Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔

37 Swapped

Akira passes the foyer to go over to the dining hall, intending to get a drink. She spots San struggling to bring back a mop and a pail, and she goes to him, helping him to carry the pail. He smiles as a 'thank you' sign, before both of them heave the pail into the sink at the nearest bathroom, pouring the contents out. He wipes his sweat as he turns to her, asking whether she wants something to eat. She says she's craving for a cold drink, and he chortles as he excuses himself, asking her to wait for him at the dining hall as he goes and makes one.

San nods at the cook as he enters the kitchen, deciding to prepare some iced lemon tea for her, and he stirs it before plopping in a few ice cubes. He lets it sit on the counter first as he goes to the back, putting the pail and mop at the servants' dormitories as he was planning to use them there later. He washes his hands, swipes the drink off the countertop before emerging into the dining hall, where Akira is already waiting, seemingly too eager at the sight of the drink. He places it in front of her, before excusing himself as he wants to deal with the floors at the dormitories. She lets him go with a brief thank you and she is left alone at the dining hall.

She is about to sip on the drink as a loud, reverberating 'good morning' is thrown around the dining hall and she thinks she's about to die from embarrassment as she realizes it's Seonghwa, who's looking unusually bright this morning. He's smiling from ear to ear as he spots Akira alone, and he doesn't even take a seat as he stands beside her and steals her drink. She looks at him grumpily as he gulps it down, leaving not even one drop left.

"You know, I'm starting to believe that you and Wooyoung could be actual brothers seeing how you're as irritating as him. San made that drink for me, you idiot," she grumbles, irked.

"Well, at least I don't play around with-" his face contorts as he feels the aftertaste in his mouth and he steps back, his sight suddenly cloudy and he drops the glass to the floor, smashing it to pieces.

"Seonghwa- what's wrong?" She immediately pushes back her chair to stand up. "Oh my- SEONGHWA!" her shout travels until the kitchen, and even San, who's about to start mopping the floor at the dormitories can hear her exasperated call. He throws away the mop and goes running to the dining hall, where the cook is looking over Akira, looking lost, as she clings onto a collapsed Seonghwa, whose mouth are starting to produce bubbles, his body jerking in short bursts. He doesn't have time to ask as he grabs the older's body, carrying him on his back. His destination is definitely Yeosang's bedroom, and along the way, he quietly prays that the doctor would have the antidote at the ready. He basically kicks the door down, and Yeosang is crouching in front of his chest of drawers, his face clouding with confusion as he seems to be looking for something.

"Wait, what happened-"

"I think the drink was poisoned! Please tell me you have the antidote-"

"But what-" his eyes gloss over as he realizes something. "Put him down on my bed." The doctor rummages through his drawers, throwing away everything when it wasn't what he's looking for. His hand is shaking as he reads every label on his own materials, his mind troubled as he's not sure whether his guess is right and whether he still has the stock for that particular antidote. "Okay, calm down, Yeosang. It's there somewhere," he mutters to himself, to try and calm himself down. He finally finds one that he's looking for, grateful that there is one bottle left. He grabs a sterilized syringe from his worktop, pulling in the antidote before plunging it into Seongwa's veins and after a few seconds, the latter's body becomes relaxed as he stops jerking. Taking in a deep breath, Yeosang observes the older's eyes and notes that he's still alive.

Akira has come in a few seconds after San burst into the room, and her face looks like she's about to have another break down. Seonghwa opens his eyes slowly, disoriented by the fast events. The last thing he remembered was Akira shouting his name and he fell to the floor after tasting the weird drink. She goes over to his side and rushes to him, hugging him. He pats her back, muttering, "I'm fine, Akira. You don't have to worry about me."