GUNS & ROSES | ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴇᴇɴ

xlii.

𝒙𝒍𝒊𝒊.

Jangmi's heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted towards the impending tragedy, desperate to halt Seungcheol's vengeful strike against her father. 

But as she closed in, her steps heavy with urgency, she realized that time had betrayed her. Seungcheol's sword descended upon Mr Bae with a fatal force, sealing his fate.

"No!" Jangmi cried out, her voice tinged with despair and disbelief. "Father!"

But before his last breath escaped his lips, Mr Bae mustered the strength to deliver a final command to Jangmi. His words hung heavily in the air, piercing through her grief-stricken heart.

"Complete... the ritual... no matter... what," he managed to gasp, his voice strained and weak.

Jangmi's eyes burned with a mix of anger and determination. The weight of her father's dying wish bore down upon her, fueling her resolve to fulfill the ritual at any cost. The once-budding petals of resentment and vengeance blossomed fully, overshadowing her grief and clouding her judgment.

Summoning the immense power bestowed upon her as the Petal, Jangmi confronted Seungcheol, their eyes locking in a battle of wills. The air crackled with animosity as they stood on the precipice of destiny, locked in a clash of opposing desires.

Seungcheol, his strength waning, began to falter under the strain of his re-opened wounds. Blood stained his clothes, evidence of his vulnerability. Jangmi recognized this as an opportune moment to strike, to complete the ritual and bring her mother back from the realm of the dead.

With a surge of determination, she raised her sword, its gleaming blade poised to pierce Seungcheol's heart—a single decisive blow to fulfill the ritual.

But just as her arm swung forward, a figure materialized between them, blocking the path of her fatal strike. Jangmi's eyes widened in shock and disbelief at the unexpected interruption.

It was her sister, Joohyun.

"Jangmi, stop!" Joohyun's voice echoed with urgency and desperation. "This is not the way!"

Jangmi's grip on the sword tightened, her conflicting emotions swirling within her. She hesitated for a moment, torn between her duty as the Petal and the bond she shared with her sister.

"No, Joohyun!" Jangmi's voice trembled, her words a mix of sorrow and determination. "I must save Mother. I can't let anyone stand in my way."

Joohyun's gaze met Jangmi's, her eyes brimming with tears and unspoken love. "Jangmi, our path is one of redemption, not revenge. Mother wouldn't want this."

A battle raged within Jangmi's heart as she struggled to reconcile her desires with the voice of reason. 

But in that moment of vulnerability, her hand trembled, and her sword drove deeper than intended, impaling Joohyun's chest.

Time seemed to freeze as Joohyun's body went limp, her life extinguished by her own sister's hand. 

Jangmi's eyes widened in horror and disbelief at the magnitude of her actions, her voice reduced to a trembling whisper. "Sister... what have I done?"

As Jangmi gazed upon the lifeless bodies of her sister and father, the weight of her actions crashed down upon her with a brutal force. 

The air around the lake grew heavy with silence as everyone present paused to witness the tragic aftermath. 

Guilt and remorse twisted Jangmi's features, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to comprehend the depths of her mistakes.

Seungcheol, his voice laced with a mix of sympathy and persuasion, spoke softly to Jangmi. "Jangmi, it's not too late to end this cycle of violence. Let go of your anger and find a way to heal."