TREASURE || ATEEZ

02- target acquired

ep. two
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Pirates.

That word brings a foul taste to your mouth.

Immediately, you rush toward the group of children and grab your sister by the arm. You tug her away from the town centre and begin making your way back to the house, your face stricken in fear.

"Sis?" You hear your the little girl say, confusion laced in her voice. "What is happening?"

You don't want to tell her the truth, as it will only cause her to panic. Briefly looking over your shoulder, you shoot her a reassuring smile. "I just want to go home early, so I can start cooking for dinner."

You know that she will find out eventually, but you don't want her to start panicking at this very moment.

"Oh, what are we eating today?" she then asks, oblivious of the current situation. "Can we have beef stew today?"

"Of course!"

The both of you manage to reach your home and another vibration travels through the floor. Your sister holds onto you to keep herself steady, furrowing her eyebrows together in confusion, before looking back at you. "What was that?"

You quickly spout the first excuse that comes up in your head. "Oh, the town is testing out fireworks for a festival in a few days."

At first, you lead your sister to the house that your parents have left for the both of you, but there is something bothering you. Your gut feeling is telling you to avoid entering your home at all costs, because if you do something horrible will occur.

The little girl notices you stopping in your tracks, so she voices her thoughts. "Sis? Why did we stop? Our house is right there-"

Unexpectedly, you swerve away from the house and decided to knock on your neighbor's door. A fairly old couple opens the door in response, immediately recognizing the both of you. "Oh, what are you two lovely ladies doing here?"

Removing your teeth from your bottom lip, you manage to tell them your reason. "Can we stay here for a while? There are pirates on the island and I don't think it would be safe for us to be in our house by ourselves."

"Pirates..." The two elderly people look at each other in shock before bringing the two of you in. The old man shuts the door swiftly as the old lady takes your little sister away from you, telling her that she can help her make some cookies and tea. With that, you are left standing at the entrance with the elderly man.

Looking over to the male, he makes his way to the stairs, his hand ushering you to follow him. You obediently trail behind him as he leads you to a small room filled with bookshelves. The musty scent of books fills your nostrils as the curtains on a window dance with the wind.

"Close the door behind you," the man says quietly, almost in a whisper.

You do as you are told, shutting it so only you and the elder can be in the room together. You both take a seat on the chairs available, sitting directly in front of each other. He taps the tip of his cane for a while in the silence as a sigh leaving his lips. You don't know why he has brought you here, but it must be important since his wife has taken your sister away from you.

They know something that you don't.

"Sir, why did you bring me here?" You simply look at him, anticipating an answer to explain their actions earlier. Whatever they are hiding, it has to involve you in it.

He closes his eyes for a moment and scrunch his brows together before making eye contact with you. "Young one, you're in danger if you stay here any longer."