“How’s your feeling?” whispered Solar to Moonbyul with a grimace.

“Sore.” That was the only answer the tight lipped, slightly green girl could muster out as she kept her eyes trained on the uneven road.

Neither of them had expected the ride to be so long and so…exhausting. Solar and Moonbyul had spent the last few days blinking bleary eyes in the gray morning skies as they rocked unceremoniously along to the rhythm of the rickety wheels. When the sun would rise, they could only cower when the rays of unshielded, pure rays of light would creep over the paneling and send them into a drowsy afternoon sleepiness.    

The scenery had been nice and refreshing for the first few days. It wasn’t often they saw trees back at home. Not in this quantity at least.

But when it was tree after tree, dirt path after stone, and the bright lush foliage faded to a greyish sickly color, there was little to do but stare blankly into the knobby flooring of the moving cart and wonder when exactly they were to arrive.

They had left civilization far behind a day or two ago at a little town in the depths of the forest, where they had restocked up on supplies. Neither Wheein nor Hwasa, or anyone in the rest of their caravan in fact, had been particularly surprised at the fully clothed and hidden natives who had shuffled out to greet them in low hums. Their group had not seemed eager to stay in the town longer than necessary, a rest stop that she, someone unused to heavy travel, would have appreciated. However, the townspeople had seemed just as eager to get rid of the visitors, hurriedly loading whatever goods that had been purchased by the caravan leaders into the storage carts.

And so they rolled on gloomily. Four days? Five? Solar wasn’t even sure anymore with the heavy canopy overhead, and no matter how animatedly Wheein and Hwasa remained, lively conversation dwindled to a few muttered words every so often.

She probably wouldn’t even be sane if it weren’t for Moonbyul’s comfort and warmth at her side and their clasped hands squeezing reassurance back into her drooping frame.

It wasn’t until the dense groupings of the trees began to let up that she started to gain her spirit back. She stuck her head outside the canvas, peering towards the front of the line of wagons and verified that the light was indeed turning brighter and brighter. She also heard a bit of shouting coming from the front and the slowing of their group’s pace. She hastily whipped her head back inside and gently shook Moonbyul’s shoulder and thigh, trying to wake the sleeping girl.

The flaps to their wagon was nudged open and a face that had become familiar to them peeked through. “Alright guys. We’re going to be setting up camp for a bit before we embark on the last legs of our trip. The horses will need a good rest and I’m sure the rest of you are also exhausted.” Eric grinned at them before letting the flap fall back into place and leaving them to their own conversations.

“Wheww.” Wheein yawned and stretched her arms out, squirming in her seat. Hwasa patted her head fondly, her own arms creaky and sore from the lack of use in the past couple days. “Guess we must be near the end of the forest if we’re stopping. We got lucky this time, didn’t we Hwasa?”

“Yep.” Relief spread across Hwasa’s face and she readjusted her sword strap, shrugging the weapon into a more comfortable position. “It makes sense though. It’s nearing winter and bandits tend to be more inactive.”

“B-Bandits?” gasped Solar, heart racing.

“They can be quite vicious. But they like to prey on the smaller caravans. Ours is pretty substantial in size and strength and must have looked like more effort than was worth.” Wheein rubbed her hands together for temporary warmth. “Anyways, let’s get out and stretch! I can tell you two are unused to long term travel. Walk around while you can, because the last stretch will be… tough.”

“Ugh.” Solar shivered at the thought and hobbled towards the edge of the cart, sinking into the hardening earthen floor with a mistimed jump and stumbled forwards. Moonbyul quickly stuck her hands out and grabbed her by the waist, tugging her back so instead of falling forward, her body crushed back against Moonbyul’s warm embrace.

“Are you ok?” whispered Moonbyul in a low voice by her ear, breath forming a misty cloud in the morning cold.

Solar shuddered, rosy glow forming on her pale cheeks. “Y-Yes. Thanks.” She reluctantly peeled herself from Moonbyul’s grasp but stayed relatively close to the girl to stay warm. Stay warm. Of course.

“So what’s the plan for right now?” Moonbyul directed the question towards Wheein and Hwasa. The rest of the caravan were unpacking some of the basic essentials. Fires were being started, wagons arranged into a tighter circle, mercenaries being deployed around the perimeter.

“We’ll help them with the meal planning later. For now, I realized something over the last few days that might be a concern for when we continue our trip.” While she spoke, Hwasa took a bundle of swords she had brought with her and lay it on the ground, unwrapping the cloth flat against the earth. She pursed her lips and frowned, staring at the array of blades in front of her. Her gaze flickered back and forth between the two girls and the pile. “How are the two of you at fighting? Experience with swords? Self defense?”

“Eh—“

“Umm—“

Moonbyul and Solar shared a hesitant glance before simultaneously shaking their heads at the question. Wheein perked up in surprise at that while Hwasa only sighed in disbelief. “You two managed to travel all this way without any sword skills? I thought it was weird enough that neither of you were armed and that you hadn’t come with a larger group. How did you avoid all the plunderers?”

Solar looked at Moonbyul while she offered a vague answer. “We…arrived in a more unconventional manner. And I suppose we were lucky. Very lucky.”

“Luck won’t be enough in the Market though,” informed Hwasa bluntly as she selected two blades from her pile. She rocked back up on her feet, swords in hand, and she handed one each to Solar and Moonbyul. “It’s good we asked beforehand then. Let’s get you two acquainted with the basics of defense.”

As she nervously took the weapon offered to her, Solar asked, “W-Will we get into situations where we’ll need to know how to fight?” She wasn’t a fighter. The most action she’d seen in her two and a half decades of life had been a mild scuffle or two during flights. She could see how it would be different in this situation and the potential necessity, but she wasn’t bursting with eagerness at having to wave around a sharp stick of death and have one waved in her face.

“It’s a likely chance. There’s always people who like to prey on the weak. And in the market, the more helpless you look, the higher the possibility that they’ll try something. We’ll be splitting off when we get there to find information faster, so it’d be better if everyone’s able to fend for themselves in a fight.” Hwasa raised the tip of her sword, and motioned for Moonbyul to raise hers.

Wheein hopped over to the pile and picked up one herself. She strode forward to face Solar with a smile.

“Woah there, wait one second.” Solar gulped as she looked at the glimmering steel of the heavy weapon in her hand, at the flashing light reflected off the sharp edges. “Shouldn’t we practice with, you know, something a little less sharp first? Like wooden swords? Don’t people do that? Beginners? People who don’t want to die?” She finished the sentence flustered at the calm demeanor on the two girls’ faces. “Moonbyul. Back me up,” she pleaded.

“Solar has a point…” Moonbyul hefted the sword in her hand, trying to adjust herself to the unexpected weight. “The two of us have absolutely no experience.”

“I didn’t bring any practice weapons. And we’re unfortunately running low on time. Swords at the ready, you two.” A playful smile brushed across Hwasa’s face. “It’s often said that directly experiencing it is the fastest way to learn swordplay. It’s the feeling of urgency, you know, when you’ve got blades whirling all around you. But you don’t have to worry too much. Wheein and I are skilled enough to know what we’re doing.”

“But—wahhhhhhhhh!!!!!” screeched Solar as she ducked from the sudden swing by the short girl in front of her. The blade whistled as it flew over her head, cutting through the air with a deadly sharpness.

“Not bad. Not bad at all, those reflexes,” mused Wheein approvingly as she circled the crouched girl. “It seems we have something to work off of here.”

“Wheein, how could you so suddenly—“ A lunging blade cut off Moonbyul’s words as she tried to reprimand the girl. By reflex, she swung her weapon up in an arc in an attempt to divert the approaching blade’s path and her arm trembled at the strength of the impact.

“Now now, Moonbyul.” Hwasa grinned as she stalked forward towards Moonbyul, who now had her sword in front of eyes set with suspicion and concentration. “You should pay more attention to the problem in front of you. Ready?”

“Like hell no!”

The clanging of metal followed suit.

----------------------

Moonbyul slurped the last dregs of her soup with a pout, staring across the fire at the spotless, seemingly untouched, cheerful pair of girls who had dragged them into a hellish training session.

The same could not be said for her and Solar, who sported scratches of all sizes over their bare skin and patches of bruising skin. Leaves and twigs were tangled with their clothes and hair, results of falling on a sore rump one time too many.

“Looks like you two had a pretty rough day huh.” Eric chuckled. He had been kind enough to lend them healing ointments for their small wounds and had, in all, been ever the gentlemen to them for the whole trip. He made great, easy conversation too.

The only thing that slightly irritated Moonbyul was how obvious it was that it was all for Solar. He didn’t even try to hide his affection for the girl, popping in at random times throughout the ride to say hello and check up on them. The mercenary was kind, too kind, and too likable. Moonbyul grumbled to herself.

Tonight during dinner, he had even situated himself in the seat right next to Solar. Not even the seat to her other side. No, he chose the seat right between her and Solar. And even if he was the only one of the caravan to join them during meals, his comrades passing by would occasionally whoop and whistle in their direction, while his blushing self would gesture them away. As if anyone there didn’t know what was going on.

Moonbyul held her tongue and her complaints inside. Much as she wanted to tell Solar to be more careful of strangers, she didn’t really have a valid reason to tell off Eric after all he had done for them. The bright girl would be, or at least should be smart enough to differentiate friend from foe. They were in this together and sorely needed to work on their trust.

She would just mind her own business but keep an eye out. She blankly nodded along to the conversation.

“They’re quick learners,” said Hwasa with a grin. “No one would be able to tell that they’ve only practiced for a day.”

“Didn’t you beat us up a little too harshly?” whined Solar, shoulders slumping downwards in exhaustion. “What if we’re not in top shape when we get there?”

Moonbyul’s nose twitched as she saw Eric move a hand to pat Solar’s back in consolation. He said, “It won’t be too bad. We’ll be riding through the mountain valleys once we exit the forest. Another day’s ride, and we’ll be at the Market.”

“Why’d we stop here then? If it was only a day’s ride left, wouldn’t it have been more efficient to push on and rest when we actually arrive?” questioned Moonbyul.

“Ahh. It’s your first time going, isn’t it?” Eric turned towards her, eyes understanding. “Is it the first time for all four of you?”

“Hwasa and I have been there before.” Wheein patted the hilt of her sheathed sword. “We know enough to be careful.”

“That’s good that Solar and Moonbyul will have someone experienced to help.” He smiled towards the two. “Anyways, we’re resting not only the horses, but also the hired guards. This last part tends to be in a lot more treacherous territory and there’s little cover we can take advantage of through the valley. Bandits like to gather here and ambush travelers. Therefore, it’s ideal to rush through as quickly as possible with everyone on high alert.”

“I’m betting that we’ll be fine, though.” Hwasa looked rather relaxed as she said the words, leaning next to Wheein who was holding back a yawn. “We’re too big in number.”

Eric nodded, but his eyes remained alert. “It never hurts to be too careful though. If anything does happen, you should stay inside.” He glanced at Solar as he spoke. “Especially those of you without much fighting experience.”

“I’m just waiting for us to finally arrive. All this traveling is really getting to me.” Solar blew a few strands of hair off her face with her sigh, hand rubbing an aching spot on her back. “Even though I’m a flight att—ah.“ She jerked a hand up to cover and her mistake. “I mean, even though I travel a lot, this trip’s been really taxing.”

“No, no, I get it. Part of it is the atmosphere. Everywhere we travel through is gloomy and dark. You get stuck in forest for ages, and there’s typically no one else on the road except the people you’re traveling with,” explained Eric. “There aren’t really any villages near the Market. Most people who deal with business there stay there for work.”

“What about that small place we stopped at in the middle of the forest?” Solar’s eyes widened in curiosity as Eric seemed reluctant to answer.

Wheein spoke up instead. “That’s just a common rest stop most of us traveling to the Market use. They have a neutrality pact with the nearby bandits. Without their existence, the trip would be nearly impossible.”

“But who are they?” probed Solar.

“They’re very secretive and they keep it that way. We don’t ask questions, they deal with everyone fairly, and everyone’s satisfied.” Eric’s words cut in to end the conversation on the topic. From the distance, someone called his name and he got to his feet, eyes peering through the darkness. “It seems I’m needed.” He brushed off the dust from his pants and bowed slightly to the girls. “Do rest well tonight! Arriving at the Market is only the start, remember. And if you need anything, feel free to ask someone to call me.” As he left, his eyes briefly lingered on Solar’s face, much to Moonbyul’s chagrin.

“He’s right. We should be well rested for when we get there. But before that, let’s discuss what we’ll do once we arrive and split off from the caravan.” Hwasa leaned forward and picked up a branch from the ground. She one end against the ground and began scrape out a few lines and shapes. “The Market is a huge place. The only way to do anything efficiently is to split up and search. Wheein and I have talked, and we’re thinking that we should do it like this. Me and Solar in one group, Wheein and Moonbyul in the other.”

“Why not just have Solar and me in one group?” Moonbyul scooted forward, head tilted as she asked. It wasn’t as if she didn’t trust the two, but her heart would be more at ease if she were with Solar. She looked to her side at Solar for confirmation, who nodded energetically as she slid sideways over the trunk to fill in the space Eric had left. “Wouldn’t you two work better together and Solar and I work better together?”

“If that was all, it would be fine,” answered Wheein. She took the stick from Hwasa and drew four stick figures in the dirt. “But we have to keep in mind our skill sets and balance the…eh, survival capability, I suppose would be a way to say it nicely.”

“What Wheein means is that if we split up the way you mentioned, it wouldn’t be too surprising if not all of us manage to meet up afterwards. Ow!” Hwasa flinched at the sharp jab in the side of her ribs. She growled at Wheein, rubbing the spot. “Someone’s got to be blunt.”

“There’s no need to scare them this badly though!”

“Well, we’d need a damn good logical excuse to split up the couple.” Hwasa arched an eyebrow when both Solar and Moonbyul began to sputter incoherently. “What? Did I say something wrong?”

Wheein smirked and also turned her inquiring gaze towards the two girls. “More like you said something right?”

Thankfully, the firelight was dim enough to keep hidden the rush of heat on their cheeks. Moonbyul kept her eyes trained on the ground and away from the two younger pairs of probing eyes, tracing the random squiggles drawn by the stick. Solar became suddenly fascinated by the crackling and flickering of the flames against dry wood. Neither of the two could look at each other, yet neither of them made a move away from each other.

That little inch of space between them felt like another blistering fire.

“Or…” chuckled Hwasa deviously, “maybe it’s not the two of them. You know that guy that’s been hanging around lately?” Wheein nodded vigorously. “That little mercenary’s been so sweet lately, especially to Solar. Maybe, it’s Eric—“

“No!” Solar’s sudden cry of denial shocked all four of them, causing Wheein’s eyes to widen comically, causing Hwasa to swallow the rest of her words, and causing Moonbyul to twitch in her seat and tear her eyes from the ground towards her. She herself clapped both her hands over , coughing out a nervous laugh to try and smooth things over. “I-I mean, there’s nothing going on with Eric. Absolutely nothing. Nada. Zilch.”

“He’s going to be heartbroken.” Wheein teased. “He seemed nice enough. And honest. You don’t get that often around here.”

Hwasa mischievously added, “Oh, and I noticed that you didn’t quite refute my first statement though.”

“I-I—“ Solar looked around widely, trying to pick out an excuse in the rapidly fading daylight. She peeked towards Moonbyul, but immediately broke eye contact when meeting the intensity of the stare the other girl was sending her. She muttered, “I…it’s not…this situation…complicated…bother…”

Moonbyul watched the shorter girl struggle finding the right words while she fought to keep down this wild, silly little grin that kept threatening to split open her cheeks. Solar really was a bumbling mess when flustered, almost as adorable as when she’d been questioning the girl about the theft back in their world.

Adorable.

Moonbyul blinked rapidly, almost in sync with the sudden racing of her heart, eyes all the time fixated on the tossing head beside her. Really, she ought to be correcting Wheein and Hwasa. She really ought to say no, she and Solar weren’t together, even though it’d be pretty cute—

No no, that wasn’t it. Moonbyul jiggled her knee up and down, trying to regain control over her thoughts. If the Wheein and Hwasa from back home knew of this…crazy accusation leveled at them by their current counterparts, well, she’d never hear the end of it. Much like right now, where the two appeared to be hungry vultures waiting to swoop on vulnerable prey. Prey with the name of Kim Yongsun, unable to find a decent lie to save her life.

It was perfectly natural, Moonbyul convinced herself. She was only ecstatic that Solar had so adamantly insisted on not having anything with Eric, simply because she was worried about the older girl’s safety. They were in a different place, different time, and things were unsafe. It was best to keep each other close, whether in physical proximity, heart, or mind. Away from anything that could potentially detract them from their mission. Things like, Eric. Or anyone else. Like Eric. Not jealousy at all. Just clean, reasonable logic.

Really, now, Eric’s forced attempt at skinship earlier had been far too unnecessary. Like, what even. Solar was a grown woman. If she needed something, well, she could say it and Moonbyul would be right there for her. Civil, mature, interactions.

Right. Right…

AGHHHHH. Moonbyul internally groaned, wanting to claw at her eyes to scratch out the image of Eric leaned over, rubbing Solar’s back. Or that gentle application of ointment on the broken skin of Solar’s wound. Or that smooth smile on his face as he personally handed dinner to her---

Moonbyul in a sharp breath of annoyance, eyes turning bloodshot red. Wow. Now that she was thinking about it logically, Eric had really pulled out all the stops in wooing Solar, short of telling her straight forward.

Or had he?

Moonbyul found her eyes boring holes into Solar, trying to magically pluck out fragments of the truth.

It wasn’t until she felt all three pairs of eyes on her that she snapped out of her trance. “W-What?” she stammered.

“Solar threw you under the bus. So, explain.” Hwasa propped her chin up with a hand, waiting expectantly.

In disbelief, Moonbyul looked around the circle speechlessly until she felt the tug of her shirt sleeve and looked down to see Solar’s hand delicately pulling for her attention. Her eyes slid up, meeting a desperate pair near tears of frustration. Ever so often, the brown orbs would flicker embarrassedly to the side, unable to hold her gaze.

Well…

She couldn’t help but chuckle to herself despite the moment. Hadn’t Solar been the one at the start to insist that she believe in Solar? As of now, it sure looked as if Solar was the one begging for backup. Sure, it wasn’t exactly a life-threatening moment, or an emotionally distraught one. Maybe it was a little bit of the latter.  

But Solar’s trust in her was endearing. It wasn’t like Solar hadn’t done anything for her. The trip had the life out of Moonbyul, but each time she’d been on the verge of giving up, the older girl had breathed just a little bit of hope back into the dreary wagon air with her bumbling, contagious excitement.

She owed her something. What was Solar trying to ask of her now?

The gears cranked busily in her mind as she delved through her thoughts. It was essential to balance out all the details they had yet to discover while stacking the odds in their favor. Their survival and return home depended on it.

Solar hadn’t quite been forthright with whatever was the situation between them, leaving things awfully vague to whoever they had talked to. Moonbyul took Solar’s silence as consent and trust in whatever she would finally decide.

And say, if it happened to be that the best way of keeping them safe was leading everyone to believe they were together, then so be it. It wasn’t a particularly terrible compromise. In fact, Moonbyul felt quite satisfied, even giddy, saying, “Yeah.”

She twirled her wrist, taking hold of Solar’s hand that was limply clinging onto her sleeve. She interlaced her fingers and felt the warmth of Solar’s hand spread through hers. She watched Solar stare blankly at their clasped hands. From across the firepit, she heard a few excited gasps from the younger girls as well as a muttered, ‘told you so’.

Moonbyul bent her head to catch Solar’s jumpy gaze, fingers clasping to squeeze out that last bit of space between them. “Guess we’re something.”

----------------------------

Solar just couldn’t keep her legs still. One moment they were scuffing incessantly against the flooring, the next, reduced to miniscule tremors when Moonbyul would turn her way. It wasn’t like she was ignoring the girl. She just found it a little more…difficult to meet eye to eye.

Truth be told, she had been startled. A happy startled, but startled nonetheless when Moonbyul had so brazenly spoken to Wheein and Hwasa yesterday night. Moonbyul had…Moonbyul had….

Solar squealed silently to herself, but her twisting and turning caught the attention of the others in the wagon. She muttered a quick apology, thankful her bowed head hid the childish grin stretching across her face as Moonbyul gently patted her thigh in comfort.  

She knew she shouldn’t put too much weight in Moonbyul’s words. Moonbyul was the one with the plan and would have a reason for her actions. Solar herself was to blame, even, for pushing the situation that far. She snorted. It wouldn’t have been an issue if Wheein and Hwasa hadn’t been so curious and eager to pair her up with someone. Namely Eric.

He was a nice guy. Chill, cool, thoughtful. A bro, yeah. Just a…

Ok. She really needed to stop deluding herself. Solar wasn’t that dumb to not realize the intention behind his flirtatious behavior. She had, after all, engaged in other romantic affairs—all failed attempts, unfortunately—but she knew the signs. Poor guy, though, that Eric. Solar hoped she wouldn’t have to meet him again and spend a half hour trying to force those flustered words out that she wasn’t the least bit interested in him and that he would never be her type, and that now, she already ‘had’ someone.  

But back to that conversation. Solar wasn’t one to nitpick over little details, but the stakes were just a bit higher this time. She wanted to be hopeful. After all, if Moonbyul didn’t like her, wouldn’t she have immediately shot down Hwasa’s suggestion? Or could it be that the young detective was just extremely calculative in her decisions?

Does Moonbyul like her? Does she not?

Her hands itched for something to keep her busy, mind plucking imaginary petals off an imaginary flower. Leave it up to fate. Thinking was never her strong suit anyways.

She was still in the process of stripping said mental flower when their carts rumbled to a stop. She looked up from her empty hands, noticing for the first time that the sunlight that had glistened off wind-worn rock was absent. The only light was the unsteady, now familiar glow from living flame.

Moonbyul jumped off first and then turned around with a smile, hand reaching to help Solar down. Solar nodded, foot stepping off the edge and landed with a thud onto rock, finding balance in Moonbyul’s arms. She clutched onto her arm for support, following Wheein and Hwasa who were gesturing for them to follow.

When her gaze followed the direction of their pointed arms, she couldn’t help but gasp. Moonbyul too let out a whistle of surprise, eyes raking over the distance.

They were on a little stone ledge overlooking a vast space. Behind them, at a distance, were several spots of light, among which must be the entrance they had come from. They were in a cave, air slightly damp and musty, slightly cold from the drafts flowing from the entrances.

But below them, below the ledge was a massive dwelling, bustling with unexpected life.

Lamps lined the narrow, winding streets, yellow light warming the rowdy atmosphere. Little specks of people dotted the place, voices rising up to echo off the walls as they bartered over sales, argued over unfair deals, and quarreled over cracking friendships.

Nearest to them were obviously the markets. Solar could make out little stalls, owners trying their best to entice business from recent travelers. Others were simply sprawled out on the side of the street, wares laid out on a patterned piece of cloth.

The liveliness of the city dwindled in the distance. The area to the right was lit with a redder flame and Solar could only see the faint outlines of several of the signboards. It must be the entertainment district, she thought to herself.

To the left was a medium-sized coliseum—at least that was what she thought it was—near which were several long yet simple looking buildings. A few roars would sound from the direction from time to time despite its great distance. Black specks covered the seats of the coliseum, which was completely packed from what she could see.

Finally, the furthest end of the Market was surprisingly subdued in liveliness compared to the rest. Just rows and rows of decrepit buildings. The quality of the houses increased as they neared a grand looking residence at the center. Near this building was a tall, pitch black tower in which a single bell hung, shined to perfection.

The Market was a city in itself, character and identity as unpredictable as the people currently inhabiting it.

“T-This is the Market?” Moonbyul wondered out loud, voicing both their surprise.

“Not what you expected, right?” Wheein matched their gaze, staring into the mass of life below them. “It surprises all the first timers. People expect some shady establishment in the middle of nowhere. We’re still in the middle of nowhere, but the Market is awe inspiring, especially for people who’ve never been to one of the big cities.”

Hwasa continued in a warning tone, “It can be a deadly trap. People see the Market and forget what it is. Good way to get yourself a one-way ticket to nowhere good. It’s still a lawless area where you have to watch your back. It’s too easy to slip up here and do something you’ll regret. What happens in the Market stays in the Market.” With a faraway look and a grunt, Hwasa shouldered her pack, not before handing a sword each to Moonbyul and Solar. “Well, anyways, we’re here. Time for us to split up and start searching.”

Wheein pointed towards the bell tower. “We’ll meet up at that center tower when it rings nine. Sound good?” At their nods, she leapt to her feet, head jerking for Moonbyul to follow her down.

Moonbyul turned towards Solar. “Be safe, alright? Listen to Hwasa. She’ll know what she’s doing. Watch out for---“

Solar’s finger pushed against Moonbyul’s lips, silencing the incoming flow of nagging. She chuckled at Moonbyul’s baffled, indignant stare. “Alright. I’ll be careful. You better not be a hypocrite, though.”

As Moonbyul pulled away, laughing breezily, Solar threw her hesitations aside and in an act of courage, lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Moonbyul’s back tightly. She rested her head against Moonbyul’s shoulder, waiting for their haphazard breathing to steady.

“W-What—“

“I better see you later,” muttered Solar into the thick cloth, trying to not sound congested and weak. “You better not leave me here all alone.”

It was as if reality had suddenly caught up to her and slammed her face down into the ground. They were stuck, and for better or for worse, their only hope for salvation lay in the midst of a chaotic city. She was about to be separated with the one and only person who understood her predicament, and it was a legitimate question if they would both even survive to meet each other later.

She wondered. Did Moonbyul just manage to pull out confidence from nowhere? Was she just putting on an act to cope with the situation when in reality she was just as frantic as Solar was? Or maybe, it was just that Moonbyul had more hope in their mission since there’s nothing else to look forward to.

Solar should also try believing more in this crazy quest she contributed to starting.

However, all her trust seemed to gravitate to Moonbyul. It only took one word to instantly find strength in her legs again, to bravely walk to Hwasa, who was waiting by a carved path.

One word, and she was whirled back into doubting herself, trying to determine what’s real and what’s not. These feelings…

For now, Moonbyul’s certainty soothed her.

“Promise.” 

*Sorry for the long delay! I hope you enjoy the chapter, nonetheless. If you have a preference to which duo's trip you'd like to follow first in the next chapter, do let me know. 

I hope you all enjoy the holidays!