Antifragile

The island had been quiet when they first arrived, a stark contrast to the chaos of Hanyang. But silence never lasted long. Sakura could feel the weight of it pressing on her chest—the calm before the storm. She knew it was coming. It always did. But for now, there was a fragile peace, a fleeting moment where they could rest, even if only for a day.

The cave was small but concealed well enough from the world outside. It had been their sanctuary for the past few days, a place to heal, to regroup, and to make plans. Sakura sat near the entrance, eyes scanning the horizon where the sea met the sky. The sun was low, casting long shadows over the landscape. A part of her wanted to believe they were safe, that they could stay here indefinitely. But the other part of her—the part that had been in constant flight for months—knew better.

Her heart was heavy as she glanced over at the others. Yena, Kazuha, and Chaewon were huddled together in the center of the cave, speaking in low voices. Eunbi, their ever-calm leader, was organizing their supplies, while Yunjin worked silently beside her. Despite the heavy air of impending doom, there was a quiet sense of camaraderie, a sense of family that Sakura desperately clung to.

Chaewon caught her gaze and smiled, a gentle, reassuring curve of her lips that made Sakura’s chest tighten. She looked over at Chaewon, and for a moment, the world seemed to pause. She didn’t know what it was—whether it was the way Chaewon always managed to stay so composed, or the way she could read Sakura without needing words—but there was something about her presence that made Sakura feel grounded, like she wasn’t completely alone in the world.

The sound of footsteps approaching broke her reverie. It wasn’t the crunch of leaves or the faint scuttling of animals in the brush. This was something heavier—purposeful.

Sakura’s instincts kicked in before her brain could catch up. She turned to Eunbi, who had already risen to her feet, her expression sharp.

“It’s time,” Eunbi said quietly, her voice low but resolute. “We have to move. Now.”

There was no room for argument. Eunbi never said things like that unless she was certain, and when she did, it meant the danger was imminent. The group gathered their things in a hurried, efficient silence, knowing better than to question her judgment. They had trained for moments like this, for quick escapes and silent moves. Even with all their preparations, however, there was no escaping the sick feeling in the pit of Sakura’s stomach.

Outside, the wind had picked up, the rustling of the trees louder now, as though the island itself was warning them. Sakura’s hand rested on the hilt of her blade, fingers cold and stiff. She didn’t want to think about the reality of what was about to unfold. All she could focus on was the group—getting them out of this mess. Protecting them.

They moved swiftly through the forest, staying low and sticking to the shadows. Sakura kept close to Chaewon, their movements synchronized from years of training and shared battles. Each step was calculated, but every passing moment felt like a race against time. The trees blurred around them, and the scent of saltwater in the air grew stronger as they neared the cliffs at the edge of the island.

“I don’t like this,” Yena muttered, her voice strained. “They’re close.”

“Stay alert,” Eunbi ordered. “We don’t know where they’re coming from, but we need to stay ahead of them. Kazuha, Yena, take the left side of the cliffs. Chaewon, Sakura, with me.”

Sakura’s heart pounded in her chest as she nodded, glancing at Chaewon. They hadn’t even made it to the cliffs when the first shout rang out—a harsh, guttural command in a language Sakura didn’t recognize.

It was too late to run.

The Yakuza had already surrounded them.

Sakura cursed under her breath. How had they found them so quickly? She had been so sure they had covered their tracks. But the cold, menacing faces before her told her everything she needed to know. They weren’t alone anymore.

Jurina stood in front of the group, a malicious grin curling on her lips. Her eyes locked onto Sakura’s, and a cold shiver ran down her spine. There was no escaping this.

“I should’ve known you wouldn’t stay hidden for long,” Jurina said, her voice laced with venom. “The hunter becomes the hunted, I suppose.”

Eunbi took a step forward, her stance unwavering. “You won’t get away with this, Jurina.”

Jurina’s eyes narrowed, and she motioned for her men to step closer. “We’ll see about that.”

The tension was thick in the air. Sakura could feel it, like a crackling charge before a storm. Chaewon was already reaching for her blade, her body taut with anticipation. Yena was preparing herself too, though her eyes flickered nervously to Eunchae, who stood at the back of the group, looking like she was about to collapse from exhaustion.

But then, in an instant, everything went wrong.

Eunchae screamed as the Yakuza’s leader, one of Jurina’s lieutenants, lunged forward, his sword slashing through the air with deadly precision. The blade caught Eunchae on the side, tearing through her clothes and flesh.

“Eunchae!” Yena cried, rushing to her side.

Sakura’s blood ran cold.

But there was no time to think, no time to mourn. Yunjin was already in motion, her sword flashing as she moved to intercept the incoming attackers. She fought fiercely, her movements a blur of practiced efficiency. But despite her speed and skill, there were too many of them. Jurina’s men kept coming, and their weapons were sharp—too sharp.

Sakura was aware of the danger, but it was Eunchae’s injury that made her hesitate. She glanced at Chaewon, who was already by her side, her face hard with determination. The battle raged around them, and Sakura’s mind was spinning.

“Protect her!” Chaewon’s voice broke through the chaos, and Sakura’s focus snapped back to the fight.

Sakura moved instinctively, her blade a blur as she blocked a strike from one of Jurina’s men. She was quick—faster than she’d ever been—but even that wasn’t enough. Yunjin was already pushing herself too far, too fast, trying to protect everyone at once.

Sakura saw it in slow motion: one of the Yakuza, hidden behind the others, swung his blade at Yunjin from the side. The strike was brutal, a direct hit to Yunjin’s side, and the shock of it made Sakura’s stomach churn. Yunjin fell to the ground, her body crumpling like a broken doll.

“No!” Sakura screamed.

She rushed forward, but it was too late. Yunjin was already slipping away, blood pooling beneath her. The sight of it made Sakura’s chest tighten, a cold rage coursing through her veins.

But they didn’t have time to grieve.

Eunchae was still bleeding, her breath shallow and labored. Yena had already torn off a piece of her shirt to try and bind the wound, but it wasn’t enough. The sword had cut too deep.

“We need to get her out of here!” Yena shouted, her voice raw with panic.

Eunbi, ever the leader, didn’t hesitate. “Move! We have to go, now!”

But as they began to retreat toward the cliffs, they realized with sickening certainty that they were surrounded on all sides.

Wonyoung stepped forward.

“I’ll hold them off,” she said, her voice steady but tinged with a sadness that cut through the air.

“No,” Chaewon began, her voice cracking with panic as she moved to stop her, but Wonyoung was already walking toward the enemy, her hands raised in a gesture of surrender.

“I’ll buy you time,” she said. “Take them. Go.”

Sakura’s heart shattered, and for a moment, she couldn’t breathe. Wonyoung—Wonyoung was giving herself up.

“I’m sorry,” Wonyoung whispered, her gaze holding them for one final moment. “I have to.”

The group hesitated, but it was clear there was no other choice. Wonyoung’s sacrifice was the only thing that would allow them to escape.

With Wonyoung’s last words echoing in their ears, they ran, leaving behind the wreckage of the battle. But even as they fled, Sakura knew—there was no escaping the storm.