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The truce was made the day Wonshik set out in search for Hongbin. The border had been drawn and he was given instructions to withdraw his troops from the war zones immediately or risk getting left behind, but he does not intend to leave without Hongbin.

It did not take long for the stubborn Wonshik and his loyal platoon to locate Taekwoon’s main base and the friend is more than eager to bust in. He knows Hongbin is close by since most of the bases they have attacked did not contain any traces of his missing friend.

Taekwoon would be out and that was what Wonshik was counting on. Raiding the area would be much easier without any interference and the southern troops are making good progress searching through the abandoned school. Combing every derelict classroom smelling of death rather than youth, the general of the southern army moved the quickest. Not bothering to follow safety protocols which includes stopping outside every room they encounter.

Tearing down the doors with those stealthy legs without a care in the world, his subordinates are having a hard time ensuring his safety. Yelling his friend’s name in full every time he spots someone who is not in uniform, he sounded as desperate as he is behaving. His blustering is almost inhumanly high pitched.

Finally reaching a well maintained corridor indicative that the ‘tenant’ is someone of high importance, Wonshik shot a few guards without procrastination and dashed to the most heavily guarded room at the end of the row. Jamming his long rifle into the locks and emptying his magazine at the hinges, the crazed general was able to let of some steam as well kick up his hopes to an all-time high.

“Hongbin ah!?!” Destroying the door with his shoulders, Wonshik half ran half lumbered in. Spotting a small frame resting curled up prone on a single bed at the end of the huge room, Wonshik prayed that it would indeed be his friend. The person does not move as the bigger man reaches his side, back rising and falling slowly in deep sleep, recuperating from the rough night before.

“Binnie…” Running his hands through his own hair with a complex expression on his face after discarding his weapon, the officer was not entirely orientated to the danger surrounding them. He is in Taekwoon’s personal bunk after all, evident with all those personal artefacts littered over the desk near the lone bed.

Turning the thin shoulders around gingerly, Wonshik almost failed to recognise the Hongbin before him. The medic’s face is clean but the purple stains and bumps, result of burst blood vessels marred his cheeks and basically his entire body. He is still looking ethereal like how sleeping beauty would, except a lot more battered.

“OMO BIN AH!!!” The person does not stir even with the man propping him up, supporting his lolling head while examining the horrid marks on his neck and chest wide-eyed. Letting out a faint whimper, sleeping beauty does not open his heavy eyelids but he is becoming increasingly lucid.

Tugging aggressively at the metal cuff chaining Hongbin’s foot to the rusty post of the bed, Wonshik turned Taekwoon’s room upside down in search of the key. Then, releasing the restraints, the general held his friend close with their foreheads pressed together and simply sat there for a long moment. No words can describe how grateful he is to be reunited with Hongbin at last.

The shouting and sounds of gun fire were drowning out Wonshik’s assuring words, but Hongbin could somehow hear him loud and clear. The rescue mission in its entirety felt more like a dream to the medic. Feeling his cool bloodless cheeks rubbing against his best friend’s warm sweaty skin, Hongbin smiled for the first time in what felt like ages.

The feeling of being lifted off the bed but not to straddle a dreaded someone is comforting and he stopped wincing whenever the pair of hands brushed past where he was hurting. His pain is finally eased.

His saviour also parted his legs slightly while dressing his shivering body in a set of rough starched uniform, but not to do anything lewd. Loud gasps upon seeing what was beneath the tattered grey woollen sheet did not sound promising as the bigger man hurriedly shielded himself from the heart wrenching sight. Hongbin was subsequently thrown onto a broad back and piggy backed out of the place.

Nevertheless, their short reunion is short. “Put him down.” An eerily airy voice stood out amidst the commotion, stopping Wonshik in his tracks.

Wonshik retreated slightly and attempted to make a break for it in the opposite direction but no matter how many turns he took, it is apparent that they are surrounded. Taekwoon had returned and he is incredibly unhappy to find Wonshik leaving with Hongbin.

Approaching Wonshik swiftly, Taekwoon quickly got a good grip of the slowly rousing Hongbin’s by his thin bicep and gave the bruised peripheral a firm tug. Wonshik retaliates and holds onto Hongbin’s torso with all the strength he can summon to his two hands. The scuffing got fiercer and the duo pitted against one another ended up on the ground each trying to hold on to a piece of Hongbin with Taekwoon gaining the upper hand.

Taekwoon manages to dislodge Hongbin from Wonshik’s embrace after a long while. However, Hongbin having regained full consciousness amidst the tussle, is actively trying to get away from him. Wonshik joined in again and even managed a fist across the enemy’s jaw. Taekwoon flew into a rage and drew his gun before Wonshik could grab his.

Almost pulling the trigger, Taekwoon was about to shoot Wonshik between the brows but Hongbin had gotten in his way in the nick of time so he ended up hesitating. Weakened as he is, Hongbin managed to stand in front of Wonshik with arms outspread despite experiencing much difficulty.

“WONSHIK RUN!” Parting his pale lips to speak at last, voice hoarse, Hongbin is not fully aware of his situation. The faces are a blur and he can barely even stand without support. The walls and ceilings are spinning like he were a dice in a roulette.

Wonshik responded by getting onto his feet and holding onto Hongbin tightly in a reverse bear hug. Taekwoon can feel his blood boil as jealousy eats away at him incessantly. He is never one to feel jealous. He always got whatever he wanted yet Hongbin is an exception. He will not allow it. Whatever plans he have in mind for Hongbin does not matter, the aching need to possess him is not faltering.

A little surprised that Taekwoon would not shoot him with Hongbin in the way, Wonshik knows he has two options. They could run and Taekwoon would chase. Or he could fight the man to the end. However, before he can arrive at a decision, Taekwoon’s previously dark and expressionless face had morphed into a devilishly handsome smirk.

“Ravi sshi. Do you remember the missing platoon?” The general relaxes his tensed muscle and reloads his hand gun indifferently. Then, reaching into his pocket and scattering the cloth name labels of those missing soldiers in front of Wonshik, Taekwoon pursed his lips slightly.

“Well. Let’s just say I’m willing to let them go home to their families. With you.” Taekwoon spoke loudly, so that the rest of Wonshik’s soldiers may hear him. The other man stiffened and glared daggers in return. Wonshik almost knows what is to come and his mind is a complete blank at this point.

“We are not talking conditions Jung!” Wonshik managed a weak comeback. Taekwoon raised an eyebrow and shoots one of Wonshik’s soldier while the man stood frozen nearby. He was intending to shoot the man in the head but since Hongbin is there, just the thigh would be suffice. He is already a monster to the young medic. There is no need to worsen the impression.

Wonshik is stunned motionless as a part of him dies. They are not getting out of this fix unscathed and the knot in his gut is killing him. Taekwoon is up to something and Wonshik is not looking forward to knowing what he has to say next. “They won’t end up like him on one condition.” Taekwoon spoke slowly, watching man he had just shot writhe on the ground.

“You can’t threaten me Jung! This war is over!” “We have a truce!” Wonshik did not even notice that he was shouting. Tightening his grip around Hongbin’s waist while he supported the half flaccid young man.

“It is indeed over... meaning you are now in my territory. He is my property now so hand him over.” Taekwoon spoke coldly and Wonshik took three steps back dragging Hongbin along with him.

Raising his pistol to shoot the injured man again, Taekwoon’s eyes glowed with menace and Wonshik gulped down a hard lump at his throat. His own soldiers and supporters are waiting for him to make a wise decision. They trusted him with their lives. Those soldiers from the missing platoon too.

Wonshik had expected their demise ever since Taekwoon’s raid. To think they are still alive and even though Taekwoon may very well be lying, Wonshik can tell that he is speaking the truth. There are eight names in total and Hongbin knows them too. They were from the camp that housed Hongbin.

Feeling a movement within his embrace, Wonshik snapped back into reality as Hongbin pulls away from him slightly. He is unable to read the expression on Hongbin’s face but he can feel the latter’s cold hands reaching into his hind pocket, stealing his small knife in the process. Then, pushing himself off Wonshik and staggering unsteadily, Hongbin stood by himself and took a long wistful look at his friend.

“Wonshikkie... please help me to take care of halmeoni and eomma...” Hongbin spoke in a small quavering voice and backed away from Wonshik. With these words, the general of the southern troops finally understood his intentions.

“YAH LEE HONGBIN! YOU CRAZY BRAT! COME BACK HERE!” Leaping to Hongbin’s side, the desperate friend clung on. However, the young man is determined to make things right. He can’t let Wonshik choose between him and eight other lives.

Wonshik was never good at making decisions. Joining the army was one, and rescuing him despite knowing the war is over was another. Hongbin never quite got why the man would choose the army despite his good results back in high school. To top it off, Wonshik had the softest heart for someone with an appearance of a wild brute. Just knowing that his friend had risked everything to come for him is enough. He would be able to face any adversity as long as he can keep his precious friend safe.

Prying Wonshik’s hands off his shoulders with much difficulty, Hongbin limped over to Taekwoon’s side unsteadily. The enemy’s face remained as straight as ever but his brows are furrowed. As tempted as he is to let Wonshik take Hongbin, Taekwoon simply cannot bear it. He was careless enough to have allowed Wonshik into his camp at all but none of that mattered now.

He does not have a use for the group of man he had captured either ways. He could have better use for the eight lives but all math is out of the window at this point. One person for the lives of eight. It’s not too bad a bargain for Wonshik. Taekwoon had been raised to be unfeeling. To be a strategist. To be a cold blooded authoritarian. Yet he had failed in every aspect when Hongbin stumbled into his life. He is letting his emotions run the show and things are getting ugly.

Watching Wonshik cling onto Hongbin for dear life, Taekwoon stepped forward and pried the man off the medic. Enveloping the small latter in a tight embrace, Taekwoon held on possessively. Hongbin recoiled for a brief moment but subsequently allowed Taekwoon to hold him since shrugging off the hysterical Wonshik by himself is proving a little too daunting. Grabbing onto Taekwoon shirt, Hongbin did not even notice that his hands are trembling.

“YAH LEE HONGBIN!!” Hongbin deliberately blocked out Wonshik’s cries from his consciousness, looking away stubbornly.

Allowing Taekwoon to draw him close, Hongbin held back a sob and continued with the strong front he is putting up.

“Good boy.” Taekwoon whispered into Hongbin’s ear. This is what Taekwoon loved most about Hongbin.