✓ the hooded princess • kim seungmin

f o u r t e e n

How do I talk to her again?

Grabbing his glove, he carefully slid it on with his mind travelled somewhere else. When his whole palm was covered he traced his fingers and pressed his thumb lightly on it. The pain had subdued awhile ago, maybe he would be safe if he joins the class tonight.

"I'm going now." he announced to his father and the man replied with a nod. Opening the door, the cold hit his face and he shivered. The male immediately left the house and went to the woods.

He was late. When he arrived most of the students were practicing with one another. Seungmin let out an invisible sigh, what now?

"Seungmin," he turned to the familiar voice. Jisung lifted his hand to show his sword. "With me?"

The puppy resembles guy hesitated for a second. He glanced around and couldn't spot the teacher. "Where's the teacher?"

"He told us to practice among ourselves."

Suspicious, he thought but nodded nevertheless. Both guys moved to a vacant place and put on their helmets. Seungmin was ready on his stance. He held the sword horizontally pointing towards Jisung and bent his legs. Jisung on the other hand was still fixing his helmet.

"You first."

Eh?

Though it was a bit weird Seungmin attacked first. More like testing the water to see if the guy was not taking it seriously. To his surprise Jisung immediately stepped forward and crossed his sword under Seungmin's. It happened so fast that the next thing he knew Jisung held up their swords and pushed Seungmin back, making the younger stumbled a few steps back.

Without letting him regaining his composure, Jisung attacked again. It hits his sword, emitting a loud clashing sound that echoed through the night that shocked the nocturnal and diurnal habitant in the woods. They began to slash their swords against one another. Both were aiming for their covered head but Seungmin was fast to hit the other guy's lower body.

They halted, got back in their position and continued five seconds later. Seungmin was going to take it easy as he always do whenever he fight with anyone else, including Eunkyung. However this guy seemed serious — too serious for his liking. Even when Jisung's sword hit his wrist and arm he didn't stop. In fact, the older guy didn't hesitate to swing the sword to his head. If it's not Seungmin being fast he wouldn't know what will happen next.

Jisung made the first move again and he held his sword horizontally upwards, blocking him.

"What's wrong with you?"

The squirrel resembles guy twist his wrist to the left to move his sword upwards. As soon as Seungmin's was pointing to the ground, he immediately swung it to his left shoulder.

Again, Seungmin dodged the attack using his.

"Han Jisung."

"What's your business with her?"

Weirded out by the question, Seungmin backed off a few steps. He couldn't see Jisung's face through the helmet but just by listening to his breath he'd rather not to see it. Boy seemed mad.

The wind lightly slapped their bodies. The excessive black ribbon on their helmet waved together with the newcomer as silence engulfed them. Seungmin found out he should be answering when Jisung was not behaving like the usual. But then, what should he say? Both of them are just friends, but would Jisung believe that? They used to be strangers until the princess dislikes his guts and now, she needs to report where she goes to Seungmin.

Jisung is not oblivious, and Seungmin knows that. However, he chose silence.

"Let's get back there." He was about to take of his helmet but Jisung unexpectedly swung the sword to his wrist, slitting it. Seungmin groaned and quickly backed away. He looked at the guy in disbelief as he felt liquid began to draw out but the other guy just stood there. He watched.