“And the winner gets what?” Woohyun asked the man beside him.

“Free dinner off camp.” The man says, assembling his gun as the two people ahead of them stepped up to the shooting booth.

Woohyun was a perfect shot.

But as he stood there, facing the target, he found himself sweating because as much as he wanted to just let his instincts kick in and get the shot, he also knew that Sunggyu was also a perfect shot. If he got the perfect shot in his battalion and Sunggyu got the perfect shot in his, he’d have to see him.

So Woohyun stepped up and let his two shots hit the sides of the range on the wall, farthest from where anyone else had even hit.

*****

Woohyun didn’t see Sunggyu for the next two weeks in camp. Being in separate battalions, it had never occurred to him just how much he’d gone out of his way to seek out the other man. But now that he wasn’t trying to find him, Woohyun was surprised to note that there was no Sunggyu when he went to the refectory. No Sunggyu on the pitch. No Sunggyu anywhere.

Which was totally fine.

He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he came face to face with the thieving scoundrel he’d somehow let himself fall for. Taking the time to think back to every encounter, Woohyun could not understand why he hadn’t seen it sooner. The injuries, the combat know-how, the missing-in-action routine. Everything had been screaming out at him to be cautious around Sunggyu.

Woohyun felt dirty. He felt icky. This was not what he needed. He’d had a well thought out plan. He was going to finish his service without incident and then, maybe, once they were done with service, he’d get bold. Take Sunggyu out for a few drinks. See where things went. Now, all he could do was hate himself for such low morals.

The bell went off on the base as he sat up in bed. Another day. Another drill. If he could just get through all this for three more months, he’d never have to look Sunggyu in the eye again.

*****

Woohyun had been aware of the award for best shot. He hadn’t, however, known that he’d get punished for being so horrible. So he was summoned to the pitch later that day where he stopped in anger, staring at the dreaded Mighty Mac: the largest tire on the base kept for the worst punishments.

He’d seen guys spend days bent over from pulling that thing. He didn’t think he’d ever get in trouble enough to warrant this horror. But here he was, staring at the atrocity and feeling like he’d been cheated in life.

“I thought it was a four man pull.” Woohyun said, looking at Sergeant Esk.

“You’re not pulling it alone.” Esk said, lying back on his woven patch in the ground as he covered his face with his cap.

“I’m not?” Woohyun asked, feeling relief flood through him.

“Yeah.” Esk said. “Both of you with terrible shots get to suffer.”

“Both of us…?” Woohyun trailed off as he caught sight of Sunggyu strolling towards the pitch, not yet aware that Woohyun was waiting for him.

*****

Woohyun’s hands felt clammy as he pulled his own harness that was connected to Mighty Mac. He wasn’t in the mood to talk but it seemed like Sunggyu wasn’t willing to either.

Until he was.

“I thought you’d win.” Sunggyu said, not looking at Woohyun.

Woohyun refrained from answering.

“With all the gadgets you carry, one would think you were a perfect shot.” Sunggyu laughed. “Or maybe the stuff you carry is so expensive it does the aiming and maiming for you.”

“What do you want?” Woohyun asked, dropping the harness to face Sunggyu angrily.

“I’m just making conversation.” He said, waving his hand. “No need to get testy with me.”

Sighing as he picked up his harness, Woohyun got back to pulling as he and Sunggyu worked in silence for a couple of minutes before Sunggyu decided to break the peace again.

“It’s just,” he said as Woohyun pursed his lips in quiet anger. “Maybe we should explain ourselves to each other.”

“I don’t want to talk to you.”

“I’d have thought we’d have more in common now that we both know so much about each other.”

“I’m nothing like you.”

“I wear a suit and a mask, you wear a suit and a mask.”

“Stop talking to me.”

“Says the guy who dresses up like a bat.”

“Have at it.” Woohyun said, dropping the harness again to face him. “We’re not going to finish this if you don’t get this all off your chest anyway.”

“I’m just trying to talk to you.”

“Why now? You spent two whole weeks away from me. I’d have thought you’d want to continue doing that.”

“That wasn’t my fault. You’re the one who stayed away.”

Woohyun held up his hand, stilling the pounding going on in his chest as Sunggyu waited.

“I know all I have to know about you now. I know why you go out and come back with bruises. I know why you’re so quiet and secretive and I finally know why you’ve always seemed so distant from me. It’s because we’re on opposite sides of the law.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“You’re a thief.”

“And you’re who? Batman?” Sunggyu asked. “You’ve not even tried to hear my side of the story.”

“BECAUSE I ALREADY KNOW ALL I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOU.”

Woohyun regretted his shout as his eyes drifted back to Esk who was still lying on the ground, asleep and far awa