Healing Castle | TXT Fantasy Novel ft. BTS

26 - Soobin

Soobin has checked every inch of the godforsaken Mushroom Castle, and each time he comes up empty. So Topaz is right, then, and one of his team members has somehow escaped in the middle of the night. The thought that he couldn't see the signs, as a leader, is enough to begin him down a long spiral of depression.

He imagines the outcome of Beomgyu being alone. This time, Beomgyu might not be so lucky to survive.

Soobin sees shattered glass, rubble, the glint of sun glaring across a destroyed side street in Itaewon. The images cause him physical pain, but also the emotions burn his insides whenever he thinks about whether his brother is alive.

The pain is overbearing, causing his limbs to shake even when he sits in the garden and forces deep and slow breaths. He feels as though he's lost someone important to him, as though he's losing control.

He heads back underground, shuts the room to the dormitory, and studies the forlorn expressions of his three remaining team mates. Since the morning when Topaz told them about Beomgyu's disappearance, they've all sunk into individual holes of despair. It'll be Soobin's job as leader to lift them out of this pit. He'll have to succeed, not only for their own sake, but for everyone in Seoul.

"So," Soobin starts, "we've been here for several weeks. And--"

"Don't even try," Yeonjun says. "We know you're trying to cheer us up. But it won't work. Beomgyu's gone, and there's nothing much we can do about it."

Taehyun nods, his magician eyes distant. "They're guarding the exit even more intensely. After Beomgyu's escape... they won't let someone wander out again."

Soobin shakes his head, refusing to give in. "Listen to me.

"I've been leading you all for a year now. In the beginning, I thought it was stupid that I was chosen as leader. I didn't have many special talents, and I thought of myself as more of a follower.

"But you guys gave me the strength to move forward. And that made me feel like I could carry this team with confidence."

Soobin gulps. He's practiced this line in his head several times, but it still might come out wrong. "So right now, I'm making an executive decision as TXT's leader. We're going to escape from the Castle and look for Beomgyu no matter what."

The tension that follows is almost enough to choke a stranger. But Soobin is very used to his members' strong opinions. He'll have to fight them off and make sure they all understand one thing--Beomgyu can only be saved if they band together under one mission.

Soobin is expecting at least Yeonjun to speak out, so he's surprised when the older boy lets out a sigh a minute later. "It's going to be difficult."

So they feel the same way. Adrenaline like tiny embers spark across Soobin's skin. "You're right. It's going to be very difficult. We're definite targets of the Black Mage now. So if we head to the surface, it's possible that we'll be attacked immediately."

Taehyun nods. "And we'll be weaker without Beomgyu to complete our formation."

Huening Kai speaks in a quiet timbre, but there's grit in his words. "I'm with Soobin. We have to save him, and find out why he couldn't trust us enough to go up there with him."

With each passing moment, the idea of saving their team mate becomes less of an impossible task and more of a mission. Soobin continues his argument. "Even if we all die up there, we can ensure we tried our best in keeping our team together. I don't know about you, but I'm not performing as TOMORROW X TOGETHER without Beomgyu by our side."

It hurts to imagine Beomgyu leaving them for good, but Soobin has to declare it in case the stakes weren't clear enough.

Yeonjun stands up, stretching his arms. "To be honest, I was going to use my invisibility to try to sneak out tonight."

Huening Kai laughs. "Good thing you decided to rile us up, Soobin. Or else we would've lost our members one by one."

Taehyun shakes his head. "No. I would've sneaked out right after and used my magic to beat up both of you at once."

"Then drag us back to the Castle?" Yeonjun asks, and the question weighs heavy on the team.

"Here's a deal," Soobin says. "If we can all reunite, we'll rebel against Topaz and demand to live above ground as Resistance fighters. We'll only come back to the Castle when needed."

"That's a deal I can live with," says Taehyun. He stands and reaches one hand out in front of him. "C'mon. Let's say fighting and get on with our mission."

Soobin chuckles at the forwardness of the younger member. "C'mon, let's say fighting."

"Let's do it!" Huening Kai calls out.

As the four of them complete their before-show chant, Soobin's heart beats steadily. He'll do whatever it takes to make sure his team reunites.

A/N: Mission 'save Beomgyu' is starting!  thank you for reading :).