Kintsugi // ATEEZ [Ishihara Sequel] ✔

43 Friends

"How on earth did you come here if you don't have your own horse?" Wooyoung asks as he smoothly hops onto his horse, grabbing on the reins. He says in a slightly sarcastic tone, "Did you ride the black panther here?"

Sara rolls her eyes, ignoring the tendency of her wanting to unlock Micko's cage and instruct him to accidentally maul this guy alive. She hasn't even spent that much time with Wooyoung but she has lost count how many times she feels annoyed by him.

"We teleported, of course," she deadpans, looking like she's joking and is serious at the same time. "I believe people like you won't know what it feels like."

Wooyoung only stares at her sharply, huffing before turning his head away, gripping on the reins. Yeosang is sitting behind Mingi, while Hongjoong has his own.

Sara looks from one to the other, wondering how she's going on this journey with them, glancing at Wooyoung before changing her mind - she probably won't stand it being near him. She sidles up to Hongjoong, looking expectantly to the blacksmith before the latter tilts his head to the back, allowing her to hop on. Smiling, she takes the blacksmith's hand before hopping on behind him.

Hongjoong's horse gallops first, passing by Wooyoung before Sara takes the opportunity to stick out her tongue at him, which makes him curl his fist, looking as if he's about to punch her.

"How is it even possible for someone who has probably lived a hundred years to even be so childish?" Wooyoung grumbles.

"You're the same, except that you're only in your twenties but still so childish," Yeosang comments as Mingi's horse gallops behind Hongjoong.

"All of you are really looking out to be against me now, aren't you?" Wooyoung complains before he guides the horse out of the stables, the horse breaking into a gallop so that they're all side by side.

Sara tries to stabilize herself behind Hongjoong without having to hold on to anything, looking slightly funny how her arms are spread out trying to find her balance. It's like she knows better than to hold on to Hongjoong, so she's trying anything but that.

"You know..." Hongjoong utters over his shoulder. "I don't mind you holding on to me as long as you don't fall."

"Is that how you do it?" Sara says nonchalantly as she holds onto his shirt using her fingers. "I've never gotten on a horse behind someone before."

Hongjoong chuckles. "If you feel awkward you can hold my shoulders. That way both of us won't be too close but you won't fall off either."

"Ah, thank you," she breathes, gripping his shoulders a little bit too hard that he shouts out in sudden pain.

"Not that hard," he utters with a painful smile.

"Sorry," she manages, loosening her grip. "I have no idea I had this much strength."

After making sure that she has a somewhat firm grip, he speeds up with the other following closely.

They arrive at the central forest, and Sara is the first to hop off first, bringing out the list that she needs from under her robe. She doesn't actually need to read back every single thing on the list since she has everything at the back of her head, but it is as if it gives her the assurance as she sees each one of it. Before she reaches the end of the list though, someone has snatched it off her hands, and she looks at the stealer grudgingly.

Wooyoung goes through the list, some easier to find, some just plain weird... although doable. When he reaches the final item on the list, he looks up at her, slightly frowning. "The blood of someone from Ileara?"

She takes the list back, muttering, "That's one of the components for the potion to work on your beloved brother."

He crinkles his nose. "That's weird but, whatever the witch says. Shall we?"