33 | THE FIGHTING FLAMES

Hoseok appeared as guilt-ridden as his voice sounded all those years ago. No explanation, no comfort to offer me. Only regret in its boldest form, laced with the toxin of fear.

He was unprepared to face me, obvious in the way his gaze steered away. Everything began fitting together. There was the time Jungkook said he was being more truthful with me than Hoseok, and the moment Hoseok interrupted him when he was about to mention something I couldn't know. There was the other night, the worry I felt in Hoseok's kisses like he thought our time was limited. And the feud between the brothers as a whole was rooted in what the older stole from me—from both of us.

Why? Such an important part of my life, my identity, my heart was planted in those days with Jungkook, and I was sure with Hoseok, too. And he chose to pull it all out from under me, to let it fall apart until all that remained was me, standing alone in a void. I remembered the feelings that followed. Numb. Empty. Alone. Caught in a limbo between tangible reality and an unknown, unreachable place.

Rather than tears, there came a burn behind my eyes, my nose, my temples.

I'm tired. I'm so tired of all the secrets. When will the whole truth be given to me?

"Jangmi," said Jungkook as he tightened his hand around mine. I looked at him only for the way his voice dropped, but frowned when I found him staring downward. Following his line of sight, I gasped and flinched away from him.

My hands trembled as I lifted them, palms up, toward my face. My skin was unscathed, yet rays of pristine white light seeped through my palms like it might stream through the cracks of a broken window or filter past the surface of water.

With a reeling mind, I wondered if what I saw was real. But I could feel it too, this heat scorching within me as if every heartbeat struck a new flame.

I set my eyes on Hoseok as energy pulsed in my body. The shaking of my hands traveled to my shoulders, up my neck and down my spine, all the way through to my soles. But I couldn't stop from asking what I needed to know.

"Why did you do it?" My own voice sounded foreign to my ears, thick with demand.

Hoseok's eyes shined beneath furrowed brows. "I did it for the same reason I've done everything. To protect you—"

"How long will I have to accept that as an answer?" I broke into a yell, "When does that just become an excuse for my pain?"

"Jangmi, please." Hoseok reached out as he took a careful step closer. "You have to focus on what I'm telling you, alright? You can't get too worked up."

"That's ironic, coming from you," I said, referring to the other night when he nearly lost grip on his hidden nature.

As soon as the words left my mouth, his eyes dimmed with hurt. I'd taken it too far, used his vulnerability against him. But the shattering sense of betrayal was too heavy to allow for an apology. Rage continued to rise in me, and the platinum light brightened along with it.

Jungkook moved in front of me, blocking my view of his brother. His expression held concern, brown eyes taking in my face while his lips etched into a small frown. "I'm sorry," he murmured as he brought his hands to my face, cupping my cheeks. His palms were cool against my radiating skin. "I shouldn't have told you out of nowhere like that. I know how much it hurts." His forehead rested on mine, and I let out a breath and closed my eyes. "But we're together again. We found you. I found you."

His words and his closeness grounded me and soothed me back to clearer thoughts. Such a short time ago, Jungkook wasn't much more than a stranger. But remembering who he was gave him the power to comfort me just as he had so many times when we were kids.

I could feel whatever power was in me lose its life, retreating back to wherever it came from. My body relaxed, and though the pain was still prominent, it was no longer all-consuming. As Jungkook pulled me into an embrace, I raised my hands again and looked at them past his shoulder, spotting the last hints of light as it faded to nothing.

I realized that I never believed what Hoseok told me about myself—about being a descendant of the sun—until now. Like everything else lately, I had to be confronted with a hard hit of reality to accept it.

But what Hoseok did... would I be able to accept it?

Jungkook eventually released me, observing my expression and then holding my hands to check my state.

"Thank you," I whispered sincerely. "But I need to talk to him."

He nodded. "Okay. I'll be right—"

"Alone." My voice was gentle, hoping to soften the blow as much as possible. I knew he was already upset at how close Hoseok and I seemed to be, and this wouldn't help that sting. Still, I asked, "Please?"

I could see him swallow as his eyes went cold. He leaned forward, carefully held the back of my neck, and kissed my forehead. Then he turned, walked across the stage, scaled up the ladder, and disappeared.

"I need an explanation," I commanded as my gaze held Hoseok's. "A real one, because I can't—" my voice faltered, "I can't understand how you could do this to me. And to your brother. I don't care if it means I won't remember something, just tell me."

My breath hitched when he stepped forward. The dated lights shone on the red hues in his hair and made the water in his eyes glisten. A pang in my chest reminded me how much I never wished to see him like that.

"The third boy," he started softly, "Even though we were the same, he was... weaker. He couldn't control his abilities and his instincts like I could. When we met you, I felt this pull to you instantly, and so did he. I didn't realize until later that the draw to you was because you were a Descendant. But when I did find that out, I understood the danger we put you in."

There was a pause, a moment that dragged as he took another step. I fought to concentrate solely on his words, afraid to be swept away by emotion again. That blinding burn was not something I wanted to experience twice.

Hoseok caught my stare and continued. "It made sense. Our attraction to you was instinctive, destined. We were fated by our blood to find you and steal your light."

"What does that even mean? How do you know for sure that's what the draw was about?"

"I tried to deny it at first because my care for you felt so genuine. But there was something inside that surfaced the more I spent time with you. It was like," his frown deepened while his head shook, "like hunger. It terrified me, and I knew he was feeling the same thing. The difference was that he believed it was good. He thought it was pure, the way he felt. And I tried to stop him, I tried to tell him that we had to leave you alone, but he refused."

I sent out a short breath, blinking back the sting in my eyes. "So you forced me to forget all of you?"

"Jangmi—"

At his saying my name, I turned my face and bit down on my lip. It was the smallest way I could think of to brace myself from the wound he was giving me.

"...Jangmi," his tone shattered into an agonizing plea that drew my head back to him. He took another move forward and fell to his knees in front of me, and his actions shocked my body still. "I never—I never wanted to hurt you."

When he hung his head, I opened my mouth to speak, but halted when he tore his mask off and it clattered to the floor. Chills of heartbreak rushed over my body when he looked back up at me, baring his face with the most emotion I'd ever seen from him.

Tears ran down his cheeks, and my own followed. His lips quivered as they pulled back to reveal clenched teeth. "I loved you, I cared for you with every part of me, and I did what I thought I had to in order to keep you safe. Leaving you, making you forget," a sharp inhale as he tried to calm his tears, "it killed me."

I dropped to the ground before him, taking in every bit of vulnerability displayed in his narrowed brows, his tired eyes, his wet cheeks, his tightened jaw. As hurt and aching as I was, I couldn't will myself to stay so angry. Not when it was so clear that the decision he made as a child was near impossible and still a source of torment years after.

"We had a connection, I could hear what he was thinking. He was so lost—even at that age, he let that darkness take over. He was working on getting close to you, making you trust him so you'd let down your guard..." His throat bobbed, "Forcing him away from you and making you forget us—that was all I could think of to keep you safe from him. But the fact that I had to hurt you to do it... I'm more sorry than you know. I hurt everyone."

My chest throbbed painfully at the sincerity in his words, and I believed that he was truly sorry.

He avoided my gaze until my hand went to his chest.

"It did hurt me. It still hurts," I shook my head, "but you were just a kid. I want to be mad—I am mad that this happened, but how can I blame you if you were doing what you could to protect me?"

The truth was not fair. It was wrong that I had my memory yanked from my grasp. It was wrong that I lost time and the friends who filled it. It was also wrong that Hoseok and Jungkook had to go on with the knowledge that I forgot who they were. But I was tangled in something twisted and supernatural, and I doubted things ever would be fair.

"You can't keep doing this—letting me off so easy," Hoseok murmured, placing his gloved hand atop mine. "I've wronged you."

With a steadying exhale, I stood up, offering my hand to him like I did when we danced together. He hesitated, but eventually took it and rose to his full height, close enough that I had to angle my chin up not to lose his eyes.

"Then make it right. Help me remember you."

He frowned, and I resisted wiping the drying tears from his face. "I can't just give your memories back to you. If I could, I would've helped you remember the third—"

"I know," I assured. "I know you can't. But Jungkook helped me remember him. He put me in situations that linked to certain memories. You were avoiding that because you worried about me finding out. But now that I have..."

"I can try," he said. With eyes still harrowed and dim, he scanned my expression. Probably finding all the desperation I felt just thinking about gaining our past back.

I can finally understand just what he meant to me back then. I can finally remember every moment we shared, who he was, who we were together.

But it wouldn't come as soon as I wished.

Needles of ice pricked my skin, raking down my spine at the slow claps that echoed in the abandoned space.

Both our heads snapped toward the skyloft, spotting the hooded figure just as he leapt from the platform. He met the ground with hardly a sound save for the billowing of his cloak, landing on all fours like an animal. Somehow the hood stayed over his head, that familiar mist of shadow veiling his face.

As he stood, Hoseok moved in front of me, pressing me to his back.

"You finally let her in on your little secret. That's nice. Even better if it means she'll remember soon. You do want to remember, don't you?" His hooded face shifted to point toward me, and I could sense his gaze piercing beyond the shadow.

"Get out of here. I won't let you touch her." The growl Hoseok let out rumbled in my own chest, making my heart speed even more.

"The days of asking for your permission have long past." His voice was that of a serpent's—hissing and slick and devious. It coiled itself around my bones, whispered in my ears even as he stood at a distance.

My mind raced. Why would he ever have asked for Hoseok's permission? Why was he even here? The only times he ever visited me were when I was alone, and only once had it not been in my sleep.

"Quit wearing that revolting necklace, or I'll have to continue our visits in person."

I reached for the pendant between my breasts, the glass cold under my fingertips. He was making good on his word. Had he come to remove the only defense I had against him? It was enough to agitate Hoseok even when I didn't wear it. But would it be enough to protect me from him?

Unlikely.

As he crept forward, his altered tone slithered out, "I didn't come for her, Hoseok. I came for you."

No. I would rather he take me away than let him hurt Hoseok the way he hurt Jimin.

Panic set in and I had to battle the heated energy rising within me. My palms had a mild glow to them, but I fought it back, shackled it down. If it was true he was after that power, I couldn't let him see that I'd freed it somehow.

Inhale, exhale.

My lungs shuddered with each breath, but I managed to calm enough for the glow to dissolve away.

The Hood drew nearer. "You always were a hypocrite. Making me the same as you, even when you hated what you were. And now," he snickered bitterly, head tilting as if in disbelief, "you've grown close to her, even after everything you did to separate her from us."

"To protect her from you," Hoseok said with eerie calm. There was a dangerous strength in the way he spoke; more frightening than the serpentine voice. "And I'll continue to stay by her side so that you never do."

A thunderous growl and luminating eyes, then bold flames of crimson and orange lashed at us like a sword.

My fingers clutched Hoseok's shirt as he shot his forearm up as if to shield himself, but I gasped as a lighter fire—flames of gold and amber—pushed the red fire back before devouring it whole.

The flames or the magic or whatever it was dissipated, leaving blazing hot air in its wake. The scent and taste of smoke lingered, even when no smoke had ever risen.

Silence. Stillness. They both stared at the other without moving. My heart hammered, and I was positive they could both hear it. They could likely smell the terror on me, too, or sense the way my knees were ready to buckle.

The Hood broke the quiet with an amused hum. "Not yet."

Then he turned and was back to the top of the platform in less than a blink, his inhuman speed as unbelievable as it was terrifying. I watched the edge of his cloak flow out behind him before he faded into the shadows.

I was still staring after him, worried he might return when the shirt between my fingers began to slip from my grasp. With a shout, I reached out just in time to catch Hoseok from falling.

"Are you okay?" I asked frantically, keeping my arm wrapped around him. His frame leaned into me.

"Turns out I'm... weaker than I thought."

"Here, you need to sit." I slowly guided him toward the end of the stage, then helped lower him until the two of us sat on the ledge. Looking at his face, I noticed his eyes losing the last bit of orange in them. His cheeks had drained of color. His mask was still somewhere on the floor, but I would get it for him later.

His gaze caught mine, but his focus faded in and out. The power he used had taxed him more than I thought.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

I brushed his cheek with the back of my hand, frowning at how warm he was. Without thinking twice, I moved to get behind him and situated myself so that he sat between my legs. My hands wrapped around his waist and pulled him until his back was resting against my chest. Guiding his head to nestle on the crook of my neck, I whispered into his hair with the hopes of soothing him from all the guilt he bore.

"Just rest."

• • •

A/N: Another down! Lots to unpack.

But first, I just want to thank those of you who continue to comment on my chapters. Your reactions and feedback are treasures to me, so I hope you know how much they mean and you don't feel like they're unimportant. I love them so much, so thank you.

Now, about Jangmi's discovered abilities. Though is was just a short burst, what are your thoughts so far?

Hoseok's explanation for making Jangmi forget—How do you feel about it? It's been eating away at him for years. Do you think Jangmi should be more upset or do you agree with her letting some of that anger go after seeing how sincere he was?

The Hood's appearance? What he mentioned about Hoseok's hypocrisy? Are you started to piece together their connection to each other? ;)

And what about Hoseok's power? Was that a surprise to you at all or were you just excited to finally see a glimpse of what he can do?

I've been working hard to keep up with school while also writing as much as I'm wanting to. I have SO many ideas for future works, just can't seem to get my writing to go fast enough lol. But I hope you all will still be around when I do manage to get to those ideas, because I am truly excited to share them with you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the continued support. I appreciate you a WHOLE bunch!

Your-obsessively-brainstorming-author,

Kat 💜