Luhan in a breath. He looked around wildly at his surroundings but it was hard for him to see anything in the thick darkness. He felt a slight twinge in his stomach, panic, and started to run once again. He had to hide or he was going to end up dead.

Luhan ran down the dark corridor until he reached the end. Then making a quick decision he turned to his right and shoved open an old wooden door. Once inside the room Luhan felt hope refill him. It was a room full of lockers. He could easily hide in one and his pursuers would never think to look in all the lockers.

Luhan ran to a random locker on the other side of the room but not directly across from the door. He didn’t want to be obvious just in case they decided to check a few.

He ripped open the aluminum door and shoved his body inside. He couldn’t see what was in there with him but he knew he was standing on something, shoes maybe? Luhan didn’t really care all that much. The hooks behind him were digging painfully into his back but he ignored that also. He had bigger things to worry about right then.

He calmed his breathing and his heartbeat. Then he listened.

For what felt like years passed before Luhan finally heard them. Whoever they were. Luhan didn’t even know why they decided to chase him. He was just trying to find a safe place to spend the night after someone had threatened him and made him leave the last place he was at. He had barely walked out the door before people began to chase him yelling strange things.

Luhan knew the country was at war but why, why, did people have to make things worse? Why couldn’t everyone just get together and take on the real enemy? Why kill each other off? It didn't make any sense to Luhan no matter how hard he thought about it. People were animals, carnivores.

“I’m going to cut you to pieces boy,” A rough voice said breaking the silence.

Luhan couldn’t be sure but the voice sounded like it was right outside the wooden door. His body tensed up and his breathing slowed even more. Fear coursed through his veins.

The wooden door creaked as it was pushed open. Luhan could hear footsteps enter the room then stop. “Are you in here baby?”

Luhan cringed against the use of the word ‘baby’. It was so creepy it made his skin crawl.

“Chanyeol!” Someone yelled from farther away, maybe outside the room down the corridor. “There’s a backdoor and it’s open. I think he got away.”

Footsteps retreated from the room. “,” The creepy guy, Chanyeol, swore. “Let’s get out of here and find someone else then. He’s probably long gone.”

Luhan didn’t move even after he was sure they were both gone. He didn’t move until his body was so stiff and sore that he felt like his limbs needed to be oiled in order to ever work right again.

He peeked out of the locker before he fully stepped out into the locker room. Upon seeing no one there he sighed and sat down on the ground leaning his head back against the locker he had just hidden in.

“Luhan!”

Luhan’s head jerked up at what he swore was Sehun’s voice. It couldn’t be though. Sehun was light years away by now and still moving away. Luhan knew Yixing was there and he wouldn’t let Sehun go on a suicide mission. Yixing was smart enough to know that Sehun couldn’t find Luhan and he wouldn’t let him even try something so brainless.

Luhan waited before getting to his feet and moving out of the locker room. He wasn’t sure where to go now but he didn’t want to linger here in case someone came looking for him.

-

Luhan found an empty, hopefully, apartment building a few hours later. The journey had taken Luhan a long time. He had to hide on more than one occasion from danger and was constantly looking over his shoulder expecting to see someone creeping up on him.

But he made it somewhere safe unscathed. He entered the building quietly. He decided the second floor was a good option, it wasn’t as obvious as the top or bottom floor, those two floors were always searched first. He tested a few doors on the second floor before one of them opened. Luhan didn’t have a weapon so instead of rushing in at the danger he snuck inside. He quietly, as quiet as a mouse, checked all the rooms.

It was clear.

The first order of business was to barricade the door. Luhan couldn’t just lock the door and hope that would keep people away from him, that would be just stupid. So Luhan set to work pushing the heaviest things in the apartment against the door.

Luhan finished up with the front door and then headed to the small kitchen. The apartment itself was still in good condition. It didn’t even look like anyone other than Luhan had entered since the owners vacated. Luhan was hoping there was some food still in the kitchen though anything in the fridge would be way past the expiration date by now.

Luhan walked through the now empty living room and entered the small kitchen. There were plates of half eaten food sitting on a small table made for two. He figured that war must have broken out as they were eating. Luhan wrinkled his nose against the slight smell of rot as he advanced further inside.

Luhan began to fling open cupboards and grabbed what he needed. He put everything down on the counter. After emptying the cupboards he opened the fridge.

The smell of sour milk hit his nose first, then the smell of rotting meat. He plugged his nose with his right hand and reached into the fridge with his left. There were a few bottles of water inside and a couple bottles of juice. The water was what Luhan grabbed.

After Luhan set the three bottles of water down on the table he started to move his meager supplies of food to the bedroom. He was planning on barricading himself in the bedroom for the night just to be safe. He didn’t know if someone had followed him here. He wasn’t going to risk it either.

He made a few quick trips back froth from the kitchen to the bedroom before all the food had been moved. Then Luhan set to work once again. Luckily there was a heavy dresser inside the bedroom that would do just fine. He only needed something to stop someone for a few minutes so he could flee out the window.

Luhan leaned against the dresser after moving it to the block the door and stared at his room for the night. The bedroom was mostly plain, white walls, heather gray carpet, a few pictures hanging on the walls and a queen size bed. There was one large window, the view was nice. The river ran right by the apartment building so instead of a window that just showed another building there was a clear view of the sky. But what caught Luhan’s eye wasn’t the view out the window. It was the thing sitting in front of the window. A telescope.

The telescope was high tech. Luhan himself had never even seen one of like it with his own eyes let alone be in the same room as one. Luhan was puzzled. How could someone who lived in a small apartment that would barely cost more than eight hundred dollars a month afford such an extravagant telescope.

Luhan didn’t question it too much. It’s not like he would eve be able to find out the answer.

He crossed the room to the telescope. He was in utter awe at the huge thing and wondered how far he would be able to see out into space with it. As he fooled around, carefully of course, with all the different settings an idea sprung into his mind.

Maybe, just maybe, he could spot Sehun. Luhan knew it wasn’t something that was probable. Matter of fact he was pretty sure that he would never see Sehun amongst all the stars. That didn’t dishearten him any. He had a high tech telescope right before him. Like hell if he wasn’t going to at least try to spot Sehun with it.

Luhan fiddled with the settings trying desperately to get the telescope to clearly view the sky. It was harder than a normal telescope almost anyone could buy, it was complicated. There were so many different things it could do but Luhan didn’t know how to do them. He tried and tried until finally, when the sun began to rise, he gave up.

He collapsed on top of the queen bed and fell instantly asleep.

-

Luhan woke up and immediately panicked. He had thought sleeping in so many places so many times would make it easier the more he had to do it but that wasn’t the case. It was harder. Every time he woke up in a new bed, a new hideout he had a mild panic attack forgetting momentarily where he was and how he got there.

He took a deep breath and slowed his racing heart. “I’m in an apartment building on the south side of the city,” he said aloud to himself. “I am safe, I am alive.” These words always seemed to calm him down enough for him to think straight.

Luhan stayed on the bed waiting for his body and his mind to completely calm down. He wasn’t in any danger at the current moment. It could change but for now he was fine so he had no reason to freak out.

He glanced at one of the clocks on the wall. The small hand was pointed at the six and the large pointed at the three.

Luhan still had a couple hours before sunset. He was planning on getting the telescope working. He felt a pull towards the telescope. A feeling that he needed to look up at the universe. Luhan knew deep down that the pull he was feeling wasn’t toward space itself, it was toward Sehun.

-

Sehun wasn’t good. Grief had broken him into someone unrecognizable to both Yixing and Tao. The two of them had no idea how to help Sehun. They didn’t know how to ease his pain and suffering.

Sehun was in the sick bay for days before Yixing had finally let him out. From the sick bay he claimed a bunk. Yixing and Tao both knew that they wouldn’t see much of Sehun but they didn’t think things would have ever gotten as bad as they had.

Sehun would literally only leave his bunk to go to the bathroom. Yixing and Tao took turns bringing him food but other than that there wasn’t anything they could do for him.

Sehun had lost too much, the pain was too deep. Unless something changed Sehun was going to die. He was withering away, becoming a shell of himself, and he didn’t even try to stop the downward spiral. He was letting himself go without a single fight.

-

Luhan got the telescope working and it had only taken him an hour. He immediately started looking out at the sky. The settings were finally perfect and he could see a good amount.

Ships, hundred of them were flying around. Most of them were fleeing, leaving Earth’s atmosphere and getting away. But others were shooting at the fleeing ships. Fear took hold of him. It wasn’t fear for himself, it was fear for Sehun.

Luhan was sure Sehun was far enough away now that he wasn’t in any imminent danger but Luhan couldn't be sure. Sehun had really sounded serious when he said he was going to come back for Luhan. What if he tried and failed? What if the ship was shot out of the sky and plummeted down to the Earth like a meteorite? What if Sehun was dead?

Luhan shook his head. No, Sehun was smart. He wouldn’t have come back. Luhan told him not to. Sehun had to be alive still.

He pushed all his negative thoughts away and stared at the sky. He changed the settings every now and then getting a farther range. He saw the planets in the solar system clearer than he had through one of those cheap telescopes. The sight was breathtaking, especially with all the ships flying around. Regulations usually kept ships out of the skies but now there were no laws, no rules to abide by. It was every man for himself.

Everytime Luhan got a close up look at a ship his heart sped up hoping to see Sehun through the giant windshield. He never did actually see him though.

Luhan looked through the telescope all night searching the night sky for something he could never find. It wasn’t until dawn that Luhan turned away from the telescope and crawled into bed.

He slept the day away and woke only when the sun had set. He decided to look at the skies for another night. Searching for what he would never find.

-

Sehun woke in a cold sweat. He was terrified and he had no idea what had caused it.

Then almost as if his fear dissipated like mist, he felt calm once again. Sehun just laid there panting, waiting for his skin to dry.

That’s when another sensation came over him. He felt like someone was watching him but not in the creepy way and not in a way that made him fearful. His skin started to dry slowly as the feeling grew.

Sehun knew someone was watching him, he knew it had to be Luhan. Luhan was still alive, Sehun believed this with all heart. There was still a chance for the two of them.

But as the ship moved further and further away from Earth and Luhan the chance of them being reunited slowly began to break apart into tiny pieces. Sehun couldn’t protect Luhan from dangers when he was light years away. He would have to hope Luhan stayed safe, that’s all he could do.

-

Luhan watched the sky for over a week. His food supply was running dangerously low and he knew he couldn’t stay hidden in the bedroom for much longer. There was a chance he could leave, find food, and come back to the apartment safely but it was a long shot. There were too many obstacles outside, he’d never make it back alive.

There was something that started to form in Luhan’s mind the more nights he spent with the telescope and space. It was an idea, one that would probably result in his death, but it was the only way he could think to be truly safe, and maybe evn be reunited with Sehun.

He was going to find a ship and he was going to head out of Earth’s atmosphere and he was going to find Sehun.

Luhan and Sehun had taken a course on navigation, Sehun dragged Luhan into it even though he had no desire whatsoever to learn about flying ships or anything else about the space ships in the sky. He was scared to fly, he didn’t want to leave the solid Earth. Right then Luhan was glad that Sehun had been so forceful with him and made him take the class.

The only problem with Luhan’s plan was that he had to leave his safety and actually find a working ship. That was going to be the hardest part. If he did manage to find a working ship he also had to be stealthy because he knew many people were trying to flee, they were trying to get away from the war. If he did find a working ship someone would surely want to take it from him.

It took a few hours before Luhan even had the bare bones of a real plan. He was going to wait until a few hours after sunset then he was going to set out under the dark sky. Luhan needed to find supplies, the ships were probably all looted, unless he got extremely lucky, so he had to go to a store first.

Luhan sighed knowing that the next sequence of events ahead of him were going to be tough. It will probably be the hardest thing Luhan has ever had to do in his entire existence.

A few hours later Luhan packed up, though he didn’t have much, and then he unblocked the door. He looked over his shoulder at the telescope, tempted to go back and look at the sky one last time, and then left the room.

-

Luhan was hiding behind a dumpster. He could hear that guy from earlier, Chanyeol, speaking to someone. He had heard the voices before he rounded the corner but he hadn’t thought that the people were as close as they were. Luhan had immediately dived behind the dumpster to hide. Then he listened to what they were saying as he waited for them to leave.

“We can probably trade him to the cannibals for a load of money,” Chanyeol’s friend said.

“The cannibals are pieces of ,” Chanyeol said back sounding angry. “They killed my family. I wouldn’t help them if they forced me.”

The other guy sighed. “Then what should we do with him?”

Luhan’s ears met silence. He wanted to peek around the dumpster and get a look at them but he was scared, frozen in place.

“We do what we’ve done with the others,” Chanyeol said after a while.

“Are you sure?” The other guy asked. “He doesn’t look strong, he’s hurt, we can’t use him for anything.”

Chanyeol made a noise somewhere between a cough and a laugh. “He’s better than that entire group we took yesterday.”

Luhan wasn’t positive but he was pretty sure they were talking about enslaving people. They had to be slavers. They were taking people and making them do their dirty work wherever they were living, probably some sort of camp somewhere.

“Fine, we’ll take him but then we should look for that blond guy that got away from us. I really wanted that one.” The guy’s voice was filled with hope that turned Luhan’s blood to ice. He had blond hair. Were they really still trying to find him? No, it had to be someone else.

“Dude give it up already,” Chanyeol said sounding tired as if he had this conversation more than once. “I wanted him too but it’s been over a week since we last saw him, he could be dead by now, probably is.”

“I know but he was perfect to suit our needs,”

Chills ran down Luhan’s spine. He was so lucky he got away when he did because it sounded like they had a very sinister plan for Luhan. He didn't want to find out the truth of it either.

Luhan heard a sound sounding like skin smacking against skin. “Don’t you dare try to run away you er,” Chanyeol sneered.

“ you,” A new voice said.

There was another sound and this time Luhan knew that Chanyeol or the other guy were beating the poor guy they captured.

“What’s your name ?” Chanyeol asked.

There was another sound, another hit. Luhan cringed.

“I asked you what your name is!” Chanyeol sounded angry now.

“Jongin,”

Luhan thought that things couldn’t have gotten any worse than they were right then.

“Jongin?” Chanyeol sounded pleased. “How old are you? Twenty?”

“Yes,” Jongin replied.

Luhan knew, without a doubt, in that moment very moment who Jongin was. Jongin was his friend, he shared classes with him, went out with him and their other friends. They were close.

Luhan couldn’t just sit back and let those two ers take Jongin away. He had to save his friend.

Luhan looked around the alleyway searching for something, anything he could use as a distraction. He didn’t want to actually have a confrontation with Chanyeol or his friend. He couldn’t take even take one of them on let alone both of them.

Luhan could feel his window of opportunity slowly sliding away. If he didn’t do something quick Jongin would be gone.

Thinking quick Luhan grabbed a discarded piece of metal from underneath the dumpster. He wasn’t too sure what he was going to do with it but it was sharp and heavy it could do some damage if need be.

Luhan stood up and finally looked at the scene a little ways away from him. Chanyeol was standing over Jongin glaring down at him. Luhan could only see the top of Jongin’s head and nothing else because the dumpster was blocking his view.

Luhan stepped out from behind the dumpster.

Chanyeol was the first to see him, the other guy second.

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol said. “Get him,” Chanyeol had a smile so wide that Luhan’s skin crawled.

As Baekhyun came at Luhan, Luhan raised the piece of metal up showing him he wasn’t afraid to use it. This didn’t stop Baekhyun at all. He kept advancing on Luhan with a glint in his eyes.

Luhan was scared less but he wasn’t going to just let Jongin or himself be taken without a fight. Luhan was going to use the piece of metal and he wasn’t going to hold back.

“Wait,” Chanyeol said stopping Baekhyun in his tracks. “You’re not much bigger than him he might actually hurt you. Be careful.”

Baekhyun frowned. “What do you mean? I can easily overpower him.”

Chanyeol shook his head even though Baekhyun wasn’t looking. “I think you overestimate yourself.”

Chanyeol’s words didn’t even make Baekhyun flinch. “We’ll see,” he said advancing once again on Luhan.

Luhan’s temperature spiked, adrenaline flooded his veins. He was ready for a fight.

“Aww look he thinks he stands a chance against me,” Baekhyun said with a nauseatingly sweet smile.

Baekhyun stepped about a foot away from Luhan and just stared at him. Luhan stayed in the same position he was in not letting his guard down for even one second. Baekhyun was clearly trying to intimidate him and Luhan wasn’t going to let him be successful in doing so.

“Are you scared?” Baekhyun whispered so that only the two of them could hear.
Luhan shook his head. “No.”

Baekhyun laughed humorlessly. “Don’t lie to me,”

Luhan knew that Baekhyun was trying to get him to make the first move by egging him on, only Luhan didn’t let words get to him like most other people. Luhan held his ground waiting for Baekhyun to make the first move.

They stood there in silence for a few moments just staring at each other both waiting for the other to attack first.

“Baekhyun hurry up.” Chanyeol demanded. “We have to get back to the camp.”

Baekhyun’s lips drew up into a grin. “I’m on it,” Then he began to close the gap between Luhan and himself.

Luhan stared right into Baekhyun’s eyes showing him he still wasn’t afraid.

Baekhyun came at Luhan half a second later with his fist aimed right for Luhan’s nose. Luhan ducked out of the way at the last minute. Then as soon as he was clear from being hit, Luhan raised the piece of metal a little higher over his head and brought it down on top of Baekhyun’s shoulder. After hitting Baekhyun once Luhan raised the metal at him again but Baekhyun was expecting the next blow and moved out of the way just as Luhan brought the metal down again. Baekhyun wasted no time on his next move he recoiled his arm back then swung forward hitting Luhan right in the stomach.

The instant need to vomit struck Luhan but he just inhaled deeply and kept his cool. It was in that instant that Luhan hear the first gunshot.

Baekhyun froze, his fist halfway toward Luhan’s throat, and slowly turned toward the sound.

At first Luhan thought Chanyeol was the one shooting but upon closer inspection he realized that it was Jongin, who was now standing. He was pointing a small gun right at Chanyeol’s head. “Call off your dog,” Jongin spat.

Chanyeol glared at Jongin hard. “Baekhyun,” Chanyeol said coldly. “Let’s go.”

Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol and then at Luhan. “You’re lucky,” Baekhyun said. Then he moved in close to Luhan to whisper in his ear. “Next time I see you, you’ll be mine and nothing will stop me,” His breath was hot against the shell of Luhan’s ear. His tongue darted out and Luhan’s earlobe. Luhan shivered and took a step back, recoiling. Baekhyun grinned at Luhan’s reaction and then turned to make his way back to Chanyeol.

Jongin threatened them a couple more times before the two skittered off leaving Jongin and Luhan alone.

Luhan fell to his knees on the hard cement and threw up. He was vaguely aware of Jongin running up to him and kneeling down beside him. Jongin rubbed soothing circles on his back not saying a word as Luhan slowly calmed down. The pain from Baekhyun’s punch was still there but it was fading. Luhan was sure that it was going to hurt for days now.

“What’re you doing out here?” Jongin asked after a while. They both had gotten to their feet and were walking. Jongin was leading the way and Luhan was following blindly.

Luhan thought about how to answer Jongin’s question without sounding too crazy. “I’m looking for a ship,” he said settling on telling the truth. Jongin is his friend after all.

Jongin stopped walking abruptly almost causing Luhan to walk right into his back. Jongin resumed walking a second later. “A ship really? Everyone is looking for a ship. The newly terraformed planets are supposedly accepting refugees.” Jongin said.

Luhan hadn’t heard anything about other planets taking refugees. “Why don’t they come get us instead?”

Jongin looked over his shoulder at Luhan with his eyebrow raised. “Really Luhan? You think they’re going to risk themselves to come and save us?” Jongin shook his head sadly. “They might accepting people but they aren’t putting themselves at risk.”

Luhan had a bunch more questions but he wasn’t sure Jongin would know the answers. Before Luhan could even settle on one and ask Jongin was speaking again. “What?” Luhan asked missing Jongin’s words.

“I said, where’s Sehun and the others? Are they alright?”

Luhan looked down at his feet. “They’re gone,” Luhan said.

Jongin didn’t stop walking nor did he turn around. “I’m sorry,”

“No, they’re alive, it’s just their gone from here, Earth,” Luhan explained quickly as he realised that Jongin probably had thought he meant they were dead.

“Oh,” Jongin said. “Why didn’t you go with them?”

Luhan was silent for a moment. “They left me behind,” he said in a small voice. Luhan hated how vulnerable and sad he sounded but he couldn’t mask the way he felt. He was keeping his emotions stable but barely.

Jongin stopped walking. “What do you mean by that?” He was turned around and facing Luhan now. “You mean to tell me Sehun left you here to die?” Jongin sounded puzzled.

Luhan looked up and met Jongin’s eyes. “He was hurt, I don’t really know what happened.” Luhan said sheepishly. “He tried to come back for me.” He tacked on after a short moment of silence.

Jongin looked at Luhan with something akin to pity. Luhan hated when people pitied him.

Jongin must have sensed Luhan’s rising temper for he turned back around and continued walking. The two of them walked in silence for awhile.

“So do you need a ship to find Sehun or one of the exoplanets?” Jongin asked.

Luhan stared intently at Jongin’s back. “Both.”

Jongin chuckled lightly. “Thought so,” Jongin took a sudden right turn and led Luhan down a narrow alleyway. At the end of the alleyway was an old white garage door. Jongin pulled something out of his pocket then turned to face Luhan again. “If it’s a ship you’re looking for,” he paused to give Luhan a huge excited grin. “You are in luck,” Jongin pressed down on the object he pulled out of his pocket. The white door began to rise.

The first thing Luhan caught sight of was steel. “Is it--” The door opened all the way revealing a ship. It was only a small two passenger ship but it was a spaceship built for deep space travel.

Luhan almost squealed with joy. Until he saw the twisted pieces of metal lying around the ship on the concrete floor. Then his eyes noticed how rusty the metal on the actual ship was and not to mention the ship was covered in a thin layer of dirt.

“It’s almost done,” Jongin said with a smile. “I just need a few more parts and she’ll be good to go.”

Hope flared to life in Luhan’s chest. He knew that soon Sehun and himself will be reunited no matter how long it takes for them to find each other. They’re both alive and soon they will both be flying to safety.

“I’ll help you find the parts,” Luhan said, voice b with confidence.
Jongin nodded. “With your help it should be ready to fly in a few days.”

Luhan turned his face towards the sky. “I’m coming to find you Sehun,” He whispered to the stars. It was the truth. Luhan wouldn’t stop until he found Sehun, until they were together again.