DUAL

//22

Jimin was almost finished healing the last patient of the day in the tent when he was approached by his colleague. He was informed that his friend was waiting for him outside, that something urgent was on the tip of his tongue, that he had to see Jimin no matter what.

Despite his curiosity, Jimin diligently made sure his patient was fully treated before he went out to get Taehyung who was begging to the distraught Healer. Taehyung rushed himself in as soon as he noticed Jimin. Noticing how serious this might be, noticing how Taehyung had not an ounce of playfulness in his face, Jimin's eyes flew toward his colleague, silently requesting to be left alone with his friend.

"Is something the matter?" he asked as he carefully walked toward his friend who had been pacing inside the tent. He looked anxious with his eyebrows furrowed and when he finally looked at Jimin, the latter felt a sudden tightening at his throat.

"Be honest with me, Jimin," Taehyung said, his deep voice dropped lower. "Why exactly do you have that flower?"

Jimin was left speechless at the darkening of Taehyung's green eyes. It was a rare sight to happen. He'd seen it only when Taehyung was totally furious of something. When Jimin opened his mouth to speak, nothing escaped. Not a sound nor a word.

The answer was simple. The Village Leader gave it to him. Yet, it suddenly felt like a sin to let a secret out to Taehyung despite the many secrets of Jimin that Taehyung had already known.

Taehyung looked around cautiously. It reminded Jimin of the time when Youngjae was there, acting similarly to his friend. With a sharp exhale through his nostrils, Taehyung stepped closer to Jimin. The taller man's eyes bore into Jimin's and Jimin felt it again, that unknown fear eating him on the inside.

When Taehyung spoke, his voice was almost a whisper. "I do not believe that you wish to give it to someone. Did you receive it instead?"

At that moment, Jimin knew that he needed to be true to his friend. Though he wanted to reply with a word, Jimin instead was only able to nod his head. Taehyung's frown only grew heavier as he looked away, muttering curses under his breath.

"What could that person mean?" Jimin heard Taehyung mumbling almost to himself. "Why did he send it to you? What does he want from you?"

Jimin's eyes narrowed and he slowly held Taehyung' shoulder. He had a hunch that his fear did not suddenly exist and mature inside of him for no reason. The way Taehyung had been behaving made his worry grow. Taehyung might have figured out what the flower meant.

"Taehyung." He tried to calm himself down by breathing calmly as he asked, "What does the flower mean?"

"Red Dahlia is associated with the attack because they are known to be leaving the flower on their victims' bodies," Taehyung explained as slowly, Jimin's face began to pale. "Red Dahlia is their secret symbol. It's a symbol of betrayal."

*

Chaeyoung mindlessly fiddled with the grass, sitting beside the pond for hours. She had sneaked out of her quiet house early in the morning, too early that the sun had yet to rise, when everyone was still sleeping.

She didn't think she would be able to sleep. She had not been able to sleep ever since her meeting with Hana. Chaeyoung closed her eyes and lied down on the grass, her hands clasped on her stomach. She felt the tightness in her chest. Hana's words swirled in her mind without a stop, leaving her with nothing else to think of.

-

Chaeyoung waited patiently as Hana seemed to prepare herself before she let out the words that she wanted to say. She sipped on the cinnamon tea served to her by the Cultivator quietly all the while letting her eyes rest on the latter. Hana had her hands clasped on the table, her sigh was soft yet it was easy to listen to the sound of dejection in it.