Red String (Series #1) \\ Ateez ✔

xvi. attack

JANGMI

Days has passed since the encounter with the tiger.

And it has been days as well since my last encounter with the Second Prince.

My steps strode through the palace garden and realized no other colour of roses existed here, other than white. I also took note that Eun loves to play amongst the roses and Wooyoung is always there to play with her. I also learned a lot about Nurse Seo and the four other girls when I asked them about their lives and who they were before they became a part of the palace. This was also an opportunity for me to go and see Hongjoong in the martial field, the way his eyes turned into a stern glare and reprimanded wardens to do their training— Who might have thought that someone so short can be feared by the strongest soldiers as well?

My feet made their way towards the large corridors, smiling at all the servants who greeted me. It had taken me days to finally learn all their names; I had seriously underestimated how many people it took to run this place.

"By the way..." I averted my eyes from the corridors and gazed at Soojin. "Has the piano arrived?"

"Yes, My Lady" She proudly grinned. "Just earlier this morning, do you want to go see it?"

"Certainly" An exciting surge of adrenaline filled me as I got off the swing. Soojin instantly struggled to keep up with my pace as I ran towards my courtyard. No time was wasted, I found myself with the instrument in the middle of my chamber.

I slowly glided my callous fingers across the archaic piano, my heart racing into ecstasy. That kind of happiness that surges your heart when you can finally do your favourite activity after what seems like forever.

My eyes were full of adoration as I sat down in the seat, my eyes shut whilst silently bracing myself for the piece I was about to execute.

One by one I started with gentle notes, the tunes filling the gentle silence before the piece started to become tough and rapid. Concentration centred within me as my quick fingers entwined themselves with the tiles, naturally getting lost in the music my hands make.

Music was the only thing that gave me comfort before, it's the only thing I made when I was alone, and it's the only thing that reminded me of my past.

At the climax of the piece, I am forcefully shattered out of my momentum when a crashing sound falls into my ears.

What's that noise?

My guard naturally went up as my legs carefully stepped toward the door, and just when I was about to twist it open, a masked figure advanced toward me.

Shock found my adrenaline and hastily took multiple steps back, the figure was holding a sword while rushing in my direction; the blade was inching for my neck.

By instinct, I am about to snatch the dagger stifled underneath my dress but not when the supposed killer, fell to his death. Automatically the sight of Yunho who just finished him off came to view.

"Yunho..." I blurted when he swiftly handed me a spare sword, eyeing the silver blade with utter curiosity before facing him. "What's happening?"

"I'll handle this, please keep yourself safe" He roughly exclaimed before his attention was averted when three masked people emerged out of nowhere. Seeing the way Yunho skillfully battled against them, the sound of grunts, kicks and clangings hastily unravelled the mystery brewing inside me.

Assassins.

Masked assassins started to emerge, why would they be here in my courtyard instead of the hundreds of quadrangles in the palace? It's free to assume that assassins are targeting nobody else, but me.