t you?” Yeonjun says.
“I know a lot of things, Yeonjun-ah. You’re going to have to be more specific.”
“About Soobin,” Yeonjun specifies. “Why he is the way he is.”
“I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
Yeonjun looks at him pleadingly. “Hyung, please.”
The leader sighs. “If Soobin were to find out about this, he’d have both of our heads.”
“I’ll make sure he won’t find out,” Yeonjun says, even though he’s not sure how exactly he’ll make that happen. “Please, hyung. I deserve a bit of clarity, at least.”
“Fine,” the leader says in defeat. “In my office.”
Yeonjun expects them to start walking in that direction, but the next thing he knows, they’re in the leader’s office. The white walls surround them, and Yeonjun’s still getting over his shock of how suddenly they got here, whilst the leader calmly walks to his desk. But he doesn’t sit on his chair. He leans against the edge of the desk as he keeps his gaze fixed on Yeonjun.
“Has he told you anything?” the leader asks, though he highly doubts Soobin has. Soobin’s a lot of things, and one of them is being highly secretive about his personal life.
“Once,” Yeonjun replies, much to the leader’s slight surprise. “On the mission we went where we encountered the Mirror Wraiths, he told me that the last outsider you guys let in…betrayed you all. Nearly got two of your own killed. And Soobin believed in him, vouched for him, and told me he won’t make that same mistake twice. Also, that he hates me because…according to him, I’m just like him.”
“And you’ve let those words eat you alive ever since, haven’t you?”
Yeonjun hesitates before nodding. “How can I not?” he mutters, a bit sadly but bitterly.
“We did let in an outsider before you,” the leader confirms, crossing his arms. “His name was Hwang Doyun. His power was voice binding, meaning he could silence a person completely—their speech, their magic casting, even their internal thoughts can go quiet for a short time if he wanted them to. But what we didn’t know was that he was more powerful than he let on. Not until it was too late.”
“What…happened?” Yeonjun asks a bit hesitantly.
“He was an undercover spy for the Highborne Kin, one of the clans who’ve always had something against us for centuries,” the leader continues. “He managed to get everyone wrapped around his finger—including Soobin. Soobin had walls up even then, but during that time, they weren’t as high as they are now. Once Doyun found out that Soobin was my second-in-command, he did everything in his power to lower his walls, and he succeeded. Soobin trusted him and almost loved him like a best friend. Which is why he didn’t see Doyun betraying all of us, especially him, coming. But I did. I noticed something was off from the start, but Soobin didn’t want to listen. He didn’t want to believe the only person he had let in was actually a bad person, so he vouched for Doyun, and that was the first and only real fight we ever had. But then it all came crashing down on the last mission I sent them on together. I sent Soobin and Doyun with two other members, and during the mission, Soobin was cornered, which left Doyun alone with the two members. Once he made sure they were really alone, all he whispered was, ‘Break.’”
Yeonjun’s eyebrows furrow a little. “What did that do?”
“It made the two members’ bones snap like twigs.”
Yeonjun flinches. “W-what?”
“Almost all of the bones in their bodies broke,” the leader continues. “If it weren’t for their screams, Soobin wouldn’t have heard anything, and they would’ve died. That’s when he finally realized how right I was the entire time, and lodged an arrow right between Doyun’s eyes. That was enough to make Doyun pass out for the meantime, whilst Soobin got help for the other members. The members were in recovery and the infirmary for a long time, but eventually, they did recover.”
Yeonjun hesitates in asking, but he wants to know. “And…Doyun? What happened to him?”
“Well…Soobin brought him in, and I interrogated him,” the leader says. “He confessed to being a spy, and scoffed as if he found us ridiculous—and how easy it was for Soobin to let him in. That was the first time I ever saw Soobin truly angry.”
“Truly angry?” Yeonjun’s eyebrows raise. “Isn’t he always angry?”
“No, he’s just cold and distant. Angry at times. But his anger that day can’t compare to the way he usually is. That day, I saw him really lose control.”
“...What did that look like?”
“Let’s just say it was enough to kill the entire clan’s electricity for an entire week—and Soobin didn’t even break a sweat. Doyun was never seen again, either.”
Yeonjun’s eyes widen as the implication hits him. “Soobin killed him?”
“No one really knows,” the leader says. “Only Soobin does. But given what Doyun put him through, I wouldn’t put it past him.”
“I-I know Soobin’s a lot of things,” Yeonjun says, barely able to form a coherent thought, “but I didn’t know he’d be capable of murder .”
“You’ve only seen the parts of Soobin he lets you see. You don’t know him as well as you think, Yeonjun-ah.”
“I know that. I just…”
“Can’t see him as a murderer?”
“...No.”
Yeonjun’s brain almost short-circuits, still struggling to wrap itself around everything. But he remembers something the leader said earlier, and looks back up at him. “You said that Doyun was the only one able to get through Soobin’s walls. Does that mean Soobin was still his…cold self even back then?”
“Yes.”
“Since when has he been like this?”
“Hard to say. Only Beomgyu truly knows, but I’d say ever since he was a kid.”
“What happened?”
The leader smiles. “Now that’s his story to tell.” He looks at the clock. “Now I’d go if I were you. I’m pretty sure you can still catch up to Taehyun at the library if you hurry.”
Yeonjun still has multiple questions running through his head, and even though everything the leader just told him answered a few already, it made even more pop up, anyway. But he knows the leader won’t want to answer them—he’ll just tell him it’s “Soobin’s story to tell” like he just did now—so he knows not to bother, even if everything in him is dying to.
“Thank you,” he says, a bit softly, before leaving. “For telling me about all this.”
“Of course.” The leader gives him a small smile. “Remember: Soobin must not find out about this.”
“He won’t,” he assures, albeit not being so sure of that.
The leader seems to know that, since he doesn’t look so convinced, but he just gives Yeonjun a small nod. “And, Yeonjun?”
“Yes?”
“Be careful out there, alright?”
Now that confuses Yeonjun. The only place he’s going to is the library to be with Taehyun, and he doubts anything will happen to him in the library or on the way there. But then he catches the look in the leader’s eye and realizes that he isn’t only talking about that.
“I will,” Yeonjun says. “Thank you again, hyung.”
The leader just smiles at him before turning to look out the window. Yeonjun senses there’s something the leader knows that he isn’t telling him, but Yeonjun figures he’s already bothered him enough by making him tell him about Soobin. He doesn’t want to pester the leader any further, so he hesitates before turning to the door and leaving. He begins walking down the corridor of the leader’s quarters, whilst still thinking of everything he told him.
Yeonjun knows the leader would never lie to him, but he still finds it unbelievable that Soobin, cold , distant , called an asshole by most, would really let his guard down for someone, especially for someone whom was an outsider. But maybe that does explain a bit about why he’s so cold to him, and won’t even give him a chance to prove himself—because the last outsider Soobin let in almost got two of their own brutally tortured, almost as brutally killed, and if it weren’t for him being nearby, who knows what could’ve happened to the rest of their clan. Yeonjun finds it crazy to think about, but if Soobin hadn’t reacted fast that day, the Star Seekers probably wouldn’t even exist anymore today.
Still , Yeonjun can’t help but wonder as he exits the leader’s quarters and heads to the library, how does Soobin think I’m just like Doyun?
That question stays in Yeonjun’s mind for the rest of the walk to the library. There are only a few members out, since most of them were sent by the leader to help canvas their surrounding areas. Fortunately, the members who are here are too engulfed in their conversation with each other to even spare Yeonjun a glance. Even if they did, though, Yeonjun’s sure he wouldn’t have even noticed, still stuck in his thoughts about Doyun and Soobin.
He arrives at the library before he knows it. The ancient clock tower stands tall and vast before him, and Yeonjun can see that it’s not even nine a.m. yet. But he’s not surprised how early it is, given the urgency of their current situation. He steps inside the tower, hoping he’ll find Taehyun on the first floor.
“Tae?” Yeonjun calls out as he looks around. When he gets no reply, he sighs, almost groaning, since that means Taehyun is on the floor he, Beomgyu, and Kai own, which is too many floors above him.
Luckily, before he can head to the elevator, he hears behind him, “Hyung?”
Yeonjun turns, relief washing over him once his eyes land on Taehyun. “Oh, thank god you’re here.”
“Thank god I’m here in the library?” he says, a bit confused but amused.
“No, here on the first floor,” Yeonjun clarifies, before noticing the thick, ancient-looking book in Taehyun’s hands. “What’s that?”
“I managed to come across a few of the scouts earlier, and they gave me clearer descriptions of the unknown cloaked figures,” he says. “Their crests sounded familiar, so I’m using this book that’s all about every clan and their crests to try to see if it’s in here.”
“Need help?” Yeonjun offers, though he doubts Taehyun does.
“Nope,” he replies proudly, just like Yeonjun thought. “Cast a spell to help me read through this faster.”
“‘Course you did.”
Taehyun chuckles. “Anyway, where were you? You disappeared right after the briefing.”
“So did you,” Yeonjun says pointedly as they walk to a nearby table.
“Yeah, but I returned after five minutes. You were gone for at least twenty.”
As they sit down, Yeonjun contemplates telling Taehyun the truth. He knows he should, but at the same time, he’s a bit worried about what Taehyun’s reaction will be. He doesn’t doubt Taehyun also went through what Doyun tried to do, and he isn’t trying to make Taehyun angry at the moment.
“I was just with…the leader,” Yeonjun eventually replies.
That immediately piques Taehyun’s interest, and he looks up so fast that Yeonjun’s surprised his neck didn’t crack. “Really? Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. I was just talking to him about…Soobin.”
“Oh.” Instantly, Taehyun’s face falls, and he looks back down at the book. “Him.”
“Yes, him .”
“Must’ve been the worst twenty minutes of your life, then.”
Yeonjun rolls his eyes. “Since when did you become such a Soobin-anti?”
“Since the first time he made you cry.”
“Aw, how cute, Tae,” Yeonjun coos playfully, trying to lighten up the mood. “You’re so protective of me.”
Taehyun gives him a small, half-hearted glare, making him snicker. “Shut up, Choi.” When that only makes the older laugh even more, Taehyun just sighs and looks back down at the book. But then he remembers something—rather, some one —and he looks back up at Yeonjun. “Hey, did Taehyung come home last night?”
“Uh, yeah, he always comes home,” he answers, his eyebrows furrowing a little. “He was asleep when I returned from last night’s mission with…you-know-who, so I didn’t bother him. Why?”
“Just asking,” Taehyun mutters, looking a bit deep in thought. “It’s just…I haven’t seen him around lately. He wasn’t there at the meeting earlier today, either.”
Now that Taehyun mentions it, Yeonjun realizes he didn’t see Taehyung in the morning at the leader’s briefing, either. He had been so focused on what the bell tolls meant that he didn’t even worry about the first person who has shown him nothing but kindness during his entire stay here. He feels a bit guilty, but he tells himself the urgency of the situation made it understandable.
“Maybe he was just in council meetings,” he says.
“Council meetings?” Taehyun’s eyebrows raise. “I didn’t even know the council was created already. I thought that’s why they had the aides: so they wouldn’t have to worry much about handing out messages themselves, whilst they were still busy organizing everything.”
“Or maybe they just haven’t made it official to us yet,” Yeonjun says with a small shrug, not worrying much about it. “Either way, Taehyung’s close with the leader, so I’m sure he’s got him swooped up in something.”
“Hm, maybe,” Taehyun mumbles, though he doesn’t sound convinced.
“Anyway, enough talk about hyung. Let’s just focus on the crests. I’ma go see if there are more books that can help us with this search.”
Taehyun just nods. Yeonjun gets up and heads over to the aisles of books, trying not to think about why Taehyun sounded as if he knows something he doesn’t.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
Much to Yeonjun’s relief, he and Taehyun move on from the topic of Taehyung’s sudden disappearance and move on to other topics. They continue their search on the crests one of the scouts described to Taehyun, but they multitask with talking (read: gossiping). Yeonjun eventually tells Taehyun everything that happened last night between him and Soobin: the mission, the beasts, the tense walk back, and the equally as tense conversation he and Soobin had on Taehyung’s front porch. Yeonjun tells Taehyun every harsh word Soobin said to him, which undoubtedly makes Taehyun’s hatred for Soobin grow.
The only things Yeonjun doesn’t tell Taehyun, though, are about the unknown cloaked figure and the way it knew his name from the past: Eugene . Yeonjun knows if he did tell Taehyun that, Taehyun would’ve connected pieces Yeonjun doesn’t even know exist, and it’d just evolve into this whole mess, and with everything going on, Yeonjun really doesn’t have the energy to deal with that. So, despite a part of him wanting to, he keeps quiet about the faceless cloaked figure and his past identity.
Yeonjun is so wrapped up in being with Taehyun, doing research with him, and talking with him that he doesn’t even notice or think about his sword all day. Surprisingly, it stays still and quiet against his hip, only glowing a barely there light shade of purple. Even Taehyun doesn’t notice it, and he notices everything.
But then nighttime comes, and Yeonjun is forced to face his sword, anyway.
Since Yeonjun had a sense Taehyung wouldn’t be back at the cottage until later, and he didn’t feel like sleeping in an empty cottage tonight, he went with Taehyun to his. Taehyun didn’t have to offer, anyway—it’s become almost like the norm between them that Yeonjun stay over at his cottage more often than not now. Not that either of them minds.
They stayed up for a few more hours, still talking about everything and anything, and didn’t go to bed until they couldn’t keep their eyes open for longer than ten seconds. Taehyun showed Yeonjun to his guest bedroom, admitting that he’s never had use of it until now, and Yeonjun teases him with saying, “Especially not when Beomgyu’s over, huh?” and Taehyun threatens to kick him out, which only makes Yeonjun laugh. They say goodnight to each other soon enough, before Taehyun heads to his bedroom, and Yeonjun to his.
With a snap of his fingers, his white clothes, boots, and harnesses are gone. His sword is carried by his magic to the windowsill, but all Yeonjun focuses on is how more comfortable he feels in just his pajamas. He collapses onto the bed, already feeling sleepiness coming over him.
But sleep never comes easily to him.
It isn’t until now that he realizes the night fell with weight. It’s the kind of night that feels thicker than usual—heavy with clouds and quiet, like the whole world is holding its breath, despite how (almost) normal today went.
Yeonjun lies awake in Taehyun’s spare bed, covered by a blanket, his limbs tangled in the sheets like he can’t remember how to sleep like a normal person. The room is dark, save for the silver light of the moon bleeding in through the window. Taehyun’s soft, steady breathing from the next room should be comforting.
It isn’t.
Especially not when Yeonjun realizes he isn’t alone.
His sword still sits on the windowsill near him, still in its sheath. And yet—it hums. Not with light or heat. With something deeper.
Something alive.
At first, he thinks it’s his imagination. The voice is so faint it might as well be the wind curling through the cracks of the cottage.
But then it comes again, low and soft and barely a whisper. “Don’t let go…”
Yeonjun’s breath hitches. He sits up slowly, the blanket falling from his shoulders. The sword remains where it is—untouched. Unmoving. But the voice is clearer now. Still delicate, but layered beneath with something older, something wrong.
“They’ll take me if you do…”
Yeonjun’s pulse spikes. “Who?” he whispers, as if on instinct.
Silence.
Then, like a thread being pulled too tight: “They’re looking for a way in. They know you’re slipping. If you let go…you lose me.”
His hands are cold now. His chest tight.
“You’re just a sword,” he says aloud, forcing the words through his teeth. “You don’t talk. You don’t think. You don’t—”
“I’m yours.”
A beat.
“I’m the only thing that still is.”
Yeonjun feels his stomach twist. He swings his legs over the side of the bed, moving slowly toward the blade, like it’s something volatile. Like getting too close could burn.
He crouches, fingers hovering above the sheath. “Why are you saying this now?”
The sword hums—low and mournful. “Because they’re coming. And I won’t belong to you when they do.”
Yeonjun’s breath catches. His eyes flick up to the glass of the window. The moon stares back, cold and uncaring. Something inside him—it cracks.
He picks up the sword slowly. The moment his hand touches the hilt, a pulse runs through his palm—warm, desperate, electric. “Don’t let go.” He grips tighter.
And for a moment…all he feels is hollow.
Held together by the thing that might be tearing him apart.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
The early light cuts through the cottage window in soft, slanted beams. Dew still clings to the glass. The warmth of breakfast lingers in the air—herbs, eggs, something sizzling too much on the stove, but still comforting.
But Yeonjun doesn’t focus on that. Not really. He didn’t get any sleep last night, thanks to his sword’s whispering. He didn’t even know his sword was capable of doing that. But ever since the Wraiths, his sword has been capable of many things it didn’t used to be capable of, so he tells himself he shouldn’t be surprised.
But still—it gnaws at him.
He tries to push the dreaded thoughts of his sword to the back of his mind, but he isn’t lucky. The memories of last night stay in his mind as he gets up, pulls on his slippers, and heads to the bathroom, hearing Taehyun moving around in the kitchen downstairs. Yeonjun’s stomach growls at the scent of Taehyun’s cooking, but for now, he’d rather be alone.
He leans against the sink, not daring to look at himself in the mirror. He closes his eyes, running his fingers through his hair. Even from here in the bathroom, he can hear his sword pulsing in Taehyun’s guest room. He tries to drown it out, but nothing ever works. Its pulses are almost taunting, and if it weren’t a gift from his parents, Yeonjun is sure he would’ve ruined it himself already.
After a few more minutes in the bathroom, Yeonjun decides to finally get out, telling himself it won't do him any good if he continues rotting in there. So he hesitantly steps out and walks downstairs to join Taehyun in the kitchen.
“Smells good,” Yeonjun says with a small, barely there smile. “What you making?”
“Breakfast,” Taehyun replies cheekily, making Yeonjun’s smile grow a little. “Tea?”
“Um…sure,” he replies, though he’s unsure if he’ll actually drink it. “Need any help?”
Taehyun waves him off and makes him sit. Yeonjun does. He sits hunched at the table, and eventually, Taehyun places his plate in front of him. Yeonjun gives him a small smile in thanks before looking down at his food. His stomach is hungry, but his mouth won’t open. Yet, he tells himself to eat, or else Taehyun will be suspicious, and ask questions Yeonjun doesn’t want to answer. So he hesitates, before lifting his hand to begin eating.
Minutes later, a half-eaten piece of toast is growing cold in his hand. He still hasn’t touched the tea Taehyun poured for him. He’s been staring at the surface of it like it might hold answers. Or maybe a warning. His sword still rests upstairs in the windowsill of Taehyun’s guest bedroom. Yeonjun doesn’t want to move it from its spot, but he keeps glancing at the stairs as if he wants to.
Taehyun sets a bowl of fruit between them and sits down across from him, elbows on the table, eyes sharp. “You gonna pretend you slept last night?” The cheekiness and playfulness in Taehyun’s voice disappear as he studies Yeonjun harder, taking in the small bags under his eyes and the conflict in them.
Yeonjun doesn’t answer. His knuckles tighten around the toast.
“Hyung.”
Yeonjun exhales slowly. “No. I didn’t.”
“Thought so,” Taehyun mutters, folding his arms. “Talk.”
Yeonjun doesn’t look up. “It’s the sword.”
Taehyun raises an eyebrow, but he doesn’t look surprised. “Again?”
“No, it’s not reacting like it usually does. I mean…” He finally lifts his gaze, and there’s a crack in it now—like something’s starting to give. “It’s whispering to me.”
Taehyun’s brows twitch, but he doesn’t interrupt.
“Not always. Just sometimes. It started yesterday during the leader’s briefing,” Yeonjun continues, voice low. “It didn’t used to do this. But now...I hear it. Not out loud, exactly, but it feels like a voice. It keeps saying things like Don’t let go or stay with me. It begs.”
Taehyun leans forward, carefully. “What does it feel like when it happens?”
Yeonjun swallows hard. “Like it’s scared. Or maybe I am. It doesn’t make sense. Sometimes I can’t tell the difference.”
“Have you told anyone else?”
Yeonjun sighs, looking back down at his toast. “I told Soobin, but he didn’t care. He basically told me to screw off, and complain about my problems to someone else who actually cares.”
Taehyun’s expression darkens. “Screw him.”
Yeonjun’s shoulders sag. “I don’t know what to do, Tae,” he mutters. “It’s not me. I swear I’m not the one slipping. But the sword is…reacting. Like it wants something I don’t. Like it knows something I don’t. And I—” His voice cracks. “I’m scared it’s gonna drag me down with it.”
Taehyun stays quiet for a long beat. Then he stands, walks around the table, and crouches beside Yeonjun’s chair. Gently places a hand on his knee. “You should’ve told me yesterday.”
“I didn’t know how.”
“Well, you did now. That’s what matters.”
Yeonjun’s jaw clenches. “Do you think I’m…dangerous?”
“I think,” Taehyun says softly, “you’re scared, confused, and trying not to fall apart under pressure no one else here could survive. That doesn’t make you dangerous. That makes you human.”
Yeonjun lets out a shaky breath.
“But I do think,” Taehyun adds, glancing upstairs, to where he figures the sword is, “this thing might be something more than we’ve assumed. And if it’s whispering to you now…it’s evolving.”
Yeonjun nods slowly. “I thought so, too.”
“Then we’re not ignoring it anymore.” Taehyun rises and heads for the bookshelf in his living room, already pulling down old volumes. “No more brushing it off. If the sword is changing, we’re figuring out why —before someone else uses it against you.”
Yeonjun doesn’t move at first. But something in his chest loosens. Just a little. Not all the way. But enough to breathe.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
But despite their best efforts, they don’t find an explanation for why Yeonjun’s sword is whispering. Nor do they find a crest that matches the description one of the scouts gave Taehyun yesterday. It infuriates Taehyun more than Yeonjun, yet Taehyun is the one who doesn’t give up. Yeonjun knows he shouldn’t, that he should continue fighting, especially since it’s starting to depend on whether he continues staying in the Star Seekers or not, but at this point, he’s just so tired. The part of his brain that is yelling at him to not give up is slowly starting to give out.
Much to his dismay, though, it’s obvious to everyone else, regardless of how much he and Taehyun try to hide it. Yeonjun feels foolish for underestimating his sword, since it’s always had a mind of its own. Whenever they’re outside, it glows a deeper but brighter purple, catching the attention of everyone around them. Trying to make it disappear doesn’t help either, since it’s stronger than even the spells of disappearance Taehyun tries to cast on it. It stays like glue and stubbornly on Yeonjun’s hip, pulsing and glowing that obnoxious shade of purple.
Yeonjun’s sword already has a bad rep, so unsurprisingly, despite everything else going on, it’s enough to make people begin whispering again. They continue eyeing and whispering doubts about Yeonjun as if they have nothing better to do, and it doesn’t even help that Taehyun is by his side. People seem to have forgotten just how powerful the sorcerer is, since they continue blatantly badmouthing and giving his best friend weird looks. Yet, by the time he glares at them, they’re already scurrying away.
But Taehyun isn’t always there.
Sometimes, Yeonjun has to deal with the whispers and stares on his own. He shouldn’t have had to anymore, and he should be used to it by now, but he isn’t. How can he when the only person who does want him to stay is Taehyun? Even Soobin, the man he’s unfortunately fallen for, doesn’t want him here.
But still, Yeonjun has to try. He has to try to keep his sword in check, even if his efforts are fruitless, because he’d rather not give up just yet than just stand there and let it be shown that he didn’t care enough to try, which would bring him more ridicule.
That brings us to now.
The night is breathless. Wind slices through the trees outside the northern perimeter wall, rattling the branches. Shadows ripple across the dirt path in nervous waves. The moon hangs above like a silent witness.
Yeonjun is alone.
He shouldn’t be, not this far out past midnight, not with his sword acting the way it has. But his chest has felt too tight in the compound. Too many eyes. Too many whispered doubts. He needs air. He needs space.
The clearing he finds is wide, empty, quiet—too quiet.
He unsheathes his sword slowly, metal ringing sharply against the hush. His hands are steady. His pulse isn’t.
And then— Don’t let go.
The voice is back. It scrapes against his ribs like frostbite. This time it’s clearer than before. And closer.
Don’t let go of me, Yeonjun.
His grip tightens, but the blade pulses before he can react. A soft violet shimmer sparks along the etched runes and grows, too fast.
“I’m not—” Yeonjun gasps, trying to pull his magic back, to ground it like he’s been practicing. “I’m not letting go—”
But the sword won’t listen. The ground trembles beneath his boots as corrupted energy licks out from the blade, warping the grass into ash. It swirls, hungry, like a storm forming in his palm.
Yeonjun bites his lip hard enough to draw blood. “I said stop,” he growls, raising the sword like he can force it into submission. “I said—!”
A hand clamps onto his wrist. Cold, firm. “Are you trying to torch the forest?”
Yeonjun freezes.
Soobin stands behind him, expression unreadable in the dark, eyes like cut glass under the moonlight. He releases Yeonjun’s wrist, but not gently. Not kindly. He steps back like the very air around Yeonjun is something to avoid.
Yeonjun lowers the blade with a sharp breath. The corruption flares one more time, then fizzles out. He doesn’t turn around. “I didn’t ask you to follow me.” I haven’t even seen you in the past week, so what are you doing here now? he wants to add, but he bites his tongue, refusing to say anything more to Soobin.
“And yet here you are,” he says flatly, “making your sword everyone’s problem again.”
Yeonjun closes his eyes. “You know I don’t have control over it. No matter how hard I try.”
“You’re right.” Soobin steps around him now, face half-lit by moonlight. “You weren’t and aren’t in control. But you say it wasn’t you—and yet here you are, still holding the weapon. So what does that make you, if not a risk?”
Yeonjun’s jaw clenches. “I told you—it's not choosing to listen to me. It’s acting on its own.”
“Then maybe it knows something we don’t.” The words are a blade. Soobin doesn’t raise his voice. He doesn’t need to.
Yeonjun’s voice is strained now. “So you came all this way after we haven’t seen each other in an entire week just to tell me again how untrustworthy I am?”
“I came because someone had to make sure you didn’t burn the territory down,” Soobin snaps, finally letting some of that cold frustration crack through. “I came because even Taehyun is worried.”
Yeonjun narrows his eyes a little. He knows that out of all people, Taehyun wouldn’t tell Soobin about his worries. “Taehyun didn’t send you.”
“No,” Soobin confirms. “But if he had seen what I just saw, he would’ve dragged you back himself.”
Yeonjun lowers his head. “I’m trying,” he says softly. “I’m really—trying.”
Soobin doesn’t speak for a moment. Then: “Trying isn’t always enough.”
The silence swells. The wind picks up again.
“You’re right,” Yeonjun whispers after a moment. “Trying isn’t enough—for you.” He sheaths the sword with a harsh motion and turns away, the pull in his chest too tight, too raw.
But before he can take a step, Soobin says, quiet and sharp: “If it happens again—I report it.”
Yeonjun stops, but he doesn’t turn. His voice comes out hoarse. “Then maybe next time, just let me lose control.”
Soobin doesn’t respond. And Yeonjun walks back into the darkness, alone.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
The rain starts lightly the next morning. Gentle, steady, tapping softly against Taehyun’s cottage roof like a warning.
Yeonjun hasn’t said much since the night before. He’d returned from the northern perimeter soaked in sweat and silence, eyes too dark for someone who didn’t sleep. Too tired to think things through, he headed straight for Taehyung’s cottage, but unsurprisingly, the lights were off. Not wanting to be alone tonight, he turned and headed straight for Taehyun’s cottage instead. The moment Taehyun opened the door seconds after Yeonjun knocked on it, Taehyun had clocked it instantly—but said nothing. He knows better than to push right away.
Yeonjun didn’t tell him about Soobin finding him. Didn’t tell him the sword nearly lashed out again. Or the words Soobin threw at him like blades. Being with Soobin again must have reopened old wounds that still haven’t fully closed, and even Taehyun’s comfort and growing hatred for Soobin wouldn’t have helped. It’d probably make things worse for Yeonjun. So instead, he just said, “I’m fine,” and buried himself in the couch blankets until sleep finally claimed him.
So, when a knock sounds at the door late that morning, Yeonjun barely lifts his head.
“I’ll get it,” Taehyun calls, already moving.
Yeonjun hears the door open.
Then a familiar voice—light, concerned, a little too perfectly placed. “Hey. Is he in?”
Yeonjun blinks and pushes himself up to sitting just as Taehyung steps inside, wearing the same pleasant, gentle smile he always does.
“Morning,” he says softly. “Heard you weren’t doing too well.”
Yeonjun manages a small nod, though something tightens in his gut. He’s too physically and emotionally tired to even show happiness for finally seeing Taehyung again after so long. “I’m okay.”
Taehyung gives a sympathetic look. “You’ve looked better.”
Taehyun looks between them. His expression doesn’t change, but his eyes linger on Taehyung’s posture longer than usual. Then, “I’m heading out. I’ve got supply checks. Be back in a few.”
Yeonjun blinks. “Now? In the rain?”
Taehyun shrugs. “Doesn’t bite.” He closes the door behind him, leaving Yeonjun alone with Taehyung.
A long silence settles in.
Taehyung stays where he is for a moment before slowly walking closer, kneeling beside the couch where Yeonjun’s blanket is still bunched up. “I heard something happened,” he says softly.
Yeonjun frowns. “Did Taehyun tell you?”
“No,” Taehyung replies, not missing a beat. “But word gets around.”
Of course it does.
Yeonjun exhales, slumping back against the armrest. “It was just the sword again. Acting out. I was outside the compound. That’s all.”
“Was Soobin with you?”
Yeonjun stiffens. The shift is tiny, but Taehyung notices. Of course he does.
“Did he say something to you?” he asks carefully.
Yeonjun hesitates. “He said he saw it—saw the corruption flaring. Said if it happened again, he’d report it.”
Taehyung’s eyes narrow. “He threatened to report you?”
“He didn’t say it like that.” He totally did. “But yeah. He meant it.”
Taehyung sits beside him now, quiet for a moment before speaking again. “Yeonjun…has the sword been saying anything else?”
The question is so specific that it knocks Yeonjun off balance.
“How did you—?”
Taehyung puts a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve been jumpier. Quieter. If something’s happening, I just want to help.” The worry in his voice is expertly measured. The perfect pitch of a concerned friend.
Yeonjun falters. “…It’s been whispering,” he admits. “At night. Sometimes during the day. I can’t always make out what it says—but when I do…it just keeps begging me not to let go.”
Taehyung’s hand tightens slightly. “What do you think that means?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” Yeonjun mutters. “But it’s scared. The sword. I can feel it.”
“Scared of what?”
“…Me. Or what’s in me. Or what’s coming for me. I don’t know.”
Taehyung is quiet again, but his eyes never leave Yeonjun’s face. Then, gently, he says, “Have you told anyone else?”
Yeonjun hesitates before nodding. “Only Taehyun and…Soobin, but that’s it. Not even the leader. If I do, he’ll truly begin thinking I’m unstable.”
Taehyung’s smile is soft. “I won’t.”
Yeonjun looks down at his hands. “It’s getting worse.”
“Well…” Taehyung leans closer, his voice quiet. “Then maybe it’s time to stop carrying it alone.”
Yeonjun looks up. For a moment, their eyes meet—and something cold and sharp flickers behind Taehyung’s smile, too brief to catch.
Yeonjun doesn’t notice.
But somewhere outside, under the low gray sky, a presence lingers near the edge of the trees. Watching. Listening. Waiting.
➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶
It’s late afternoon when Taehyun returns to the compound from completing his supply checks, a paper bag of dried herbs crinkling in his arms, and the sky almost clear now. The training yard is mostly clear except for a few stragglers finishing their drills. As he cuts across the open courtyard, he spots Beomgyu leaning against the stone fountain, arms folded, one brow raised like he’s been waiting.
“Let me guess,” Taehyun says as he approaches. “You’ve been standing here for ten minutes, and you already know three people’s secrets and a fourth’s favorite bath scent.”
“Wrong.” Beomgyu pushes off the fountain with a yawn. “Only two secrets. And apparently, Daejin’s a rose-sandalwood guy. So, close.”
Taehyun snorts, then glances around. “Have you seen Taehyung?”
Beomgyu gives him a side glance. “No, but I heard he stopped by your cottage earlier.”
“He did.” Taehyun’s jaw tightens just slightly. “Said he was checking in on Yeonjun-hyung.”
“And?” Beomgyu watches him more closely now.
Taehyun doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he lowers the bag of herbs and perches on the edge of the fountain. His shoulders are still tense. “Something about it didn’t sit right.”
Beomgyu frowns. “Was Yeonjun-hyung acting weird?”
“No. That’s the thing. He looked fine. Calm, even. Not skittish. Not anxious.” Taehyun’s eyes narrow as he stares at a crack in the stone beneath his boot. “It’s like Taehyung knew exactly how to speak to him. Knew what to say to make him feel safe.”
Beomgyu raises an eyebrow. “Isn’t that what he’s good at? And normal? He’s the first one who accepted Yeonjun-hyung with open arms, after all.”
“True,” Taehyun says softly. “But the way he was speaking with him earlier felt too smooth. Too…manufactured. Like he wanted hyung to drop his guard. And he did.”
Beomgyu takes a breath, starting to catch on. “You think he was fishing.”
“I think,” Taehyun says slowly, “he was testing him.”
Beomgyu doesn’t respond right away. His fingers curl slightly against the stone rim behind him. “Has he done that before? Stopped by when you weren’t home?”
“No. According to hyung, he’s always in council meetings, but that’s the thing—the council hasn’t even been created yet, so what meetings would they even be having?”
“Maybe about who gets to join it?”
“Yeah, but they would’ve been done with those meetings by now, and the leader would’ve announced the council’s officially created. And he hasn’t.”
“So you think Taehyung’s been gone for some other reason?” Beomgyu raises a brow, a bit doubtful. “ The Kim Taehyung, who’s nothing but sunshine and rainbows, and accepted the first exiled member we’ve ever had with open arms, because his power is empathy ?”
“Look, I know it sounds crazy,” Taehyun says. “But I wouldn’t be making assumptions like these if I didn’t think something was truly off. Think about it, hyung. Where has Taehyung been these past few days? Why is he showing up now when conflict between Yeonjun-hyung and his sword is rising again?”
“So you think he suspects something about the sword?”
“I think he knows more than he should,” Taehyun replies. “And I think he wants hyung to confirm it without realizing he’s doing it.”
Beomgyu lets out a slow breath, then glances toward the woods behind the courtyard. “You told Yeonjun-hyung any of this?”
“No.” Taehyun shakes his head. “He’s too vulnerable right now. And Taehyung’s been the only person—besides me—who’s treated him with consistent kindness. If I try to cast doubt on that, it’ll just make hyung feel like he really is alone.”
Beomgyu hums low. “So what do we do?”
Taehyun’s brows raise a little, and he finally turns to look up at Beomgyu, making their eyes lock. “‘We’?”
“Yeah, ‘we,’” he confirms with a soft but slightly cheeky smile. “I’m with you in everything, even this, even if I still think you’re crazy. But I trust you, and like you said, you wouldn’t be making assumptions like these if you didn’t know something was off. So you can count me in.”
Taehyun tries to ignore how his heart warms. “We can’t let other people know yet, especially not Yeonjun-hyung, Taehyung, the leader, or… him .”
Beomgyu’s eyebrows furrow a little. “‘Him’?”
“The asshole of that archer, and unfortunately, our second-in-command.”
Beomgyu chuckles once it hits him who Taehyun is talking about, and doesn’t bother reminding him that that’s his best friend he’s talking about, because he knows Taehyun knows, and doesn’t care. “Ah, I see. You’ve got my word, then, Taehyun-ah. I won’t let other people know, especially not that ‘asshole.’ So what do we do for now?”
“We keep watching,” Taehyun says. “And the second Taehyung steps out of line—really steps out of line—we confront him. Together.”
Beomgyu nods once. “Together,” he echoes.
They sit in silence for a moment. The breeze picks up, carrying the faint sound of distant sword practice and rustling leaves. Somewhere, a bell rings softly in the northern wing.
Beomgyu breaks the quiet with a mutter, “You ever think about what we’d do if Taehyung isn’t who we think he is?”
Taehyun doesn’t look at him. His voice is quiet and certain. “Unfortunately, I think we’ll find out soon enough.”
Pages Navigation
NnAyuu on Chapter 1 Thu 20 Mar 2025 09:19PM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 1 Sat 22 Mar 2025 12:38AM UTC
Comment Actions
aethermay on Chapter 1 Fri 21 Mar 2025 03:03AM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 1 Sat 22 Mar 2025 12:38AM UTC
Comment Actions
bluemingtill5_53 on Chapter 1 Sat 05 Apr 2025 12:38PM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 1 Sun 06 Apr 2025 03:11PM UTC
Comment Actions
bluemingtill5_53 on Chapter 2 Sat 05 Apr 2025 12:52PM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 2 Sun 06 Apr 2025 03:12PM UTC
Comment Actions
painted__faerie (estel_willow) on Chapter 3 Sat 22 Mar 2025 11:49PM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 3 Thu 27 Mar 2025 11:14PM UTC
Comment Actions
127zzn on Chapter 3 Sun 23 Mar 2025 02:39AM UTC
Comment Actions
ArtSon on Chapter 3 Sun 23 Mar 2025 05:10PM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 3 Thu 27 Mar 2025 11:14PM UTC
Comment Actions
Bloobing on Chapter 3 Mon 24 Mar 2025 03:50PM UTC
Comment Actions
NnAyuu on Chapter 3 Mon 24 Mar 2025 07:28PM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 3 Thu 27 Mar 2025 11:15PM UTC
Comment Actions
bluemingtill5_53 on Chapter 3 Sat 05 Apr 2025 01:08PM UTC
Comment Actions
VYLY_Roses on Chapter 4 Fri 28 Mar 2025 11:57AM UTC
Comment Actions
hellomeis on Chapter 4 Sun 13 Apr 2025 11:42PM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 4 Mon 14 Apr 2025 07:34PM UTC
Comment Actions
painted__faerie (estel_willow) on Chapter 4 Fri 28 Mar 2025 10:10PM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 4 Tue 01 Apr 2025 03:30AM UTC
Comment Actions
bluemingtill5_53 on Chapter 4 Sat 05 Apr 2025 01:25PM UTC
Comment Actions
ArtSon on Chapter 5 Fri 04 Apr 2025 08:12AM UTC
Comment Actions
BaeJanjao on Chapter 5 Fri 04 Apr 2025 09:52AM UTC
Comment Actions
Suvi_07 on Chapter 5 Sat 05 Apr 2025 09:35AM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 5 Sun 06 Apr 2025 03:10PM UTC
Comment Actions
bluemingtill5_53 on Chapter 5 Sat 05 Apr 2025 01:39PM UTC
Comment Actions
adorinqgyu on Chapter 5 Sun 06 Apr 2025 03:10PM UTC
Comment Actions
painted__faerie (estel_willow) on Chapter 5 Tue 08 Apr 2025 08:24AM UTC
Comment Actions
hellomeis on Chapter 6 Sun 13 Apr 2025 11:42PM UTC
Comment Actions
Suvi_07 on Chapter 6 Mon 14 Apr 2025 05:20AM UTC
Comment Actions
Pages Navigation