He liked the cold rushing water that circled around his calves smoothly, the small sharp rocks prickling his skin as they rushed by to follow the natural stream; a few fish brushing against the back of his feet before he stepped sideways a little and allowed them to pass. Junsu stared down at the crystal blue water of the river, his fingers grazing the top of the water as it went along its way. He was smiling of course, the flow; the water, rocks and fish! All of it the first time he had ever properly seen anything like it; not a single book could have ever given him the experience that he was receiving now… It was absolutely beautiful in his eyes, and it took a lot of strength to turn away when he heard someone calling his name, his fingers going into the water when he raised his head and looked towards the shore. Suzy stood with her hands fisted on her hips, one side, jutted out casually as she smiled in his direction.

‘How’s that water feeling against your skin?’

She asked, knowing all the well that Junsu’s skin had felt like it was on fire. His low grade fever a on and off thing that usually made him a little more miserable than he wanted to be, but at least no one was confining him to constantly lay in a bed or a sac. Suzy was the one who had suggested him getting in the water, the cold feeling hopefully dulling down his fever enough so that he would start to get completely better, and he was, just at a pace no one really liked. Junsu smiled in her direction before standing up all the way.

‘It feels nice. I like it.’

He responded, with a rather bland attitude, his hand being pulled out as it started to go numb from the icy water; it would definitely probably be best for him to get out soon anyways, his feet beginning to hurt a little from moving around on the rocks a lot. Junsu waddled his way towards the edge of the river, reaching a hand out to Suzy who was already stretching out to help him out. She was a lot stronger than she looked, especially according to Chansung who apparently had to be carried by the women. Speaking of Chansung, Junsu shifted himself just a little so that he could see over Suzy’s shoulder. Chansung lay sprawled out on the earthy floor; face up with his eyes closed under a shady tree not too far from where he and Suzy were.

The three of them had gone off by themselves for a little while, Suzy of course wanting to take Junsu to the river since where camp had been set up they had to walk a little ways into the woods to reach a part of the river, and of course no one wanting either of them going together alone, though Suzy was the type to hold up her own even though she was a medic. Taecyeon was actually supposed to go with them, but Chansung of course had insisted he go along instead so that Taecyeon could help with setting up around the small camp site they had stopped at not long ago, his argument that Chansung couldn’t lift or do much activity at the moment but lye around. The knight wasn’t happy of course, and Junsu was more than surprised when he didn’t pitch a fit about it, but instead, sighed with heaviness and quickly turned the other way and began helping; leaving them three to head off towards the river. It was a little strange how well behaved Taecyeon seemed nowadays, not that the prince was complaining, but he might ask about it later when the two of them maybe could speak alone…

‘Is Chansung alright?’

Junsu asked now, Suzy looking over her own shoulder towards the thief who hadn’t budged; her shoulder shrugging up and down.

‘He may be in pain again, I told him to just lie there and rest so he also might just be asleep…’

She responded, Junsu of course frowning before stepping around her, Suzy turning just enough so that her body was sideways, her hands falling to her sides.

‘I’m going to get in the river for a few minutes, are you guys going to be okay by yourselves?’

She asked, her thumb pointing in the direction of the water; Junsu stopping, looking in her direction again and giving her a nod; of course they would be okay. Suzy smiled slightly before moving to get in the water, obviously thankful she had shorts on she wouldn’t have to worry about pants. Junsu turned back to go towards Chansung who still lied perfectly still on the ground. Quickly slipping on his shoes, Junsu made his way over to the unmoving thief.

‘Chansung, are you alright?’

Junsu asked approaching the thief carefully, squatting down at his side. Chansung still hadn’t budged when Junsu had asked his question, the prince a little concerned as he placed a hand against his shoulder, leaning over the man’s body. Chansung didn’t have the normal peaceful sleeping look that Junsu was use to, you could tell something was wrong, but ever since he had gotten hurt back with the ship wreck, well this was how he looked when his eyes were closed and he was dreaming. Pain and misery, Suzy had put it when he had first asked about the look back at the village. Chansung would never admit it, but everyone already knew it, that he, next to JR who had been left behind, sustained the worst injuries among them from the ship crash, even Taecyeon, whose face was in pretty bad condition with burned skin admitted his was better than what Chansung was probably feeling, at least his wasn’t painful anymore.

Junsu sighed quietly, lifting a hand to brush away the strands of hair that stuck to Chansung’s sweaty skin, his closed eyes only twitching a little before settling back down. It was a little difficult at times to watch Chansung go through something like this; Junsu hated that he could only watch instead of share the pain with the thief, and it was times like these, that he didn’t feel like a prince… He couldn’t help, he couldn’t take away anything bad like he wanted to, and he could only sit idly by watching as people protected him and got hurt because of him.

‘I’m not a very good Prince Chansung… How can one day be King when all I do is side on the side lines and let other people get hurt or die trying to protect me?’

Junsu asked, running his fingers along Chansung’s cheek; the man’s eyes fluttering for a moment, but they didn’t open like Junsu was expecting them too.

‘You’re right; you’ll be a horrible King with that attitude.’

Chansung spoke, Junsu’s mouth falling open a little; Chansung’s eyes fluttered all the way open as he stared up and Junsu, an eye brow raised. Junsu hadn’t thought Chansung was awake to hear that, his cheeks flushing a dark red as he sat back on the ground; Chansung sitting up, his knees being brought up with him, arms resting atop them. He stared at Junsu with half lidded eyes, Chansung had been asleep, and he had just woken up at the perfect timing.

Junsu sat back with pink cheeks on the ground, Chansung’s comment not actually being expected, he hadn’t expected an answer at all actually, and to receive one that was true, well it just made him feel all the more worse about being King one day. He did have a horrible attitude towards it, Chansung was right… He was practically a helpless child! Chansung rubbed the sweat from his face before he allowed his eyes to meet with Junsu’s face, the Prince’s own eyes staring at the ground, his skin a darkish red color; Chansung couldn’t help but chuckle as he got onto his knees quickly, crawling closer to the man who only looked up when he was already in his face.

‘An attitude can be fixed June. Trust me I know, but that’s not the point. You’ll be a great King~ I’ll help make you one with the rest of this journey.’

Chansung implied, Junsu blinking a few times as he breathed softly, when was the last time his heart beat this fast… his lower lip, he noticed Chansung getting a little closer, Junsu having to lean his body back some just so their faces weren’t touching.

‘Chansung, um how are you feeling?’

Junsu asked now, lifting a hand to touch Chansung’s forehead, the cool sticky surface not indicating that he was feeling sick or anything. Chansung shrugged his shoulders of course, like normal, but he didn’t back down,

‘A little pain, but nothing I can’t handle.’

He replied, Junsu frowning, bringing his hand down to Chansung’s shoulders; even a little pain wasn’t good, and he was horrible at telling whether someone was lying or not, but Chansung didn’t look to be in a lot of pain, he was just super sweaty from lying in the heat. Chansung had stopped moving now, and he seemed to be watching Junsu who had began tracing the outlines of his arm with one hand, the ticklish feeling sending shivers through Chansung. Junsu lifted his head a little to look Chansung in the eyes now, the frown never leaving his face.

‘I wish I wasn’t so helpless. You’re injured and I’m sick and we still have such a long way ahead of us; I’m starting to wonder why we got ourselves into this. I mean my mother has probably sent out every person in the kingdom to come hunt me down and kill you. What if one of them finds us again, we might not be able to escape like we did from that Nichkhun guy.’

Junsu stated; his hand now gripping Chansung’s upper arm, his eyes staying with Chansung’s as the man sighed and looked away for a moment. Chansung shook his head, lifting his own hand to run fingers through Junsu’s hair, coming down to cup Junsu’s cheek.

‘Well, we never know what fate has in store for us, it could kill us, or it could keep us moving along, just barely getting by like it already has us doing.’

Chansung shrugged, Junsu’s lip twitching, but he nodded in agreement, it was true, fate was either on their side or against them, and so far it seemed like it was more on their side. Chansung shifted a little pulling back from Junsu so that he could sit on the ground beside him, the prince’s hand falling to his lap as he looked down at it.

‘I have a question for you June.’

Chansung spoke, Junsu looking in his direction; Chansung stared off towards the river,

‘Do you miss Daegu?’

Chansung asked; he didn’t look over at this question, so Junsu looked away, towards the same direction he was looking, nothing but the forest lye ahead of them.

‘I do,’

Junsu admitted, tilting his head slightly, leaning sideways till it came in contact with Chansung’s shoulder. Chansung adjusted himself so that he could be comfortable.

‘Did you ever wish that you didn’t come on this journey?’

Chansung rested his own head atop Junsu’s, Junsu shaking his head back and forth.

‘No, I’ve always been happy I started this journey. I’ve seen and learned so much that books back and the castle could never give me. Even through these rough times, I still want to head forward and get to Busan.’

Junsu admitted; smiling slightly, feeling Chansung relax a little, it must have been eating at him for a while now.

‘Last question, did you ever want to turn around and just go home?’

Chansung went silent then, it was even hard to hear his breathing, Junsu only laughed at this,

‘Once, when we first started; when I was standing there, watching the castle when we first started, I almost did turn around and run home.’

Junsu sighed slightly, that day was harder for him than he thought it would be, leaving home wasn’t the best idea he had ever come with, but at the same time it was the best, he thought he would only make it to the Daegu cities and wander around till he was caught, but here he was, farther away from home then he could ever imagine. Junsu bit his lower lip,

‘Chansung do you ever miss your home?’

Junsu asked; where was Chansung’s home exactly? Now that he thought about it, he never bothered to. Chansung furrowed his eye brows; he’d never been asked that kind of question before,

‘I… Don’t really have a home to miss.’

He replied, his face becoming rather emotionless when Junsu looked in his direction,

‘I never really knew my real home, I’ve always been in Daegu with One Day, and that had never felt like home to me, so…’

Chansung trailed off, his face scrunching up, Junsu quickly hollowed his cheeks, maybe that was a bad question to ask, but just when he was about to say something else, Suzy’s voice echoed off from the shore of the river. Both of their heads turning to see Suzy waving a hand,

‘You guys ready to go?’

She shouted, Chansung nodding his head before quickly standing, helping Junsu up off the ground as well.

--

‘Hey Taecyeon are you in here?’

Wooyoung asked, lifting the flap from their shared tent up before stepping in, it was very dimly lit inside the thick green woven tent, but Wooyoung could point out the giant mass laying beneath one of the sacs for sleeping. Wooyoung smiled a little as he shuffled his way over to it, his foot poking at it, watching as it jumped and moved so fast before Taecyeon had emerged from underneath, his messy hair and tired look indicating that the man had been sleeping.

‘Well, I found you.’

Wooyoung spoke, patting the man with his hand before sitting down beside him, Taecyeon glaring in his direction before grunting,

‘What do you want?’

He asked, his voice groggy with sleep, Wooyoung placed his hands between his legs,

‘To make sure you were okay. Hadn’t seen you since you finished helping Min set these things up. Min’s gone fishing for a little bit so I’ve become bored.’

He spoke, huffing lazily as he moved closer to Taecyeon,

‘Hey, move over and let me lye with you,’

Wooyoung spoke, Taecyeon’s eyes going wide now, the sac being pulled close to his body, Wooyoung frowned,

‘Go lay in your own sac!’

Taecyeon protested, Wooyoung whining a little, poking at Taecyeon’s sides,

‘But I’m cold! I want some warmth!’

He protested back, inching closer to Taecyeon who hissed, Wooyoung inched closer, tugging at the blankets,

‘Come on pleaaase!’

Wooyoung continued to whine, managing to pull the sac open more so that he could quickly scramble in, his face all smiles as he cuddled next to the giant who had literally pressed himself to the other side so that an inch or so was between the two; even his arms were pressed tightly against himself. Wooyoung’s smile hadn’t faltered,

‘So now that we are situated, why don’t you tell me what’s wrong?’

Wooyoung spoke, his voice not having that light airy, whining feeling it had a moment ago, but now it seemed genuinely concerned. Taecyeon his side, facing Wooyoung who was doing the same thing, his smile now a thin line on his face, eyes serious. Taecyeon puckered his lips.

‘Nothing’s wrong.’

He answered, staring at Wooyoung, who you could tell didn’t believe him, his arms crossing, eye brow cocking.

‘I call bull , you’re lying. The great Daegu knight just doesn’t come lay down while his prince is away with a medic and a hurt thief.’

Wooyoung retorted, watching Taecyeon’s face turn a little sour. He probably hit the nail right on the head, Taecyeon was probably just freaking out on the inside about Junsu’s safety without him. Wooyoung closed the inch between them as Taecyeon closed his eyes.

‘Chansung may be hurt, but even when he’s hurt he still has a lot of fight, and Suzy, well that girl can pick you up if she had to, she’s almost in human!’

Wooyoung reassured, uncrossing his arms to pat at Taecyeon’s chest; his hand was stopped though, resting over Taecyeon’s heart where the other man had held it there.

‘Why are you and Chansung a thief?’

He asked, catching Wooyoung off guard a little, but he shook it off and looked at his hand held by Taecyeon’s.

‘Well, I had a rough child hood, I had lost my family when I was young, and I had nothing else better to do.’

He shrugged, Taecyeon frowning; it pained him to hear such words being said so loosely, had Wooyoung even cared about his family, or was he too young to even have remembered them maybe.

‘My family was very poor, so a lot of the times we were very sick. When my mother was on her death bed, a member of One Day, he had found me that very same day. He took me back to where he lived with the other members and from them on, I’ve stayed there with approval from their leader who seemed had taken a strong liking to me.’

He spoke, his teeth gnawing at his lower lip before he looked up to Taecyeon with a sheepish smile,

‘I was brought all the way from Busan; I met Chansung a few days after that for a brief moment, so I don’t know why Chansung became a thief, I had only talked to him a few times when he returned from his mission from Seoul. This journey is the first time we’ve actually gotten along so well!’

Wooyoung laughed, pulling his hand away from Taecyeon before moving to sit up, he was going to go check on Min seeing as things seemed to be getting a little weird for him, but he was quickly pulled back down by Taecyeon, his arms draping over Wooyoung’s hips, pulling him closer.

‘Hey, I thought you didn’t want me lying with you…’

Wooyoung spoke, narrowing his eyes, he wasn’t the type to blush thankfully, but if he was Taecyeon’s stare probably would have given his cheeks a darker closer than the paleness they were.

‘I changed my mind.’

He mumbled, Wooyoung scoffing, rolling his eyes before settling next to him, staring at his chest before taking his chances to glance up at Taecyeon. He was staring at him, and Wooyoung suddenly became uncomfortable, his body shifting awkwardly.

‘Yah, Wooyoung.’

Taecyeon spoke lowly now, Wooyoung stopping his movements before tilting his head and eyes up in his direction. He really shouldn’t have, Taecyeon’s actions the last thing he had expected; their lips connecting very softly, Wooyoung’s eyes going wide instantly, but relaxing when a warm feeling fell over him, Taecyeon’s fingers dancing across his hips, tickling the skin underneath as he brought them closer, allowing Wooyoung’s legs to tangle together with his.

Both of them pulled away gasping for air, half lidded eyes staring directly at each others, neither of them really surprised at what they had just did. Taecyeon only slid his hands beneath the others shirt, hot tipped fingers tracing Wooyoung’s skin, lifting his shirt slightly before both of them came back together for another kiss.

--

‘Aiish! I hate going fishing…’

Min mumbled to herself, stepping over a few branches and rocks as she made her way down the path that she remembered sending Suzy down for the river. Though the group had a fair ration of food for a good while, she thought it would be much better to collect food for the night when it was so close, rather than waste their supplies and then need it later when food was scarce. Sighing to herself, Min kept a firm grip on the little sack and stick she held; the sack was filled with the necessary things she was going to need for getting those nasty little creatures from the water and into the other sack just for them.

‘Min,’

The female quickly looked up upon her name being called, the little trio that they had sent off earlier waving in her direction. They must have been coming back from the river that wasn’t much farther; she smiled and waved the stick above her head,

‘I was just thinking about you guys! How’s the river water?’

She asked, thankfully coming closer to the three, stopping once they all approached,

‘It’s really cold, but good.’

Suzy replied, Min hanging her head a little, she wasn’t going to be happy about stepping into the cold water, but I guess if she wanted to eat tonight she would have to. Because it seemed everyone else was too preoccupied with other things to even think of something like this.

‘Are you planning to fish?’

Suzy asked now, tilting her head just enough so that she could get a gaze at the objects in hand, Min nodded holding them out to show off, Suzy reached out and offered to take them.

‘Want some help? You shouldn’t have to do this by yourself.’

She implied while turning to Chansung and Junsu who weren’t really talking much, they both looked rather tired at the moment. Suzy gestured with her head for them to go around,

‘You guys go on ahead, I’m going to go back to the river and help out Min. Get some sleep both of you.’

She instructed, shooing the two along, both of them not really thinking much about it but nodded and carefully went around, leaving Min and Suzy standing alone. Min opened wide,

‘Wow, how you handle men amazes me.’

She laughed, Suzy doing the same with her hands rising and shoulders shrugging,

‘I’ve dealt with a bunch of men all my life; dealing with four more is nothing.’

She replied, Min nodding her head as they started up walking again, back towards the river Suzy had just come from.

‘How are Chansung and Junsu doing?’

Min asked now, Suzy crossing her arms over her chest as they walked,

‘Junsu’s illness is slowly getting better, with Chansung around him it’s helping some, but I can tell he get’s stressed when he notices how bad of a condition Chansung is actually in.’

Suzy sighed, flicking the hair from her ponytail over her shoulder, Min puckering her lips, Chansung was a good positive towards them all, but ever since he’d gotten injured he hasn’t been like himself,

‘It’s painful watching Chansung sometimes, cause he’s trying so hard for all of us, but I just wish he would lay back and let everyone else protect Junsu for a little while. But the guy gets so dedicated about his job!’

Min shook her head back and forth, letting the stick rest against her shoulder; she glanced over to Suzy who was now looking at her feet as she walked.

‘He sounds like my parents, when they gain a task; they dedicated themselves to it and finish it to the end…’

Suzy mumbled, looking a bit sad for the moment, but quickly picked herself up, looking to Min with a smile,

‘But let’s not get on depressing topics,’

Suzy implied, Min agreeing,

‘So that special powers of yours; how does it work?’

Min asked, easily changing the topic, Suzy seemed relieved and thankful Min wasn’t the type to pry,

‘I don’t find it very special, and it’s not something I can explain well,’

She replied, holding her hand out for a moment,

‘But I can give you an insight of whether someone you haven’t seen in a while, I can tell you whether they are dead or not.’

She continued, Min’s eyes going wide, she stopped for a moment staring at Suzy for a long moment, maybe she was hesitating, but she reached her own hand out,

‘W-What if you know he’s alive, you just haven’t seen him in a while; can you tell me if he’s in good health?’

Min asked, Suzy thinking for a moment, but she nodded her head instantly,

‘A little hard, not something I do often, but I can tell you if he’s ill or in good health.’

She agreed, Min smiling a little, allowing Suzy to take her hand. Everything fell silent, Suzy only stared at Min’s hand, she was concentrating really hard, she exhaled heavily for a moment, but she looked up after a long moment, Min frowning, but Suzy smiling.

‘He’s in very fit condition. And did you know he was very close?’

She spoke, Min’s frown disappearing, close? But how, Daegu was miles from here, that’s where she could have sworn he was. Min shook her head back and forth,

‘C-Close, but Daegu is nowhere near here!’
Min protested, Suzy shaking her head,

‘Not in Daegu, but maybe in Seoul, heading that way…’

Suzy replied, studying Min’s shocked face,

‘Who’s this mysterious man you care so much about?’

Suzy asked, a smirk forming on her lips, Min blushed, snatching her hand away, moving to step around the girl,

‘He’s like a brother to me… A- And his name is Junho.’

She mumbled, storming off in the direction of the river, Suzy clapping excitedly, turning around to follow the girl as well.

--

AN: -Sigh- My internet's going to be down for a week. :/ So I'm sitting outside freezing my booty off updating with the wireless from the college close by. xDDD Oh well~ Hope you guys enjoy~