GUNS & ROSES | ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴇᴇɴ

xxiii. ✓

𝒙𝒙𝒊𝒊𝒊.

Two weeks had passed since I enrolled in Soyeon Academy, and to my surprise, I found myself actually enjoying my time there.

The first week was a bit challenging, as Joohyun, my roommate, seemed distant and aloof. 

However, as the second week arrived, I finally had the opportunity to have a proper conversation with her.

I was sitting in the common area of our shared dorm room, engrossed in my assignments on my laptop when Joohyun appeared at her bedroom door, frowning disapprovingly.

"Can you please put that somewhere else?" she grumbled, her voice filled with annoyance.

I looked up, puzzled by her request. "I'm sorry, what?"

Joohyun sighed, clearly exasperated. "That rose... keep it away from my sight."

I followed her gaze to the vase where I had placed the rose given to me by Bomin.

"I'm sorry if the smell bothers you," I said, getting up and walking over to the vase. I heard Joohyun muttering under her breath.

"God, I despise roses more than anything."

Her words struck a chord within me. I felt a sense of familiarity, as if I had heard those very words before.

"You know," I began, trying to make sense of her aversion, "you sound a lot like someone I know. How can you hate the flower that represents your own clan?"

Placing the vase back in my room by the window, I returned to the common area, only to find Joohyun already sprawled out on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Why are you so inferior towards me, Joohyun?" The words slipped out of my mouth before I could think, surprising even myself.

I could hear Joohyun shifting on the couch as she sat up straight, her arms and legs crossed. She cocked an eyebrow at me, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"You think I'm inferior towards you?" she retorted.

I felt a surge of defiance rise within me. "Is it because I'm the High Queen?" I challenged, fully aware of the tension building between us.

The corner of Joohyun's mouth twitched, a subtle hint of amusement. We engaged in a silent yet intense staring competition until Bomin suddenly barged into the room, breaking the tension.

"What are you two doing?" Bomin asked, raising an eyebrow as he entered. "I can see the sparks. Stop it, you two!"

Joohyun rolled her eyes at Bomin's comment. "Why are you here, Bomin?"

Bomin snapped his fingers, remembering his purpose. "Mr. Bae wants Dani and all of you in his office. It seems like she's getting her first task," he explained, causing my confusion to deepen.

"What task?" I asked, my voice laced with curiosity.

I had no idea what responsibilities being a 'High Queen' entailed, making me apprehensive about the task I was about to receive.

Joohyun was already on her feet, her eyes fixed on me with a mixture of intensity and disdain. "Oh, she won't like it," she remarked, cryptically.

The next thing I knew, I found myself in the Principal's office, feeling lost and bewildered. Joohyun was present too, sitting calmly on one of the couches, sipping her green tea in silence with her legs crossed. Soon, the other Queens and Supremes entered the room, followed by Mr. Bae, who was the last to arrive.

"Is everyone here?" Mr. Bae asked, to which we all responded in unison, "Yes, Mr. Bae."

Mr. Bae's gaze settled on me, and I couldn't help but tense up under his scrutiny.

"Dani, sweetie, how's school so far?" he asked, his question catching me off guard.

I stared at Mr. Bae, momentarily dumbstruck, before managing to reply, "Cool... I guess? It's all good."

He nodded, seemingly satisfied with my response, before taking his seat behind his desk. "Everyone in this room is aware of your talent, Dani, as well as the curse you bring to the Sakura Clan."

I perked up, my ears attuned to his words, eager to understand.

"Your song 'Our Dawn is Hotter than Day' is not just a mere composition, Dani. It is the Hymn of Death, a haunting melody passed down through generations of the Rose Clan. This hymn holds the power to curse the Petal of the Sakura Clan, but Jangmi was not supposed to be affected by it."

I gazed at Mr. Bae, trying to process the weight of his revelation. "Then, how did the curse reach Jangmi?"

There was a momentary pause before Mr. Bae continued, his voice filled with somber knowledge. "The curse only takes effect when the Petal sleeps with the High King during the period of the Bloody Harvest. It triggers the curse, awakening the dark power of the clan. However, for the ritual to be survivable, the Petal must be a true Petal. Jangmi, unfortunately, was not a true Petal due to her mixed bloodline with the Rose Clan."

The impact of his words hit me like a ton of bricks. All this time, I had been proud of 'Our Dawn is Hotter than Day' for the blessings it brought into my life. Performing that song at the school festival led to a full scholarship and introduced me to countless people who loved my music, including Jangmi—the girl I had come to consider as a sister.

To realize that the song I held so dear was, in fact, a death lullaby, driving young girls to madness and even suicide for the sake of a clan's prosperity—it was unfathomable.

Insanity seemed to have taken hold of the world, and I couldn't help but feel lost and disillusioned.

"You're telling me none of you knew about Jangmi's enrollment in Sakura?" I asked incredulously, my mouth agape at the revelation.

One by one, the occupants of the room shook their heads, their expressions filled with regret.

Jangmi, what have you done?

"What was her purpose for enrolling in the enemy's school? What was she thinking?" I exclaimed, frustration evident in my voice as I stared at the floor, feeling utterly adrift.

"We don't know, Dani. But we thought you might know something," Seulgi interjected, her voice gentle yet tinged with exhaustion. "You spent time with her before her disappearance. Do you remember anything she said? Perhaps we missed something."

I furrowed my brow, racking my brain, desperately trying to recall any detail, any clue that might have slipped past me.

And then, like a bolt of lightning, a flash of memory ignited within me, causing the air to be sucked out of my lungs.

No, she tried to tell me.

Everything became clear in that moment, and a surge of urgency pulsed through my veins.

***