Empire | ATEEZ

028

"What is-" I began but my question was cut short and replaced by the gasp that left my lips as, suddenly, the door burst open with such intensity that, when it hit the wall of the meeting room, the sound made me flinch as I instinctively grabbed the back of Seonghwa's shirt.

Jeongin was staring at us with a look that revealed that he expected to find someone else behind the door, a flicker of mild surprise and panic glossing over them before he composed himself and tightened his grip on his gun.

He was smaller than the blond, younger, and he looked visibly nervous despite trying to hide it as Seonghwa took a step forward, opening his mouth as if to say something when he suddenly fell to the ground.

In what seemed like nothing more than seconds, Jongho had appeared behind the intruder, pulled out his weapon, and whacked the younger man on the head with such force that he had crumbled from the hit.

I cried out with mixed surprise and guilt as at the sight of him, immediately shuffling over to pull the gun from his grasp, holding my finger underneath his nose and mumbling, "Oh, thank god," as I felt his breath ghosting over the skin.

He was bleeding, the sight making me sick as I looked up at Seonghwa who was now demanding an update from the fighter, still shaken up from what had just happened as he put his gun back in his belt.

I rubbed the back of my hand across my cheeks, trying to wipe away the ghosts of the tears that I had shed, wetting my lips in an attempt to erase the memory of what had just happened which still lingered on them.

He had kissed me.

He had told me he loved me.

He had lied to me.

He had apologized.

And despite all of that, I still hadn't told him about the secrets I had kept from him. The secrets I was still keeping from him.

"They're downstairs," Jongho said, straightening himself as he raised his chin and looked at the blond, "All of them."

"Armed?"

"Obviously."

Seonghwa frowned at that, helping me up from the floor as he narrowed his eyes at the younger man, "Watch the attitude." Jongho nodded, turning to me as he mumbled, "I'll be taking that, thank you very much," and pulled the gun from my hands.

I pouted, about to protest when another gunshot echoed through the building followed by the sound of breaking glass. Seonghwa rolled his eyes, "Fucking idiots."

And then we were moving, following Jongho's lead as the sounds of fighting grew louder, finally reaching the stairs from where the entire scene was laid out in front of us; Chaos, absolute chaos and destruction of what had previously been an otherwise pristine foyer, now filled with broken glass and ruined furniture and twelwe men brawling with each other.

"I'm literally having the worst week ever," I mumbled but my words trailed off as I watched Nocturne's right-hand man going straight for Mingi.

"Oi, Felix!" I shouted, and before I had the chance to reevaluate my decision, I was barelling down the stairs, picking up a vase on the way, and throwing it directly at him as I yelled, "Leave him alone!"

That, apparently, was enough to get Seonghwa going as well, all signs of the argument and the words we had exchanged only moments before gone as he headed straight for Chan.

He raised his fist as the other aimed his gun at him with a sickening smile, the sound of the click catching my attention and making my eyes widen-

The sound of a roar made everyone freeze as all eyes went to the top of the staircase, weapons and fists slowly lowering as Hongjoong, eyes burning with nothing short of pure rage, bellowed, "Put those fucking guns down or I will blow his brains out!"