Through the Looking Glass (TXT x Itzy)

forty-one

For someone who was trained in grace and eloquence, Ryujin was not proud that all she muttered out was an "O-okay". She was also beginning to feel disappointed, for the first time, that not a single person was monitoring the royals in case something got dirty and bad, or if the situation she was in happened. If they ever took that into consideration.

And it was as if someone had read her mind, since Yeji came racing through the open doors, her chest heaving and eyes wide. Her first move was to ensure Ryujin was safe, placing her body between the twins and the other girl.

"Hey, you came," Ryujin cheekily whispered, confidence and relief washing through her at the sight of her sister.

"Not a good time," Yeji bit back, but she still cracked a small smile. "Attempts to harm a member of the royal family is treason towards our kingdom," Yeji said steadily, turning all her focus to the threat before them, her body tense and ready to lunge in a blink of an eye, "You will be punished for this."

Jinae looked at Yeji with such a desperate, agonised look, "You of all people should understand. You were disowned, like us! He doesn't love you, why protect him?" The captain shook her head, "No. I'm different, because I let myself be disowned. I saw the cruelty of the Royals, and I didn't want to have to betray my own sister." Ryujin looked startled, having never heard of such words from Yeji.

Jinra scoffed, "You are ridiculous. There is no such thing as true love, not in this Kingdom." And those words rang in Ryujin's ears as the other royal guards burst into the room, flooding the place and tackling Jinra and a helpless Jinae. The younger girl looked frightened but Jinra only shook her head, defeated, "It's fine, little sister. We will be okay."

"Wait, one more thing," Yeji realised, "You have been poisoning the King. How could we have been so blind, we couldn't heal him with regular doctors or fae healers-"

"-because you've been switching them and using them alternately," Ryujin interjected, "And that's why he'd get better one day and worsen the next."

Jinra only blinked, "Well, it wasn't difficult, really. You realise that people become really vulnerable when they're around people they think they can trust."

As the guards dragged the defeated twin sisters out, Yeji sighed painfully, turning to Ryujin, who had a rather dazed expression on her face.

When Yeji snapped her fingers before Ryujin's face, all she said was, "Has anyone won yet?" Yeji shook her head, "No, Hyunjin was close but someone broke a window and got injured, so..." She trailed off since all Ryujin wanted to hear was that no one has been crowned victor yet.

"Are you hurt?" Yeji decided to check herself due to how Ryujin was so unresponsive and heaved a sigh of relief when all the girl had were scrapes and budding bruises.

Suddenly, a voice rang through the hallways of the castle, grabbing the attention of everyone in the castle.

"Unfortunately, we have to put the red battle on hold, the reason being-" A new announcer said, pausing as if for a dramatic effect as if he wanted to prepare the royals to be punched in the gut with the news or something.

"The king has passed away an hour ago, as confirmed by his physicians."

Oh. That...was certainly unexpected. No one really loved him enough to openly mourn, not a single sob or tear, it was as if everyone was just stunned into feeling nothing but emptiness.

Well, they all worked so hard to please this one man, and now he was dead, and can never acknowledge their efforts.

"All royals are requested to return to their rooms to prepare for the funeral, which shall comence in an hour," The announcer instructed monotonously, and the broadcast was ended.

Ryujin hardly spared a glance for Jinyoung, who was being supported out of her room as she waited for everyone to leave before locking the door behind them with a sigh. Only Yeji remained, her lips pressed into a tight line.

"What should I wear?" Ryujin asked just as Yeji stepped forward to speak. Sensing the other was trying to distract herself as much as possible, Yeji softly replied, "The black dress you wore for Dahyun's wake would do well."

Gently settling Dallie down on a pillow, Ryujin dragged the dress out of her wardrobe to get dressed. As she smoothed down the dark fabric on her body, the pressure at her temple built up, and she sank to the ground, pressing her clenched fists to her chest as she wept quietly.

"I've never felt this way before."