Sunggyu doesn’t think he’s ever been so nervous in his life, which is probably a little ridiculous considering the things he’s been through recently.

“Aish,” Dongwoo huffs out, “he’ll be fine. We’re not leading him to his death like you seem to think.”

Sunggyu gives Sungjong’s life jacket one final tug, still not completely satisfied, then turns to glare at Dongwoo. “I swear to god, if you even let him out of your sight for a second, I will know and I will murder you in your sleep.”

In a soothing tone, and wearing his own life jacket, Woohyun says, “The boat is around fifteen feet long. It might be impossible for him to be out of our sight for even a second.”

Sungggyu forces himself to calm, then gives a steady nod. “I know … just … be careful. Be extra careful.”

A little indignant, Sungjong tells them all, “I’m a really good swimmer.”

Sunggyu sighs, “And if you fall in by accident, it won’t be anything like jumping in the pool. You could get up into a current, or there could be sharks in the water, or--”

“Okay,” Woohyun cuts in, pulling Sungjong away from Sunggyu. “How about we don’t scar our emotionally fragile child?”

Sunggyu just can’t stop thinking of all the things that can go wrong during the fishing outing, especially since Sunggyu won’t be there to oversee anything.

“I want to get going,” Dongwoo says, picking up their fishing gear.

Woohyun leans over to peck Sunggyu on the mouth, promising one final time, “We’re going to be okay. More than that, we’re going to be safe. And when we come back perfectly whole, none of us drowned, and with a lot of fish for dinner, you’re going to feel foolish that you spent so much time worrying.”

So, because Woohyun is right, and because there’s nothing left to do, Sunggyu lets them go. He watches the three of them until they disappear from sight, and for the next couple minutes he can’t move from the porch.

Sungyeol chuckles from the doorway and says, “You’re such a mother, Sunggyu.”

Sunggyu huffs, “I’ll be out back. With my laundry.”

He spends the morning, much to his utter boredom, finishing the laundry from the previous day. There are still several things that need to be scrubbed clean, more that needs to be hung, and too much that Sunggyu needs to fold and put away. After an hour he’s seriously questioning his sanity. After two, he thinks this may constitute purgatory.

And it leaves him too much time to think.

Read: too much time to worry.

Around an hour before lunch, but still way too early to be looking for Woohyun on the horizon, Sungyeol steps through the back door, Jiyeon on one hip, and says, “Do you mind fending for yourself for lunch?”

Sunggyu, sweating with aching hands and wrists, looks up from where he’s hanging a sheet and reminds, “I’m supposed to be a mother, remember? I think I can feed myself if the necessity arises. Why?”

Sungyeol grins and hefts Jiyeon a little higher. “Jiyeon and I have been invited to a play date.”

“A play date?” Sunggyu’s eyebrows shoot up. “Are there enough kids for a play date?” There are a handful more around Sungjong’s age, but very few younger.

“There are two,” Sungyeol says. “They’re both a little older than Jiyeon, but I think the play date is more or me, than her. I guess … well … there’s no denying it now. I’m going to be raising Jiyeon. For lack of anything else, I’m going to be her father. I’m going to need pointers, Sunggyu. I can’t wing it forever. If these mothers are willing to help me out with her, with the little stuff that no one tells you about normally, then I have to reach out.”

Sunggyu shrugs. “Sounds good to me. And hey, make sure you ask them about periods and all that. PMS. Cramps. Tampons. Whatever. I don’t want to go into that Armageddon blind.”

Sungyeol freezes, head cocked a little.

“What?” Sunggyu feels just as frozen. “What?”

“I just …” Sungyeol shakes his head, a smile pulling at his lips once more. “I just realized that you may very well be around for that awkward and traumatizing period of her life. We could all be together that long. We could raise her together.”

Sunggyu points down to a pink basket full of nothing but baby clothes. He’s spent the most on these articles of clothing, washing and rewashing, trying to make sure they’re exceptionally clean for Jiyeon. “I washed a dozen dirty cloth diapers today. Try to tell me I’m not raising her with you.”

And to hell if anyone thinks Sunggyu won’t be around for the first time Jiyeon wants to know about the before. Or the first time she goes to school, has a crush on someone, or gets said period. Sunggyu wants to be around when she finds the person she wants to marry, and when she has her first baby. Sunggyu won’t be anywhere else, because they’re family.

Slowly Sungyeol turns, repeating, “I’m going now. Will you be here?”

Sunggyu looks around. There are at least enough clothes to last him another hour. He nods. “I’ll be here. Go. Have fun. Get information. We need to know how girls think. This is important.”

Sungyeol laughs and heads back into the cabin, presumably off to his play date.

So Sunggyu eats lunch alone, leftovers from the night before, and finishes the laundry, and feels lonely. He doesn’t realize how lonely he is, without the others around, until it hits him so heavy in his heart that he almost staggers. He doesn’t know what he’ll do if he ever loses them.

In the meanwhile, he can’t bear to be in the cabin by himself anymore, and he makes the decision to go visit some of his other friends when he sees Kenji coming up the path at a brisk pace.

Sunggyu leans back against the closed cabin door, trapped on the porch, trying to fumble awkwardly for the keycard in his pocket. His fingers are shaking and he realizes belatedly that he’s scared. He’s actually scared.

“Sunggyu.”

Kenji starts to jog the moment he sees him, and Sunggyu stops breathing.

Kenji says to him right away, dressed in full military uniform, the likes of which Sunggyu has never seen before, “You need to come with me.”

Sunggyu’s fingers grip the edge of the keycard, but he doesn’t think he has the dexterity at the moment to get it through the slot on the door.

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Now,” Kenji rumbles out. He has his hat tucked under one arm, and something clutched in his left fist. “We don’t have much time.”

Shakily, Sunggyu repeats, “I’m not going anywhere with you. You must be crazy, after last night, if you think I am.”

Kenji ascends the steps to the porch easily, and no matter how put off Sunggyu is by him, he can’t deny the picture of handsome masculinity that Kenji makes.

Flatly, Kenji asks, “Do you want to get your friend back?”

This catches Sunggyu completely off guard. In fact he lists to the side a bit in his uncertainty. “Hoya?”

“Yes,” Kenji says tersely, “Hoya. If you want to get him back, you need to come with me now. Make your choice.”

“Get him back? As in, bring him here?”

Kenji gives a sharp nod. “I’m authorized to go and collect him, but there isn’t much time. If you come with me, you can have him back with you by late afternoon.”

Maybe Sunggyu’s swayed by his words, or maybe he’s just so desperate to believe Kenji he discounts his misgivings. In any case, he darts quickly to Kenji’s side says, “I’m ready now.”

“Sunggyu?”

Just before they can start off away from the cabin, Sunggyu hears his name and turns to find Himchan passing by. Unlike Yongguk, who’s outgoing and loud and interesting, Himchan is quiet and subdued. He never really has much to say to Sunggyu, and though he’s handsome, he’s never caught Sunggyu’s eye. Or maybe the last bit has to do with how interested Sunggyu knows Yongguk is in Himchan.

Sunggyu raises a friendly hand to him. “Hi.”

The look of suspicion in Himchan’s face says Sunggyu isn’t fooling anyone, least of all him.

“Is everything okay?” Himchan’s gaze slides from Sunggyu to an impatient Kenji.

“Fine, fine,” Sunggyu says, taking a closer step to Kenji. “How about you and me and Woohyun and Yongguk meet up later? Or tomorrow? We could go down to the beach for some snorkeling.”

Himchan takes an uneasy step forward, continuing on his way. “I’ll talk to Yongguk about it.”

Sunggyu doesn’t breathe easy until Himchan is out of sight.

“Come on,” Kenji snaps, and his fist unclenches enough for Sunggyu see that what he’s been holding is a set of keys.

Sunggyu follows closely on his heels and remarks, “You’d better be telling me the truth.”

They head directly to the checkpoint only a few minutes away, and Kenji directs him into a car that’s idling at the barricade. It’s the first car Sunggyu has seen since the shuttle that brought them to the resort, and it feels, oddly enough, even weirder being in the car.

Kenji throws the car into gear, lets off the break, and they zoom off.

The wind whips through Sunggyu’s hair, the car vibrates underneath him, and for just a second, Sunggyu feels free. The car easily takes the twisty, winding road, and tall, impossibly green trees flash by in a blur. Sunggyu can’t help hanging out the window a little, appreciating the nature around him.

But eventually the novelty wears off, and Sunggyu stuffs himself back in the car. He turns to Kenji, making sure to keep distance between them, and asks, “I thought the best you could do was a day pass next week.”

Kenji’s face pinches up uncomfortably, then he says, “I spent a lot of time groveling to my superior last night after you left. I had to trade in a lot of favors, and make a lot of promises, but I got his transfer set early this morning. As soon as we go get him and bring him back, he’ll be a permanent resident at the resort. I can’t even begin to tell you how difficult this was.”

Sunggyu can recall the previous night all to easily, including the unexpected, unwanted kiss, and the declaration that he’ll never give Kenji so much as the time of day again. Sunggyu doesn’t think he can have endeared himself to Kenji too much after his display.

So he has to ask, “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you doing this for me?”

Kenji leans one elbow up on the windowsill, and steers the car with one easy hand. “Because I feel like an . Because I feel guilty.”

“Excuse me?” Sunggyu balks. “You feel guilty?”

Kenji nods. “You seem to think I’m the villain. I’m not. Maybe the jaded antihero, but not the villain.”

Sunggyu isn’t exactly thinking in these terms. “You kissed me. And you should be very thankful I didn’t tell anyone about that.”

Kenji gives a forced laugh. “Like your little boyfriend?”

Sunggyu isn’t so sure Woohyun should be written off so easily. Woohyun is scrappy, but fierce, and Sunggyu might bet on him in a real fight.

Crossing his arms, Sunggyu says, “I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Well, too bad.” Kenji drives them seemingly deeper into the forest. “Because we need to. And it’s a long drive over to the other side of the island. And for the record, I thought when you said you had someone, that you were just interested in someone. I didn’t know you were in a committed relationship. I didn’t know you were in love.”

“That makes a difference?”

Head dipping, Kenji says, “Of course it does. Love is …scared. It’s untouchable. There’s not a lot of love left in this world. What little there is, needs to be protected.”

“So you’re really doing this just because you feel guilty?”

“And because I still want to salvage a friendship.” When Sunggyu scoffs, Kenji adds. “Maybe if you realize how much work went into getting your friend, you’ll be really appreciative and be willing to forgive my mistake.”

Sunggyu can’t help gesturing to his uniform. “This why you’re all dressed up?”

“It is,” Kenji relayed. “All of this has to be as official as possible. And I mean it when I say this wasn’t easy. The island is still on lockdown, and your friend is still considered a possible threat. By all accounts I shouldn’t have been able to secure his transfer. You’re luck I know my superior well and he has a soft spot for me.”

“Old friend?” Sunggyu asks.

“Uncle,” Kenji clarifies. “And never let be said there isn’t room for nepotism in this world.”

Sunggyu settles more fully back into the seat as the car rolls along. “Why am I not surprised.”

Kenji clears his throat and says, “In order to get him transferred over to a priority area, I had to promise out my that he’s not a threat. I’m putting that on you, Sunggyu, because you seem to think that this guy is harmless. If anything happens with him, or if he stirs up any trouble, it’s going to be on your shoulders. Do you understand? If you don’t, I’ll take us right back now.”

Almost angrily, Sunggyu says, “I don’t know what set Hoya off at this other place, but he isn’t like that normally.”

“I hope so,” Kenji eases out. “Because if a single priority citizen is hurt--”

“Enough with this priority bull,” Sunggyu snaps.

Kenji’s nostrils flare. “Why are you so quick to disrespect the advantage you’ve been granted.”

“I just think it’s ridiculous to place value on some people and not on others.”

Sunggyu can feel the moment Kenji eases off the gas. They don’t stop, but they roll along a little slower. It must be all Kenji can do as he says, “Do you know how we determined priority groups?”

“Nepotism,” Sunggyu says flippantly.

“Family, in your case,” Kenji agrees. “For those men and women choosing to serve in the military and put their lives on the line for the future of this planet, is giving a single member of their family a better chance at surviving as well, so much to ask? I don’t think so. And if keeping family safe, better protects the sanity of our soldiers and helps fuel their desire to perform at their absolute best, then I don’t think having a priority group of family isn’t wrong.”

“You said in my case.” Sunggyu is pointedly not looking at him. “What about others?”

“There are other priority groups of civilians,” Kenji reveals, “that were selected simply based on their abilities. We have doctors, agriculturists, teachers, engineers, and the kinds of people we’re desperately going to need when we start to rebuild.”

“You think this planet is ever going to safe again?” Sunggyu asks in disbelief. “What, do you think the zombies are just magically going to go away on their own? I don’t think we have enough bullets to take them all--plus, they’re stronger and faster than us. The most we’re going to do is hide away from them until we all eventually die.”

“So fatalistic,” Kenji says, shaking his head. “I prefer to be more optimistic. I think I’ll get to see Osaka again. I’ll get to go home with my brother and sister, and mom will be there waiting for us. We’ll be together again in the place that we call home and it’ll be safe. It might not be anytime soon, and in fact it might not be for a very long time, but it will happen.”

Sunggyu doesn’t know if deep down he actually believes the planet is lost, or that maybe humanity can make a combat. He doesn’t know how many people are left, or if the other countries of the world have started bombing their own cities in a desperate bid to wipe out the zombies. There’s just not enough information to sway him either way.

But a little bit of him desperately hopes that one day he’ll see Seoul again.

Kenji clears his throat. “Anyway, before we get to the civilian area Hoya’s being held near, we need to go over a couple of things, and I need you to listen to me very carefully.”

“Why?”

Kenji’s hands grip the steering wheel tightly now. “Because civilian area twelve, where Hoya is, is nothing like priority civilian area three, which you’re from. Nothing.”

Sunggyu can’t imagine what the differences might be. “Why not?”

“Population, for one thing,” Kenji says. “There are a total of one hundred and forty-one people where we stay, including the military personnel. There are almost six hundred where your friend is.”

Sunggyu shrugs. “So there are more people.”

“It’s a smaller area for those six hundred, than our roughly one-fifty.”

A deep frown creases Sunggyu’s face. “Why are people paced in so tightly?”

Kenji doesn’t respond to his question. Instead he continues, “There are a lot of unhappy people where we’re going, and some of them resent the military. Neither do they have the freedom that you do, if only to simply move around and make their own choices. They’re restless and …”

“And?”

Kenji hesitates, then says, “I just want you to stick close to me. You should be on me like we’re glued together. I’m serious about this, Sunggyu. Put away your anger for me and listen to what I’m saying. These people are dangerous because there are so many of them, and if something sparks and sets them off, we’ll be in serious trouble.”

Sunggyu thinks back to the first time people were together on the ship, and how quickly a riot started. Sunggyu understands all too well good people doing bad things when backed into corners.

“All right,” Sunggyu says, attaching a firm nod.

Civilian area twelve has three times the security that Sunggyu has ever seen at his own residence. They roll to a stop at the checkpoint and Sunggyu feels his heartbeat pick up the second Kenji begins speaking in rapid Japanese to one of the high ranked soldiers. IDs are exchanged, including Sunggyu’s, and they’re questioned some more before they’re allowed to pass, almost five minutes later.

Driving into the designated area is surreal.

There are military everywhere, blocking off streets with big tucks, patrolling with stern faces and big guns. There are people everywhere, scurrying about, faces pale and either frightened or angry. And Kenji was right. There are a lot of them. They’re all packed into small buildings that can’t possible house all of them comfortably.

And there’s a building smell.

“What the hell is this?” Sunggyu asks, leaning back as Kenji raises Sunggyu’s window. “These people are living in … poverty. Is everywhere else like this too?”

“Some,” Kenji says, tight lipped. “It’s hard to build up a fractured infrastructure with a lot of less than cooperative people.”

Sunggyu can see a lot more kids now, but they’re almost heartbreakingly thin, barefoot and lacking any sort of supervision.

“I feel sick,” Sunggyu says honestly.

“You’ll get used to the smell.”

“No.” Sunggyu leans his head against the window. “I’m practically living in the lap of luxury back at the resort. God, I live at a resort. And these people …”

Kenji guides their car along the edge of the area, dodging people expertly. “When people tell you to be thankful that you’re on that priority list, they mean it.”

“This isn’t right.”

“No,” Kenji snaps back, almost startling Sunggyu, “what isn’t right is all those people we left behind. Some of them might have been saved. Not all of them were lost, but your government and mine made the same decision to abandon ship. The government is supposed to protect people, but that’s not what happened. So you and every person here, no matter how bad the living conditions might be, needs to be very thankful. Most people didn’t get a rescue.”

“Yes, I can just see how thankful they are.”

Just as Sunggyu finishes speaking the car jerks to a stop suddenly. Kenji shouts and Sunggyu’s seatbelt snaps across his chest, holding him in place.

“Are you okay?” Kenji demands.

“Fine,” Sunggyu exhales, eyes wide. Instinctively he looks to see what’s caused the sudden stop.

“Don’t panic,” Kenji says, and his hand is on his gun.

“What are you doing?” Sunggyu hisses at him.

There’s a man blocking the car. He’s eyeing them deliberately, maybe just looking for trouble. In any case, he’s terrifying to Sunggyu who’s used to people laughing and

getting along with each other. His face is dirty, his hair is mused and there’s something desperate in the way he’s watching them.

“Make sure your door is locked,” Kenji says, mouth barely moving.

“It’s just one guy,” Sunggyu says.

Kenji replies, “It’s not. You just only see one.”

Sunggyu looks around a bit wildly, reluctant to believe Kenji, but a second later a military truck comes down the opposite end of the street and the man ducks out of the way. There’s more movement around them and Sunggyu realizes they’ve been surrounded.

Once more, Kenji asks, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Sunggyu cuts him a look. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Kenji doesn’t respond, he only steps on the gas.

The end up parked in front of a big building, three stories high, and with the heaviest military presence that Sunggyu has seen thus far since the checkpoint.

“You sure this isn’t a prison?” Sunggyu asks, sliding out of the car. He looks up at the tall building with its tinted windows and imposing structure. “It sure looks like one.”

“Detention center,” Kenji clarifies, but Sunggyu doesn’t see the difference.

They both have to sign in at the ground floor’s receptionist desk, and Kenji talks easily with the girl seated there while they’re receiving their passes. It’s so normal and routine that Sunggyu almost forgets the world around him.

“Here.” Kenji pushes a visitor pass name tag to his chest where it sticks. “Don’t take this off for any reason. The last thing you need is for someone here thinking you got out of your cell.”

Sunggyu arches an eyebrow. “You’re not helping this not prison claim you’re making.”

They take the elevator up to the third floor, and then it’s a short walk down the hall before they reach their destination. Sunggyu is beyond relieved to see that there are no actual jail cells, only rooms that lock from the outside.

“This one,” Kenji says to the soldier that’s silently accompanied them since the elevator.

It takes Sunggyu less than half a second to find Hoya in the room, seated on the bed against the back wall with a bored expression on his face.

“Hoya!”

Hoya bolts to his feet and catches Sunggyu with strong arms, holding him close. He hugs Sunggyu to the point of physical pain, but it’s worth every moment to know that Hoya is real and here and found.

“Sunggyu!” Hoya nearly lifts him off his feet, and not for a second does Sunggyu think Hoya isn’t glad to see him. In fact, most of his fears seem to be evaporating as the seconds pass. “You’re okay. You’re really here.”

Sunggyu wraps a hand around the back Hoya’s neck and says, “I’m getting you out of here.”

Hoya perks up. “Did I mention how great it is to see you?”

It’s a lot more difficult getting out of the building, but Sunggyu never moves from Hoya’s side. Kenji has to sign for Hoya, his belonging need to be collected, and when Kenji goes off to speak to an older man, one who looks enough like him to be his uncle, Sunggyu turns to Hoya and demands, “Did they hurt you?”

Hoya’s answer is a question of his own. “Is Sungjong okay? We were separated on the ship. I tried to get to him, but I couldn’t. please tell me I’m not the first of our group you’ve seen.”

Sunggyu puts a comforting hand between Hoya’s shoulder blades. “Sungjong is perfectly fine. I swear. In fact, he’s out fishing with Woohyun and Dongwoo right now.”

“Fishing,” Hoya deadpans.

“The rest of us,” Sunggyu tries to say delicately, “ended up together. We’ve been trying to get to you since.”

This is the moment, he predicts, that Hoya will get mad. He’ll want to know why they didn’t come for him sooner. He’ll be upset and angry. The ret of them have been living a life of ease while Hoya has been jam packed with desperate, dirty, hungry people.

Hoya tugs Sunggyu into another strong hug. “I’m relieved,” he says, and sounds like he means it.

“Relieved?” Sunggyu chokes out in disbelief.

“Relieved,” Hoya confirms, pulling Sungyu in even tired. “Because it means you were all safe together, and that’s what I spent all my time worrying about. I was so worried you were in a place like this.”

Sunggyu maybe tears up a little.

It isn’t until they’re back in the car, headed to the resort area, before Sunggyu dares to ask, “What happened to get you landed into a detention center?”

Hoya’s eyes darken. “You know how I feel about the strong preying on the weak, Sunggyu. That’s the kind of injustice I won’t stand for.”

Hoya and Sunggyu are in the backseat, and Kenji hasn’t said so much as a word to them since they started their journey back, but now he volunteers, “Disorderly conduct, theft, insubordination, and that’s just the beginning.”

Hoya asks, “Who is this schmuck?”

Kenji snaps, “The schmuck who just got you released and moved to the same location as your friends.”

Sunggyu gives a silent nod.

Hoya tips his head back on the headrest and closes his eyes. “I got in trouble for helping someone avoid going hungry, or having to do something that compromised herself in order to avoid that. It was worth it. The military here are corrupt.”

Sunggyu can’t help thinking that of all the things Kenji is, he isn’t corrupt.

“How?”

With a haunted look, Hoya says, “Back there, Sunggyu, people are starving. They’re barely surviving. There are gangs of hoodlums rising up, women and children are being targeted, the soldiers are hurting the civilians and ….”

Sunggyu feels sick. “And?”

“There are whispers,” Hoya says, his voice so low Sunggyu can barely hear him even when he presses in close. “There are people who go missing. The just disappear, taken off by the soldiers in the middle of the night. They don’t come back, Sunggyu. There are whispers that terrible things are being doing to them in the name of a cure.”

Gripping the seat divider, Sunggyu asks Kenji, “Are the military here experimenting on the survivors? Are they trying to find a cure?” Sunggyu knows there’s an abnormal amount of scientists on the island now, secluded away at other priority areas.”

If this is true …

“No,” Kenji said, and he seems firm I his answer. “That’s ridiculous.”

Angrily, Hoya says, “You didn’t see what I saw. You don’t know what I do.”

Kenji replies, “I think I’d know if my own people were doing unethical things to the survivors we’re supposed to be protecting.”

“Those soldiers weren’t protecting us,” Hoya says, and Sunggyu doesn’t have a clue what to think.

For the rest of the ride Kenji is quiet and Sunggyu chats easily with Hoya. He tells Hoya how they’ve had to start baby proofing because Jiyeon is so curious now, and how doing laundry by hand is the most annoying thing in the world. Hoya asks about Sungyeol, and how he’s holding up without Myungsoo, and if Dongwoo is managing to keep out of trouble.

Sunggyu does his best to answer all of his friend’s questions, but honestly he’s just relieved to be with Hoya again. Hoya gives off a natural air of confidence and security, one that Sunggyu desperately needs. Hoya makes Sunggyu feel like he doesn’t have to be the strong one all the time, which is a nice reprieve.

“I’m going to drop you off here,” Kenji says just half an hour later. They’re in front of a building Sunggyu has never seen before, and they even used a different checkpoint to access the area. But there’s a car garage attached and this must be where Kenji acquired the car from in the first place. “Hoya, this is yours.” Kenji hands back an identification badge. “I don’t think I need to tell you not to lose this, or if you do anything to compromise your stay here, it’s on you.”

Hoya ducks out of the car with a bland look on his face, and Sunggyu lingers. He leans forward over the barrier that separate the front and back seats, and says, “Thank you, Kenji. For doing this. I may have seemed ungrateful before, but I really do appreciate what you’ve done for me today. And I won’t forget it.”

Kenji levels an arm up on the back of his seat and says, “I’ll settle for your friendship.”

With Hoya looking impatient, Sunggyu asks, “Even if it’ll never be anything else? Ever?”

Kenji laughs, “Never say never. But yes, even if it’s just friendship.”

“Okay.” Starting over maybe isn’t so hard after all. “Friends it is.”

“Who was that guy?” Hoya asks as they walk back to the main area.

Sunggyu throws out flippantly, “One of my many admirers.” When Hoya doesn’t look especially convinced, Sunggyu can’t help adding, “I’m a property in hot demand, Hoya. Don’t you start making eyes at me, too.”

Hoya laughs and bumps into him playfully. “You do have a great .”

Sunggyu half takes him seriously.

They’re almost all the way back into town when Soohyun, a well mannered guy who’s been on Sunggyu’s friendship radar for a while, skids to a stop before he can pass them. He looks almost shocked as he asks, “Sunggyu?”

“Soohyun? What’s wrong?”

With Soohyun is a kid a little younger than Sungjong. Sunggyun’s never actually heard the kid, Jun, speak, but he’s always been polite to a fault and really reminds Sunggyu of the relationship that Hoya and Sungjong have.

Soohyun pales and says, “I think you need to get to the main checkpoint right now. I think you might want to run.”

Stones settle in Sunggyu’s stomach. “Tell me what’s going on?”

Soohyun’s eyes flicker between Hoya and Sunggyu. Then he says, “Himchan’s been going around telling people that some military guy forced you to leave with him. Woohyun heard and he’s--”

Sunggyu doesn’t stay for anything else. He doesn’t wait for Hoya either. He just runs. He runs faster than he’s ever run before in his life, and then he runs even faster than that. Ignoring his need for oxygen and the burn in his legs, he runs and runs and runs until he’s at the main checkpoint.

Skidding to a stop, all Sunggyu can see, in a flash of red rage, are the military soldiers forcing Woohyun down onto the ground. They’re shouting at him in Japanese and Woohyun is fighting like Sunggyu has never seen before. He’s thrashing and shouting and he’s so desperate that it scares Sunggyu.

Then Sunggyu launches himself forward. He hears himself yelling frantically for the men to get off Woohyun. Common sense leaves him and the only thing that matters is getting to Woohyun and helping him.

Hoya, bless him, is right there with Sunggyu. He hops on the back of one of the men trying to pry Sunggyu away and it’s close to becoming an all out brawl. A nearby

Yongguk slams his shoulder into a soldier who grabs onto Sunggyu so hard he’ll have a bruise, and twins Soryong and Daeryong are right behind. Sunggyu suspects the twins are only joining in the fight because they like to fight, regardless if it’s with each other or someone else.

A sharp, almost painful whistle cuts through the air. It’s too strong to be manmade, and the frantic tweets that follow are certainly not from a person either.

“What in the hell is going on here?” Kenji demands, coming upon the situation with his uniform half undone, the white, untucked shirt peeking out from underneath his formal jacket. It’s the most disheveled Sunggyu has ever seen him. But further thoughts are stolen from his mind as Kenji starts yelling, legitimately yelling, at his men in terrifyingly fast Japanese.

Sunggyu’s on his feet and free from hands a half second later. He’s pulling Woohyun to his side just after that.

“I thought,” Woohyun says, but doesn’t finish. He’s got a split lip and a wild look on his face.

“I know,” Sunggyu returns.

“They wouldn’t let me leave to go after you.”

“I know.”

“I’m still waiting for an explanation,” Kenji says, descending on them like thunder.

Woohyun is a little speechless, and Sunggyu lets his fingers twine with Woohyun’s before he says, “I was with Kenji today, okay? Himchan wasn’t wrong when he told you that. He just didn’t have any context to go with it. Kenji was doing us a favor. I went with him willingly and we did something important.” Sunggyu turns Woohyun physically so he can see Hoya. “Kenji took me to get Hoya.”

Woohyun croaks out, “Hoya?”

Hoya, who’s patting the dirt from his pants, gives Woohyun a full grin. “Hey, Woohyun. Long time no see. Where’s Sungjong?”

Absently, Woohyun says, “Dongwoo took him back to the cabin.”

Sunggyu watches Kenji look down to where he’s holding Woohyun’s hand. The man’s self restraint is something impressive, as his voice remains even to say, “This is your boyfriend, Sunggyu?”

Woohyun stiffens and Sunggyu nods.

Kenji’s gaze meets Woohyun’s and Sunggyu tenses instinctively.

“Get yourself under control,” Kenji tells Woohyun. “If you cause trouble you’ll end up where your friend was, and there are only so many favors I can pull for Sunggyu.”

Woohyun’s eyes narrow but it’s the free pass that Sunggyu is so desperate to grab at. He bows formally to Kenji, quick to say his gratitude, then he’s pulling Woohyun away.

Hoya trails after them just as quickly, voicing, “Okay, I’m getting the distinct feeling here that there’s something I’m not quite getting. With Kenji.”

“I hate that guy,” Woohyun says openly. “I bet he’d like to get me kicked out so I’d be out of the way. He’s a ert, Hoya.”

Sunggyu takes the opportunity to tell Hoya smugly, “Hot property here.”

Woohyun makes a keening noise of sorts and wipes away the blood from his split lip.

“You okay?” Sunggyu asks Woohyun as Hoya breaks ahead of them, cabin twenty in sight.

Woohyun frowns. “I think I had twenty years scared off my life. I thought he’d … I just …”

“You were very manly and brave, going after me like that, whether a rescue was necessary or not.”

The moment holds for just a second, then Woohyun says loudly, “You are so full of it, Gyu.”

Hoya calls loudly for Sungjong and Sunggyu can swear he hears the sound barrier break with how Sungjong comes flying out of the house.

“Maybe I am full of it,” Sunggyu agrees with a shrug to his shoulder. But it’s still good to know that Woohyun will come after him if necessary. It’s a total turn on. “But it was still a little hot.”

Woohyun squeezes Sunggyu’s hand. “Good to know.”