The next morning, they woke to a dismal dreary day, the rain a asive mist that clung to their clothing and gear. There was no sense in trying to restart the fire, the firewood too soaked and no one had the energy to search for dry tinder. Breakfast was an easy affair, cold meats and hard breads that KiBum didn't necessarily like, but wasn't about to complain about it, not with the way RyeoWook looked. The chef seemed to be feeling better, but his mood had been sour since the night before. KiBum made sure he and Kevin stayed well out of his way.

Within the hour they were packed up, KiBum climbing up onto his horse and helping Kevin onto the back. Something felt odd as he glanced around at the others, JungMin sticking close to HyungJoon but glancing towards YoungSaeng every few moments.

"Everyone's acting weird," KiBum murmured to Kevin, glancing over his shoulder at him. "Or is it just me?"

"…I don't think it's just you," Kevin replied quietly, glancing at the others in confusion. Of course no one was happy to wake up to rain, but it seemed to be more than just the bad weather on their minds. HyungJoon looked tenser than he'd been since Kevin and KiBum ran off, tightening his horse's saddlebags and looking around the group with wary eyes. YoungSaeng was just finishing up getting the caravan ready; they'd leave within a few minutes.

The only one who had seemed unaffected by the strange mood was their newest traveling companion, who had been helpful throughout packing up. Now though he was looking around in confusion, gaze lingering from person to person. Kevin blinked when JongWoon looked right at him and KiBum, then at HyungJoon and JungMin. Then back again.

Finishing up hitching the team horses together, YoungSaeng glanced at JungMin and nodded slightly before turning towards JongWoon. "JongWoon, come here, let's talk for a moment."

"Uh…sure?" JongWoon looked distracted though, eyes on KiBum before he backed up towards YoungSaeng. "What's up?"

YoungSaeng glanced at JungMin again. "This is as far as we're going to take you. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to find your own way to Seoul."

"…Did I do something wrong?" JongWoon blinked. KyuHyun peeked out of the caravan in confusion.

"Just being cautious, I'm sure you understand," JungMin said, glancing at JongWoon with a cool expression.

"What's going on?" RyeoWook asked, standing up from where he was seated on the caravan bench. "Saeng? Why are we leaving him behind? We're only a half a day from Seoul."

"It's not up for discussion." YoungSaeng didn't look at the others, eyes on JongWoon. "We're not so well off that we can take on travelers for free, but at least we got you this far."

"I…I guess so…" JongWoon looked sad. "I wish I could pay, I do…" His eyes landed on HyungJoon watching from around JungMin.

YoungSaeng could see something click in the older man's mind, his eyes slowly widening. "Oh…Oh my god…It's you!"

KiBum blinked, looking between HyungJoon and JongWoon. "Hyung? Does he know you? How does he know you?"

JungMin didn't even hesitate, drawing his pistol and pointing it at JongWoon. "It would be in your best interest to forget you ever saw this caravan."

"Hey, hey, what's going on out here?" KyuHyun leapt down off the caravan. "What's with the gun, he's unarmed!"

JongWoon had looked back at KiBum at the younger brother's words, eyes wide. "It is you, I thought your names…"

"Not one word," YoungSaeng said lowly.

HyungJoon had gone pale. "KiBum, come over here," he snapped, backing away from JongWoon.

The older man looked from YoungSaeng to JungMin, eyes wide. "What? Are you trying to keep them to yourselves? Do you know how many people could be saved with them?"

"Be quiet," JungMin said, nudging his horse closer. "Get down on your knees. KyuHyun, bring me a rope."

"What are you doing?" RyeoWook and climbed down from the caravan as well, getting between JungMin and JongWoon, his arms out. "What the hell is going on YoungSaeng?"

"... What is he talking about?" KiBum's voice faltered, his hands starting to shake. "HyungJoon? Who is he?"

Kevin could only watch with wide eyes from behind KiBum, arms wrapped tightly around his boyfriend's waist. HyungJoon had crossed the clearing to get between JongWoon and KiBum, and he could see the older brother trembling.

"RyeoWook, move," YoungSaeng ordered.

"Those two are the cure!" JongWoon exclaimed, backing up slowly. "They have the cure, you can't be selfish and keep it to yourself, so many lives could be saved!"

"…What is he talking about?" KyuHyun hadn't gone to get the rope.

"... How do they have a cure?" Zhou Mi had finally emerged from the caravan, looking around in confusion.

"Everyone needs to shut up!" JungMin said, cocking the gun. "Don't say another ing word JongWoon. We're not letting you take them."

"Don't shoot me!" JongWoon flinched, going to his knees and holding both hands up. "I just don't want more people to die!"

"Okay, how about everyone puts their weapons away, and we talk about this?" KyuHyun asked, looking around. "What does he even mean?" He glanced towards the brothers.

"KyuHyun, get that rope, now," YoungSaeng said lowly. The archer finally listened, ducking back into the caravan.

"I was really hoping we didn't have to do this," JungMin said, not taking his eyes off of JongWoon. "Saeng I don't think we can chance leaving him here alive. He recognized them and he knows all our names."

"Hey! We don't kill people! Right Saeng?" RyeoWook said, his eyes wide. "That's not what we do, we're not killing anyone!"

Zhou Mi had climbed down out of the caravan, his eyes narrowed as he walked towards HyungJoon. "What did he mean? You've been cured?"

Seeing the doctor approaching him, and KiBum, HyungJoon panicked and pulled out his gun. "Don't come any closer!"

"JungMin, HyungJoon, put the guns down," YoungSaeng snapped. "Zhou Mi, don't go any closer to them. We're going to tie him up and talk about this, no one's going to get hurt."

"I'm not putting my gun down until he's secured," JungMin said. "Where the is that rope KyuHyun!" He could see Zhou Mi out of the corner of his eye backing away, hands up.

"It's right here!" KyuHyun leapt down out of the caravan and jogged to them, holding onto a long rope.

"Tie him up," YoungSaeng nodded to JongWoon. "Hands behind your back."

JongWoon reluctantly did as he was told, looking from person to person as KyuHyun tied up his hands. "This isn't right…"

"Neither is letting two innocent people die," JungMin said, lowering his gun finally when JongWoon was tied up. "Tie him up to a tree KyuHyun, so he doesn't run off while the rest of us talk."

For once KyuHyun didn't argue, still looking thoroughly confused as he pulled JongWoon to the nearest tree.

"HyungJoon, the gun," YoungSaeng said, trying to control his tone; the older brother had yet to lower his gun. "It'll be fine." HyungJoon looked from Zhou Mi to him and JungMin, slowly lowering the weapon. He didn't move away from between them and KiBum and Kevin though, Kevin slowly sliding off the horse behind him.

"Okay, he's tied up," KyuHyun said after a moment, walking back towards him. "Now can someone explain what the hell all that was about?"

"Doesn't matter," JungMin said, not taking his eyes off of JongWoon even though he had moved closer, climbing down off his horse. "All that matters is he's dangerous to us."

"He said HyungJoon and KiBum have a cure," Zhou Mi said, lowering his hands. "What did he mean?"

"That's none of yours, or anyone else's business," JungMin snapped, pointing a finger at Zhou Mi.

"I think it's our business when you two start pointing guns at people and wanting to kill them," RyeoWook said. "Especially when they're unarmed."

KiBum, who had joined Kevin and his hand curled tightly around his boyfriend's, looked extremely lost. "HyungJoon?"

Standing beside KiBum, Kevin could see the older brother shaking. HyungJoon drew in a shaky breath, looking over his shoulder at his little brother. "…You still don't want to run, don't you?"

Looking from his brother, to Kevin and to the others, KiBum frowned a little. "No... I don't want to run," he said. "I feel safe here."

HyungJoon shut his eyes for a moment. "…Okay. Just stay behind me." He pocketed his gun, slowly walking forward to join the others.

"Those are pretty huge claims to make," KyuHyun said, arms folded across his chest as he glanced at the brothers. YoungSaeng watched worriedly; there was no way to avoid it now. The damage was done. From the look on his face, HyungJoon knew that.

Stopping what he judged to be a safe distance away, especially away from Zhou Mi, HyungJoon drew up his shoulders and steeled himself. "…We don't have a cure," he said quietly, looking at JungMin. "But we don't have the virus either."

For his part, JungMin remained quiet, but he looked at HyungJoon with an unreadable expression, giving him a small nod. Things would be okay, he would make sure of it.

"How do you not have the virus?" Zhou Mi asked, his his head tilted to the side and his brow furrowed. "Do you have a natural immunity?"

"No," KiBum answered, shoulders hunching slightly when all eyes turned to him. "Our dad. He was the one who cured us... but there's no cure. He died in a fire a long time ago."

"…I'm confused, can you explain more than that?" KyuHyun's eyes narrowed. Kevin wrapped his arms loosely around KiBum's waist, silent support.

Eyes going from person to person, HyungJoon looked back at JungMin before speaking. He didn't look away from the older man, voice steadying after a moment. "Our father was a scientist, he cured us when we were little. There was a fire and KiBum and I ran…he died and all his work was destroyed, including anything he had for the cure."

"So there was one, but not anymore?" KyuHyun's brow furrowed. "What was that guy going on about then?"

HyungJoon inhaled deeply. "…The compound he's from, we stayed in after the fire. They found out about us, thought that we had the cure and were going to torture and kill us to get it. KiBum and I ran, but they've been looking for us since."

"... Now I know why I recognized where he said he was from," KiBum said quietly, looking down at the ground. He had been so young when that happened, barely remembering the incident at all except for brief flashes of HyungJoon holding his hand and running through the trees.

"So what do we do now?" RyeoWook asked, hugging his arms.

"Now we figure out what we do with him," JungMin said, nodding towards JongWoon. "You heard him. He doesn't care that HyungJoon and KiBum are people and doesn't care if they die just to get hands on a cure they don't have. I say a bullet to the back of the head and then we get on our way and we don't worry about it again."

"He hasn't done anything to be killed though," KyuHyun replied.

"The compound leaders didn't say anything about torturing and killing," JongWoon protested, watching them and wiggling uncomfortably against the tree. "They just said if the brothers were brought back, we could be cured and no one would have to die anymore. I don't want to die."

YoungSaeng sighed quietly. "We can't kill him, Min," he murmured, looking at JungMin.

"Then what do we do with him Saeng?" JungMin said. "If we leave him out here he's going to tell someone about us, or he'll go back to his compound and tell them he found HyungJoon and KiBum. Word will spread and then we're having to run for all of our lives."

"So take him with us," Zhou Mi said. "While we stand here and argue about what to do with him, KyuJong is getting sicker by the minute. Why can't we figure out what to do on the way to getting KyuJong what he needs?"

Lips thinning, YoungSaeng looked back towards the caravan. "…Zhou Mi's right, we're wasting too much time here. He'll have to come with us for now, we'll figure out what to do with him once we reach Seoul."

"But…" HyungJoon protested.

"We're not going to let him anywhere near you, or KiBum," YoungSaeng looked at the older brother. "He's going to stay tied up in the back of the caravan, where he can't hurt you."

"I'll stay with him," RyeoWook said. "I don't understand what's going on, but he's been real nice to everyone, including me. Whatever it is he thinks is going on... we can change his mind right?"

"Let's hope that happens before he tries to sell the brothers off to the highest bidder," JungMin said, looking to YoungSaeng. "You sure about this boss? We could be done with all of this right now. I'll take care of it."

"We're not killing an innocent person just because he's from a bad compound," YoungSaeng said firmly. He agreed with RyeoWook; JongWoon had been nothing but nice and helpful since they'd ran into him. "Let's get going. KyuHyun, bring him into the caravan and make sure he understands that struggling will make this even worse for him."

"On it," KyuHyun nodded, glancing at HyungJoon and KiBum before turning to walk back to where JongWoon was tied up.

"If he makes a wrong move, or even looks at HyungJoon in the wrong way, Saeng," JungMin warned, pulling his horse around to walk to the front of the caravan. "I may not ask your permission to take care of him."

YoungSaeng looked at JungMin with a small frown, one eyebrow raising after a moment. "If you kill him for looking at someone the wrong way, then you and I will have words," he said, following JungMin. He glanced back at the brothers, HyungJoon still looking shaken up, before stopping besides JungMin's horse and wrapping his fingers around the horse's reins. "It's not like you to be so trigger-happy," he murmured lowly.

"I don't like the idea of someone trying to kill HyungJoon, or KiBum," JungMin said, his voice dropping as well. "You hired me to protect you and your caravan, and that's what I'm going to do. When lives are on the line, I'm going to do what is necessary to keep everyone safe."

"But that doesn't mean killing innocent people, he isn't even armed," YoungSaeng replied, eyeing JungMin suspiciously. "And you weren't talking about KiBum just before, you were talking about HyungJoon. Just HyungJoon."

Squaring his jaw a little, JungMin looked away. "You're hearing things. I'm concerned about the both of them." He glanced at YoungSaeng out of the corner of his eye. "People don't have to be armed to be dangerous, you know that."

"I do know that, but between him talking and you pointing the gun at his head, it wasn't him who looked dangerous." YoungSaeng rested his hand on JungMin's arm. "I trust you to do what you need to do to keep us safe, but I also need you to keep a level head Min ah."

JungMin sighed, nodding a little. "I will, you can trust me on that boss," he said. "We better get going. I'll have HyungJoon take point and I'll keep close to the caravan okay? Let me know if there's any problems."

"I will." YoungSaeng watched him go before hopping up onto the caravan's bench. He looked into the back to see KyuHyun tying JongWoon up to a back corner of the caravan, away from KyuJong. Once everyone was in place, he flicked the team reins and they started to move.

"Now as long as you stay put and don't start screaming your head off, you'll be fine," KyuHyun told JongWoon, who looked thoroughly terrified. Sighing, the archer got up and went to sit down on his usual crate. "I'm surprised he managed to sleep through that," he glanced at KyuJong on the bed.

"I have him drugged into a near coma," Zhou Mi replied, not looking up from his notebook he was writing in. "Nothing short of an earthquake is going to wake him up right now."

"It's that bad, huh," KyuHyun murmured, watching KyuJong before looking towards Zhou Mi. "…What are you writing?"

"I've been writing all of my experiences since I came to Korea," Zhou Mi said. "Along with any notes I have about the different remedies I come across here. Just so I don't forget anything."

"Ah," KyuHyun nodded, glancing towards the front of the caravan where YoungSaeng was. "…You're not writing about the brothers in there, are you?" He switched into Mandarin for that question.

Pencil stilling, Zhou Mi finally looked up at the question. "I have to document anything I come across... even if I don't know for sure what the truth is. If two people really have been cured, then I know it's possible and I'm not going to give up on my search for that cure."

"But you know by writing that you could be putting them at risk," KyuHyun pointed out.

"I'm writing in Mandarin, and I'm not using names," Zhou Mi said. "They're already at risk just by being alive. I can't help them with that. All I can do is make sure that whatever was used to help them is found again and more lives can be saved."

"Hopefully." KyuHyun frowned down at his knees before sighing loudly, stretching out along the top of the crates on his back and putting his hands behind his head. "Guess I'll take a nap or something…wake me up if the whistle-blower gives you any trouble."

"I'm not doing anything," JongWoon mumbled unhappily.

"Of course not, you know full well they'll make good on their threats to kill you," Zhou Mi said idly, continuing his writing. "Perhaps you should have thought of that before you made yourself a target."

"I just…I was surprised," JongWoon looked uncomfortable. "How do you know they don't have the cure? Wouldn't there be any way to tell how exactly they were cured?"

"The most obvious way to tell would be if they have a mark," Zhou Mi said. "But even then, it's not a guarantee. It's been decades since the virus first showed up, it may have mutated in them to where it isn't visible. And whether or not they have been cured doesn't necessarily mean they have a cure. Just that someone somewhere at some time did."

"But if the cure's gone and they're all that's left…how are we supposed to be cured too?" JongWoon asked quietly.

"Why are we still talking about this?" KyuHyun cracked an eye open at them. "I don't know why you're pushing your luck when there's a trigger-happy horse riding right next to the caravan." JongWoon shut up.

Zhou Mi's lips pursed at the question JongWoon posed, his gaze going towards the front of the caravan. "There may not be a cure for everyone, JongWoon. And if you asked those two, I'm pretty sure they'd tell you they'd rather wouldn't have been if it meant living in constant fear like this. Think what their lives have been like before you think of just yourself."

"It isn't just about me though," JongWoon mumbled, slouching a little in his corner. "It's about the whole world."

"Maybe the rest of the world would accept the death of these two men in the name of the greater good, but would you want that on your conscience JongWoon?" Zhou Mi said, looking back at him.

KyuHyun watched as JongWoon didn't reply, head bowed forward and hair falling into his face. And that's the question of the hour, he thought to himself with a sigh as he closed his eyes and tried to get comfortable for a nap. It was easy to say that any chance at finding a cure should be pursued, for the good of every single person on the planet who could be saved. For their friends, family, and the children who would be born.

It was much, much harder when you put faces to the possible cure, faces who had already been through far too much.

*****************************

It was easy to tell when they were entering the city; the forests gave way to concrete buildings and highways. Like all the other cities in the country, nature had begun to take the land back, plants and grass destroying the pavement slowly. Kevin watched from behind KiBum as they went, one cheek pressed against his boyfriend's back and his arms looped loosely around KiBum's waist. His eyes found the twisted, decayed remains of cars lining the edges of the streets, abandoned after their batteries died and fuel became too rare and expensive.

The city seemed to stretch on forever, endless. After conferring with Zhou Mi, YoungSaeng had set them on the path to the Han River where most of the shops still were. They wouldn't reach there within the same day, but hopefully whatever shops they found along the way would have what they needed.

They found a building to stop in for the rest of the day, guiding the caravan into a garage once it was scouted out. "Let's take over one of the inner rooms," YoungSaeng said, climbing down off the caravan. "What do you need us to do, Zhou Mi?"

"Set up camp here for the night, I'll take KuiXian to the shops with me and get the things I need," Zhou Mi said. "I'll give KyuJong something to wake him up so he can be moved easier, just be very careful with him. Is there any more of that tea Kevin? He will need some."

"I can made some quickly," Kevin said, sliding down from the horse's back.

KyuHyun picked up his bow and quiver, slinging the quiver over his back as he glanced towards JongWoon, still tied up in the corner. "What about him?"

"He stays with us," YoungSaeng said cooly, starting to unpack what they needed from the caravan. "RyeoWook, are you okay keeping an eye on him?"

"Yes sir," RyeoWook nodded. "I'll watch him."

"I'll find somewhere we can keep him where he won't get away and he'll be far from HyungJoon and KiBum," JungMin said, climbing into the caravan to untie JongWoon.

"Thank you, Min ah. Joon, KiBum, start moving these to a good room and set up a fire for the night while Kevin and I take care of KyuJong," YoungSaeng looked back at them.

"Yes boss." HyungJoon nodded, eyeing JongWoon before going to pick up the bedrolls and bags needed. Kevin was using a small lantern to heat a single cup of tea, the herbs pre-crushed and mixed with water.

"KyuHyun, when you're in town, see if you can't find a couple horses for sale," JungMin said when he'd untied JongWoon and was pushing him out of the caravan. "We pick up any more strays they're going to be riding on top of the caravan." He glanced back inside the caravan where Zhou Mi was injecting something into KyuJong's arm. "I can come back down before you move him if you need me to Saeng."

"I've got it, thank you JungMin," YoungSaeng replied, climbing up into the caravan to stand beside the bed. "How long before he wakes up?" he asked quietly, looking down at KyuJong with worry. He ignored JongWoon's squawk when he was practically rolled off the caravan and into the dirt, scrambling back to his feet.

"A few minutes, it'll be a few hours before the drugs fully wear off but he'll start to feel the pain again fairly quickly," Zhou Mi said, looking up at YoungSaeng. "I don't know how long KuiXian and I will be gone for and he may need something before we get back." Pulling out a small vial from his bag and a syringe, he folded them into a towel and handed it to YoungSaeng. "There's enough for one dose here. Use it if his pain is bad enough."

"Thank you, Zhou Mi," YoungSaeng said, taking the towel and handling it carefully. "Someone will be here watching the caravan when you both get back, be careful."

"We'll be fine," KyuHyun said, adjusting his quiver strap and waiting for Zhou Mi by the caravan's back gate. "Will be back before you know it."

"Good luck," RyeoWook said, glancing up at KyuHyun while he was helping JongWoon to his feet. He watched the two take JungMin's horse and head towards the river.

It didn't take long for KyuJong to stir awake, but his eyes were unfocused and his speech too slurred to be understood. With legs that barely worked, and two sets of shoulders to lean on, KyuJong made it inside the building before collapsing on a makeshift bed KiBum had help set up. Within seconds, KyuJong was asleep again, but it was a fitful sleep that he was easily woken from.

"That tea ready yet?" KiBum asked Kevin when he ventured back outside.

"Yeah," Kevin nodded, stirring the contents of the cup. "It's a good thing we have lots of dried herbs, I don't think we'll be finding many plants while here…" Checking the temperature of the tea, he looked up at KiBum. "How is he?"

"Not good," KiBum shook his head, looking down at the ground. "They're all over his arms now. He keeps making these noises... I don't know how Saeng can sit up there with him right now."

"Cause he loves him," Kevin said quietly, biting on his lower lip and looking down at the tea. "If you love someone, you stay with them no matter what… I really hope Zhou Mi is able to help him."

"I hope so too," KiBum said, sighing heavily. "Sometimes I think that maybe those people who come after us are right. If... if they can use me to find a cure, that could be worth it right? So good people like KyuJong don't die anymore."

Kevin's eyes went up to KiBum. "KiBum…you can't think like that," he said quietly, standing up. "Those people don't care about you…they'd kill you. And the chance you actually have the cure, what are the chances of that?"

"Better chances than someone coming up with a cure before KyuJong dies," KiBum said, his eyes welling with tears.

Not even hesitating, Kevin stepped forward and wrapped his arms around KiBum, pulling him into a hug. "It's not your fault," he shut his eyes, willing himself not to start crying. "Don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you otherwise."

"I don't want anyone to die," KiBum whispered, his arms going to Kevin's waist and holding him tightly. "Not KyuJong, not YoungSaeng... and not you. You can't die like that Kevin, you can't."

"…You know none of us have control over that," Kevin whispered. "With or without the virus." He pulled back enough to rest his forehead against KiBum's, hands framing his boyfriend's face. "Do you think I would be happy if you risked your life on a cure that may or may not be possible? I wouldn't be, and neither would any of the others. Promise me you're not going to do anything stupid."

Looking into Kevin's eyes, KiBum's lip quivered a little, but he nodded. "I promise... I won't do anything... I don't want to die either."

"Good, cause I don't want you to die." Kevin kissed KiBum softly, thumbs brushing against his cheeks. "Is this the first time you've seen someone with the virus like this?" he asked quietly against KiBum's lips.

"... Anytime someone got sick near us, hyung made us leave," KiBum said, closing his eyes. "He didn't want to risk it if someone found out. I've never seen someone die from it."

Kevin exhaled softly, pulling back a little to wipe the tears away from KiBum's eyelashes. "It'll get worse," he murmured. "If it's still just at his arms…it's got a bit to go still."

"... Can you tell me what's going to happen to him?" KiBum asked. "I just... I don't want to be surprised by any of this, I need to know what's coming."

"If you're sure," Kevin nodded. Pulling KiBum to sit down next to where he was finish up the tea, he settled down for an explanation he wished he didn't have to give.