It was finally time to set off. They received reports of Mukk’s location. It was about two day’s hike away, but they were using horses (sponsored by HaHa), so they only needed a day. Nonetheless, they had to hike down the mountain by feet first, since the mountain was too rocky for the horses to run.

Jong Kook led the way, followed by Jae Suk behind him. Then Kwang Soo, HaHa and Suk Jin walked together. Behind them were Gary and Jihyo, walking side by side. Everyone walked in silence, with their swords hung on their shoulder. Their horses trotted calmly beside each owner.

Gary’s and Jihyo’s hands kept brushing against each other, but neither of them said anything. They have spent enough time to know each other’s feelings. Both of them loved each other, but they are keeping their feelings in check for the greater mission. Because if they started a relationship and something went wrong, then… then they wouldn’t be able to concentrate on the battle. So neither of them confessed.

Just before they reached the bottom of the mountain, Gary pulled Jihyo back.

“O? Oppa?” she asked, surprised.

“Jihyo yah,” he said, then stopped. She looked at him.

“Never mind. It’s not important,” he finally lied. He almost confessed. Almost. But he was worried that it distracts her. And if they fail because of that, she would regret it so much, because it was her dream. And he would too. So he stopped himself in the end.

She nodded, slightly confused, but walked on anyway.

But what if I die and I never get to confess, he thought to himself again. He opened his mouth and wanted to speak again, but they had already reached the bottom of the mountain. They got up their horses and started riding. He lost his opportunity.

They finally stopped for a break after 4 hours of riding. Jihyo walked over to sit with Gary, as usual, but Jae Suk pulled him away to speak to him. She stared at them, confused.

“Are you thinking if you should confess?” he asked in a low voice.

He looked at him, surprised. Jae Suk was in front all along, how would he know?

He smiled, as if reading his thoughts. “Don’t forget I faced the same struggle too.”

He nodded. “What made you confess?”

Jae Suk shook his head. “I don’t know. I was stuck in the dilemma for a long while too.”

“But eventually you did.”

Jae Suk nodded. “And I now realise all my worries were for nothing. Because I have her now, I am going to press on harder than anyone else here. I’m going to work harder than anyone else here, so I can go back home to her safe and sound.”

“But what if…”

Jae Suk cut him off before he finished. “Do you have so little faith in yourself or Jihyo?”

Gary thought for a while, then smiled. “Thank you, hyung.”

Jae Suk patted him on the back.

“Jihyo!” he suddenly called. Everyone turned their attention to him. Jihyo looked over, shocked.

“I… I love you,” he muttered out, his face blushing madly.

The others fell silent, watching the couple intensely.

“If we survive this fight, let’s get married,” he blurted.

Jihyo just stared blankly. He started to become nervous, because she wasn’t replying. He walked up to her and held her hands, and looked at her nervously.

“Jihyo?”

She blinked. Was she dreaming?

“Don’t you love me too?” he finally asked, confused at her awkward silence.

She smiled, and kissed him.

He kissed her back. Then they pulled away.

“Still the same, aren’t you?” she chuckled.

“Huh?”

“Always telling me what to do instead of asking,” she laughed. He hugged her tighter. Jae Suk was right after all. Now, he’s going to put in everything he has to win. To survive. For Jihyo.

They arrived at their destination. In the middle of a heavily infected village, there was a mansion, or maybe, a palace would be a more suitable word. And Mukk was inside. Jong Kook knocked down the two guards (Dream Snatchers) with one blow. When they entered, a swarm of Dream Snatchers attacked them, but thankfully, while they were tired out, they still managed to defeat them all.

They finally managed to come face to face with Mukk. They got a shock at first. They had expected him to be a monster, with three heads and eight limbs, or something of that sorts. It would make blaming and hating him easier. But they were startled to see that he was just as human as any of them.

But what they don’t know is this. Mukk may look like a human, but he sure isn’t one. He was. Many years ago. In his search to be immortal, he found a way- take away people’s hopes. And that was why he had been doing this- for immortality, for eternal power.

He smiled at the seven of them as they entered wearily, as if expecting them. If they didn’t know of his hideous deeds, they would have thought that he was welcoming them. But of course, they knew. Jong Kook s