“What?” I croaked. It was daylight when I woke up. I scrubbed my eyes carefully to clear my vision, but even without the act, I knew Taehyung was staring at me from the branch above. “Why are you being such a creep in the morning?” I jokingly added.

“Nothing,” he responded, breaking into a smile. “It’s just so weird waking up in a forest with a beauty for company.”

“Please,” I said, rolling my eyes. “If this is weird for you, imagine how it is for me.”

“Right, mortal,” he grinned. Then, before I could retort, Taehyung unknotted the rope binding his waist to the branch. Before I could even warn him of falling to his death, the rope unwound so fast, as Taehyung let himself fall off his safe spot so freely. He had one hand gripping the rope as he let it spin and twirl him in midair until he landed on both feet. Despite it being absolutely dangerous, I was amazed and completely aware that my mouth was wide open. I closed it before Taehyung could even notice my astonishment at his feat and decided to play coy and uninterested.

“Show-off,” I said, as I fixed my hammock back to its coin form and landed next to him.

“Don't tell me you didn't dig that,” he said, smirking at me in an awfully attractive way.

“And I was wondering when you two will wake up,” Sehun suddenly butted in. I looked around and saw him carrying what looked like small brown twigs. He picked one and started munching while looking at us as if he’s accusing us of something completely terrible.

“Breakfast,” he said. “Make yourselves useful for lunch and dinner, at least.”

“Sorry!” I quickly said, guilt filling my chest. “I’ll wake up earlier tomorrow!”

Beside me, Taehyung said in a soft voice, “Has he always been such a ?”

“Sehun just speaks in a very straightforward manner,” I defended even before I could rationalize in my head why I’m doing it in the first place. “He’s not bad.”

“Right, I forgot you’re so inlove your judgment is clouded,” Taehyung said, flicking my forehead playfully. “Well, let’s eat.”

“You’ll see,” I responded stubbornly. “He can be nice.”

But whatever side of Sehun that is good which I would have wanted Taehyung to see seemed to have dissipated in the air in a fortnight. Sehun barely looked at us if we’re following him close behind. He hardly even cared if we needed a rest or not. Taehyung and I had to scramble on our feet just so we could keep up. Moreover, when Sehun had to say something, he looks at me straight in the eye as if Taehyung doesn’t exist. Taehyung doesn’t look like he’s getting any pissed soon, but I could tell he’s aching to kick Sehun’s .

“Sehun?” I said. The sky was darkening fast, and Sehun was just sitting there, sharpening a knife. Taehyung volunteered to look for dinner, so we were left alone.

Sehun didn’t respond but I knew he was listening so I sat next to him.

“Are we okay?” I asked. I didn’t know if it’s the right question, since I have no idea in the first place what’s wrong, but I tried anyway. “You don’t like Taehyung, huh?”

“I don’t really care about him,” Sehun responded nonchalantly. “I just don’t want him messing things up.”

“Taehyung’s helping me, you know, with a lot of things,” I said. It’s true, Taehyung’s been talking about a lot of Sycrestian stuff that Sehun wouldn’t bother to educate me on. “And he’s capable.”

“I’m not saying he isn’t,” Sehun stated firmly, pausing what he is doing to look at me. “I’m saying he is going to cause me problems.”

“Why would you think that?” I said, furrowing my eyebrow.

Sehun didn’t answer right away but just stared at me. I didn’t look away but it was uncomfortable. Both from the fact that I couldn’t tell what he’s thinking and the idea that our faces were just too close and it’s making me nervous.

“Because he’s your gailar.”

“I don’t understand,” I responded. “What’s so bad about that? Are you not telling me something?”

Sehun shrugged and returned to sharpening his knife. “His loyalty is to you, not to me. So there’s no use befriending him. If you tell him to kill me, he would.”

“That’s…” I was stumped, and speechless. Sehun’s words pierced through me so badly I had to stand up. “You think I’d betray you?? You think I could ever order someone to do that for me?”

Sehun looked at me once again, and his eyes held no expression I could decipher.

“I followed you here,” I said, trying to stay calm. “I followed you because eventhough you don’t like me, I trust you.”

“Then,” Sehun said seriously, putting d