Chapter 3

It did take a while to reach the small cluster of buildings on the island by walking and at their pace, the sky would be a deep purple and the moon bright by the time they'd arrive. Wonshik listened to Hakyeon's soft chatter mingle with the clicks of fruit bats crooning over their mangos in the darkness. His mind wandered to the fruit bats and their God Saewon, reminding himself that he would need to leave out an offering tonight with Hakyeon before they went to sleep. From Hongbin's letters, he was aware that few people outside of their islands worshipped the same Gods.

'Money and trade, those are the gods here, Shik. And the offerings are greed and waste.' Hongbin had written once. The thought saddened him, and made him wonder why Hongbin was still there when there were often complaints in his letters.

"Wonshik. Are you even listening to me?" Wonshik blinked, staggering under the blade of Hakyeon's hand chop at his neck.

"Sorry.." Hakyeon clicked his tongue, but then didn't speak, silence oozing between them and hardening into a wall that Wonshik felt it safer to wait rather than breach.

As the wall grew wider and pushed turn apart, Wonshik continued to steal glances at Hakyeon's profile. Slight lines had gathered, pinching at Hakyeon's lips as he chewed on them. Unsure of what could be on Hakyeon's mind, Wonshik reached out to tap at the wall between them by nudging him with his shoulder. He watched on, hopeful for a reaction, but Hakyeon turned to face the other way before he broke the silence.

"Why do they call you Ravi?"

"Huh? Oh..." Wonshik mumbled, scratching the back of his neck. "It's just a nickname Ken gave me when we first met. Guess it kinda stuck."

"Right."

"Yeah..." Wonshik continued to steal looks at the older man. The walk felt extra long in the unusual quiet that Wonshik was even more grateful for the chirps of the bats that filled the spaces in between what Hakyeon wasn't saying and Wonshik didn't understand.

Cresting the final hill to their destination brought the sound of humanity travelling on the breeze. A clutch of white buildings lay nesting in the concave of the grassy valley, each placed on an angle that they all leaned towards each other, as if the great bird who had laid them had also nudged her unhatched brood to be close to stay warm. After a long day of unending work, the warmth was extremely inviting and Wonshik found himself speeding up to keep pace with Hakyeon's descent into the valley. Torches had been lit in the centre of the nest where many of the workers were still gathered for the evening meal. Hakyeon headed straight to where the delicious scent of bonfire-cooked meat was at it's strongest, getting in line to be served with the other workers.

Wonshik wandered away, instead heading to the largest of the buildings, White Hall. It was a glamorous building, the facade detailed with flourishes of expert masonry. A few workers who hovered around at the front steps hailed him as he walked by.

"The big Boss is inside already." One of them said.

Rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, he thanked them and turned back around to where he knew Hakyeon would be. It didnt take him long to be spotted and have food shoved in his face.

"Where did you go? Here-" Hakyeon's mouth was full but most of what he said Wonshik understood.

"I was looking for Leo, I wanted to ask him something." Wonshik shrugged and took a bite out of the roasted fish that was being held in front of his lips. "Mm, 's good." He coughed when he noticed Hakyeon staring at him, covering his mouth with his fist.

"What?" But Hakyeon continued to stare at him, chewing slowly. Wonshik rubbed the back of his neck, the tips of his ears going pink.

"What? Is there something on my face?" He rubbed his calloused hand over his mouth, unnerved by the intensity of Hakyeon's gaze. It happened sometimes, Wonshik noticed, as they had gotten older. He would catch his best friend looking at him, often when it would seem like Wonshik wouldn't notice it happening. The look was hard to describe and how it made him feel was even more inexplicable. It was almost like with a look like that, Hakyeon had Wonshik trapped in a world where it was just the two of them.

Cheeks turning the same shade as his ears, Wonshik leaned forward to touch the other's shoulder to perhaps shake the spell away, but at the same time as he moved Hakyeon's eyes flickered away. Wonshik still took the opportunity to give his shoulder a friendly squeeze and then things felt normal again.

"So when are you going to keep your end of the bargain?" Hakyeon nagged, trying to look cute with a pout that made Wonshik laugh instead.

"As soon as possible have a bit of time off."

"They're not giving us that."

"Yeah, we get the afternoon off in a couple of days - it's on the roster in the cabins. Didn't you see it? I showed you!"

"There were a lot of things to learn." Hakyeon tore off some more of his dinner with a ferocity that matched his tone, but Wonshik smiled.

"Yeah. I asked if we could get the same times off, but I hadta swap a few shifts still."

"Oh?" Hakyeon wasn't looking at him, starting instead at the bonfires nearby. "And who is in charge of the rosters?"

"Leo. He does most things around here."

"...except the hard work." Hakyeon muttered into his fish, but all Wonshik could hear was his soft voice.

"What did you say? I missed that?"

"Come on, let's get some more food, I'm starving."

"`k." As the evening wore on and with their bellies filled, he introduced Hakyeon to the workers he knew, but each year he had noticed that number growing fewer and fewer as less returned for the seasonal work.

"Chanyeol's got a kid now, and Baek said he were going to the mains like your bro." One of them, Jongki, was filling them in as they walked back to the cabins.

Sighing, Wonshik tilted his head back to stare at the stars while he thought to himself about his friends, some who he might never see again as their lives. He felt the loss and considered that at some point in the future, he too would not return here. There was, after all, plenty of work always to be done at home, and he was not wanting for money; that was not why he chose to work here.

"When are you packin up, Ravi?" Jongki asked. Wonshik suddenly felt uncomfortable with Hakyeon's gaze piercing him through darkness while the others looked on expectantly.

"Ah..." Wonshik looked away from his best friend, conscious of there being a right and a wrong answer to this question when asked in front of Hakyeon. "..not much longer."

Hakyeon smiled at him, and then turned to the other workers to continue the conversation. The guys already liked Hakyeon, laughing together and talking about their own lives back home. By the time they reached the cabin showers - "done in record time like always!!" the guys - and were sitting on their bunks, Hakyeon had already formalised two trade agreements with Kyungsoo and Suho.

"How do you do it?" Wonshik murmured in amazement, rummaging through his pack in the low light.

"Hm? Do what?" Hakyeon yawned. He was busy patting his face down with a beauty cream made from the native tree oils on their island, seated across from Wonshik atop his plain bed.

"Make friends so quickly." "Oh." Hakyeon shrugged before grinning. The oils on his face made his tanned skin glisten, like the sheen of a pearl, Wonshik thought. But, he corrected himself mentally, Hakyeon was far rarer than a pearl.

"Easy. I am charming. No one can say no to me. And I never give them a reason to."

Wonshik nodded, frowning at his bag. Had he forgotten to pack it? Couldn't have, he had the distinct memory of grabbing it and packing it with his shirts. Meanwhile, Hakyeon had slipped off his bed to sit beside Wonshik, his head a familiar weight on Wonshik's shoulder.

"Kyungsoo's clan grow saffron crops, and Suho has tea leaves that we have been looking for. It was in our interests to strike up a bargain. You never mentioned that you worked with clan heirs here. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I dont know, guess I didn't think of it like that. Kyungsoo's a good guy, and Suho used to go spearfishing with me when we'd have a break here. They're friends, not..well..I don't know. You know what I mean, Yeon."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. But! You have to take advantage -" Wonshik frowned, but got a dig in the ribs from Hakyeon when the elder saw his face. "- it's nothing bad. Look, wouldn't you want to help out a friend?"

"Yeah, of course!"

"This is just that. Friends helping friends."

Wonshik was skeptical. He had seen Hakyeon do business before, even go so far as to accept arranged marriages to other prominent clan heirs, only to find a way out of it at the last minute. Always with a smile, and so far there was only one island clan that refused to do business with the Cha Clan again. He was a great businessman, something Wonshik admired and feared.

"Then what did you give them?" Hakyeon shrugged, slim shoulder bumping against Wonshik's arm as he yawned.

"The next whiting haul you all bring in -we settled on 2000- to Kyungsoo. For Suho, I have to meet his brother Minho, see if we are a match."

"Ah." Wonshik chewed on his bottom lip. An uncomfortable feeling settled in his stomach. He didn't know why this came up when Hakyeon was so flippant about meeting marriage candidates, but there was something about it he didn't like. It was just too late in the evening to stress over it.

"Anyway it's not a big deal, I'm not saying yes." Hakyeon yawned again, pulling Wonshik down by the arm to lay down together on the cramped single bed. Wonshik sat up immediately, ignoring Hakyeon's confused whine. Bag still in his grip, Wonshik continued to look through it, fingers groping for the familiar smooth wood texture.

"What is it? What are you looking for?"

"My bowl. We haven't done the offerings yet. The moon's out." Hakyeon groaned, reaching out in the darkness for Wonshik's bicep, kneading the muscles as he tried pulling the younger man back down to sleep.

"Tomorrow. Saewon can wait, I am so tired Shikkie, I just want to sleep. The fruit bats are out, and he's not going to care about one offering. Shik-" but Wonshik stood up away from his best friend.

"You don't have to come, but I'm going." Ignoring Hakyeon's deep sigh and nagging to come back, Wonshik prepared what he could and shouldered on one of his tattered jackets.

"If you really must go, come back soon? Where will you be?"

"Not far. In the eastern grove there's a good tree there I use most of the time. I'll be back soon, don't worry."

They both knew no matter what he said, Hakyeon would still worry. It took three more times of placating a very tired Hakyeon before the elder let him leave.

"Promise you'll wake me when you come back, don't take too long ok?"

"Yeah, I will."

~

Wonshik took one of the small lanterns and quietly left the compound of buildings. The area was nearly devoid of human life, the exception being a few guards milling around. They didn't notice Wonshik until he approached them, and gave him a light for his lantern. With the flickering glow of light as his companion, he set off east towards one of the larger groves.

Unlike the compound, under the moonlight the groves were full of nocturnal life. Thousands of moths fluttered in all directions, dodging the attacks of sharp-eyed black falcons and colourful geckos. Bats squeaked and chattered, hundreds hidden under mango leaves like gleeful children playing hide-and-seek. Under his feet, Wonshik was careful to listen to the strains of cicadas and crickets chirps to avoid accidental contact. Years of being here had made him less afraid of the moths flying about, since they were more interested in his lantern.

Humming under his breath, he played with words of unfinished songs in his head, lyrics part hymn, part praise, mostly personal. Hongbin was always laughing at the songs Wonshik wrote, asking who he was writing them for "because they're terrible - only a person who actually loves you would say they were any good!". Wonshik had just given him a pout and asked why his own brother clearly didn't love him then and got a huge smile in response. He held that feedback in his heart. There was only so many times he could handle getting laughed at, and it only got worse when he opened his mouth to sing anyway. Tonight was fine to let loose, no one else was around. He let some of the words flow until they were in a steady stream, bouncing on the rhythm of his steps towards the biggest tree on the island.

"I wonder since when the feelings that I wasn't afraid to have became normal

As time flows, strong bonds are made

Even if we're apart, I can always feel it The gentle wind will carry my voice to you..."

When Wonshik reached the base of the giant tree, he knelt down among the roots with his offering ready. It was nearly impossible to keep his eyes open at this point, his deep voice stumbling through the simple prayers to this island's God of Plenty and Harvest, Saewon. Once he completed the small sacrifice of fruits and seeds, Wonshik yawned, settling his back against the broad trunk.

Just a quick nap, he thought, won't be long.

A/n: I'm sorry it took so long and I am unhappy with this chapter, but I hope that you enjoy it anyway! Thank you for reading (: