Disdain of Carnations | SanSang

Chapter 8: One Way Or Another

Yunho stepped forward to Hongjoong, a smirk latching itself onto his lips, "Come on, Joong, don't make this any harder." His hand reached at his side, wielding out his dagger from its holder. "If you tell me now, I won't have to do anything else."

"You've always said that," said the older man with a sigh, "yet you still don't seem to learn, Yunho." Hongjoong got up slowly. "Besides, what could you possibly do, huh?" He looked at Yunho with his hands at his sides. He bore no expression as he looked at Yunho with dull eyes.

Yunho's grip tightened around the handle of his dagger, biting down the tip of his tongue. "I-."

"Hongjoong!" The door clattered open, a slight jingle of a sword clanging against the wood. "Do you have a mi- oh."

"Wooyoung, leave-!" Hongjoong choked up on his saliva as Yunho swiftly spun behind Wooyoung and pressed the blade against the boy's throat.

Yunho started to laugh, sending shivers down Wooyoung's throat. He held Wooyoung's free hand—beside his sword—stiffly behind his back. Yunho lowered his face to Wooyoung's ear, "Hey there." He grinned at Hongjoong, looking at him with wide, crazy eyes. "So, are you gonna cooperate now Hongjoong?"

Hongjoong's breath began to stammer, and he clenched his fingers, "Y-You-."

"What? Didn't think I'd have the guts to do this?"

"I told you already! Your family lost the crown fair and square."

"Well," Yunho rolled his eyes, "it should come back to the Jeong family-."

"Sorry to interrupt," Wooyoung cleared his throat, shuddering as he could feel the coldness of the blade sink closer against his skin, "b-but Y-Yeosang is the rightful heir to the throne-."

"No," Yunho said out of spite, "because it belongs to my family-!"

"It did until a scandal broke out years ago-."

"Shut up!" Yunho snapped.

Wooyoung grew silent, and his breath hitched - feeling something slide down against his neck. His eyes slowly widened as he locked eyes with Hongjoong.

Hongjoong's hands were shaking in their curled up state, "Fine! Fine! I-I'll tell y-you." He said. Hongjoong gulped, looking at Wooyoung with an apologetic gaze, and he looked back at Yunho. "H-He went into the w-woods... the same night someone from your group invaded his room... t-to kill him... b-because," he wheezed out, "y-you... ordered someone to k-kill him."

Yunho's eye twitched, but his grin widened as he let go of Wooyoung slowly as he retreated towards the door, "So he's in the place I least expected, huh?" He laughed, shoving Wooyoung towards Hongjoong, "This is going to be so easy." He tucked his dagger away and bolted out of Hongjoong's home.

Hongjoong slumped forward, taking Wooyoung into his hold, "Are... you okay?" He looked at Wooyoung's neck, and he pulled out a small bandage to wrap around his neck. He sighed shakily, swallowing down his guilt, "I'm sorry about that-."

"-Who the hell was that!?" Wooyoung said with frustration, narrowing his eyes at Hongjoong as he looked deep into the older's eyes. "He had no right to threaten you like that." He huffed. His eyes saddened, watering a little. "D-Did Yeosang really..."

Hongjoong nodded, looking down.

"D-Do you know where exactly-."

"No," Hongjoong said with a whisper, his smile wavering. "But there's a chance Yeosang left the forest anyway.. It's been half a month since then."

+++

San sneered at Yeosang in a childish manner as they both stood tall on the snow.  He and Yeosang circled one another, neither clashing with each other as they did so, and he parried reflexively. Yeosang cut to the side, blocking his slash, and San grit his teeth, cursing under his breath.

A smirk latched onto San's lips, "You're getting pretty good, I admit, Yeonghan." He eyed Yeosang.

Yeosang smiled, "Been learning from the best, San." He snickered faintly, parrying when San was distracted - only to be blocked by San's own sword when San jumped backwards to distance himself from Yeosang's sword.

"Hey San," Yeosang swallowed as he dodged to the side, "can I tell you something?"

"Yeah, sure," San bolted forward, his sword clashing against Yeosang's. "I'd say you're trustworthy by now."

"In this short time we've known each other?" Yeosang asked, raising his hands and lunging forward, huffing as he was blocked and disarmed from his weapon.

San hummed, jabbing the tip of his sword into the snow. "Yeah."

"I think we can be closer than now," Yeosang said, looking up at the sky as it began to darken. "What do you say?"

"So, acquaintances?" San asked, a hand settling on his hip.

"Yeah." Yeosang said, feeling something pierce his heart.

The two grew alarmed as they heard branches crunch from nearby, and San picked up his sword by the handle, wielding it. "Who's there?"

Yunho made his presence known, raising his hands, "Easy now, it's me." He smiled at San, eyes turning into crescents. Once he opened his eyes, his gaze instantly landed on Yeosang, This is great. Out of all the places he could've gone in the forest, he came here...

San gasped, putting his sword away, "Boss, you're back."

Yunho chortled softly. "You can call me Yunho, San. We're not on duty right now." His eyes flickered to Yeosang again. "So who's your friend?"

"O-Oh, right! Yunho, this is Yeonghan—he joined us like two weeks ago."

"My my. Time's gone by rather fast then, huh?"

Yeosang's eyes were glued to Yunho. His eyes were a little wide, "Yun...ho?" He whispered to himself, almost in an inaudible mumble.

"You say something, Yeonghan?" San glanced at the blonde.

Yeosang flushed, "J-Just a hello, sorry." He chuckled awkwardly. "Hi, Yunho, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Yeonghan." Yunho smiled. "Shall we head inside?" He looked up at the sky and back to the two men, "It is getting quite colder—I'd say a storm's coming based on the clouds."

"Yeah," San glanced up, "I did think the wind was freezing than usual. We already got tons of snow—why more?" He groaned, grabbing Yeosang's sword. "Come on, Yeonghan."

Yeosang nodded, following San - shuddering as he could feel Yunho's gaze pierce into the back of his skull as they retreated back to the cabin.