Lunar Dream (Sunnew)

Fifty Six

"They must think this is just a festival. It's going to be easy this time." Jaemin exclaimed.

"I don't think they are taking this seriously. Even after one of them died." Haechan added.

"Don't be rash. Like Jungwoo said, they aren't stupid. This festival is an important time for Minister Lee. We will have to be extra careful." Kun said, earning hums of agreement. 

Taeil stayed quiet through the whole meeting. He was trying hard not to fiddle with his sleeves not to show he was nervous. He had agreed to help Doyoung with his plans but he was worried. 

Not for himself but for everyone. If Doyoung and Yuta intended to go against everyone in this room and Minister Lee, they needed to prepare themselves. After the meeting ended, Taeil's worry increased even more. 

He jogged to Yuta's room, barging in like usual and startling the half-naked gumiho. Yuta yelped in surprise and scurried to put on his clothes. Taeil frowned and rolled his eyes at the action.

"Relax. We're both guys, what's the matter? Nothing I haven't seen before." Taeil muttered, taking a seat. 

Yuta glared at him, fitting his arms into the sleeves forcefully but ended up punching the cloth. After a few seconds of struggling with both sleeves, he finally put on the first layer. Only then, he turned to Taeil who was examining his nails in a bored manner.

"Oh, you finished your fight?" Taeil asked in a sarcastic manner. He smirked when he spotted the blush on Yuta's cheek.

"Ha ha. How funny. Don't you know it's good manner to knock before you enter?" Yuta snapped. 

"I don't know good manners cause I'm not a good person." Taeil shrugged. 

Yuta's gaze faltered, taken aback by the answer. Taeil noticed the sudden awkward air and started chuckling. 

"I'm kidding. I ran here cause I got something important to tell you." 

Yuta sat down beside Taeil, staring at him in all seriousness. Taeil's hands were shaking and his voice sounded uneasy. Yuta took Taeil's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. He knew how much risk Taeil was taking by siding with them and he appreciated it.

"What is it?"

"There's..... something else Kun has planned for the battle other than preparing Minister Lee's private army. It has to do with the imoogi orbs."

"What's he planning to do with them?"

"He's going to transform the whole army of Minister Lee into his imoogi puppets. That way he doesn't need to go and negotiate with the imoogis in the mountain and valley. That's why Minister Lee suggested a hunting competition in the first place. He wanted to harvest the orbs for his army, for this day."

"That Lee bastard is crazy. Making his soldiers sacrifice themselves for his own power. Doesn't he know that there's no returning after they transform into an imoogi? And why's Kun going along with it!?"

Yuta's blood was boiling with anger at this point. It was madness! What Minister Lee had planned just to gain the throne. And how Kun was following without an ounce of guilt. Taeil stroked Yuta's head, trying to calm him down.

"We have to warn the Hwarangs about this. Yang Yang just went to spy on them and I don't think they know anything." 

"Don't worry. Doyoung just went to them with Jeno. But, we need to inform him about this new.... plan." Yuta clicked his tongue at the mere thought, glaring into his innocent teacup.

"Yuta... be careful." Taeil's words caught his attention.

Yuta looked up, his glare softening into a confused one. Taeil stared at him with worried shifting eyes, his hands massaging Yuta's calloused ones in a caring manner. Yuta nodded, a smile spreading across his face.