𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢 (𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐙! 𝐟𝐟)

𝙲𝙷. 𝟹𝟼 ☯︎︎ 𝙷𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚃𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑

♊︎Year 5067, Month 6, Day 26, Time 11:11 pm♊︎

☯︎

The clock at the far end of the wall ticks away as they all sit around the table in the meeting room with Hongjoong at the end of it.

Besides Kurenai and Candy, everyone is sitting around the table, keeping mum out of fear that they may destroy the delicate balance between them. They've been sitting here for around 10 minutes this way, watching each other in silence.

It was fairly obvious that Candy had been missing since the group that went to pick up Kurenai came back without her, but Yeosang and the others who hadn't been filled in on her abduction still held on to a string of hope that she would somehow appear.

As time passed, that hope slowly diminished for most. There was no sign of candy, and there would be no sign of Candy.

But Yeosang had yet to find that out.

He supposed that Hongjoong must've sent her off to scout out El Dorado's aftermath. It's not unusual for Hongjoong to send someone to view the area for a few days and poke around but the fact that he hadn't even heard from her over these last three days worried him.

To distract himself, he preoccupied his mind with other thoughts like what he'd eat after this or where he'd take Candy for their next date. It'd been a while since they'd gone out together, he owed her some of his time.

His thoughts are slowly cut, though, when he hears the doors to the meeting room slide open, lifting his head to see Seonghwa stroll in— alone. It confuses Yeosang who expected Candy to be with the raven-haired man, watching him take a seat next to Hongjoong that's at the head of the table and lean over to whisper something in the leader's ear.

"How's Kurenai?" Both San and Mingi blurt out the question at the same time, turning to look directly at each other and then back at Seonghwa who's just joined them. The man being questioned currently stares back at them with a blank face, pursing his lips and crossing his legs before answering.

He had restricted everyone from visiting her because of her weakened state so the least he could do was tell them how she's doing.

"I was able to treat her wounds before they got any more serious. They were starting to get infected and causing her fever. As for the burnt skin, I ended up giving her skin grafts for the really burnt parts." He pauses letting the information sink in. "I also found out that she had a deep stab wound where whatever it was that burned her seeped into it. I've gotta say, I don't know how she survived all of that. Either way, since I know you two will ask, you can probably visit the day after tomorrow at the latest."

A moment of silence passes as Seonghwa explains, his last statement. Hongjoong nods just then, clearing his throat and calling for everyone's attention.

"Ahem. Welp, now that everyone is settled and we're all here. I'd like to formally start the meeting. Is there anything anyone would like to say before we begin—?"

"Where's Candy?" Yeosang queries before Hongjoong could even finish his sentence. The hacker clamps his lips shut, lacing his fingers together and setting them down in front of him all while avoiding Yeosang's invasive gaze. "Hello? I believe I asked something important."

"Yeosang, we— I don't know where she is." He finally gets a response from the leader, but it's not one he was waiting to hear. "No one knows where she is at the moment."

"No one knows?" He repeats for clarification, leaning forward in his seat as he feels heat rising to his cheeks. "What do you possibly mean, 'No one knows'? There were literally three other people with her when I last saw her head after San. Someone must've seen her!"