“Let’s talk.” Dongwoo shut the door to Myungsoo’s room behind himself and leaned back against the desk.

“About what?” Myungsoo, lying on the bed, rolled over onto his side to face him.

“What’s your… fascination with Sungyeol?”

He made an uncomfortable expression and turned to face the wall. “What’s it to you?”

“It’s extremely strange, is all. You sensed a boy in the ditch and you dragged me out there to see him, and now we’re housing him and nursing him back to health? It’s not like you, Myungsoo. You’ve always tried to keep as far away from humans as possible.”

“Dongwoo.” He rolled over again to face the ceiling. “Can you remember when we first came here? The very first week. When we built the house and the barn, but not the greenhouse yet.”

Dongwoo frowned. “Yes, I can recall. Are you trying to change the subject on me?”

“No! No, this is fully related. Can you recall the day we were out in the woods, cutting down trees, and we found that boy?”

He thought about it for a moment, lighting up as it came back to him. “I do! The boy who had fallen unconscious with a fever. We never did find out why he ended up out here... but you can’t be saying—”

“But I am! I’m sure of it. And I think that there must be a reason he’s come back.”

Sungyeol opened his eyes to white sunlight glowing through the curtain. He peeked outside, sighing at the light grey clouds that stretched across the sky. He rose to his feet and washed up. Surprisingly, his leg had already gotten much better in the two weeks he’d been at the cabin. He could put a bit of weight on it now, and he found himself using the crutches less with each passing day.

Since his first letters back home, he'd been in continued contact with his friends and family. His parents had written him a long, long letter about being more careful and how glad they were to hear from him and reminding him to burden his hosts as little as possible. Sungjong had written an even longer letter about how stupid Sungyeol was to worry everyone so much and whining about how difficult it was to keep Sungyeol's injury a secret from his parents. Sungyeol knew it was all out of concern for him, and he wrote back promising Sungjong anything his heart desired for Christmas as a token of gratitude for his silence. After sealing up his responses in enveloped, a sudden wave of hunger washed over him, and he limped out to the kitchen.

Myungsoo smiled up from his notebook. “Good morning, Sungyeol.”

“Morning! Up early, as usual, I see. Have you eaten?”

“Yes. There’s some soup on the stove for you.” He got up and switched on the burner.

“Wonderful, thank you. What are your plans for the day?” Sungyeol sat down and propped his chin up in his hand, cheery and inviting conversation from the other.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. Looking after the deer and the flowers, running more tests on them.”

Sungyeol quirked an eyebrow. “On the deer?” He asked teasingly. “Just what kind of farm are you running?”

Myungsoo dished a bowl of soup for Sungyeol and sat back down at the table beside him. He smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“And become complicit in your crimes? I’ll have you know I’m a law-abiding citizen.”

“How noble of you. In all seriousness, though, would you like to come out and keep me company while I feed the deer today?” He stared at Sungyeol, quiet hopefulness shining in his eyes.

Sungyeol smiled broadly. “I’d love to.”

He ate and dressed quickly and met Myungsoo at the door.

“After you,” Myungsoo gestured.

Sungyeol nodded and swung open the door, only to come face-to-face with a man he’d never seen before. “Oh. Uhm, hello.” He said dumbly.

The man stared directly into his eyes, and a mischievous smile grew on his lips. “Why, hello. I don’t think we’ve ever met before. My name is Nam Woohyun.” He offered a gloved hand and Sungyeol shook it.

“Lee Sungyeol.”

“Lee Sungyeol.” Woohyun repeated. “It’s lovely to make your acquaintance.” He looked at Myungsoo. “He’s absolutely adorable! I never knew you were the type to keep pets!”

Sungyeol frowned. “What?”

Myungsoo stepped forward quickly, separating them. “I wasn’t expecting any guests.” His tone was unfriendly.

“Ah, that’s no way to greet an old friend! Little Myungsoo, you just never change!” Woohyun reached up to pat the man’s cheek, only to have his hand swatted away. He remained unfazed by the hostility. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

He scowled. “No, I’m not. We were just on our way out.”

Woohyun pouted. “But I’ve come all this way, out into the woods, no company to travel with and nowhere else to go! I've no backup plan because I knew my dear old friend would love to have me stay over for a few short nights to catch up. It's been ages since we've last seen each other!”

“You really should invite him in,” Sungyeol chimed softly.

“Myungsoo, listen to your friend. He seems like a smart young man.” Woohyun clasped his hands, gazing up pitifully at him.

He grit his teeth. “Fine. Come in.”

“I knew you’d come around! Thank you, thank you, graciously.” He sauntered in past them and spun around to face them. “Now why don’t we all sit down and chat over some tea? Or perhaps coffee? Personally, I have no preference.”

Myungsoo grabbed Sungyeol’s arm and pulled him outside. “We’ve got something to do. Stay out of my room.” He slammed the door behind them.

Myungsoo was quiet the entire walk to the barn. Once they got there, he brought out a stool for Sungyeol and immediately busied himself with filling the food and water troughs, making multiple trips in and out of the barn and climbing over the fence with bucket after bucket of feed. He paid no mind to the deer crossing his path on their way to the food.

There were many more females than males, distinguishable by their antlers. Sungyeol guessed it was for breeding purposes, as well as to prevent aggression between males. All of them seemed peaceful and healthy, unbothered by Myungsoo. There wasn’t even much of a stench in the air, credited to the cold weather.

After he finished all the feeding and watering, Myungsoo brought out another stool and sat down next to Sungyeol, gazing out at the deer.

“Sungyeol. I’d like to talk to you about the man who arrived today.”

“About Woohyun? I was planning to ask you. Who exactly is he?”

“He’s an old acquaintance of mine. We were friends at one time, but Woohyun… he’s not of sound mind.”

Sungyeol stared at him questioningly, waiting for him to continue.

So he did. “I’m not sure when it started, but since I can remember, Woohyun’s always taken a liking to things in my possession. No matter what they were. A pair of gloves, or a pen, or anything other trivial little material belonging of mine. He’d always do anything he could to get his hands on it.”

“What about the flowers?” Sungyeol interjected.

Myungsoo laughed bitterly. “Everything except the flowers. Ironic, considering how valuable they are to me. But I’m thankful he’s never spared them a single glance.” He cleared his throat and spun his gaze onto Sungyeol. “However, let’s get back to the point. I’d like you to stay away from Woohyun.”

Sungyeol felt a flurry of emotions run through him all at once. Confusion, annoyance, worry, but most of all, anger. It surged up through his body so rapidly that he felt the sudden need to stand up.

“What exactly are you getting at here?” He seethed.

Myungsoo’s face changed from stoic to fretful. “Sungyeol, please, calm down--”

“Are you suggesting that I’m just some pet to you?! That’s the word Woohyun used earlier, isn’t it?!”

Myungsoo shook his head rapidly, waving his hands in denial. “That’s not it at all! Sungyeol, I’d never-- I wouldn’t look at you like that!”

He held up a hand to silence the other. When he spoke, his voice was cold and clipped. “I think you need time to sort out your own thoughts. I’m a person, Myungsoo, and I can make my own decisions.” Without sparing another moment, he turned and limped back off toward the house, leaving no room for a response.

Myungsoo sat there motionless, lost, the sudden distance between them much more than just the expanse of field.