A/N:
Make sure you read chapter 47 before this! I updated twice.
~*~
I stared at the metal bars.
The room was dimly lit by a small green light above me. Beyond the bars was nothing but a wall and a narrow way separating us.
I have to get out of here, but I still couldn't move.
I remember what Hendery said about chi blocking. Eventually, the effects will wear off. I just have to wait for it then.
But how long is it going to be until they will bring me to Lake Laogai? Whatever the hell that was.
I waited,
And waited.
Until I didn't know how long, that I started to feel my toes again, and then my arms.
After a while, I forced myself up with the strength that I got. Once I sat on the floor I leaned back to the cold wall.
I heard an echo of a heavy metal door being opened somewhere. Then footsteps. As it was becoming clearer and closer, a guy came into my view. He had soft blue eyes that I recognized.
It was Doyoung, the chi blocker.
He slid the bars open and bent down on his knee, looking directly into my eyes.
"You said we have a chance in defeating the witch." He said.
He moved closer. Then he pulled me to lean on him as he untied the metal cage securing my mouth.
Then he placed me back to the wall gently.
"There's a prophecy, that I, and a son of Zeus will defeat the witch together." I said.
"Yuta." He said. "Yuta of the Southern Air Temple."
Seems like Yuta is quite popular around here.
"I'll take that chance then." He said. "Can you walk?"
~
I put my arms around Doyoung as we walked carefully trying to exit the building. He was helping me walk because I was still half numb.
He opened the door and I was greeted by the cold night air.
"We have to get over the fence, can you destroy it?" Doyoung asked next to my face.
I nodded a yes.
"Can you run?"
Is he dense? I was hanging on to him like a sloth holding on to a branch of a tree, and he was asking if I could run?
"You should be able to by now. Because once that fence is broken down it will trigger the alarm."
"Why don't we just go over it?"
Doyoung looked at me, "can you?"
"Yeah?"
"But it will still trigger the alarm."
I held up my palm and tried to ignite a flame. An orange fire appeared above my palm.
"It's back. Come on."
I pulled away from Doyoung and we sprinted to the high fence.
He got to the fence first and began to climb up with no problem. Once I was close enough, I let out a burst of fire to the ground and propelled myself up through the air over the fence and landed harshly on the ground. Because of the numbness that I was still feeling, I collapsed to the ground.
The alarm was blaring and red lights were flashing.
I felt someone pulled me back up.
"We have to get out of here."
It was Doyoung. He once again put my arms around him and we started to sprint away from the facility.
We were still inside of Ba Sing Se. I could see the wall as we ran to it. But the buildings were much smaller than the Middle Ring.
"Where are we?" I asked as we continued to run straight.
"The Lower Ring."
I took a glance behind and there was no one tailing us.
We stopped in front of a high staircase, near the monorail.
"Go," he handed me a small paper. "This is a ticket that will get you as far as the Upper Ring."
"Wait, you're just gonna leave me?"
My heart started to race faster. I didn't want him to leave me alone in this big city while an ancient organization is coming for my head, and who knows maybe there are more out there?
"Yes. Now go." He shoved me away gently.
"Come with me!" I said, trying my best to make it sound more of an order than a plea.
"And what? You think they will just accept a criminal like me?"
"You helped me escape! You saved my life."
"And I happen to be the one who captured you in the first place too." He said. "Just go."
"Why? It's not because of the prophecy that you decided to help me, is it? What made you change your mind?"
Doyoung pulled down his mask, revealing his face.
I had no words other than beautiful to describe what I was seeing in front of me.
"They were going to eliminate the Avatar permanently." He said. "They would poison you forcing you to go on Avatar State, and kill you. Thus breaking the Avatar cycle, and you will cease to exist. I didn't sign up for that." He breathed in. "Plus, I didn't know that the Avatar is just a... kid." He scanned me from head to toe.
If I weren't too concerned about the White Lotus trying to eliminate the Avatar forever, I would be offended by Doyoung's last words.
"What if they find me in the monorail?"
"They won't, and that's what I'm trying to prevent. Now go!!" Doyoung pushed me away gently again before running away.
"Doyoung!!" I called out his name.
He stopped on his track and turned around to face me.
"Will I ever see you again?"
Doyoung just smiled softly at me and blinked, "good luck, princess." With that, he put his mask back on and ran away disappearing into the city.
~
I was sitting in the monorail train. There were barely anyone inside, only a couple of shady looking guys at the corner.
Will I be able to make it to the Upper Ring?
I just have to sit here until I reach the Middle Ring.
I hoped I could get there safely, and peacefully.
Of course like usually, I was always wrong.
In the corner of my eyes, inside of this green interior, there was something so bright, because of it was white, that I had to take a look.
My eyes met a familiar pair of eyes with a white hair.
No, no, no... fuck.
My heart dropped as I looked away. I felt my eyes stung and my body numb all over again.
Fuck, fuck.
At the next stop, I quickly exited the train and ran down the stairs. I was still in the outer area of the Middle Ring. I still had a long way to go.
As I got to the ground level, I proceeded to go into the city.
It was deserted.
"Juli, wait."
That voice. The one that used to always calm me down and now it just sent shudder down my spine, and a weight on my chest was beginning to form.
I looked over my shoulder and he was tailing me.
I ran faster, now using my flames to propel myself horizontally.
I got into an alley and out on the other side, thinking I lost him as I glanced behind me. But when turned my head to the front again. He was standing there.
I stopped abruptly.
"Calm down—"
I sent an intense fire blade, but he dodged it. It exploded on the ground behind him.
I streamed a fire at him, but it wasn't hitting on anything, so I stopped.
Then Taeyong suddenly appeared next to me.
I let out a sharp gasp and directed my two fingers at him, but he caught them. I swung a punch with my other hand and he caught it too.
"Leave. Now." I said through my teeth.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"I want to hear nothing from you." I said while glaring at him.
"I understand that you could never forgive me for what I did,"
"I don't fucking care."
"But I didn't mean to hurt you—"
"I am not— and I don't care."
"Stop lying..." he said.
Then I realized it: he was making a contact with me directly. I pushed him away.
"I did what I needed to do." He looked at me with the same soft gaze he had like the first time we met at the beach.
"Was any of it real? Helping me, being there for me— was it all just an act?" I said, my voice was now shaking. "It was, wasn't it?"
"No! It was all real!—"
My lips started to tremble, but I held back my tears as I felt a painful lump at the back of my throat. I stumbled back, away from him.
"I thought I finally had the chance to bring the Olympians down when I found out about the map." He said behind my back. "I wasn't thinking straight and was clouded hatred."
I turned around to face him again. "Is that supposed to justify your actions?"
"I didn't come asking for you to accept my apology, or trying to make you understand. I just wanted to let you know I regret everything that I've done that day."
"Why? What's the use of that?"
"Because for someone who can control fear, I seem to not be able to stop myself from being afraid. I fear a lot of things, Juli, and one of them is you." His eyes were shaking as he stepped closer to me, and I didn't move away this time. "The thought of you hating me and think of me that I am just a lying-evil-jerk..." he inhaled a shaky breath.
But he is not. He never had anyone. Everyone that was supposed to be there for him abandoned him. His mother, his father. If he was truly evil and wanted to kill everyone, he would've had done it without any hesitation.
"I'm scared by the things I did that day— my head... was very scary at that moment and I don't want to remember it." His lips were trembling. "I'm scared that... you will forever see me with that look in your eyes when I—"
Before he finished his sentence, I slammed my lips against his. I never thought that it would be soft and warm. He inhaled sharply through his nose, not breaking the kiss, and began to move his lips in perfect sync with mine. He cupped my cheeks with both of his hands and pulled me closer. The kiss was so gentle, and slow. The feeling of relief in my chest was overwhelming.
I never realized how much I wanted to do this.
"Why— we shouldn't—" he said between the kiss. "Don't do this—"
I ignored his words and deepened the kiss.
"Juli—" he gasped. "Don't make this even harder—" he said.
"Then stay." I pulled away.
"You know I can't." He whispered. "Not after Ginza..." he brought his hands to cup my face again.
"They will understand. We need you." I said. "They know what you can do."
He leaned his forehead to mine and brushed away a tear with his thumb.
"I need you," I whispered. "I never said I hated you. I lo—"
He slammed his lips to mine. "No. Don't."
"Taeyong—"
"Please don't—" he said. The kiss was rough, and hungry.
"But you know it already, don't you?" I said, but he was still kissing me, trying to make me stop talking.
"Don't say anything— please. It'll make it harder for me to leave—"
"Then don't. Stay."
"I can't!"
"Taeyong—" I put my hands on his chest and pushed him away gently. "Then what does this mean for us?"
He looked down from my eyes, like he was holding back something. Then he grabbed both of my hands and squeezed it. "I will visit you... sometime. I will always be there when you need me." He pulled my face and leaned forward to my forehead. "I will always find you."
He grabbed my waist and he lifted me, letting our bodies fall to the ground and we were getting sucked by the shadow.
The next thing I knew, we reappeared in a familiar hallway. Fancy, luxurious ceiling carvings and green interiors.
We were inside of the Royal Palace, standing outside of my room.
Taeyong touched my chin and moved my head to look at him.
"Take care, princess." He leaned forward and planted a kiss on my forehead. Then he let go of me, turning around. But I wasn't ready to let go.
My grip on his wrist became tighter. "Taeyong..." I breathed in, his gaze shifted to my lips. "I lov—"
Then I felt his lips against mine for the third time that night.
"I know," he broke the kiss and leaned to my forehead. "I love you too." Then he pulled away walking backwards. "I'll always find you." And disappeared into the shadow.
~*~
A/N:
AAAAA sorry if I disappointed you with this Taeyong "comeback" scene.
But hey they finally kissed 🤭😇
Like idk how many times 🤨☺️
Alsoo... you guys know what 'reverse harem' stories are right? I kinda say it over and over again in this book synopsis, tags, and warning on the character intro, that this is a reverse harem book.
Which means a female protagonist is surrounded by three or MORE love interests.
How she ends up with is not certain. She could choose one in the end, or not choose at all. She could choose to be with everyone too 😀 or only a few of them.
And they know. Jaehyun, Hendery, Yuta, Taeyong and everyone knows about Juli and the guys. But it's not like Juli is anyone's official girlfriend...
Yet 😚
So she can do whatever she wants. But now it's getting clearer who she has the strongest feelings for, and she will figure it out for sure eventually.
So be prepared for multiple ships sailing 😚 and them sinking too 😚
CHEERS!!