Chapter 4

He woke up suddenly, confused, alone. Hakyeon's heart was racing like he'd run a marathon, cold sweat trickling down his brow.
For a few panicked moments he didn’t know where he was. Moonlight bounced off the dark walls from the solitary window near the entrance. Snores and sleepy scuffles came from the rows of occupied beds. No one seemed to stir. Hakyeon held his breath to fight the fear clawing up his throat and let reality seep back in to his mind. The sleeping men in this cabin were labourers. He was on an island, eleven hours’ boat ride from home. He was here to be with Wonshik. Wonshik had brought him here.
Wonshik...

Wonshik...

Hakyeon turned his head to the side, cheek flopping against the hard, grain-filled pillow. He doubted his sudden movements were enough to wake his best friend, since practically nothing was enough to wake Wonshik before he was ready for the day. His eyelids fluttered to focus his vision, a relaxed smile beginning to seep across his lips as he thought of Wonshik. He opened his eyes.

Wonshik.

Now the real panic began to flood in. The smile beginning to take shape on his lips suddenly inverted into a hollow grimace.
Wonshik's bed was empty.

Hakyeon's head began to pound with pressure. He shot upright, feet on the floor in an instant. He took some deep breaths, holding them in for so long his lungs began to fill with a sharp, prickling pain.
The sheets were undisturbed from when Wonshik had left earlier that night. He hadn't slept and gotten up to go somewhere, Hakyeon started to realise, he just hadn't come back to begin with.
He promised he would come back. But Wonshik was gone.

These realisations only took a millisecond before Hakyeon was out of his own bed, running barefoot to the entrance. He stopped by a vaguely familiar form with cropped black hair on a bed near the window and lashed out with a sharp poke.
"Yah, huh? Wha- Hakyeon?" A confused and sleepy Kyungsoo blinked with wide brown eyes, waving a vague hand to swat away any other pokes.
“Wonshik is missing. Get up. We have to find him.” Hakyeon’s eyes were darting to the other beds for more familiar faces.
“Huh? So….he’s probly–,” Kyungsoo yawned and wriggled more comfortably into his sheets, “-gone fishin’ with Ken, or somth’n…lemme…sleep…now…”
“Get up, Kyungsoo. Something could have happened to him and we need to find him. Wonshik doesn’t just-,” Haykeon bit his lip, holding back the words and gave Kyungsoo a sharper prod with his finger. He always comes back to me. No matter what, he always comes back. Roaring ocean storms, ship battered and bruised, fishing in the rocky waterfalls barefoot, and Wonshik always came back. He would never break a promise to Hakyeon, and leave him alone on this world.
“Ok ok ok ok…” The other man was whining, reluctantly dragging himself out of bed and rubbing his palms over his face in an effort to wake up.
Hakyeon found Suho two beds down and at the word “missing”, he was up and ready to go, fumbling through his things for a small lantern and dragging a loose tan shirt over his head.

The three of them left the quarters, Kyungsoo leaning heavily on Suho’s shoulder in a desperate attempt to fall back asleep while trying to walk at the same time. Hakyeon’s eyes flicked up to the moon, gauging that at least 4 hours had passed since he had gone to sleep.
“Where’d he say he’d be?” Suho asked nervously, finding it easier to give Hakyeon the lantern so his hands were free to drag the exhausted Kyungsoo along.
Hakyeon took the lead and the light source, heading towards the dim lights of White Hall across the enclave. The vague shapes of four guards milled about on the pristine steps, and the closer they got the easier it was to hear the murmurs of their conversation.
“Eastern grove. He was doing the offerings.”
“Why didn’t you just go wit’hm?” Kyungsoo muttered.
Hakyeon turned around sharply but not before Suho was shaking his head, murmuring to Kyungsoo “this is not the time for that. Shhhh.”

There was definitely no time for that. Hakyeon was trying to quell that exact thought voiced by Kyungsoo – if only he had gone with Wonshik, that idiot would have come back even if Hakyeon had to drag him all the way. Then they could have laid down safely and slept, and Hakyeon wouldn’t have had those nightmares. Instead here he was: outside in the cool air with two young men he barely knew while his heart was having palpitations at the prospect of finding his best friend injured, drowned, lost, dying, anything!

He marched up to the guards and snapped his fingers at them, making them jump to attention automatically. He chose to address the one who was closest to him, a striking man in a navy shirt who looked no older than twenty and had the thickest eyebrows Hakyeon had ever seen.
“One of your workers is missing. We need to find him immediately.”
“How do you know that? Who are you?”
Hakyeon found himself using the tone he spoke to the errant village children with, shoulders squaring and almond eyes thinning to slivers.
“I am Cha Hakyeon, leader of the Cha clan of the Starlit Island and My. Best. Friend. Is. Missing. Now stop wasting my time and let’s find him.”
“What’s his name?”
Hakyeon’s eyes did not relent from the searing glare he threw at the guard.
“Kim Wonshik.”
“. Why didn’t you say before? Guys, Ravi’s missing.” The tall guard turned to the others and nodded at the small one closest to the main entrance of White Hall.
Without a word, that guard disappeared into the building, while the two others split off and came back with more lamps and machetes. The one in navy shirt – Suho called him Sehun, but Hakyeon thought of him as “grumpy eyebrows” – looked at the dark night beyond the compound.
“He came by a few hours ago, asked for a light for his lamp.” Grumpy Eyebrows was saying to Suho.
“Why didn’t one of you go with him? Aren’t you supposed to be guarding us?” Hakyeon snapped, which made Kyungsoo wake up from his perch on Suho’s shoulder and look around sleepily.
“No. We guard Master Leo. You are…” Grumpy Eyebrows levelled his gaze on Hakyeon, who stuck out his chin proudly, mentally daring the younger man to say something he would regret so he could let him have it. “…responsible for yourselves.”
“I am responsible for Wonshik. What’s taking so long?” Hakyeon looked past Grumpy Eyebrows’ shoulders to the smaller guard returning through the main entrance.
Grumpy Eyebrows ignored Hakyeon and addressed the smaller guard.
“Myungsoo, did you-?”
The smaller guard just nodded and began to jog down the stairs, prompting the rest of them to follow. At the foot of the stairs, Hakyeon checked the stars above and then pointed east.
“He said he would be in the eastern groves.”
"That's a lot of area to cover.." one of the guards muttered.
"That's why there are 7 of us looking for him. Let's go." Hakyeon took the lead and forced himself to keep to a brisk pace. Running might make him cover more ground  but he was more likely to miss something - or rather, someone - important if he rushed.

The small guard, Myungsoo, kept pace with him while the others fanned out behind, each with a lantern, the guards clearing overhung branches with their machetes.
"Why is this so overgrown?!" Hakyeon grumbled, shoving a vine away from his face.
"This is the oldest grove on the island. Many of these trees were here when the Jungs bought this land." Myungsoo calmly stepped through, pausing to survey the area at Hakyeon's left.
The others caught up moments after, Kyungsoo's breath coming out in pants from the uphill slog.
"We spread out. Stay within sight. You two, that way, Suho and Kyungsoo over there. Myungsoo, I want you scouting behind us in case we miss anything. And you-" He pointed at Grumpy Eyebrows, whose frown was easy to make out even under the dense tree cover. "You are to stay centre. I will scout ahead. All understood?"
Hakyeon waited for their assent before turning on his heel and moving on ahead.

The lantern he had was barely enough to see up ahead a few metres. Moths were flying everywhere, slamming themselves against the enclosed flame and Hakyeon found himself worrying even more. Wonshik hated bugs, how was he faring? And the chatter of happy fruit bats was everywhere, making Hakyeon jump at shadows. He swore they were taunting him. Was this what he deserved after refusing to pay tribute to Saewon? Not possible, he rationalised, because Wonshik had gone to do the offerings and he was the one in danger. Not Hakyeon. And what did Saewon care for people from the Starlit isle? He didn't care at all for them, and Wonshik was silly to even bother risking his life for a God not native to their people!
Kicking at a root, Hakyeon cursed under his breath.
"Damnit Shik, where are you?"
That's when it started.

Rustling.
Loud, sudden, and coming from up ahead. Hakyeon froze, eyes trying to make out what it could be. Breath still, ears sharp, he listened. Behind him, footsteps paused. No one spoke, somehow all sensing that what they were hearing was not what they were seeking.
Crackles, like tiny bones crushed under the foot of a huge beast, ran a chill down Hakyeon's spine.
He became aware that the sound was treading ahead of them at an incredible speed, moving deeper into the forest.
Once it faded, everyone drew a deep sigh.
"W-what was that?" Kyungsoo's voice came from the south.
"It doesn't matter now." Hakyeon snapped, his own breath coming more easily now  that the strange sounds had stopped. Nothing good could have come from a confrontation  with whatever was ahead there. "We have to keep moving and find Wonshik."
"Can't we wait until daylight?" One of the guards groaned.
"Remind me of that idea when it is you lost in the middle of the night here, Hoseok." Grumpy Eyebrows replied before Hakyeon could say the same thing.

They moved ahead, more cautiously and quieter than before. Suho would occasionally call out Wonshik's name, and Hakyeon kept listening for any unusual sounds, just in case. The excited clicks and keens of the fruit bats grew louder the deeper they moved into the groves. This must have been why Wonshik chose this place for the offering to Saewon, Haykeon thought. It felt more sacred here somehow, and from Kyungsoo's and Hoseok's conversation, it was clear that none of the workers went this far in any more. The roughly hewn tracks overgrown with vines and branches reflected it too. It musn't be frightening for Wonshik, who had done this trek daily for the past twelve summers as he worked here, but to the others, this was unfamiliar terrain. How did he even find out about this place? Wonshik hated the dark and was frightened of bugs, so Hakyeon couldn't imagine him finding it by himself. And yet Hongbin never mentioned it, so it couldn't have been the brothers together making the discovery.

How Wonshik found it didn't matter, Hakyeon told himself. He didn't like the place, didn't like the noise of thousands of bats, didn't like anything about this island. He cursed Wonshik in his mind for asking him to come along for three whole weeks, and himself for being so weak to the other's oblivious charm that he said yes.
"Wonshik-ah, you are going to be the death of me." Hakyeon murmured.

The moment the last syllable left his lips, it started again. The rustling. Hakyeon felt the blood drain from his face. Grumpy Eyebrows called a halt.
It was further away this time, but still in front of them. Hakyeon lowered his lantern and stared out towards the sound's location. Directly ahead of them atop the hill, a dark crown of massive leaves sat silhouetted against the moonlit sky. It was unmistakably a mango tree, but unlike the others in the grove, this was by far the biggest. Though the branches loped heavily under their own weight, it was regal in it's bearing, swathed in protective layers of veridian leaves. Smaller trees radiated in clumps around the hill like humble attendants.
Without a doubt, Hakyeon knew that Wonshik was there, at the foot of that tree.
"He's over there." Hakyeon pointed out the huge tree. Grumpy Eyebrows came up to stand beside him, and the others gathered together.
"You're sure?" Kyungsoo asked, eyes alert and wide now.
Hakyeon nodded, and gestured for them to move forward in silence.

The noise from the bats flapping and screeching became denser as they approached the tree, so much that Hakyeon couldn't tell where their noise began and the rustling ended. He kept his lantern low and his breathing even. Knowing that Wonshik was ahead hastened his steps. He fought back the images of finding his best friend bloodied and injured, groaning in pain, or worse - making no noises at all.
You don't know if he's dead, or hurt. He could be fine. He prayed to his own Gods that his fears were not to be a reality. Surely Saewon would not be so cruel to Wonshik - surely no God could be to him, he's too gentle...
As they reached the base of the hill and the ancient tree towered over them, a thought came to him.
They might not be cruel to him, but to me...
Hakyeon pressed on.

Thousands of blinking stars watched on silently as the group traversed the steep hill. Hakyeon was aware of the laboured breathing of the others close to him. He had begun to tune out the constant noise to hone in on any anomalies. Possibly the owner of the rustling, which could be anything but Hakyeon was certain was a beast. The beast was definitely heading this way even before they had, and there was a chance that they were searching for the same thi-
Oh gods. Oh gods no!  

He rushed up ahead. Suddenly, a deep, sonorous sound like the cracking of the earth roared through the nights.
" what was that?!" Everyone jumped except for Hakyeon, who found himself laughing so hard that tears gathered at the corner of his eyes.
Sweet relief, and eventually Suho and Kyungsoo caught on and scrambled to catch up to Haykeon's sprint.
"Shikkie! Shikkie you idiot where are you?!" Hakyeon laughed. "Wake up!"
When he reached the top of the hill there was Wonshik, snoring among the roots of the tree, curled up on himself instinctively against the cool breeze. There was no mistaking the roar of Wonshik's monstrous snoring that Hakyeon knew so well, or the plume of red hair bright under a thread of moonlight.

The others took their time to reach where Hakyeon stood, too busy laughing once Suho explained what that roar had been. They bumped into Hakyeon's still form, Suho throwing an arm around his shoulder.
"Hey Haykeon what is it? We've found him, what're we waiting for? Gave us a hell of a scare too, with that snore!"
"It sounded like an earthquake!" Hoseok was giggling. "Or or a volcano erupting! Not human at all!"
"Hakyeon, what's--oh."
The laughing stopped immediately. Hakyeon strode towards the base of the tree to where Wonshik lay. Wonshik was not alone.
"What are you doing here?" Haykeon demanded.

A pair of eyes, dark even though sharing the same moonlight that draped over Wonshik, flashed up at Hakyeon's voice, but quickly turned back to the sleeping man. A pale hand was still resting gently on Wonshik's cheek, which was how Hakyeon had found them. Hakyeon's heart was beating in slow motion, and the dread he felt from earlier pooled at his feet, rooting him to the ground. How was this possible, how could he have made it here before them? How did he even know that Wonshik was here?
Then Hakyeon remembered. The small guard - Myungsoo - running into White Hall and Grumpy Eyebrows waited for him to return. It must have been then, that's why all of the guards could leave their post so easily -
"Master Leo! You found him!"  The four guards all rushed forward, cheering.
Leo rose slowly from his crouched position. In his arms, he held the curled up Wonshik, who slept on oblivious to the chaos around him. The guards offered their arms to help share the burden, but Leo shook his head.
"I have him." His voice was so soft to be almost inaudible, but Wonshik stirred at the sound. The motion attracted Leo's attention, glancing down at the other's face.
"That's fine, we are here now. I will take him back to the compound." Hakyeon forced his words out through clenched teeth, holding his arms out.

It had been a few years since Hakyeon had carried his best friend any distance. His strength was not at the same level as Wonshik's and the distance back to the compound was not going to be an easy task. Anything was better than letting this damn Leo have him, hold him, take him away from Hakyeon.

Leo's eyes flickered up at sky, seeing the silent stars. He held Wonshik closer to his chest, turned west and then without another word descended the hill, leaving everyone else behind.  
 

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A/N: Thanks for reading!