Dark Crown | a Yeonjun FF | Part 1 Complete

Ch 7. Tiffany

"Tiffany wait up!"- I heard Olivia call after me.

My feet took me outside.

I stopped in front of the main doorway and looked up at the sky.

It had gathered clouds, all dark and heavy.

All of the sunshine is gone now.

Gloom weighed down around the atmosphere.

I let out a tired sigh.

"Tiffany!"- Olivia had found me.

I turned to look at her and eventually stretched a smile at her.

"Are you okay?"
"No."

She outstretched her hands to give me a hug.

I accepted and whispered a little thank you to her.

I had known her since I was very little. We are friends since we were five years old.

We stood there in silence looking at the sky.

"Tiffany! Olivia! Hey! We have got work to do!"- Harmony ran out to us.

"Let's get back!"- Olivia took my hand and pulled me along.

Back at the office, I could literally feel Minho's eyes boring into the back of my head.

But I'm just too good at feigning ignorance.

I concentrated on what Chris was saying.

"The task is quite pellucid. In fact, it won't be anything too much of a hassle for you all, given your past operations and experiences."- Chris encouraged.

"So what do we have to do?"- Sasha's voice echoed curiosity.

"You have to go into a building and get a piece of jewelry discreetly."

"Elaborate."- I definitely need to know more.

"There will be a party, a fancy one maybe, and you'll have to sneak in and get a hold of a certain ring."

"But what's the catch?"- Olivia knows that no task is as simple as the manner in which it's always mentioned to us.

"Well, It's a competition!"

"It's a what?"- Harmony's voice came out shrill.

"A competition? With who? What for?"- Ava was in disbelief.

"It's a competition with the Divine Council. The group to get the ring first will be declared the winner."

Nobody spoke a word.

Because we had nothing to say.

"You will have to get that ring and meet up at the designated spot before midnight. If you're able to bring back the ring then the Agent Council will be declared the winner. If not, you know what happens."

Yes, we know what happens.

We'll get ridiculed and labeled as useless.

"This competition was proposed by the Divine Council, for they want to prove that the existence of a separate Council for Agents is not a requirement and anyone from their council can get our job done."

"Wait, so you're saying that the Divine Council wants to administrate the Agents Council?"- Harmony gasped.

"Is that not what they always wanted?"- Changbin's voice expressed his fatigue.

"If you don't win this time, the existence and freedom of the Council will be at stake. They want to tear us down for good."- Han clenched his fist.

"I request the Dark Crown to aid us in the time of this crisis."- Chris set his eyes on me.

I looked at my friends for any possible answer, if they consented to the request.

They exchanged a look amongst themselves and each gave a slight nod.

I sighed. They didn't have to comply but yet they are willing to do so.

"The Dark Crown shall try to adhere to the request."- I gave my final word with my team's consent.

Chris gave a weak smile which I reciprocated.

It was a difficult request and all of us knew that.

Sasha and Ava stayed back with Chris to enquire and gather detailed technical information required to construct a plan.

Olivia and Harmony proceeded to discuss tactics with Han and Changbin.

I decided to leave the room.

As soon as I took a step out of the room, I ran into a wall.

Except that it wasn't a wall.

It was an extremely agitated Minho.

I did not need this now.

"Why can't you just stay put?"- Disdain dripped from his voice.

I stayed silent.

"Did you have to agree to such an impossible task? The chance of you completing it, is really slim."

I clenched my teeth.

"Do you think that you can do whatever you want? You know what? It would just all get better if you had just left."

I know what he's talking about. He's talking about that awful day, when i decided to risk it all only to fulfill a prayer.

"But no! You had to cling to us, just like a leech! Did you see your friends? You think that they are happy? They are hiding here because you failed to hide yourself. If you had gone away, they could have lived happily!"

Tears threatened to fall.

All of this stress is slowly breaking my resolve. And it's a matter of time before I'll break.

"I wish if you'd just go away and leave us in peace!"

A tear slipped my eye. It was a single drop.

"I might just grant you your wish."- My own voice seemed alien to me.

He didn't dare to say more.

"I have already given my word to Chris, so I shall fulfill his request of participating in the given task. As soon as it's settled, I shall leave the Agents Council."

"NO!"- Ava's voice was frantic.

She had heard me. It would have been a lot easier if I could just conceal this from others.

"You.. you can't do this! Please! Please take back your words! You'll not leave! Why will you leave?"- Ava shook me by my shoulders.

Minho couldn't say anything.

For he knew that what I had done.

I had given him my word.

Now, there's no going back.

But shouldn't he be happy that I had finally decided to grant him what he wished for so long?

Then why does his face look like that?

As if he didn't really want any of that.

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