Luhan had finally stopped doubting himself. Perhaps after all, he'd made the right decision to come down to land's end. As always, Namjoo was just Namjoo; the person he knew in and out. She didn't seem to take Chae Yoon and Ki Chan too heavily. He envied her for taking everything on so lightly and in such a calm demeanor. Her heart was too big. 

Crossing his ankles and his arms underneath his head he stared at the ceiling feeling renewed. There was at least one thing he'd learned throughout the whole time there. It was that he'd come for Namjoo, not because Chae Yoon had prodded him to. Namjoo had magnetically dragged him out. Although his feelings still needed placing he felt as if he knew where he was going now. It was somewhere farther away from Chae Yoon and closer to some place comfortable. 

"Black knight," he quietly whispered aloud and smiled helplessly. 

"====="                                                                          

Hugging a chunk of the blanket to her chest Namjoo stared into the looming darkness. Every third beat of her heart would skip whenever she thought of how Luhan had leaned in toward her. She couldn’t displace the image. Had he meant to do it or not? 

Her heart was beating even faster than when Luhan had swept her hair away in his apartment. A severe smile crossed her lips and she hugged the blanket even tighter. Even if her knight in shining armor was no longer beside her she still had her black knight. She was grateful in every way. 

The sun was heavily beaming down on them the next morning when they finally discovered the entrance up the mountain. Ki Chan had dumped the contents out of his backpack and stuffed it with some snacks and water bottles. Although he'd offer to carry everything they might need up there, Luhan had still stubbornly brought with him a bottle of water. 

The dirt road paving their way up was covered in scattered leaves and weeds. The soil looked amazingly smooth, almost so smooth that it was difficult to spot any grain. Around them grew strange plants and mushrooms in the depths of the dark green grass. Many trees stood around them, but as they made their way up Namjoo couldn't feel any shade.

It was a steep climb and as she climbed up she could hear the dirt underneath her feet scattering to its death below. Hearing it sent tingles throughout her body. There was no chatter yet, so Namjoo listened to the rustling wind while peering up at the sky where the blinding sun was guarding the throne to give to his moon. 

Sweat was slowly forming around her forehead and she browsed the hilly surroundings once more. What kind of animals inhabited the mountain? Snakes? Rodents? Owls? Squirrels? 

"It's really hot out. I’m already burning up." Ki Chan commented from up front. 

Chae Yoon was already slowing down behind her. She'd never been really physically active and in school her worst subject had been P.E. There was one reason why she never went hiking with Namjoo ever, she hated the exercise; the rough climb up. Chae Yoon was better in the arts and fashion.     

"Can we stop and rest for a few minutes?" Chae Yoon whined, already panting. "What if I get a heat out here?"

Namjoo could hear Ki Chan laughing. The corners of her lips shot up at the urge of laughing as well. Her eyes landed on silent Luhan and wondered what he was thinking. As the corners of her lips fell she recalled seeing him and Chae Yoon speak to each other more than just a few times. Sometimes Chae Yoon looked angry and upset when she spoke with Luhan and sometimes he looked upset, but would there be a reason to be angry with each other? She thought they didn't know each other. 

"Lets stop here," Chae Yoon said. 

Turning around Namjoo saw her leaning against a tree off to the side. was agape as if totally drained and tired of this hike that had only gone on for five minutes.

"Come on Chae Yoon, just a little bit more," Namjoo urged. "We'll stop shortly for some air." 

Pivoting around to continue after the others Namjoo took a few steps before suddenly slipping forward. She felt her heart ram against her chest in panic as she slid down a few inches. A wave of dusty dirt flew up into her face and she heard quickened steps coming for her. 

"Namjoo!" Two voices shouted in unison.  

When the dust cleared out and she lifted her head she saw both Luhan and Ki Chan extending their hands out to her. She caught the two shooting each other glances and her mind emptied out. Dumbfounded, she stared at both hands. 

Which to take? 
 
Slightly hesitating she raised her hand up and immediately turned when Chae Yoon slapped her hand into the width of Luhan's palm. 

"Thanks," Chae Yoon said stepping up past Namjoo. 

 A sudden flush of disappointment dispersed through Namjoo as her eyes longingly followed Luhan. 

"Lets go," Ki Chan's voice woke her up. 

With no option left she grabbed his hand and felt him pull her up before dusting her knees. 

"You okay?" He asked helping her along. 

"Yea..." Namjoo motionlessly replied with her eyes on Luhan's back. 

"====="

Namjoo should have taken his hand sooner. What had she been thinking about? Exactly why had she hesitated?

He was uncomfortable with how Ki Chan was always with her. Was she so comfortable with his presence? What was it about that guy?

Luhan felt his head start to make a turn to glance back. Even if he was pettily hung over how Namjoo had hesitated to take his hand when she knew she could trust him, he was worried. Were her knees injured? Had she been scared? 

"You're really going to look back?" Chae Yoon asked, which stopped him immediately.

He glanced at Chae Yoon's back as if to see that smug smirk on her face. 

"Ki Chan can take care of her. What are you worried about?" She sounded high and mighty as if looking down on him. "He's a doctor after all." 

Luhan chose not to comment. 

"You saw that, right?" She asked. "If she couldn't choose you over Ki Chan, you might as well give up. Anyway," Chae Yoon slightly turned around to look at him brightly, "you look better with me." 

He peered off to the side and as if repeating a mantra told himself not to let her get to him. 

They never did get to the top. Another twenty minutes later when they air started thickening they rested underneath a shade. Across from him Ki Chan took a short sip out of a bottle before handing it to Namjoo. Luhan was curious about how close they were; close enough for him to be like an older brother? Or was he just close enough to be considered someone who looked out for her? 

The warm water from his bottle flowed down his throat distastefully as he watched them. Ki Chan was now handing Namjoo a snack wrapped in paper. 

"Share?" Chae Yoon asked from beside him. 

Luhan glanced at the water bottle in his hand and turned to her, "I heard Ki Chan brought plenty." Then lifting the bottle up to his lips chugged the rest.
 
"Here Chae Yoon," Ki Chan walked over and handed her an identical snack, "you look beat." 

"Thanks!" she chirped. 

"Want one Luhan? They're delicious." Ki Chan offered.

Luhan stared at the backpack he was magically reaching into, "No thanks." 

Pressing his lips and shrugging Ki Chan turned to walk away after handing Chae Yoon a water bottle. Luhan glued his eyes stubbornly onto the grass. The heat was getting to him and he could feel his empty insides crying. His eyes shifted toward Namjoo when Ki Chan took his seat beside her, reaching over to touch her knee. A baffled snort befell Luhan's lips and continued to watch on as Namjoo awkwardly smiled while shaking her head. 

What did he want with her now?

Once a cloud overpassed the sun they finally decided to head back to the resort. Chae Yoon's complaints had quieted by now, thank God. Remaining as fourth wheeler while the other three quietly talked about some night out they'd once had and witnessed pickpocketing on the street, he leaned his head back to stare up at the empty blue sky. It stretched on for miles, covering the whole world in its vast emptiness, yet it was still something good to look upon. 

The sky was a strange thing, he thought. 

Luhan's mind jumped in alert when Chae Yoon started screaming as something scrambled from the side right through their path, quickly disappearing into the side woods. 

"What the heck was that?!" Chae Yoon screamed clutching her chest, wide eyed. 

"It looked like a squirrel," Ki Chan answered staring off into the direction the furry thing had gone and smiled with a laugh. "Don't worry Chae Yoon, it's something you see everyday." 

"That was not a squirrel!" Chae Yoon denied loudly taking a step forward, her head turned toward Ki Chan to prove him wrong. "It was like an anteater or something." 

Chae Yoon had always been sensitive toward animals; always disliking them. Luhan had always been pushed to kill the creepy crawlers that ever appeared and it had been such a pain for him. Chae Yoon would cower and scream in one corner while directing him toward the bug. When he couldn't kill it or if it went missing she'd throw a fit. 

When he glanced at Namjoo he saw that there was a somewhat empty stare before her cheek bound up and she smiled. He could hear a short laugh escape her lips so as not to embarrass her friend. Luhan smiled at the sight, but quicky turned when Chae Yoon sent out another scream spiraling through the air. Her body thudded against the ground as she mis-stepped to the side.  
                                
Namjoo's eyes went wide in horror as she screamed, "Chae Yoon!"

Chae Yoon's screams quickly faded as she rolled down uncontrollably and at once Ki Chan shot after her. Luhan could hear Namjoo gasping from fear before hurrying down after them with a run. 

"Chae Yoon! Chae Yoon!" She screamed. 

Luhan hurried after her afraid that she'd trip and fall down the exact same way. When he finally grabbed her arm she impatiently turned to him. In her eyes he could see the purest concern swimming about. She had no time for him. 

"Be careful," he said before grabbing her hand to lead her the rest of the way down.

Once on even ground Namjoo flung her hand free and knelt down beside Ki Chan who had already started observing Chae Yoon's injury. Chae Yoon, soft and fragile true to her nature, was crying. There were cuts on her face and Luhan watched Namjoo reached over to brush her hair aside, comforting her.

"It's ok, it's ok," Namjoo repeated and turned to Ki Chan. "What is it? What's wrong?" 

Chae Yoon was sent into raging pain when Ki Chan hopped around her before feeling her ankle. 

"You've twisted your ankle." Ki Chan somberly explained. "We should get you to the hospital." 

"What?!" Chae Yoon gasped in disbelief. 

"You're fine," Ki Chan comforted, "but we should also have you checked up for other injuries. I don't have the proper equipment to do so out here. Come on, lets get you up. Can you help me, Namjoo?"

Immediately nodding, Namjoo helped push Chae Yoon up into Ki Chan's arms. They scurried past him without shooting him so much as a glance. It was as if his existence didn't matter, but he supposed it wasn't the first time he felt this way. When they arrived at the resort Ki Chan started toward the car at once. Opening the back door he helped Chae Yoon in before Namjoo hurried to the passenger's seat.

"Namjoo, you should stay here," Ki Chan suggested. 

"But I..." 

"I'll go and make sure she's fine," he promised. "Stay here and rest. I'll call you ok?"
 
He handed her the keys to the resort before slowly driving off. Namjoo watched the car disappear around the bend, but didn't turn around even when it was out of sight. 

"Namjoo," Luhan called out. "You ok?" 

Slowly turning to look at him she nodded. 

"Lets go in." 

Namjoo immediately started toward her room when they went inside. She didn't come out even after Luhan had taken a shower to cleanse the sweat off. He stared at her door for a while before digging around for a first aid. He finally found some bandages in one of the kitchen drawers and quickly hurried up the stairs. 

Without hesitating, he knocked on Namjoo's door and without waiting for her to answer opened the door. Quickly turning around shocked by his entrance she pulled the rest of the shirt she was just slipping into over her belly. Surprised himself, he tightly clutched onto the tiny box of bandages.

"I...just...knee..." he stuttered. 

Standing stiffly, Namjoo shot her eyes around the room, "Can you wait till I finish changing?" 

"Oh..." he uttered as if only realizing it now, "yea." 

Nervously turning around he quickly walked out and closed the door even more loudly than he intended to. Leaning against the door he gulped and immediately felt himself heat up. Pressing a hand against the back of his neck as if to cool himself he stared around the wide second floor wondering why they haven't taken the time to using it. The thought quickly disappeared as he suddenly wondered if he'd tarnished his own image. 

Would Namjoo think of him as a ert? Someone without manners? 

He hadn't meant to walk in on her...it...it had just happened. How could he explain it?

The sound of the doorknob twisted, but unable to react on time Luhan barely fell backward when Namjoo opened the door. Catching himself on one feet he jumped around and stared at her. She stared up at him surprised and he swore he felt his heart pushing its way out of his chest. Again, he quickly heating up...maybe even sweating again by now.

His eyes, with a life of their own, peered into her bedroom. The image of kissing crying Namjoo in his apartment space filled up his mind along with the thoughts of how he'd liked it. His eyes chased themselves in circles the longer he stared into her eyes.

Gulping, he stepped back peering around. The fresh furniture came into sight and he felt relief flush through him. 

"Maybe you should come out." He said. 

"Huh?" Namjoo raised her brows confused and glanced outside of her room. 

Smiling she nodded and seeing her smile made him smile in return. Closing the door she walked toward the couch and sat down. Luhan first pondered whether to sit with her or not and in the end, sat on the floor in front of her. 

Namjoo glanced down at him surprised and unable to look at her he glanced at the little smear of the little drop of blood oozing out of burn on her knee. Concentrating on opening the package of bandage he could also feel, at the same time, her eyes watching his very eyes. He was nervous and yet, he was not nervous. 

Just...the thought that Namjoo was looking at him made his heart flutter. Carefully peeling the bandage open he placed it over the wound and even took to applying pressure so that it wouldn't come off throughout the night.

Lifting his head up he met with her eyes. He'd been unaware that Namjoo had been watching so closely while leaning forward. Embarrassed she slightly moved back; their eyes still glued together. The silence zipped in on them and Luhan swore the only thing he could hear was his heartbeat pounding on the walls. 

He'd forgotten and he suddenly realized, the two of them were very alone in this whole house. He finally...had her to himself.          

***Luhan...has finally sorted out his feelings. He should have gone after Chae Yoon when she was injured, but he remained with Namjoo because he didn't want her to get hurt. What's so great about this vacation is that they come to discovering the depth of their closeness and how attached they've simply become to each other. All along Luhan's been wanting to spend time with Namjoo and she has also been waiting to for him to talk to her. And now...he finally has it. You guys waited for this right?

***This is already the middle of the story!