Mists of Celeste - an Ateez Fanfic

act two ➻ part three

Even though you're wearing shoes, the stairs somehow feel cold under your feet as you walk down to the lobby of the hotel. You are almost free, steps away from the door that will get you out of this mess. You shouldn't have stayed as long as you did; Daichi would tear into you if he knew, and you're well aware that he would be right to do so. You had a lapse of judgment, a moment of stupidity, and now you will have to pay the price in guilt as you walk further away from where San is sleeping. You wish you could be nonchalant and firm, say that you aren't bothered in the slightest and this is the easiest thing you've ever done. Part of you just wishes that you could be more cruel.

The number of people you've killed should've done that, it should have hardened you and made you numb to things like this. Yet here you are struggling to keep it together because you don't think you really want to walk away like this.

Your feet hit the last step, and you freeze in place, eyes wide as you look across the lobby towards the bar. You weren't expecting to see the platinum-haired captain sitting upon one of the bar stools, and you certainly couldn't think of a worse time to happen across him like this. Yet there he sits, back towards you with a clear glass in hand and elbows propped on the counter. Seeing him reminds you of the two men you passed in the streets earlier, the main reason you got separated from San in the first place.

"No, but a newly formed bandit crew is on their way to ambush him later in the night. Around one in the morning, according to my sources."

He's back sooner than he said he would be, but he is in one piece, which could be a sign that the ambush didn't work. Still, you debate going over to where he's sitting. It lowers your chances of leaving but your gut is begging you to go over to him.

You end up following your gut in the end, walking over to where Hongjoong is sitting with dragging feet. He glances back at you when you approach. You stop in your tracks, scared to go any further, but the captain tilts his head towards the bar counter.

"Care for a drink? Or are you in a hurry to leave?"

You tilt your head to the side upon hearing Hongjoong's question.

"How did you know I was planning to leave?"

"It was obvious," Hongjoong says through a sigh. "Frankly, I knew before I even put you on the mission."

"Why did you put me on it then?"

Rather than answering right away, Hongjoong motions towards the empty stool beside him. You take the hint and step around the chair to sit down next to him.

"Drink?" Hongjoong asks once you sit down.

"J-Just whiskey on the rocks," you stammer. The bartender nods and moves away to get the drink. Hongjoong looks back at you, eyes narrowed and searching yours with an unreadable emotion.

"I wanted you to come so that I could see what you would do. I was curious, to put it simply. You're leaving later than I thought you would in all honesty. When your line went dead on the comms, I assumed that you had crushed it and decided to leave then."

"Are you... are you disappointed in my decision?" You ask the question with great hesitance. Part of you would rather not hear an answer at all, even though Hongjoong's opinion shouldn't matter to you in the slightest. The captain laughs a bit. He watches the bartender carefully as the man brings you your drink, sliding it across the wood counter. You don't touch it right away, however, still waiting for Hongjoong's answer.

"Why do I need to be disappointed? You have no obligations to me or my crew. I don't force anyone to stay on my crew if they don't want to."

You aren't sure how to respond to that. It's better than hearing that he is disappointed in you, but you hate how open-ended his response is. It only makes you feel worse about your decision.