“Hoya.”

Hoya turned around at the sound of his name. Surprised, he eyed Mir suspiciously as he and around ten other men stepped into his office room.

“…Yes?” he answered skeptically.

“I want to talk. Er, we want to talk,” Mir responded. “With you.”

Hoya leaned back on his metal table, his fingers touching the edge of his papers gingerly. “Well, I’m listening. So spit it out.”

“We… we want to help you.” Mir took a glance at his friends almost nervously and shuffled his feet. “After Seungho’s death, we realized Woohyun hasn’t done anything for us even though we put our lives on the line for him. We want action now. We want action.”

Hoya raised his eyebrows in interest, his head tilted to the side. “Really? You’re willing to join me? You and your fellows?”

“It’s not just us,” spoke another man Hoya recognized as Himchan. “We know where there are others that want to support you.”

“Why haven’t they come out before?”

“There’s never been an opportunity before,” Mir stated. “If we came out to help it would have looked like treason.”

“It still technically is,” Hoya said, “considering you’re going against Woohyun’s will.”

“But now Seungho is dead,” Mir spat. “And we want to do something. Something needs to happen if change is ever going to happen in this city.”

“I can’t argue with you there.” Hoya chuckled. “I’d like to wreck some havoc too – see how those dimwitted guards try and deal with it. It’s been a shame there hasn’t been enough people to back me up.”

“We will,” Mir said hastily. “We’re willing to back you up. Us and at least thirty others here in this compound.”

“Is that so?” Hoya asked amusedly. “Then I’m sure we can arrange a small panic attack for the guards.”

Mir’s face perked up, a new spark of hunger lit in his eyes. “We can?! Really?!”

“Of course.” Hoya nodded. “I’ve been prepared for this for a long, long time now. I’d be surprised if I wasn’t ready to strike.”

“We can gather everyone who wants to go,” Mir promised, his eyes fiery. “When is the attack?”

“If everything can go as planned then we’re actually able to hit them in a couple of hours. Of course, I would need as many people as you could gather for me…”

“You can count on us, Hoya!” Mir exclaimed. He was already backing up with his friends, ready to run out the door and salvage all the troops he could. “Our loyalty lies to you now.”

The group of fellows ran back through the door and Hoya could almost hear the chaos ensuing. But he couldn’t help but smile – couldn’t help but run his tongue along the sharp fangs in his mouth. Mir and his friends’ loyalty belonged to him. He was their leader now – not Woohyun.

He chuckled to himself at this new turn of events. Perhaps it was an unfortunate turn of events for Woohyun. However, this couldn’t have been a better twist for him.

It’s perfect, Hoya thought to himself, Absolutely perfect.

In all his scheming and thinking he wouldn’t have ever thought to gain followers in this way. Sure, he had dramatized Seungho’s death a little more than he should have but Dongwoo had shut that down as quickly as it had started so this only meant one thing. Other people were just as sick of Woohyun as he was.

He laughed to himself loudly, almost hysterically, because it was just too damn perfect. It was too convenient, it was too well timed and for a moment he had to stop and think to himself whether or not this was a dream. It must have been some kind of fantasy because there was no way that this surreal sweetness could be truth. But it didn’t matter how many times he pinched himself because every time he blinked this moment was real.

And for once in a long while he felt like he was getting his way.

Dongwoo was confused. He was also kind of hungry and tired – but mostly confused. He had gone into the resting room nearly an hour ago in search of some sleep. After choosing one of the futons in the corner, he lay himself down but instead of falling asleep, he started thinking. He thought about how their group of rebels was fairing, even though they hadn’t done anything in nearly a year and how there had been an air of almost awkwardness in their headquarters ever since Seungho’s death; but mostly he though of Hoya – Hoya and why he never seemed to understand.

Dongwoo rolled over and shifted restlessly. Why couldn’t Hoya just take ten minutes with him and talk instead of pushing him away all the time? He never wanted to talk. That was probably why their relationship had fallen into a slump to begin with – Hoya’s refusal to talk out problems. He always acted on them instead and sometimes Dongwoo wanted to shake some sense into him. He was too reckless.

But Dongwoo sighed because Hoya was just as caring and tender as he was reckless. Because every time Hoya had done something without thinking thoroughly, he always apologized once he realized he was in the wrong. He would always be the bigger man and that’s what had attracted Dongwoo at the very start. He was such a gentleman – always thinking of Dongwoo first. They were each other’s priorities and that’s how they thrived. There was no one that could care for them better than the other.

And yet somehow, that had all changed.

Dongwoo wasn’t sure when it happened but somehow the Hoya he knew had just… stopped existing. Suddenly Hoya wasn’t putting as much effort into their relationship as Dongwoo was and it started to become a drag. Hoya wasn’t the same as he used to be. The easygoing and humble side of Hoya had vanished. Ever since he had risen to a position of power, he had a new glint in his eyes that Dongwoo wasn’t fond of. It was a cold glint, like one off of shining steel, except it was hungry and ravenous. Dongwoo didn’t like it. The unfamiliar light that shone in Hoya’s eyes seemed to grow and grow as months went on. And soon he was nearly a completely different person.

But what scared Dongwoo the most was not knowing whether or not Hoya was different because of how much he disliked Woohyun. But he knew that Hoya never meant Woohyun any harm. They disagreed to a heavy extent but Dongwoo knew that they both had the same goals at heart – simply different ways of going about it. At least, that’s what he had convinced himself.

But the complete turnaround in Hoya’s personality had thrown Dongwoo off. Now it seemed like Dongwoo didn’t matter in Hoya’s eyes anymore. Hoya’s priorities didn’t correlate with his and that was fine. That was okay. But if Hoya wasn’t going to put as much effort into their relationship as Dongwoo was then it wouldn’t be able to work.

Maybe their breakup had come as a shock to many people. Their breakup had come as the biggest shock to Hoya who seemed confused and almost betrayed by it. But when it came to explanations Dongwoo had put his foot down. If Hoya could take a second and look through Dongwoo’s eyes again, he wouldn’t need to explain.

“Hyung!”

Dongwoo shot up from his futon immediately, the adrenaline rushing to his reflexes. “Huh? What? Oh, Sungjong. It’s just you.”

Sungjong nodded quickly as he continued speaking. “I’m really sorry to wake you. But hyung, something is happening!”

“No, no, you didn’t wake me at all. I was already waking up,” Dongwoo lied. “What do you mean something’s happening?”

“I don’t know. Everybody seems restless this past day. Woohyun wasn’t feeling well so he stayed at his home today, but everything here seems… active.”

“Wait, active? What for – we haven’t planned anything yet.”

Sungjong bit his bottom lip nervously. “We might not have planned anything, but they have.”

Furrowing his eyebrows, Dongwoo asked, “Who’s we?”

“We is Woohyun,” Sungjong informed. “And they is–”

“Hoya.” Dongwoo frowned. He frowned deeply.

He was up on his feet within seconds, his footsteps echoing loud in the seemingly empty hallways. Sungjong followed behind him quickly as he made his way into the biggest room in the entire compound. Dongwoo knew they would be there. Everyone would be there. But when he arrived there he didn’t expect the sight that greeted him.

The room seemed almost split right down the middle. The crowd going out to battle was wearing all of their combat and recon gear while everybody else wore their everyday clothing. Dongwoo never thought he would see the day where people in the rebellion would split. He never expected it.

He pushed his way to the crowd and closer to the sound of Hoya’s evident voice talking loud and clear. It boomed in the large room and echoed against the metal rafters. But Dongwoo wasn’t listening to what he said. He only pushed forward until he was at the front and face to face with the very man that he used to love.

“Lee Howon!” he shouted.

The silence that followed thereafter was awkward and crisp. The very sound of the people’s nervous, shuffling feet echoed loud and clear in the giant space.

“You tell me,” Dongwoo growled, “what you are doing. Right now.”

Hoya frowned at him. “We’re going out to settle the score,” he said firmly. “The guards out there deserve the kind of pain they caused us when Seungho died. We’re only serving justice.”

“It’s not our job to serve justice,” Dongwoo retorted. “Our job is to find away to make the people in our city’s lifestyles easier. Our job is to let the government know that we matter.”

“That’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re off to show that we matter,” Hoya replied calmly. “If people here are suffering then we have to let the government know. But they don’t listen to us; they listen to their guards. That’s why we’re hitting them.”

“Hoya, listen–”

“No, you listen Dongwoo,” Hoya interrupted sharply. “It’s high time that the guards in this city get a taste of their own medicine and we’re going to give it to them. I have people gathered behind me, Dongwoo, and you’re not going to stop us. Now is our chance. Woohyun isn’t here, so now is our chance.”

Dongwoo took a deep breath in through his nose and breathed it out gently. “I won’t stop you,” he said finally. “I won’t. But you have to promise me that you don’t hurt any innocent people. Nobody gets hurt except for the guards, do you understand?”

As if in relief, Hoya grinned. “I understand,” he replied. “It was never our intention to hurt the civilians in any way.” He turned his head to shout at his men. “Anyone who hurts any innocent bystander during this raid will answer to me, do you understand?!”

They agreed with a loud sound of agreement.

“And,” Dongwoo added, “if any of your men get so much as a scratch… you will be answering directly to me, understand?”

Hoya chuckled briefly. “I understand.”

And for once, Dongwoo recognized the gleam in his eyes.

“Alright, but don’t you think Ophelia was stupid? She went psycho and drowned herself. She’s not even necessary.”

“Of course she is! She drove the plot! Without her death, so many things wouldn’t have happened!”

Myungsoo scoffed at his boyfriend. “You mean like the death of every other person in this play?”

Sungyeol rolled his eyes. “That isn’t the point, Myungsoo. Her insanity was brought upon by the actions and choices of all the other characters. Her insanity is a reflection of the chaos that happened because of everybody else’s stupidity. She’s basically a personification of Denmark after she goes insane.”

With a yawn, Myungsoo dropped his head from Sungyeol’s shoulder onto his lap. “Wow,” he said, stretching arms around his boyfriend’s body. “I didn’t realize my boyfriend was so smart. You should win an award or something.”

“For what?” Sungyeol chuckled as he Myungsoo’s hair. “Understanding Hamlet? It’s not that hard once you get the hang of it. You’re just too lazy to even try.”

“That’s also true.” Myungsoo laughed. “I like the thought of you being intellectual better. It’s hot.”

Sungyeol scoffed in amusement as he leaned back on Atlas, the tree’s gnarled bark digging into his skin. “Do I get an award for being hot too?”

Myungsoo shook his head, his nose nuzzling into Sungyeol’s stomach like little tickles. “Nope. I get that award.”

“You dork.” The taller flicked Myungsoo’s forehead, the younger crying out in annoyance.

“But you love me because I’m a dork, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, save it for later, mister.”

Myungsoo pouted as he turned to lie on his back facing the sky. “I don’t want to save it for later,” he whined. “I want it now.” He kissed the cloth over Sungyeol’s stomach. “Can I have it now?” he asked as he looked up at Sungyeol hopefully.

“Nope,” Sungyeol denied immediately. Poking Myungsoo’s cheek away, he said, “You don’t get anything right now because you made me lose tips during my shift.”

“Okay, in my defense, the guy looked at you funny and I didn’t like it,” Myungsoo mumbled. “And you know, he was one of those guard jerks so I really didn’t feel like tolerating any he was going to try and pull on you.”

“He wasn’t trying to pull anything,” Sungyeol teased. “Maybe you should get an award for the most jealous boyfriend of the year.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” Myungsoo laughed starkly. “Speaking of awards, that awards ceremony is coming up. Do you want to attend?”

Sungyeol snorted. “Of course not. That award ceremony is just to reward and promote guards to a better lifestyle. Why should I attend that?”

“Just thought I would ask,” Myungsoo chuckled. “Besides, maybe we can cheer for the guards that are going to leave us forever.”

Sungyeol laughed to himself. “If you want to go to gloat then I won’t stop you.”

Myungsoo didn’t reply after that, much to Sungyeol’s confusion. He stayed silent and when Sungyeol glanced down, his eyes were wide and focused on the sky.

“Myungsoo…?” he voiced gently.

Myungsoo hushed him immediately and sat up abruptly. He held his fingers at Sungyeol’s mouth cautiously, signaling for him to keep his voice down. He blinked and furrowed his eyebrows as he cocked his ear up towards the roof above them as if listening. Sungyeol looked up at the clear blue sky that glowed in between Atlas’ twisted branches.

If there was someone else up there then they were in danger. The small, secluded area they resided only had two openings, and those were up and forward. There was no way for them to get out if they were surrounded by the roof and the only opening they had.

It took all of Sungyeol to not gasp out loud when a dark figure leaped over the two roofs surrounding them. He grabbed Myungsoo’s hand with urgency. If they needed to run, they had to run now.

But Myungsoo only gripped him and hushed him, urging him to stay still. “Don’t move,” he whispered.

“Myungsoo, we need to go–”

“We’re not in danger.”

“…What?”

“We’re not.”

Sungyeol nearly jumped out of his skin when a dark figure landed in front of them with a loud thump. Myungsoo held his hand and stayed calm, yet a smile graced his face.

“Hoya,” he spoke.

It was Hoya. Hoya pulled down his facemask to smile at them. “Well, if it isn’t the lovebirds.”

“Hoya?” Sungyeol asked in surprise, standing up. “What are you doing here? You’re not on recon duty yet.”

“This isn’t a recon mission, this is a raid. I knew you two would be here. I need you guys to get into a building or somewhere safe. Stay off the streets, especially.”

Myungsoo tilted his head in confusion. “Wait, Woohyun never mentioned anything about a raid…”
“This isn’t Woohyun’s raid; this is mine.”

“Hoya!” Sungyeol exclaimed.

“Get into a building and stay off the streets. That’s all I have to tell you.”

By the time they were safe and secure in Myungsoo’s apartment, the city had fallen into an eerie calm. Sungyeol had called it the calm before the storm, but to Myungsoo it was only anxiety. They both stared at the window together, anticipating the chaos.

Hoya had tried to clear as many people off the streets as he could. Now the streets were empty in a way that was almost scary to them. It didn’t look right.

They could spot people jumping and hopping across the roofs silently in the broad daylight. More and more people gathered among the roofs and they were all headed in the same directions. It was only moments before they sprung on the unsuspecting guards below them.

So when the first yell screeched into the air like the pierce of a needle, the chaos followed like a controlled wave.

It was almost terrifying to Myungsoo because those people fighting down on the streets were his friends. He knew them. And he wanted to hate himself because when Sungyeol had turned away and said to close the curtains, he kept watching. He kept staring and staring at this heated battle that had occurred on the streets of his very own city. He couldn’t stop watching.

And in that moment he realized something important. He realized something that would change a couple things. He realized that if these raids kept happening, there was a benefit for him and his boyfriend.

“Sungyeol.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you free next weekend?”

“I… should be. Why the sudden question?”

“Remember what I said about running? All that stuff I told you about how we could live outside the walls?”

“Yes, I do. But what does that have to do with next weekend?”

“Pack your bags, okay? Just be ready.”

Myungsoo would need to ask Hoya for a favor.

(A/N); 

hello my lovelies ouo so sorry that i took so long to update! i've been traveling a lot this summer lol. im headed to missouri in a week and a half to go and perform there for this big event.

anyways! how'd you like the chapter? :D like i said before, the pace should start picking up a lot. this might actually end up shorter than i plan, which is a good thing for me lol 

guise yadong. yadong yadong yadong. +myungyeol. they myungyeol. 

can you tell where things are headed? leave some comments below! hope you enjoyed this chapter and i promise i'll try to update faster before summer runs out! >< 

i love you all lots!!! 

-- quinnie -- 
ask.fm | tumblr | twitter

(also Bad is my newest jam and it's actually freaking amazing i love it)