Taste of Freedom - [TXT FF]

EPISODE 11

⚠️ Warning: Blood ⚠️

At that point, most of the quintet was found near the arena, except for Soobin.

After being dragged out, Taehyun was forced to wait behind the curtain, so he too saw everything by mere glances.

Beomgyu had been there for the first part, standing close to him. His slightly taller frame and calm yet intimidating face was enough to keep Taehyun sane.

One perk of being the smallest in their clan was that he could stand next to them and feel safer in comparison to the rest.

Or maybe it was due to everyone having a less fiery aura than him that soothed his nerves.

"THIS PUMA WINS!" he heard the headmaster shout.

"Who won?"

"Yeonjun hyung," Beomgyu replied.

At that moment, the curtains were pulled aside, and Hueningkai was dragged out of the arena, his stomach still bleeding.

Taehyun gasped, tears already building in his eyes.

"Hyuka!"

"He can't hear you Taehyun-ah," Beomgyu said.

Suddenly, the ravenet felt tugging on his chains, and he knew that he had to go into the arena.

"Come back to the cage tonight," he said to Taehyun before being dragged out.

Taehyun knew what he meant by that: stay alive no matter what happens.

Right after Beomgyu said goodbye to Taehyun, the events with the fire ring and the arrows began. Taehyun this time did not watch.

He had enough of watching this brutality.

The only time he looked up from boring holes in the floor with his eyes was when he heard the headmaster shouting the completion of the match, and when Beomgyu and Yeonjun came back.

Both had burn wounds covering their bodies, especially Yeonjun. He looked quite battered up in comparison to Beomgyu.

Worst of all was... he couldn't even look Taehyun in the eye.

The red haired knew why.

Yeonjun probably felt extremely guilty for hurting Hueningkai, his best friend in their clan.

But why should he? Taehyun wondered. It wasn't even really him who attacked Hueningkai.

Now, Taehyun was all by himself.

He continued watching the show with an unreadable expression. No one could tell whether he was feeling anxious, relieved, or sad while watching it.

Anxious because of wondering who'd win.

Relieved because it wasn't him.

And... sad... because the performers were either hurt or even killed.

Blood split there, blood shed over there; Taehyun wondered how humans could find this interesting. If you looked at it in one way, it was the exact same result: someone is the victor, and the other has to deal with the consequences of losing.

Where was the fun in that?

Ah, yes.

The fight still remains unknown until it happens. Maybe that's the excitement of this circus.

Suddenly, after three long hours of watching and being distracted by the show, Taehyun felt his chains being tightened, and yanked on.

"It's your turn now," the keeper hissed.