ESCAPE ㅡ chapter 16

"KIM INSEONG,"
victoria's voice echoed through the spacious dining room. everyone ㅡ except mason and hwiyoung ㅡ are seated in their seats, eating delicious food prepared on the table.

inseong glance up at her quickly before looking down again.

"you look motionless, was kim seokhun someone important to you?"

"no." he replied lowly, staring blankly at the plate of food he hasn't touched.

"then why do you look so depressed?" victoria commented.

'because i'm surrounded by killers.'

"by the way, jae." she turned to jaeyoon who is sitting and eating next to inseong. "is the poison still in his system?"

inseong's face contoured in confusion.

"only a tinge, but i don't think he noticed." the medic replied to the leader, continuing his meal.

"i'm sorry, what poison?" inseong asked, panic slowly coming to his sytem.

"from the pins noona used on you." chancler responded, reaching for a chicken wing. "there's poison in them and the effects are paralysis and extreme sleepiness. the effects subsides in a day or more when it's first injected and gets lesser and lesser the more it is used."

that's what she's been putting in him in their first two encounters.

the three assassins continue their dinner while talking amongst each other about the news and what is happening around the neighbourhood. the normal conversations normal people would have.

except that they're not normal.

inseong took his eyes off his plate to the empty spaces beside him, both sides of chancler and the one across victoria.

wait they're missing another one? aren't there only hwiyoung, mason and baron left?

"who's the other missing one?" inseong had to ask. maybe it's something he can use one way or another.

jaeyoon, victoria and chancler exchange known glances after glancing the empty spot for the unknown missing person.

"another member you haven't met." victoria replied.

"so there's seven of you in total? where's the last one?" inseong asked, getting curiouser by each second.

"she.. has been missing for two years." the leader replied, looking straight into his eyes. "do not mention or ask about her to mason. he's still very affected of her disappearance."

mason?

is that why he always has a gloomy vibe?

did he love her? were they together?

what happened?

         the clock at inseong's room ticked softly as its arrow move at every second of the time. 01:05am.

inseong couldn't sleep.

he went through all of sirinova's heirs and heriesses, the family tree, symbols and crests using the black books.

the one made by the cult itself didn't contain much information.

sirinova's crest is a fiery and mighty phoenix with a similarity to the black iris crest. their words are "oderint dum metuant" which translates to
"let them hate as long as they fear.", that truly fit to the mafia house's history of people who despise them out of fear.

the cold wind blew through the slightly open balcony doors. he watched as the moon's tip almost dipped the horizon beautifully.

the ranger walked closer and out to the twilight breeze. breathing in the cleanest air he has ever breathed for a long time.

then an idea popped up his head the longer he glanced at the front entrance of this house.

he could escape.

he heard the cult members retire to bed a few hours ago. there's literally an open balcony and a series of thick wall details along the wall that could help him climb down. his heart pounded at the thought.

but then what after that?

inseong looked around again then he spotted the nearby house after a long tree line of forests. he's going to make it, as long as he keeps quiet.

he heaved a long sigh, glancing at the closed balconies of his deadly floormates. with no hesitation, he quietly swung his legs over the railings, briefly looking down to see his next step before taking them.

he broke into cold sweat, realising that if he'll fall, he would break his bones ㅡ and that ain't worth it.

inseong snapped to reality when he missed a step and one of his feet slipped, but he instinctly tighten his grip around the edge of the balcony, saving him last second.

he exhaled sharply before continuing.

inseong landed at the roof of the glass window of the living room under his room, then he's left with no other choice than to jump almost 3.5 meters to grass.

fuck, what if he's not going to make it?

he took deep breaths while he closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself to jump and possibly die.

"whatever." he exhaled, taking his momentum and jumping down, holding his form straight. the fall was faster than he expected and he eventually landed on the balls of his feet, knees bending to adapt at the shockforce. he pushed his body frowards to a roll before landing on them again.

he survived.

wtf well of course.

he hurried to the nearest wall, using the speed he just got to boost himself up the wall, already holding on the top. he pulled himself upwards with his arms and feet and successfully making it to the top of the gate wall.

inseong exhaled, he could taste freedom. nothing weird happened to him yet. he's safe.

he faced the forest. the dim, dark forest ahead him.

a loud siren sound woke the house and shocking inseong to the point that he didn't hesitate to jump down the wall, landing on glass and sprinting to the thick forest, not looking back.

he didn't run straight, he made sure to take a few turns, keeping in mind of his directions.

but his condition told him to stop, his strength and speed lessening rapidly as he continued to sprint.

now is not a good time, body.

he halted, nearing a thick tree to catch his breathing. but from afar he could hear fast footsteps, alerting him enough to not hesitate and climb up the tree.

he pulled himself up, branch by branch til he was high enough to be covered by thick leaves.

"now there's no way they can get me." he told himself, resting his head on the branch behind him when he settled down.

the next mansion was only a few trees away, he sighed in relief. tiredness wrapping his body.

he'll get there tomorrow and call the police.

his eyes get heavy as his breathing relaxed.

until they finally close.

"goodnight, inseong."

EDITED.