The Bandits of Sawtooth Mountain

14. Urgency

Hongjoong needed a moment to think about the implications of Seonghwa not being hurt at all. It did not necessarily have to mean anything bad, it could be petty reasons as wanting to have a bit more free time from his job or maybe fear from getting attacked again by the bandits. It could mean literally anything but the way Yeosang was still looking at him patiently with those knowing eyes of his made Hongjoong hesitate to choose an easy solution. It was too strange for that, Seonghwa's act too well thought through.

"It's not just that, right?"

Yeosang just shrugged, nodding upstairs. Seonghwa was still there somewhere, by now most likely awake and waiting for Hongjoong to return to him. Not suspecting of his secret having been found out.

"It certainly means that some things might work differently than we thought. Yunho is his doctor. Is Yunho in? Is he not? What does this imply about Mary spending all of her time with him? She must have known. I don't want to accuse just anybody but I think this is a thing you could discuss with him. Of course you did not get that information from me."

"No... Of course I did not.", Hongjoong mumbled, feeling that ugly darkness of doubt spread in his heart. While he and Seonghwa might not have known each other for long Hongjoong always made sure for the man not having to doubt him. So how was it that now it was the other way around?

"I need to talk to him. If word gets out and this is another one of these misunderstandings I want to be ready. Oh, but also... it could be another trap to distract me."

"But that would mean he's a complice either way or no?" Yeosang thinned his lips, standing up again to look out over the room. His eyes caught on something and Hongjoong turned around in his chair, feeling another migraine coming already.

Outside there were people running and for a long second Hongjoong did not even question it, his mind filled with different thoughts but when a harsh bang sounded and one of the hectic people went down he flinched violently.

"They're here! Everybody barricade!", Yeosang shouted even faster than him, Hongjoong finally springing into action and down his chair. His hand flew to his hip first, cursing when White Rose was missing at his side.

Of course he had left his rifle at his office.

"Your shotgun, give it to me!", he yelled at Yeosang in a panic and promptly the heavy metal filled his arms, making him stumble back. The first people started streaming into the room, helping each other in and also finding their way through the secret back door. They were talking all over each other, their panic palpable in the air. Some childrem were crying.

"Kill some of these bastards and let's talk after." Yeosang looked much more savage than earlier, his body tensed and hard muscle showing on his bare arms when he started throwing tables and chairs over to create protective shields. His eyes were fierce and not to be questioned twice. Hongjoong listened to his growl, immediately stepping outside. To his right there were people running for their lives. To his left there was a group of people on dark horses slowly riding into the village, their guns cocked and aiming at whoever was moving.

Hongjoong crouched down low, bringing the rifle to his shoulder and marveling about the smoothness of its trigger only once when he pulled it. One bandit down, another one and two horses going wild before they spotted him.

Hongjoong rolled aside, narrowly dodging a bullet the bandit at the very front shot at him and diving down into the alley at the other side, leaving the inn alone so it could become everybody's safe heaven again. He started reloading the weapon quickly, his breathing flat while he tried to listen to any noises that came from the street.

There were two more shots, the confused neighing of the horses dying down and then silence. No more hooves on the ground going forward.

"Is this you, Sheriff Kim? Come on out and show us your pretty face, we missed it in between all of that dust."