Feathers And Carnations Chapter Twenty-three

*I’ve listened to this song TONS while writing this story, so it’s like the theme to me. It’s so good. 

(if not showing it’s The Other Side by Ruelle)

*TW slight gun use, blood.

Jisung stared straight ahead, unmoving and unblinking as the sun slowly rose over the demolished grounds of the Solswor mansion. The stairs he sat on didn’t help the state of his sore body, but he didn’t move. Despite his exhaustion, his mind was working at full speed, circling through ideas and rough plans to destroy Chimera completely.

After regrouping and assessing the damages to Nightfield and Minho’s team, Chan, Seungmin, and Madsins’ don Jung In-su, gathered with Ju-won and the top ranked officers of Solswor to negotiate. Jisung sat out of the meeting, his mind much too preoccupied to be of any help in there.

Just after Seungmin managed to get the power of the estate back up, he saw Chimera surround Changbin’s team. Most were killed off, but the enemy’s target had been clear. They took Changbin and retreated before the chain reaction.

Jisung was so enraged he wasn’t sure if there was a word or term in the world that could embody exactly what he was feeling. He was tired of Chimera. Tired of the poison taking everything and everyone he cared about. He was ready to tear them apart with his bare hands. If Hyeon wanted his attention, he had it, and he was going to regret making an enemy of Han Jisung.

Someone limped into his vision. “Jisung?” Seungmin slowly lowered himself to sit beside him. “Whoa, that is a look of murder if I’ve ever seen one.”

Jisung’s jaw was locked into place, his gaze still lost somewhere distant. It took him a long time to bring himself to respond. “You said Chimera left a message. Can you tell me what it is now?”

Seungmin hesitated as he studied Jisung. Then he sighed. “They basically said that if you want Changbin freed and unharmed, you need to hand yourself in. Like a trade-off.”

“I’ll do it.”

“Hell no, do you want them to win?”

“They won’t win until the entire mafia is under their feet.”

“I’m not talking about this war, I’m talking about your life, Jisung.”

Jisung shot to his feet, his emotions welling to the surface all at once. “They already have Minho, I can’t lose my best friend too! I will not lay down and take it, Seungmin. Not this time. Not anymore. If Hyeon likes destruction so much, that’s exactly what I’ll give him.” He turned on his heel and descended the stairs, a decision in his mind.

“Jisung.”

He kept walking. “I’ll contact you tonight.”

“Jisung!”

⧫⧫⧫

“So this top secret facility doesn’t have a self destruct? How lame is that?” Jisung joked, rubbing at the bruises lining his arms.

Minho shook his head with a smile. “No, unfortunately they’re a bit smarter here than in the movies. They don’t want to risk one of their prisoners destroying the whole place in revenge.”

“I would love to do that. Maybe I can create a self destruct.”

Minho smirked. “Are you really smart enough for that?”

Jisung threw one of the couch pillows at him. “I’d hit you if I wasn’t chained. I am a genius, that’s why Hyeon had me targeted, isn’t it? Also, I’m the one that altered your program, so you can’t question my intelligence.”

“Fair point.” Minho laid his head back against his couch. “Technically, if you came up with something very destructive, you could destroy most of this place in one go, just like a self destruct.”

“How so?”

“Well,” Minho sat up, tucking his lungs under himself, “in my program, we’re taken all over the facility, and I’ve seen most of it at least once. It’s all connected, therefore, every pipe, every system, every ventilation tunnel is all connected. So say you filled the pipes or something with a highly flammable thing, all you would need is a spark. Then boom, You’ve destroyed most everything.”

Jisung sighed. “Then I guess that isn’t possible.”

“Escape, and it will be possible.”

“Right, and how would I make it happen?”

Minho smiled knowingly. “I don’t know, but I’m sure your genius brain would be able to figure it out.”

Jisung sat back, exhaling in disbelief as he stared at the screen in front of him. “I figured it out, Minho.”

⧫⧫⧫

Running on three hours of sleep would stop most people from storming a highly secure enemy warehouse. But Jisung wasn’t like most people, and any fear and rationality he had was out the window. Something in his mind had flipped, and he felt nothing more than un-tethered aggression. He was ready to unleash it on anyone that stood in the way of saving his loved ones. Including these guards.

Jisung didn’t bother wearing his mask, and he parked right at the gates in front of the warehouse he was about to raid. He opened his door and shot the two guards posted at the gate, reloaded his gun, and grabbed the hatchet he’d found from his front seat.

Shouts rang out beyond the fence, alerting the rest of the security to his presence. All the better. He could get them all out of his way much quicker.

Jisung swung the hatchet at the lock, breaking it open easily, and strolled through, cold eyes set forward. Movement flashed in his vision. He held his gun up and fired without a glance. A body dropped.

A man lunged out from behind a small building. Without flinching, Jisung shot him in the head, and blood sprayed. Another guard, another shot.

The fire in Jisung’s veins was growing, fueling him on as he moved through the warehouse killing guard after guard. By the time he reached his target, he was covered in blood, and he couldn’t find it in himself to care. The materials he needed to take Chimera down were right in front of him, and that’s all that mattered. 

With a small smile, Jisung broke the large crate in front of him open with the hatchet, and satisfaction rolled through him at the sight of the hundreds of boxes inside. 

“Hyeon won’t mind if I use these, will he?” Jisung asked the body next to him. “No, I’m sure he won’t. Your boss is just that generous.” Jisung pulled out the phone Chan had provided him and called Felix. 

“Jisung, where are you? Seungmin said you left with a crazed look in your eyes and no one has heard from you.”

“I’m just about to send you my location. Send a truck and a few guys. I’ve got something to bring back to base.”

“Are you okay? You sound-“

“I’m just fine, Felix. Have Jeongin and Hyunjin ready to share everything they know about the layout of Chimera.”

“Ji-“

“I’m also sending you a few files I’ve compiled and a rough sketch of what I’m planning. Have that looked over by the time I’m back.”

Felix let out a small sigh of defeat. “I’m on it.”

“Thank you.” It was true that Jisung was sending Felix a small part of his plan, but if anyone knew what he was really up to, they would try to stop him, and he wasn’t going to let that happen.

Seungmin arrived with the truck Felix sent an hour later, and he stopped short when he spotted Jisung lounging against the crate. “What. The. Hell, Jisung?”

“What?” Jisung asked innocently, stepping aside to allow their men to get the crate.

“I knew I was worried for a reason. Do you usually slaughter a whole force or have you finally cracked?” Seungmin held out a handkerchief. “Get some blood off your face, at the very least.”

Jisung slowly wiped his face, trying to reel himself back from the craze that had taken over. “To defeat a crazy man, I have to be crazy right back. I’m just getting things done.”

“I get it. But please don’t lose yourself in trying to save the ones you care about. If you did, they would both be devastated.”

A small amount of guilt weighed into Jisung’s chest and he dipped his head. “I know. Thanks, Seungmin.”

“These guys have things taken care of. Let’s get you home and cleaned up, yeah?”

⧫⧫⧫

After a very long shower, Jisung found himself staring at the silver earring dangling from his fingers, his mind blank but full all at once. Chan had returned the gift the night he came back to the estate, and every time Jisung took it off he would stare at it, wondering if Minho was still alive.

Eventually he set it down and made his way over to the bed. Just as he lifted the covers, Hyunjin burst into his room, making him jump out of his skin. He put a hand over his heart. “What the hell?”

“Jisung! Oh good, you’re up.” Hyunjin held his phone up. “It’s for you.”

A wall of conflicting emotions surrounded Jisung immediately, unable to tell what this meant from Hyunjin’s expression alone. He took the phone like it was going to burn him and raised it to his ear. “Jisung.”

“Hey love.”

Jisung’s legs lost all feeling and he collapsed onto the bed as the air in his lungs spasmed. “Minho?” he whispered breathlessly.

“Yes, it’s me. It’s so good to hear your voice.”

Jisung fought down the tears threatening to rise. “How is this possible?”

“Jaya lended me her phone for a minute before I go back to Hyeon’s office. I guess she has a bit of heart after all. We only have a minute.”

Words and emotions tangled together in Jisung’s chest, making it impossible to speak. He had so many things to say, but at the same time he had no idea what to say. He sounds so weak, what has Hyeon done to him?

“It’s okay, Jisung. I’m okay. Just remember to breathe.”

Jisung exhaled sharply. “Minho, I figured it out. I can get you out, and I’ll be demolishing Chimera while I’m at it.”

“Ah, the self-destruct. You remembered.” Minho coughed slightly. “I knew you could do it. Are you okay, love?”

“Why are you asking that? I should be asking if you’re okay, which I know you’re not.”

“Jisung, just tell me you’re okay. I need to hear it.”

Jisung’s throat tightened. Why does this feel so final? He forced himself to swallow. “I’m okay, I promise. Any injuries I’ve gotten have healed and I’ve been eating properly.”

“Good.” Minho’s voice was tired. “Very good.”

“Hold on for me, okay? I’m going to get you out.” Jisung swiped at a stray tear before it could get very far. “I still need to know everything about you, I need to go on a proper date with you. I need to… be with you.”

It took a few seconds for Minho to respond. “Oh, how could I deprive my Jisung of such things? I’ll hold on.”

“I’ll be there soon.”

“Is Seungmin okay?”

“He’s still recovering, but yes he’s okay.”

Minho hummed. “I’m not going to ask what he’s recovering from. I’m sure it’ll only make me hate my captors even more.”

“Minho-“

“Oh, it’s time to go. It’s going to be okay, Jisung.”

Jisung’s heart fell out of his chest. “I’m on my way, and I’ll take care of you.”

“I look forward to it, love.”

The line went dead, and Jisung’s body and mind went silent and numb. Why did it feel like he was saying goodbye?

Hyunjin slowly stepped back into the room. Apparently he left to give Jisung some privacy. “Are you okay?”

That was the one question that could break Jisung down instantly. He dropped his head in his hands, unable to respond as the dam of emotion finally broke and flooded out in the form of tears on his cheeks.

Hyunjin sat on the bed beside him. “Can I hug you?”

Jisung nodded and fell into Hyunjin’s side. He rubbed Jisung’s shoulder gently as his other arm pulled him closer. The pair didn’t exchange a single word for a long time.

——————————— I guess this is my shortest chapter, eh? Also I decided to change… basically the whole chapter at the last minute, so if it’s a bit of a mess, sorry that’s my bad.

We’ve got like… a couple chapters left, y’all. Yeet. Also apparently you can get addicted to writing fanfiction. I’m literally writing two new Minsung stories. If I finish them, I’ll definitely be posting them on a separate account dedicated to fanfiction. I’ll let ya know when it’s made.

Thanks for reading 9o9