Sungmin awoke at sunrise. The sky was a deep red, not bright enough to cast light on anything, but light enough to be seen clearly. He looked around cautiously. The camp was quiet, smoke from the put-out fire was lingering about. No one seemed awake. But if no one was awake, who was watching the camp?

"We're not dumb enough to leave the camp unguarded y'know."

The Energy element jumped and turned, looking around frantically. He couldn't see anyone silhouetted against the colours of the sky, so they had to be near him. He grabbed his nunchakus and held them defensively.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! I was just answering a question!"

That voice came from his left and it took him a moment, but he vaguely recognised it as Donghae. He sighed in relief and put his weapons down. Had he asked aloud?

"It's okay, you just scared me," Sungmin looked towards the Metal element. "I'm sorry; I'm a bit slow on recognising voices in the morning. Um, is anyone else awake?"

"Yeah, Leeteuk's awake," Donghae sidled closer. "I saw him walking about before, experimenting with melon seeds, a water bottle and some dirt. He said he didn't want to be disturbed..."

The sky had now brightened to a pinkish-orange, and Sungmin could now see the tired face of the Metal element next to him. He looked exhausted, albeit having slept quite decently in the night (well, decently from what he knew). Donghae rushed off, soon coming back with a water bottle and wedge of something in his grasp.

"Here," Donghae handed him the items. The wedge was wet in some places and smelt sweet. Seeing his confused face, Donghae added. "Oh, it's a piece of watermelon, Zhou Mi and Jongwoon brought them back last night."

"Oh, really?" Sungmin asked biting into the fruit. "That's rather... Strange, although nice."

"Yeah, I think so too," Donghae laughed sheepishly moulding a small hunk of metal in his hands. "... Hey... Would you like to go on a walk? I'm a little bored of being cooped up here... You don't have to say yes! I can go by myself but..."

"You're scared if being by yourself?"

"Exactly."

"Sure," Sungmin agreed standing up, grabbing the bottle and discarding his melon skin. "Let's go."

They decided to walk the perimeter of the camp, so they could still keep a lookout. Donghae didn't seem like a bad kind of person, nothing like how Eunhyuk had violently described to him last night. He was nice and bubbly and optimistic, his eyes sparkled with a child-like shine. Sungmin felt sad his innocence had to be ruined.

"Why does Eunhyuk hate you?" Sungmin questioned cautiously. "Do you know?"

Donghae looked at him for a moment, his face and spirit clearly dampening.

"Mm, no," Donghae sighed exasperatedly. "As for why he hates me, I don't really know. And to be honest, I can't really be bothered finding out either. He's hated me since I met him and I highly doubt that's going to change. He doesn't really like anyone. Well, maybe you. And Zhou Mi. You guys are his cognates. He doesn't mind Ryeowook either. He grew up with Leeteuk too."

"I see," Sungmin nodded looking forwards. "Do you hate him too?"

"No," Donghae smiled happily. "I don't. But I fight with him because I think he's being stupid. He's stubborn, he's really stubborn. Always sticks to his guns, Hyuk does, haha."

Sungmin noticed that Donghae's voice was becoming more and more quiet. And the tone sadder. Even though he was smiling, Donghae wasn't happy with his current situation or relationship with the Electricity element. That made Sungmin sad, but he thought about it. He also detested Kyuhyun, so basically he was in Eunhyuk's shoes. If he always fought with him, then chances of them becoming friends were highly improbable. But Donghae wants to become friends with Eunhyuk. Does Kyuhyun want to with him? 

But there was something hidden behind Donghae's voice, it was not sadness he was expressing, he was yearning.

But for what?

"... You sound sad..." He settled with as an answer.

"Do I?" Donghae sounded shocked and looked embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn't want to sound sad..."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want people's pity."

He didn't want pity. That basically translated into: "I want to wallow a pool of my own sadness" in Sungmin's mind. 

"It's not because I want to," Donghae explained seeing Sungmin's confused look. "It's just because... Jongwoon and I were talking a bit before I went to sleep... For the second time... He said that feelings were a weakness, they didn't matter on the battle field and it's better to hide them than wear your heart on your sleeve. I've always wondered why, because they help tell you how someone is. And Eunhyuk is apparent with his feelings all the time. So why would they be a weakness?"

Sungmin nodded, he already knew this. However, he did find it interesting. Even if he hadn't known Eunhyuk for long, it was easy to tell he was one to express his emotions freely.

"He told me because soldiers are heartless. They were born, bred to kill. To be cruel, destructive and evil, they have no feelings," Donghae recalled from a couple of hours ago. "And that's why they're such a powerful force. That's how they killed all those people without caring. Because they locked their feelings up and threw them away. If we showed our emotions on the battlefield, they could tell exactly what to do, who to kill, who to leave barely alive so you can witness them die. They would know exactly what to do to destroy you."

"In a metaphorical way of course sir."

Sungmin and Donghae both yelled in shocked, holding on to each other comically. They looked towards the source of the voice to find Jongwoon floating about a metre above them. Except he wasn't, he was balanced on a thin stick which had been dug into the ground. He stood on one foot, the other tucked up by his side; hands pressed together, the tips of his fingers brushing his lips. It was a wonder how he was staying still.

"... Is that Eunhyuk's bō?" Donghae asked incredulously at his foothold.

"Hm? Oh, this? Yes, I'm pretty sure it is actually, I hope he doesn't mind. He won't find out anyway," Jongwoon shrugged nonchalantly. "It works well. On another point, what are you doing here? Sir, I thought I told you to sleep."

"You did," Donghae looked away sheepishly. "I couldn't."

"I would help you, but my ways of helping someone sleep usually include giving a person nightmares until they're exhausted," Jongwoon jumped off the stick. "I don't think you would appreciate that, sir."

"You can give people nightmares?" Sungmin frowned as Jongwoon collected his swords.

"Yes sir, Darkness is a form of everyone's fears. Of course I can give nightmares. I am them sir."

"Why do you call everyone 'sir'?" Sungmin raised an eyebrow quizzically. 

"Why do you call people 'hyung', sir?" 

"Don't bother," Donghae sighed. "I asked him this before, he just said-"

"Because it's a term of respect to an older person? And it's easy, and nice?" Sungmin said slowly, ignoring Donghae, but then added thoughtfully. "But 'sir' isn't nice... Well, not really, it's more authoritative, so why...?"

"I work for you," Jongwoon hummed as an explanation. "Not with you."

"And so far, I don't know what it means, because it doesn't make sense," Donghae shook his head walking towards camp. "I'm gonna check on the others, okay?"

Sungmin looked at Jongwoon curiously, observing him. He was a man of mystery as for what when on inside his head. But looks could tell things about a person.

In the light of the rising sun, Jongwoon's features were sharp and defined; onyx eyes were narrow and slanted, observing him with the gaze of a hawk. Pitch black hair swept across his forehead, giving him a dark type of look. He was tall and skinny; it looked like you could snap his wrists like twigs. His hands were small but his fingers were long and bony, the skin of his palm slightly rougher due to using his swords so many times (he presumed). 

His eyes, however, were what really drew him in. The deep orbs were filled of knowing and wisdom. They looked empty, something about him... It made Sungmin shiver... Jongwoon wasn't normal, there was something about him that was different, something the rest of them wasn't or didn't have. 

"Is something wrong sir?" 

"No..." Sungmin blinked up at him. "But I can see why you were wondering..."

"No, you have something to ask sir," Jongwoon stated bluntly pulling Eunhyuk's bō from the dirt. "Your voice is trailing off, always indicates a cut-off."

"... You're different from the rest of us, aren't you?" Sungmin queried, giving in to the taller. "I don't know what it is, but there's just something different about you? Isn't there?”

"Is there?" Jongwoon asked in a knowing tone as he walked away, catching up to Donghae. "I'll let you make your own conclusions, sir."

Sungmin hated riddles. And Jongwoon was the epitome of one.

---

Hey guys! Sorry I missed an update for Christmas!

On, that note, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that you and your families got many presents!

(My little sis was hogging the computer… She was playing Sims 3)

But I have one here for you guys and there’s plenty more to come, depending how much time I can get on the computer… I’ll try my hardest to keep my updates regular.

I’ll do a double update this time, special treat for you all!

Love you all!~

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