Kintsugi // ATEEZ [Ishihara Sequel] ✔

52 Idea

Everything is quiet.

Everyone seems to be meditating as they familiarize themselves with the strategy, their last meeting to go through everything to make sure that nothing will go wrong. Lucida's soldiers are lined up in their respective rows, their eyes following the three upfront; the king, queen and the general, all three looking at them with unreadable expressions. The only person they can probably guess what their emotions are is the king; grey is dominating his irises as they know he's worried for the outcome.

Jongho and Jihyun are standing at the side, the latter looking way out of place as she stands there, barely even understanding the strategy they outlined on the board. She's too busy glancing at the general anyway, but Yunho is too focused on the rulers and the soldiers under him, realizing at the sheer gravity of his responsibility alone. Anything that happens tomorrow to his soldiers will all point back to him, and he'd rather have no slip up and no casualties.

He can't take them anymore.

"I hope that everyone is clear with what we're planning to do tomorrow," Seonghwa speaks up. He clasps his hands. "I know that I might not be the king that you wanted, but allow me to try my best. I'll prove to all of you that I'm trying my best to be the king of Lucida."

There is a murmur of voices among the soldiers, but all of them pledge their loyalty towards him and Akira almost immediately, even though they're not white-blooded.

"A lot is at stake," Akira says as she tries to look at each and every one of their faces. "I used to be the leader to some of you." She makes a point to find the faces of those who used to be her subordinates. "I was harsh on you, just because I was given the chance to become a general at a young age. I was heartless, and I barely cared for what you felt. But now," she presses her lips together, "I want you to know that even though we'd ask you to fight with all that you have, your life matters too. If you find that running away is better for your life," she smiles, "then run. You won't be charged with treason."

A ripple of laughter travels through the group. Even Yunho looks down at the floor as a smile creeps up to him, tickled by the fact that what she said was fully true; from her behaviour back then as the general, to the fact that they would be charged with treason in the past if they ever decided to run away.

"Just to remind every single one of you and us, of course," Akira says, as she feels Seonghwa's hand placed on the small of her back. "They're being brave in attacking the very foundation of our kingdom; our home. If that doesn't make you angry, I don't know what will. Use that as your motivation to fight, but remember that you life always comes first; don't try to be a hero when things don't seem favourable on your side. I want you to be proud of who you are; it doesn't matter if our bloods are yellow, blue, crimson, white or black. We're all humans in the end, and what determines our worth is how we act with the chance we're given to live our lives. Having yellow is not and never will be a sin. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Their voices echo through the empty hall, and both the rulers nod in satisfaction.

Yunho looks on, having a mixture of feelings as he looks at Akira; the person whom he treats like a younger sibling and a best friend, who used to lead an army, is now seemingly a natural at leading a whole kingdom alongside her husband. Unknowingly he smiles, touched by the fact that even Seonghwa looks on proudly, both men watching as she carries on her duty with confidence. For a flash his eyes naturally move to Jihyun, but the latter quickly looks away as she realizes that he had caught her looking.

The general looks to the front, towards his subordinates as Akira passes the meeting on to him. He notices how Seonghwa and Akira are secretly giving him thumbs-ups, supporting him in his position from the side. He inwardly chuckles as he gestures towards the plan, and then to the two rulers.