“You’ve lost your mind!”

Hoya grumbled to himself as Dongwoo followed him into the room. Dongwoo was furious at him for trying to use Seungho’s death to spark some anger or confusion. Everyone had been taken by surprised when Dongwoo had gripped Hoya by his collar and ferociously threw him out of the room. Hoya was slammed into a wall a couple of times before he pulled Dongwoo off of him. But it took much more than that to deter Dongwoo, so the blonde had followed him back to the control room, yelling at him mercilessly the entire time.

“How could you be so insensitive?!” Dongwoo exclaimed, slamming the door shut behind him. “Seungho just died and you’re trying to what – start a civil war within our system?!”

“Don’t you think we need one?!” Hoya shouted back. “Woohyun doesn’t do for us. We need to start doing something for ourselves.”

Dongwoo scoffed. “If Woohyun was unqualified, do you really think Sunwoong-hyung would have chosen him to lead us? He obviously has a quality that you so blatantly lack, yet you refuse to see it.”

“I lack something that Woohyun has?” Hoya asked bitingly. “I lack? If you’re so sure then why don’t you so kindly inform me what I lack, Dongwoo.”

“That depends if you’re willing to listen,” the older seethed back. “It’s one thing if you hear me – it’s another if you listen. And you haven’t listened to me in a while.”

Hoya breathed heavily through his nose as he turned around. He didn’t want to look Dongwoo in the face – not anymore. “You might as well leave,” he whispered, “because I don’t think I’m going to listen anytime soon.”

The stare Dongwoo shot at him hardened and he said, “That’s the same thing, isn’t it? The exact same words you told me the day we broke up.”

“Tch. You had forgotten about me so easily, I’m surprised you remember.”

“Hoya, don’t you dare say that. You know just as well as I do that I would never be able to forget you that easily.”

Hoya turned around sharply with a bitter glow in his eyes. “So why did you?” he asked. “Why did you forget? How could you forget how much I cared about you overnight? How did you do it?”

“It wasn’t overnight,” Dongwoo replied, his eyes trained to the right. “It took much longer than a night for me to forget about you – to stop caring about how your actions could impact me.”

“You seemed chipper enough the next day.”

“For your information,” Dongwoo snapped, “I took my own private time to get over you. I didn’t take it out on someone else!”

“What–!”

“And just for the record – you forgot about me first. You had stopped caring before I did.”

Hoya clenched his jaw as Dongwoo turned to leave. “T-That–… that’s not true! I took this break up harder than you did!” He reached and grabbed Dongwoo by the back of his shirt, his knuckles turning white from his grip. “It’s your fault! You just came barging in one day – telling me it was over! Did you expect me to get over it faster than you did? Because you’re wrong, Dongwoo! You’re wrong.”

Dongwoo yanked himself away from Hoya’s grasp and stepped out the door. “I may have gotten over this break up easier, but it was you who forgot about me first.”

“That’s impossible. How could I have forgotten you first if you broke up with me?”

Dongwoo shook his head as began to close the door behind him. “You still don’t get it, do you? You forgot about me first, Hoya. What did you think made us break up in the first place?”

For once, as Dongwoo shut the door, Hoya didn’t have something to snap back. But Dongwoo wasn’t quite sure if Hoya’s astonishment was to be considered good or bad.

“Oh, Myungsoo, you’re here?”

Myungsoo glanced up from Sungyeol’s dining table and met the eyes of his boyfriend’s parents. He and Sungyeol were playing board games with the little kids.

“Oh – hello, Ms. Lee.” Myungsoo shot the middle-aged woman a smile. “I was only going to drop Sungyeol off this morning but it looks like I stayed past my welcome,” he chuckled.

“Oh, no – please stay,” Sungyeol’s mother insisted. “I haven’t any food cooking, but I can probably make something simple–”

“Mom, don’t worry about it,” Sungyeol hushed gently. “We ate some leftovers Yeoreum had. How was the meeting?”

His father rubbed his forehead wearily as he sat down heavily in the seat next to Myungsoo. “It was strange. Only the small business owners were at the meeting. There was some official guy there – didn’t really know who he was though. But he was surrounded by lots of security so I assumed he was important.”

“Who was he?” Myungsoo asked.

“He was the President.”

There was a pause in the air, the atmosphere growing to slow like molasses and becoming stagnant. Even the children had stopped playing in order to look and listen. Sungyeol bit his bottom lip as he stood up from the table.

“I’ll take the kids somewhere else,” he said softly. He gave Myungsoo a knowing glance, reminding him to share whatever information his parents told him.

Sungyeol’s parents watched silently as their eldest son pulled all of his siblings into the next room and their small radio to provide their conversation some privacy through the thin walls.

“What was the President doing here?” Myungsoo asked. “Doesn’t he have enough to do at the capital?” He paused for a moment before saying, “Actually no – he doesn’t do anything at the capital. He doesn’t do crap for us.”

“The President was there to tell us to enforce new rules – some sort of law that’s supposed to prevent disorder and chaos.” Sungyeol’s father shook his head. “I didn’t understand why this new rule was being implemented so suddenly though.”

“The President says we’re the last city he has faith in,” Sungyeol’s mother said slowly. “That we’re the capital city because we know how to follow rules. Apparently his other cities had fallen to waste after anarchy and chaos.”

“Wait, wait – there are other cities? You mean… besides our own?” Myungsoo asked in disbelief. “I thought our city was the only one left

“Well, ours is the only left that is civilized, per se,” spoke the woman. “There are others, but they have been ruined. Ours is the only functioning civilization left.”

“I wouldn’t really call ourselves functioning,” Myungsoo commented, “but we do sort of have an economy, I guess. But what about these cities? Are they beyond our walls?”

Sungyeol’s father nodded. “They’re much beyond our walls. There isn’t anyone alive who can walk the distance between two cities. Some say that an ocean lies between us. That’s why no one survives beyond the wall. It’s just miles and miles of forests and waste.”

“Oh…” Myungsoo frowned. “Okay back to the topic at hand. Why was the President here? Or, why was he calling a meeting with us?”

“He wanted the restaurant owners and business owners to make it known to their customers that… that security will from now on be increased after curfew and those who break curfew risk being arrested or killed.”

Myungsoo nodded. He already knew that. “Is that it?” he prompted.

“That and,” Sungyeol’s father continued with a nervous of his lips, “there’s a new punishment. Instead of being arrested for day crimes, we’re going to be fined instead.”

Myungsoo blinked. “Well… that’s not too bad, is it? That’s better than being arrested.”

“I suppose so,” Sungyeol’s mother agreed. “If the fine can’t be paid then it’s required that we work off the money in the capital building.”

“What?! That’s like… keeping slaves.”

“Well, the new rule hasn’t been enforced yet so let’s hope that it won’t affect our daily lives too much.”

Myungsoo scoffed and shook his head. “That’s impossible. These guards that run our city will abuse that rule. They’ll abuse it every which way they want until they get what they want.”

“Be that as it may, we don’t have any choice but to follow the rules at the moment. Besides, I heard shots fired last night. It’s better to follow the rules now.” The older man shot Myungsoo a stern glance. “You and Sungyeol better stay safe. There’s no need for reckless behavior getting you two in trouble. I still haven’t forgotten that one time, Myungsoo.”

Myungsoo cringed at the sore memory and nodded. “Yes, sir. I understand. I’ll keep Sungyeol away as best as I can.”

“Sungyeol can get reckless, so keep an eye on him for me.”

Myungsoo stifled a laugh to himself. I’ll just leave that little part about being reckless out for his sake, he thought amusedly. Sungyeol wouldn’t be pleased. Or would he…?

“I’m not that reckless.” Sungyeol pouted. “Maybe mischievous, but I wouldn’t say reckless…”

Myungsoo laughed smiled, running a hand through Sungyeol’s hair. “Calm down, baby. You can’t serve customers with a frown, now can you? Customer service and all that.”

Scoffing with a smile, Sungyeol continued, “Hard to work when you’re here distracting me, you know. Besides it’s not even twelve yet so the lunch rush isn’t here yet. Keep talking to me.”

“You’re so dumb,” Myungsoo laughed as he leaned against the stained steel counters. “There are still customers here, you know.”

“Yeah, but Yeoreum is taking care of them. So talk to me.”

Sungyeol smiled that stupid irresistible grin of his that made Myungsoo weak at the knees and dizzy in his head. He wanted to keep talking to Sungyeol, but Sungyeol’s parents had pulled the entire family out of the house and to the restaurant to talk. They had work to do. Sungyeol and Yeoreum were to wait the tables while Daeyeol and Yerin would wash dishes in the back. But at the moment, only Yeoreum was waiting tables because Sungyeol was standing in the back with Myungsoo, talking.

“Jeez, Yeol – when did you get so lazy.”

“He’s only lazy when you’re here to distract him,” Daeyeol said from his spot at the sink. He chuckled cheekily as he caught his older brother’s glare. “Sorry, hyung – I just had to put my two cents in.”

“You just had to,” Sungyeol mocked.

“I’m your distraction?” Myungsoo asked playfully. “Should I leave then? I wouldn’t want you getting distracted while you’re trying to work.”

“No, don’t go! Just… stay, will you?” He lowered his voice down to a whisper and said, “I feel safer knowing you’re with me and not in the streets getting shot at.”

The younger frowned. “Sungyeol, you and I both know that’s not the extent at which things happen. That’s not the rule.”

“No, but it might as well be because the rules don’t make our lives any safer.”

Yeoreum burst in through the door, a notepad filled with orders in one hand and empty plates in another. “If you guys want to talk, you might as well do it outside. Lunch shift doesn’t start for another eight minutes, anyways.”

“That’s probably a good idea,” Myungsoo agreed, eyeing Sungyeol. “That way we can finish talking and I’ll leave so you can do your work.”

Sungyeol pursed his lips in feigned annoyance and chuckled out, “Fine.” His laugh jingled in the air briefly.

He took Myungsoo by the hand and pulled him out into the alleyway. All was quiet except for the crunch of gravel beneath their feet and the faraway sound of the city’s quiet bustle.

“Well, you wanted to keep talking,” Myungsoo said playfully. “You’ve got eight minutes,” he joked.

Sungyeol smacked his arm and grinned largely. “You dork.”

The younger laughed as he blocked his boyfriend’s arm. “Besides, you looked kind of troubled back there. Is something wrong?”

The smile on Sungyeol’s face faded in brightness for a moment before he plastered it back on. “Not really… I mean, I guess there’s something bothering me but it’s just stupid. Kind of like wishful thinking, you know?”

“No, I don’t know.” Myungsoo placed a soft kiss on Sungyeol’s neck and pulled him into his arms. “I won’t know unless you tell me. You know?” He chuckled to himself as Sungyeol grinned and scoffed at him.

“It’s dumb, though. It’s childish.”

“You should still tell me. I’m kind of your boyfriend, after all.”

After a paused moment of silence and stillness, Sungyeol shifted his feet and spoke softly.

“I just… I really don’t want to die. And I know that’s silly because no one really wants to die but I realized that I don’t want to die if my family or I can’t be free and happy. I have to see the day that happens, Myungsoo, I just have to.”

Myungsoo stayed quiet, his arms resting firmly as Sungyeol lay gathered in his arms. He made a sound of acknowledgement, urging for his boyfriend to continue.

“Remember that book you gave me for my eighteenth birthday – the one about Peter Pan? It kind of makes me want to live forever. I want to live forever without any worries and watch as people around me grow happier and happier as time and life go on. And then the book you got me filled with Greek myths? I want to live like the gods on Olympus, Myungsoo. Only it would be just you and me and the rest of the world at our fingertips.”

“We could do that, Yeol,” Myungsoo muttered into his arm. “We could live like that. It could just be the two of us with nothing but the world at our hands and feet. If we could get out of this place and make a run for it–”

“Myungsoo–”

“Baby, I know that it’s an iffy idea for you but just think about it, okay? Just you and me with nothing but the world – living like immortals. Living the life you want. Yeol, we can do that.”

“Maybe,” he whispered. “Maybe we could. But even if we did – even if we could be our own immortals – it wouldn’t last long.”

If Sunggyu had to reach deep down into the heart he had locked up so long ago, maybe he could admit that he was torn. Maybe he could admit that he was wrong – that the system was wrong. But he wouldn’t; he couldn’t. Not as long as there was so much on the line. Not when he, his mother and Woohyun were on the line. Not when everything he held dear was on the line. No; not now.

 His mom was sick. He needed to take care of her and in the moment, this job was his safest bet. He remembered when he had first gone into the training to become a guard. That was back in the days when he was innocent and still thought like a child. Woohyun had been by his side when he entered the grueling training process. They used to think brightly and innocently back then.

But then something must have wrecked him because that kind of thinking just stopped. Maybe it was when the guards training him had made him realize what kind of horrible city they lived in, despite being the last inhabitable one in the area. Perhaps it was when the guards training him had shown him what kind of despicable things the people in city would do to gain just a slight upper hand on society. That was why they were put there – to put order to society and to make sure no one got out of line.

But no – maybe it was the money that got to him. The money that was guaranteed so long as he did his job and so long as there was money, he would do his job as much as he needed it. The money was too good and maybe the money got into his head and his heart too quickly.

But the money could never really get into his heart because that was a spot reserved for Woohyun and his mother. The money was just aid for now because once he had enough and he was promoted, he could take Woohyun and his ailing mother and move away. He could move to somewhere safe and unthreatening where he could take care of them both while not needing to hurt or arrest anyone.

Because so long as he told himself and convinced himself he was doing good, he wouldn’t feel guilty. But now it was dangerous because now he was convinced and there was no going back to how he used to be. People weren’t good – he knew they weren’t. He experienced that first hand. People were never good anymore. If he took a good step back and evaluated himself, perhaps he would rethink his options. But there was no stepping back anymore.

He was captain of the guard and he had a job to do. Especially now, with the enforcement of the new day punishment rule, he couldn’t afford to slack. He was so close to the promotion he could taste it. No common fool was about to take that away from him.

Sunggyu walked down the streets with a new streak of pride in him. Woohyun would be proud of him, right? Woohyun and his mother would be proud.

“Excuse me, sir. Do you have a license to be here?”

The shaggy man sitting on the sidewalk looked up at Sunggyu in surprise. “What?” he asked. Had the captain of the guard been talking to him?

Sunggyu clucked his tongue impatiently as he continued. “You have been sitting in this same spot for over four days. I assume you have a license to sit here.”

There were heads turning towards him now. They stared at him in awe and disbelief but Sunggyu couldn’t care less.

“License? Since when was a license needed to sit on the sidewalks? Aren’t licenses for businesses only? When was the last time anyone cared about a license?” the man asked incredulously.

“Do you have a license or not?”

“I’m afraid not. I lost my job last week and was convicted. I don’t have anything, let alone a license.” The man narrowed his eyes.

“I see.” Sunggyu glowered down at him with distaste.  “I’m afraid I need to fine you right here, right now, for breaking the license policy.”

“What?! That’s ridiculous! This isn’t a part of that dumb policy!” The man stood up in outrage. “You can’t fine me for not having a license to sit on the sidewalk!

“Sir, I’m afraid I need to fine you right now. You’ve been overstaying your welcome on this sidewalk. The fine is three hundred dollars and the inability to pay the fine will result in further punishment.”

“Do you even hear yourself?! This is ridiculous! I don’t have money at all, let alone three hundred dollars in cash! Breaking some license policy wouldn’t have that high of a fine!”

“It seems that you are unable to pay the fine immediately,” Sunggyu said sternly, pulling out his handcuffs. “At this point I am authorized to arrest you. You will be working off your debt in the capital.”

“What?! That’s–”

Sunggyu didn’t hear another word after that – he was doing his job. And if he was to be promoted in two days, he needed to be efficient and get his job done well. That’s all that mattered to him now. That was all that mattered.

( A/N ) :

omg i updateddddd ' w ' hope none of you forgot about me lolol

also sorry this came so late haha i just graduated high school about a week and a half ago ( cries im off to college ) and i haven't had time to sit down at my computer since then lol but i'm so glad i was able to because i came back with an update!! :D

i guess you can say that things are really picking up ; w ; i'm starting to go more in depth with all characters + relationships and more drama will pick up from here. it'll be a snowball of emotion and luckily for you, i decided to like... not slow roast this story so it may end up faster and shorter than a normal fic of mine ( but not rushed ) ((ps i'm writing a new oneshot, would you like to check it out? :D click otherwise just stay here ahahaha))

anyways, i believe that's all for now! please leave a comment down below for my personal motivation and to tell me what you think is going to happen and what you think so far!!! and subscribe to keep up and only upvote if you're pleased :)) love you all!

-- quinnie --
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