The Aged | Gyuhao (Sequel to Youth)

- 57

| Chapter Fifty - Seven — Cermine |

"Fuck no."

"Shua—"

"We can't do this!" Joshua screams, "We can't team up with Cerise, let alone Cardinal! And holy fuck, where have you been?!" He smacks Minghao upside the head.

"Yeah, and aren't they the ones that kidnapped you?!" Seungkwan scoffs, glaring at the few Cardinal members Minghao had brought along with him, "Why are you asking us to join the hands of the people who fucked with your head? Don't you have any sense?"

"Just listen to him!" Mingyu slams a hand to the table, angered, "My father is gathering up Carnelian as we speak. He's building up that gang to fight us until he gets what he wants. Power and revenge. He's after nothing else."

Silence.

"My— No, Mr.Kim wants to kill him," Mingyu says, gesturing towards Minghao. The said boy takes Mingyu's hand and squeezes it in hopeful comfort, "And he wants to hurt anyone else Hao loves— So every single one of you are in danger too! Don't you fucking get it?!"

"We have to team up with Cerise and Cardinal," Minghao adds.

"Fuck that," Seungcheol's voice is deep, a low chuckle crawling up and out of his throat, "You can't be serious? Us with Cerise? And Carmine? We have been sworn enemies since—"

"I heard from Seokmin hyung that Cerise and Cardinal have fought alongside each other before, so what makes you think we couldn't do it again?" Riki hums.

"That didn't bring justice to us. And it still doesn't," Sunoo claps back, pink hair fanning in front of his glare, "If Cerise and Cardinal are buddy buddies, then let them be! Leave us alone!"

"Mr.Kim is back! Your literal first fucking leader! How many times do we have to tell you!" Jihyo snaps suddenly. It makes multiple people flinch, "God, Carmine's always been so goddamn thick in the head."

Sunoo scoffs, "Say that again—"

"Guys!" Eunchae whines, "Why can't we all just get along?"

"Shut up, kid," Seungcheol spits.

"Don't you fucking dare," Riki pushes the girl behind him.

"Oh, so you're swearing at me now?" Seungcheol takes a step forward, all up in Riki's space, "If you wanna talk that way, then let's fucking talk that way, you little—"

"Guys!" Minghao pushes the 2 of them apart, "Jesus Christ! Just stop fighting for one second! Why can't you all just understand that we have to become allies so we can help each other! We need to join hands so we can keep each other alive! That's what's important!" He screams, "Remember who the real enemy is."

Silence.

"Mr.Kim..." Hansol says from afar, leaning up off the wall, "Minghao is right, guys,"

"I agree," Jungwon says as well, "Look, I don't like you," He stares at the Cardinal members, "Or you guys," Then, the Carmine, "But if we wanna stay alive we need to work together.... Even if it's just for a day,"

"The rest of Cerise are on their way right now. We can't put this off any longer," Minghao says, "Please just understand that we have to do this. We need to protect each other. All of us. We can punch and hit and scream at each other after all of this shit is over,"

With his hands on his hips, Sunoo flickers his eyes over at Soonyoung— Soonyoung turns his head to Junhui, and Junhui looks over at Jeonghan— Jeonghan finds Chan, and Chan glances at Hansol— Hansol's eyes meet Seungcheol's, etc—