My Dear Butler

14. Attack

Strange, how he always called you "my lady", but you were never his.

You stopped as you realized the identity of this man, and your heart felt as if it got hurled down the tallest building in the world.

He refused to look at you, his eyes empty and spiritless, the twinkle now completely gone from his eye.

"Yesun—"

A deafening scream interrupted your words, and the both of you whirled around to find a corpse on the floor a few meters away. It was a silver-haired man that you knew all too well. His wounds caused blood to begin pooling from beneath his body.

Donghae had lost.

Leeteuk stood in front of your table on the second floor and his eyes immediately met yours, a proud smirk on his face. Completely untouched, absolutely no wounds or cuts visible whatsoever. Pure, murky, black hatred began to course through your body.

I thought—

You unknowingly tightened your grip on Yesung, and tears stung your eyes. The entire crowd had witnessed what he's done, and nobody dared to move. It was as if someone had pressed the pause button.

Then you blinked, and everything had resumed. All hell has officially broken loose. Tables overturned, attackers leaping from their hiding spots, people running for their lives, and blood, so much blood. Commotion, chaos everywhere, and you felt an arm on you. Grabbing a nearby knife from a broken table, you managed to fend the masked attacker off, but he had comrades. You were soon surrounded, but Yesung was right behind you, ready to fight alongside you.

And the games began. You tore away your longer skirt for it would be a hindrance, revealing a much shorter skirt underneath. You assaulted your attackers one by one with your fists, and all of them seemed to have held back, which made it easier for you.

Because Leeteuk loved you so and wanted you alive and unharmed.

As soon as he dropped his weapon— a small dagger—, you grabbed it and cut him deeply, sending him to the ground. Another quickly replaced his fallen comrade, and he was much stronger. He tackled you to the ground and the tip of his knife barely grazed your face. Not backing down, you used your leg and wrapped it around his, and you kicked his calf with your heel, causing him to collapse. With the upper hand, you stabbed him in the stomach to make sure he doesn't die, for murder wasn't your intention— but to cause him enough pain so he doesn't stand up again.

However, that wasn't the case for Yesung behind you. He was merciless, drawing blood with each attack, each punch, and cut. He easily ended all of his enemies until he was the last man standing. You were shocked as well. Behind that mask was a truly different person, another side to the Kim Jongwoon that you didn't know existed. He had many secrets and you have yet to uncover them all.

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed the remaining Lee's sneaking towards the door with a bodyguard, and your heart calmed just a bit. But how about your own parents?

You quickly dashed away and met several other masked attackers, but you dodged them and they lost you in the frantic crowd.

Then you spot them. On the second floor, tied up and gagged by none other than Leeteuk himself. He stood there and smirked smugly at you, and you immediately tried to ascend the stairs. However, the guards that protected the staircase pushed you back midway, and you lost your balance and fell.

Once again, Yesung was able to catch your fall in time, and you regained your composure. The guards surrounded you, and another battle began.

"My lady, you must run!" Yesung called breathlessly, and you grunted, in the midst of a battle with another. He defended you and defeated your opponent for you, and you exhaled.

"If I run, everyone will die. Leeteuk wants me. And my parents!"

"You were always someone that cared deeply about others, but for once, you need to be selfish. You'll die if you stay here. Leeteuk is ruthless. Leave now!" Yesung yelled as he took down another traitor. You panicked, unable to make a decision.

If Leeteuk was able to bring himself to kill his one and only brother, then without a doubt he would be able to kill you as well. You glanced at your butler that was fighting so hard for your life.

Exhaling, you spoke. "Yesung, you have to live. Save them, please."

"If not... at least save yourself."

"I'll come soon," Yesung nodded at you, and you grasped his hand one last time before you broke off into a sprint.

Leeteuk observed the chaos from above, and he was irritated. He sent his remaining spies after you.

"Don't let her escape," he commanded.

"Darling, you're making this much more difficult than it needs to be..." he muttered.

Behind him, your parents glanced up with pleading eyes, struggling in their restraints for freedom.

"Don't hurt her!" Your father begged, his voice muffled by the gag. Leeteuk cackled maniacally at his words, and they shrunk back in fear.

"Oh, your daughter will be completely fine. I will not harm her, and nor will my men. If she does end up dying in one of their hands, I will give them a punishment far worse than death itself. So don't fret," he chuckled. Your mother swallowed nervously.

"But, her beloved butler will have to go."

Leeteuk pulls out a pistol and aimed at the chain holding the large chandelier. A loud bang resonated throughout the room, and the chain broke, causing the chandelier to collapse. As Yesung glanced up, his eyes widened as he tried to get out of the way.

As the chandelier came crashing down, its crystals shattered into a million broken pieces, the shards glittering in a kaleidoscope of colors. Yesung barely managed to save his leg and hid his face behind his arms, the broken pieces slicing into his arm. But it wasn't over just yet.

The chandelier had held lit candles along with the crystals. Without him even noticing, the fire had quickly spread to much of the floor in front of him and would reach the walls in no time. Yesung realizes that it was too late to rescue your parents— even if he attempted to save them, it would take too much time to battle Leeteuk for them and by the time he succeeded, the entire mansion would've been engulfed in flames with no way out. All three of them would perish in the fire.

"Yesung, you have to live. Save them, please."

"If not... at least save yourself."

With a final glance, he dashed through the long hallway straight to the exit. The fire devoured the wooden walls, the place melting and collapsing beside him as he ran. Yesung reached for the door and burst outside just as the mansion completely succumbed to the inferno.