The Afterlife

30) The Last of my Wing's Feathers

At some point, Sihyeon lost count of the hours.

Knowing her father's past, Sihyeon was not able to keep her head straight on anything. Namjoon had left after finishing the story, and there was no telling if it was day or night whenever her body allowed her to wake after; without, she was unconscious with thirst and starvation.

The pain she first came with had receded only for hunger to claw on her insides, and her dry throat got to her head, deeming her dizzy whenever she opened her eyes, there was no time for her to think of everything she was told.

She was not even able to see what the states of her sister or Taehyung's two team members were; if she was thankful for her unconsciousness that came in sudden waves and swept her away from the feeling of her stomach twisting inside her, she was still furious at herself for not being able to give those trapped because of her the comfort they needed.

It was silent when she awoke again for what felt like the tenth time, and when she looked around, she saw the three of them awake, looking where their eyes fell, which was probably blank no matter where their pupils pointed.

For a very short moment, Sihyeon felt weightless, but as the moment passed, she realized why she had waken in the first place. When the large metal gate screeched to open, Sihyeon realized that her head had clicked with the keys, and she stirred if only to be wary of Namjoon's entrance.

When said entrance came with a blinding light, Sihyeon realized that a day had already passed - or more, she could not tell, for that matter - and felt her weariness double at the notion alone. It did not matter, for until she figured that it was morning, Namjoon was standing before her, blocking all the light from making way to her eyes.

"Are you tired already?" He asked, kneeling before her while the gate behind him closed, stealing all evidence of day there was and leaving nothing behind but him and his rage, "but my party has not yet started."

"Now," Sihyeon clicked her tongue, too unfocused to linger on any of the words he said; ironic as they he intended for them to be, Sihyeon did not seem to care in any manner; she had not regretted what she and Taehyung did with the help of Hyungsik, and perhaps for that reason alone that she paid Namjoon's words no heed, "what the fuck is it that you want?"

"Alright, I like that," he nodded in feigned enthusiasm, or perhaps it was not that much feigned, because at once, his smile rose and so did his eyebrows, and he was leaning in behind Sihyeon's back, "I will make us a good deal, Sihyeon."

She listened, not only to his words, but also to the sound of keys rattling against the chains behind her back; she did not realise what Namjoon was actually doing until he straightened again, and like that, her eyes widened in confusion.

Both her hands were free, and had Sihyeon's surprise not been hindering her, her feet would, for they were still tied to the wall.

"You get up, and I will give you one last chance at going down with dignity," he said, and as he spoke those very words, Sihyeon was unable to take her eyes off his; there was genuineness, and there was not the slightest hint of jest; the tip of his lips twitched in what seemed like she excitement, and he leaned once again towards her feet as he spoke, "fight me, Sihyeon, and with every blow you get, I spare one of these poor souls."

When he pulled away again, Sihyeon was completely free to move, and he was stepping up and away. Not in fear, did he move, but to give her the space to rise and move on her own, further showing his honesty.

Sihyeon would have thought that he was messing with her hope, that he was only giving her false attempts at sparing the lives of those who were innocent to their rivalry, but when he threw the keys away mindlessly while looking into her eyes, she took her time to stand and face him.