The mare’s hooves thundered against the ground as Chanyeol urged her forward. While taking a horse meant his journey would be shorter than going on foot, he had still stopped to let the mare graze for a while and to have a snack for himself. While he did not want to tire the mare out or cause her any injury while pushing her too hard, he was desperate to see if he could meet with Minseok, so their break was not long. Thankfully, however, the mare appeared up to the challenge and continued on with no problem. 

“I’ll find you a nice place to rest and plenty of hay to eat once we’re there,” Chanyeol told the mare as he hunched over and rubbed her neck.

As he looked up, he could see smoke from chimneys rising into the darkening night sky. His face felt frozen, his hands were cramped, and his hurt greatly from being in the saddle so much and bouncing as the mare ran. Now he just had to hope that when he arrived at the town that Amber would have an available room. Heck, at this point he would even take the bad room he had shared with Baekhyun before.

He had no idea how much more time had passed before he came trotting into the town, drawing some attention from the people walking through the streets. With his hood still covering his head and face, he supposed he could look a bit ominous, but at least he was not drawing any bad attention as people simply gave him a glance and then looked away to go about their way again. 

Guiding his mare towards Amber’s inn, he secured her to a post with a promise to come back out and tend to her. Before going inside, he removed his clothes and leftover food from the saddle just to make sure no one would be tempted to steal them.

With his hood still pulled up, he entered, bringing the cold breeze inside with him. People sitting around eating some dinner turned towards him and shivered as he quickly made his way inside. From under his hood he could see Amber coming back into the front room and looking at him.

“Welcome! Can I help you?” she asked while walking towards him. “If you’re looking for a room, there are two left,” she explained while placing on hand on her hip and rubbing her shoulder.

“Hard work today?” Chanyeol asked.

“Just work to keep this place running. Nothing I can’t handle,” Amber replied with a small smile. “So, can I interest you in a room?”

“I think you could possibly interest me in something else,” he told her instead of accepting a room like any other traveler would have.

“Sir, this is not that kind of place, nor is there one of those in this town. If you are looking for one, I advise you keep going,” she told him firmly.

“Relax,” chuckled Chanyeol before he pulled his hood back. “I’m talking about something else.”

As soon as his hood was pulled back, Amber’s hands flew to , covering it as she let out a small scream. “Chanyeol! You’re better! You’re here!” she shouted before lunging forward and hugging him tightly. “I was so worried!” 

“Amber...Amber...I can’t breath if you hug me that tightly,” Chanyeol told her, tapping her on the back a couple of times.

Right away she released her hold on him and took a couple steps back, noticing the confused looks she was earning from the other guests staying there. She then pulled him towards the counter where they could talk a bit more out of the way of others. 

“What are you doing here? How did you get here?” Amber asked right away.

“Sunny and Clair were kind enough to let me borrow their mare to ride here,” Chanyeol explained, pointing back towards the door. “She’s tied up outside probably tired and hungry so she needs some tending to.”

“I’ll do that for you tonight,” Amber told him right away. “You need rest if you’ve ridden here, especially after being so sick and looking so deathly.”

“Are you sure? I’d have no problem tending to her if you could point me in the way of the nearest available stable,” he replied, not wanting to bother her when she had a place to run. “Don’t let my visit inconvenience you at all.”

“It’s no worries,” Amber reassured him with a wave of her hand. “I know the mare you’re talking about and her and I have quite a strong bond. It will be nice to brush and feed her again. But now, you need food and some rest.”

“Oh, before that…” the wizard said, trailing off slightly. He glanced around a bit and frowned slightly. “Is...is Minseok around?” 

Amber’s eyes grew wide at the question. There was no doubt Sunny had filled him in and heard about Minseok stopping by to take care of him. She played with her fingers a little, wondering what she should tell him. Her eyes kept glancing over towards the room Minseok was staying in. Chanyeol quickly caught on and turned around, looking at the door.

“Is he in there?” Chanyeol asked, desperately wanting to know. 

“Come here,” Amber instructed as he grabbed his arm and guided him over to a vacant table in the corner of the room. “Sit and wait here. I’ll tell him you’re here.”

Chanyeol took a seat in a chair that faced the corner so he could look out the window. He had no idea how long Amber would be talking to Minseok, or if he would even want to come out and see him. Nerves wracked his body as he started thinking about what he would ask Minseok if he did get the chance to see him. As he quickly turned around, he saw Amber knocking on the door and watched as it cracked open. He turned around right away, not wanting to be spotted. Even when he heard a door slam he did not bother turning around because he knew either Amber or Minseok would come to him, he just needed to wait. 

More time passed before a door opened and closed again. Having been sitting there for quite some time, Chanyeol was not expecting it when he heard heavy boots behind him and someone clear their throat. Spinning around, he looked up to see Minseok standing there.

“Minseok…” Chanyeol gasped as he bolted up from his chair and stared at the older man. “It’s you...it’s really you…”

“In the flesh and blood,” replied Minseok as he motioned to himself. “Let’s sit down, get comfortable, and talk for a bit.”

All Chanyeol found himself doing was nodding his hand and plopping back down into the chair, sitting there in a bit of a daze. It was really Minseok. He was right in front of him. A man he had assumed to be dead years ago. 

“I have to say I was completely shocked when Amber came and told me you were here,” Minseok told him as soon as he had sat down. “I pulled her into my room and had to ask her to make sure she was certain it was you.”

Right at the mention of Amber, Chanyeol watched as she went outside, most likely going to tend to the mare he had ridden. His attention was quick to return to Minseok though.

“We both got a bit of a surprise,” Chanyeol told him. “I appeared here all of the sudden, and I recently found out that you’re actually alive and not dead in a grave.”

“A...right...I suppose everyone would assume that I was dead…” Minseok muttered, scratching the back of his head. “I guess there’s some explaining for me to do about what really happened…”

“Damn right you do!” Chanyeol shouted while slamming his hands down on the table. 

“Sssshhhh! Easy there!” Minseok scolded before giving him a slap on the arm and a slight glare. “Don’t go drawing too much attention. I hate unwanted attention.”

“Sorry,” apologized Chanyeol as he relaxed in his chair and lowered his head. “It’s just...imagine how I felt when I was told that you’d stopped by and taken care of me. After all these years...assuming you were dead. I was only conscious for a day, hardly able to move, and I was already willing to race over and find you.”

“You’re making me feel really bad,” Minseok told him as he leaned back in his chair and frowned at him. 

“So explain things to me and help me understand,” begged Chanyeol. There was nothing he wanted more right now than to know why Minseok had faked his own death.

“Well then...sit back and get ready for a story,” Minseok told him as he himself got comfortable in his seat. 

~~~~

Finding himself in a new town once again, he believed it was called Sunbon from the sign he had caught a glimpse of when he had arrived, Minseok was quick to make his way to a nearby inn to see if there was a room for rent available. His hair was hidden under the hood of his cloak as a precaution just in case there were people in this town who were not a fan of wizards. That was one thing he was quickly growing sick and tired of. 

The owner of the inn was able to get him a room and passed him a key before taking his order for food. With his stomach growling after walking for a few days straight now, Minseok ordered a plate of food that would fill him up. Some fresh venison and steamed potatoes would do the trick, and it was not too expensive.

“Why go on this damn journey if I have to worry about people seeing what I really am?” Minseok growled to himself as he sat down with a plate of food.

Sitting with his back in a corner so he could face out into the room, he kept a careful eye on everyone that walked past, making sure his hood was kept well over his face. Anyone passing would only be able to see the bottom of his nose to his chin, just how he liked things. 

It was only when a group of five men entered the inn, brining in a large breeze that his hood flew back off his head. Thankfully he was quick to catch it and pull it back into place. His eyes then scanned around a bit to see if anyone had taken notice of his appearance. Across the room, sitting by the fireplace, was a man with a brimmed hat who might have been looking towards him, although he could not tell for certain because the room was dimly lit and the fire was casting a shadow over the strangers face. 

For the remainder of the time it took for Minseok to finish his meal, he kept his head lower and groused to himself. It had only been one month into his journey and he was already wishing it could be over, but not so that he could return home. Going home was the last thing he wanted to do. Home was where his family’s messed up logic was, where bad memories were. The only person who made him even want to possibly consider going back was his cousin, Chanyeol. At least Chanyeol was someone who could always make him smile and looked up to him. 

“I might as well call it a night,” Minseok whispered to himself as he got up from his table and grabbed the sack he had been carrying. 

A look at the key he had been given showed him what his room number was. Slinging his sack over his shoulder, he headed towards the rooms and found which one he would be staying in. The key turned effortlessly in the lock and the door swung open to reveal a room that did not look too shabby compared to others he had stayed in. There was a bed, small table, a few torches on the walls for him to light, and even a washbasin with a sign that said to ask for warm water and towels if needed. 

There was just enough time for him to toss his sack onto the bed and sit down before a knock came on his door. Thinking it might be the owner of the inn coming to check on him, he got back up and answered the door.

“Yes?” he asked as the door gave a small squeak. 

To his shock, however, it was not the owner of the inn standing there, but rather the man in the hat he had spotted while eating. 

“Mind if I come in for a quick chat?” the man asked, taking another step forward and making Minseok step back. 

The door closed behind the man as Minseok sat back down on his bed and looked at him. Without asking permission, the man grabbed a chair at the table and dragged it across the floor so he was sitting across from him. 

“I don’t usually have strangers making their way into my room,” Minseok stated as he folded his arms across his chest and looked the man up and down.

The man leaned back in the chair and crossed one of his ankles over his knee, doing the same and looking Minseok over a couple of times now that he was closer to the man. 

“Trust me,” the stranger said as he took his had off, “I don’t make it a thing of going into anyone’s room unless I’m invited in by a woman.” 

Minseok cringed a little and shook his head. “So what’s your reason for making me an exception? Am I just that pretty?” he joked, letting out a small chuckle.

“Your hair gives away that you’re a wizard,” the man stated, pointing at the purple mass on top of Minseok’s head. “I’m Jongdae,” he then introduced, leaning forward and extending his hand. 

Minseok looked down at the hand extended in front of him but did not make a move to uncross his arms and shake his hand. There was no reason for him to be friendly with the man yet or tell him his name. 

“Right, of course. I’m a stranger barging into your room. Why would you trust me?” Jongdae asked with a shrug of his shoulders. “If it helps, I like wizards. I have nothing against your kind, unlike some other people in this town.”

“And how can I trust your words?” Minseok asked right away, not being too fast to trust him. “Anyone can claim they like wizards and then turn on us,” he pointed out.

“I’ve been following you since back in Makus, watching you when I found out you are a wizard,” Jongdae explained. “If there’s one thing I’ve noticed, you’ve been becoming sadder as time has gone on.”

Eyes going completely wide, Minseok was taken aback by what he had heard. Had Jongdae really just said since Makus? That had been the very first town he had stopped off in towards the beginning of the month. This was already his third town he had stopped in, so the man had been following him closely through those towns? Through the forests?

“How did I not notice you?” Minseok asked him. Sure, he was not the most observant person ever, but surely he would have been able to tell if someone was following him for a month.

“I’m a hunter,” replied Jongdae proudly. “I’m silent and stealthy. If I wanted to harm you within this past month, I would have made my move and you would not be here right now.”

Reading the man's face, Minseok had to admit that he did not detect any signs that he was lying to him. So he leaned forward and extended his hand.

“I’m Minseok.”

Jongdae smiled as he leaned forward again and grasped Minseok’s hand tightly, giving it a firm shake. 

“So tell me, Minseok. Why have you been getting sadder? You’re not carrying yourself as proudly as when I first saw you,” Jongdae told him.

Although Minseok debated if he should tell someone like Jongdae about his journey, he figured that right now there was nothing wrong with it. So he gave him a quick rundown about how each wizard, at the age of twenty, would go on a three month journey alone to lands they had never been to before to gain experience. To his surprise, Jongdae had listened silently and nodded his head to show he was paying attention. Minseok even went as far as to tell him that he really did not want to return home, but would have to at the end of his three months. 

“I think I can help you,” Jonghae stated with a smirk on his face.

“You? Help me?” scoffed Minseok. 

“I’ll help you fake your death,” Jongdae told him flat out, a serious expression decorating his face. “I don’t know what that would mean doing...but I’m willing to help you.”

Minseok squinted his eyes as he watched Jongdae’s expressions changed. Even though Jongdae seemed willing to help, Minseok could not wrap his mind around why.

“What’s the reason you seem so eager to help me?” he then asked. “I’ve done nothing for you...and you’ll get nothing out of this.”

“As I’ve said before, you’ve become more sad as your journey has gone on. I’