Chapter 16: Mission Is A Go!

Cillian

He stood just beside his front door, back pressed against the stained beige wall. He huffed and raised his forearm to look at the black watch cuffed around his wrist. 8:32. He rolled his eyes in annoyance. Cilian debated on going back inside and calling it a night. It wasn't a bad idea considering he'd get to skip out on the shit show of a party. Icing on the cake would be avoiding that psycho, Hyun. Just the thought of him annoyed Cilian. But, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, reminding himself of the reason for all this. This time, he'd crush Yuri and take his throne. This time, he'd save his mother's life.

The sudden sound of a lock turning caught Cilian's attention. His eyes shot open and darted towards the noise. A door cracked open, and Ivy squeezed through the slit-like space. Once out, she turned and slowly shut the door, careful to avoid a single squeak.

"Phew," Ivy pushed her key into the hole and locked the door. She then turned to Cilian and pressed a finger against her lips, gestured towards the stairwell behind her and headed towards it. Cilian snorted before following suit. When they walked through the metal doors that closed behind them, Ivy finally let out a heavy breath. "Sorry I'm late, Yuri only just went to sleep." She frowned. Cilian shrugged, his eyes trailing over her. He raised a brow at her black, long sleeved crop top and matching mini skirt. "Aren't you gonna be cold? It's fall. And nighttime."

"Oh don't worry, I never get cold." She flashed a confident smile, throwing her brown hair over her shoulder. "Besides," she passed by Cilian and started down the stairs. "I can always borrow one of your layers."

He scoffed, shoving his hands into his black leather bomber jacket. Just underneath was a thick grey hoodie. "Don't bet on it."

Cilian followed after her down the stairs, ignoring the homeless man on the second floor, tucked into the corner. Ivy seemed to do the same. When they reached outside the complex, Cilian stepped beside the girl and walked up the street towards the bus stop. There was a faint, chilly breeze in the air. Cilian found it refreshing and sharply inhaled. Faint rays of moonlight poked through the darkened sky, while the path was illuminated by buzzing streetlights. The mumblings and laughter of those still out filled the air, coming from the pitch black alleyways they passed by. Cilian's head remained on a swivel. He knew that those with the worst intentions enjoyed prowling at night.

"Okay," Ivy's voice cut through his focus, forcing it on her. "Don't scowl too much at the party. Remember, you need people to like you."

Cilian frowned, his eyes slightly narrowing. "Yeah, that. Don't do that."

"Tch," He sighed while running a hand through his hair, "Who exactly am I supposed to make like me, huh? You still haven't told me about the other guys."

Ivy broke their eye contact and looked forward. "...I'll tell you when I see them."

"Wait a minute-" Cilian stopped in his tracks, clenching his jaw. "Please tell me you know their names."

A moment passed that felt like an hour.

"Once I see them, I'll remember it!"

"Are you kidding me? How will you know if we're five years in the past! They could look totally different!"

Ivy darted off ahead, leaving Cilian to catch up.

"Don't worry, I never forget a face."

"Yeah, I find that hard to believe."

Ivy's head whipped around, her gaze harsh and her cheeks tinted a soft pink. If Cilian wasn't so irritated, he'd let out a chuckle.

"Just trust me." She huffed, her lips forming a slight pout. Cilian grunted, holding his tongue for now. The idea of blindly putting his faith in another was stupid. What he wanted was reliance, for Ivy to prove her dependability. She couldn't do that, this partnership was nothing more than a sinking ship.