Kintsugi // ATEEZ [Ishihara Sequel] ✔

14 Wounds

The five of them burst into the palace doors after being granted entry to find Yunho walking down the stairs, clearly looking tired from the event that happened in town.

Mingi runs over to Yunho, taking the latter who was not paying attention by surprise when he grips the general's arms and says, "Was it true, the news that we heard?"

"Oh," Yunho utters. "All of you are still in Lucida? I thought that you're already well on your way out of the kingdom; we didn't see you in town."

Hongjoong grimaces as he slowly makes his way to them. "We were kind of lost and somehow ended up at the residential area, but then we got back to town. That was when we heard the news about the king being attacked out of nowhere."

Yunho sighs before running his hand through his hair. "Looks like news really does travel fast. It's true; His Majesty-" he gives up in trying to keep up with the titles, "-Seonghwa got attacked by some random... I don't know, I guess he was one of the opposing people. But I don't even know his true intention; one minute it seems like he's all for Akira being queen but not Seonghwa, and another minute it seems like he doesn't want both of them to be taking the throne." He massages his temple, "But one thing for sure is that he expressed his refusal to accept Seonghwa as king."

"Because he's from Nyla?" Yeosang asks.

"Because he's from Nyla..." Yunho drawls, "and because he has not a drop of royal blood in him. He told Akira that most of the people only wanted her as the queen, and that they're only putting up with it because Seonghwa is her husband."

"That's so mean," Wooyoung complains. "Just because my brother is crimson-blooded and that he's from Nyla, it doesn't mean that he doesn't know how to rule a kingdom. I bet he can even do better than those with pure royal blood." Then he quickly adds when San glances at him, "Not you, of course. You're good too."

"Akira told me that whatever the man said was true," Yunho supplements. "But they're still in a great deal of shock, so I don't think you can meet them now either." He mulls over his words, "That man attacked Seonghwa on his face."

Wooyoung gasps in horror as his hands fly to his own face. "His face?"

"Uhm," Yunho agrees to it. "I think it's going to leave a scar."

Hongjoong pushes his tongue from the inside of his cheek, his hand tracing the scar on his own face. "Looks like I have a friend."

Yunho grimaces. "But I don't think Seonghwa is taking it that well."

"I mean who would?" San says, worried. "You're being attacked by your own people, the people who are supposed to have your back. That's one of the nightmares for anyone ruling the kingdom."

"Agree," Mingi states. He scratches his head, "Seonghwa has a high physical pain tolerance but when something hurts his heart, he usually can't take it that well."

"Remember when he cried a river after Akira got hurt?" Hongjoong asks. "Yeah, I don't think I'm strong enough to be the witness again."

"Is the wound on his face that bad?" Yeosang inquires, wondering whether their palace doctor is already attending to them.

"Not really sure," Yunho states. "After the attack I went to deal with the culprit and Akira and Seonghwa are on their way back accompanied by the others who went with us."

"Ah... I feel really bad for Seonghwa and Akira..." San utters. "They were really thinking about how it would be if they were to accept the offer."

"No one expected it to turn out this way," Wooyoung replies. "They were in a bind too."

"Maybe we'll leave tomorrow," Hongjoong says. "Stay another day. I really hope they'll be doing fine."