A/N: Hi guys, Sorry for the long hitatus! Things ended up taking me a lot longer than what I had planed. Thank you so much for the nice comments in regards to my uncle's passing. And thank you to the new subscribers and those of you who didn't unsubscribe with my previous a/n. *bows* So finally it is here. Time to get on with the story:

"It seems like we have much to discuss".

After Mino and Zico left, Hanbin turned to Chanwoo. "So.. what do you want to do? Do you want to continue the hunt or go back?" Chanwoo looked at Hanbin, then down at his own hands. He fidgeted a little, twisting the hem of his shirt, before looking up at the older with a determined expression. 

"I would like to continue the hunt" he said. "I... I don't think I want to see Jinhwan hyung so soon" Chanwoo's voice quivered a little. He draw his breath and continued in a stronger tone. "If something else happened so soon I think hyung would lock me up for real. And I don't think I could lie to him if asked. Jinhwan hyung always manages to see through my lies anyway.. It's like magic. Besides... they would all worry if we turned back so soon empty handed". 

Hanbin studied the younger intently before nodding. "as long as you are sure. In any case we have to be back before nightfall. Us staying out wouldn't help should Mino and that cat looking guy turned up before us and spilled the beans. And Mino can be a bit of a blabber-mouth" Hanbin winked at Chanwoo, while in his mind thinking that it also wouldn't do for Mino to spill the beans on his connections to the younger before Hanbin could figure out what was really going on. 

"Yeah, Mino hyung's mouth would always get him in trouble before too." Chanwoo smiled before turning more solem  "I can't belive he is alive. Not to mention that hyung knows him too!" Chanwoo stared on with a far away look in his eyes, like he was staring into the past. The started walking again, heading deeper into the forrest in search for a clearing to start their hunt. 

Hanbin sighed in slight frustration. Mino appearing and confirming what Hanbin had feared, and hoped not to be true, had altered things. He was not sure how to react really. Thinking back to Mino's revelation Hanbin had to admit that maybe, just maybe, he was a tiny bit jealouse of the other man. Not a lot, no not at all. Just maybe a litte. After all it was not everyday someone suddenly appeared to steal away Hanbin's maknae. 

He reallty wanted to ask the younger about his connection to Mino. But, how to do it? After all he didn't want to risk making things awkard among them by asking straight out. Especially as Chanwoo hadn't really been forthcoming with his past before. Conversations with the other members of their family had revealed that it was not just towards Hanbin that Chanwoo had been avoiding any topics relevant to his past. Whatever had happened, the younger had been determined not to talk about it. So how was Hanbin going to get any information out of him in regards to what Hanbin now named "the Mino intrution". Besides silence would be much better for hunting.

However, it was  to tempting too take this chance to find out something, anything about the younger's past. Besides, the best hunging place was still a while away. And there was one thing he could try. If nothing else revealing his own connection to Mino, might get the younger talking. Hanbin drew his breath and then just went for it. "We served in the same company in the war. Mino and I". AT that, Chanwoo immidiatly turned his attention back to the older. Hanbin saw that he now had Chanwoo's attention, and while the younger hadn't said anything he still it was clear from his stance and facve that he wanted to know more. 

"Mino arrived at the camp after me. At first he seemed all serious and intense. So determined to be the best. Though it soon turned out that he is a bit of a dork" Hanbin chuckled at his memeories of Mino's antics (which included a certain spectacular failure to cook fish ending in Mino setting fire to his bow). "we were both alone in the archer company. While Mino had other people from his village serving, they had all been asigned to different parts of the army. While me. Well, I was the only one that went from here. So we quickly bonded."

Chanwoo smiled at the last part "Mino hyung was always good at making friends wherever he went. Maybe he casts spells to make it happen". Hanbin laughed. "More like he'd annoy you into caring. But anyway, that's how it was. Our troop always had the most dangerous missions. In a way it was like they were trying to kill us off. Me and Mino... we somehow always survived. We survived to makes the graves". 

Hanbin felt his voice break and had to stop his tale. Talking about it brought forth too many emotions. There had been so many deaths. So much blood, pain and sorrow. Hanbin hesitated before casting a sidelong glance at Chanwoo. The younger was looking quite effected by what he had heared. More so than Hanbin had expected.

"You know.. He used to talk about you." Hanbin continued, making sure to clock Chanwoo's reaction. "Not in detail mind. Just that there was someone he had to return to. And he always treasured that amulet. I guess you'd want to know that, being engaged and all." SAying the last part made Hanbin's heart sting. Not envy. Of course not, that would be silly. Hanbin didn't have such a claim to the younger after all. It was just a wierd reaction to talking about the past. At least, that was what Hanbin treied to tell himself. Though, he was not quite sure if he was a reliable source for this particular topic. 

Chanwoo walked with his head down. Hearing what Hanbin said had made him smile, but also made his eyes fill with tears. Both of his hyungs had gone through such hardships. He could only guess at the things Hanbin had not mentioned. He also felt guilt swell up in him.

"It's my fault he ended up going to there. Mino hyung I mean" he managed to say before choking on a sob. Hanbin turned to look at the younger in worry. Chanwoo had a broken look in his eyes, and it made Hanbin's heart ache to see it. "Somehow I doubt that" he said gently. Then he added "You don't have to tell me anything, just becasue I shared something with you". While that had been the intention, the broken look in the youngers face made him want to tell the younger to stop talking. To just hug him and cradle him like a child. 

Chanwoo took a big breath before shaking his head and continuing. "We gre up together. My parentents died when I was little, and hyung's parents took me in. Our village wasn't like yours. It was a lord's citadel. All hard rock and fortress structures. I worked with hyung's mother in the lord's kitchen, while Mino hyung and his father hunted. Life with the lord was not... always easy. Mostly because of the Lord's son.." Here Chanwoo stopped talking, struggling with memories and how to tell what followed. What if Hanbin started hating him? Chanwoo didn't want that. No after finally feeling like the other had started to accept him. 

Hanbin placed a hand on Chanwoo's shoulder and squeeced it. He gathered that whatever had happened it weighed heavily on the younger. It was obviously hard to talk about, and Hanbin started to have his suspicions which he hoped were wrong. Not that you have had much luck with that lately his thoughts replied in answer to the tiny hope he had that he was wrong. 

Chanwoo gave the older a sad smile before he continued. "The lord's son.. He was a terror. Always making demands. And what he wanted he got. If not he'd take it out on us.. I.. somehow cought his eye. At first it was only bullying.. he seemed to find it funny to make me do tasks hat was doomed to fail. And then beat me up in punishment for failing. Mino hyung tried to protect me. As much as he could that is. But it was like hyung's protection just made more determined to continue. Like it uped the stakes in whatever game he was playing. Then one day.."  

Chanwoo felt himself choking again. These were memories that he didn't not want to recall. Than he did not want to talk about. Memories that were better off buried. He had started a new life here after all. A life free of what had been. Untill not that was. The took a deep breath and forced the next sentence out. 

"Then one day he tried to me."