The air felt cold. Not just because the energy was preserved to fuel the ship rather than making it warmer, but also the fact that this could be the last stage he would be standing on. Wonshik chuckled softly. Even if the war ended after this battle, he didn’t think he would be able to take the stage again. The bright, shining spotlight wasn’t directed at him anymore. Since this was going to be his last performance, he thought he might as well gave his all in this.

He had just slid off his silk robe when the door slid open; a certain silver-haired pilot stepping inside in his complete gear. Worry etched on his soft features, and it felt oddly calming for Wonshik.

“I thought I still have 5 minutes left to get ready,” teased Wonshik as he pressed the button on his nape, activating the hologram costume. His choice for the battle was a bright red shirt that wrapped loosely around his body, a few buttons popped open just enough to give a peek of his sculpted chest and apparent cleavage. A pair of high-waisted black pants wrapped his legs tightly, accentuating the shape and the length, completed with a pair of shiny black shoes.

“Taek, can you pass me the box over there?” asked Wonshik as he pointed at a velvet box on the vanity desk. Taekwoon scowled at the overly friendly name, but he nodded anyway, picking the box and walked towards Wonshik.

“You can just throw it, you know. I can catch it,” said Wonshik with a giggle. Taekwoon shook his head, and he opened the box to reveal several earrings Wonshik had picked beforehand.

“Let me help you with this,” said Taekwoon softly. Wonshik only smiled in return, taking the box from Taekwoon’s hand to let the older man put the earrings on him. Taekwoon struggled a lot, mostly because he couldn’t remove the gloves he was wearing. Wonshik just waited patiently, indulging in the intimate situation as long as he could.

By the time Taekwoon finished securing the last earring, the announcement for the crews to stand by in their designated position was heard. Wonshik took a good look of the beautiful pilot in front of him, burning every details to his memories. Taekwoon, too, didn’t move away although he was aware about just how close they were. Their noses almost touched, and just a little push would be enough to meld their lips together.

“If we both survived this battle, there’s something I want to tell you,” murmured Wonshik as he took a step back, breaking the stillness between them. Taekwoon took a deep breath, not realizing that he had been holding it.

“Why don’t you just tell me now?” asked Taekwoon. Wonshik chuckled and patted Taekwoon’s cheek before walking past him to grab his signature purple chrome mic.

“Don’t rush it, Hyung. Take it as a good luck charm, so that both of us will return safe and sound,” said Wonshik. He then pulled out the last important item from the drawer, a pair of Fold Quartz bracelet. He clasped one on his own wrist, then took Taekwoon’s hand to clasp the other on his.

“Let’s end this war,” said Wonshik with a serious tone. Taekwoon nodded firmly.

“We’ll bring Hakyeon back too,” replied Taekwoon.

Wonshik would be lying if he said that it didn’t hurt at least a bit.

Without any more chit-chat, they walked out from the dressing room. Taekwoon went straight to the hangar while Wonshik went to the other way, to the stage prepared for the battle. There were cameras installed there, since his performance was also meant to lift up people’s spirit, not only to distract the Vajras. Still, the view in front of him wasn’t the ocean of his fans, or the mass media, or anything he usually had.

Separated only by the transparent glass was the vast space… and the swarm of enemies flying towards them. On his cue, the music started and he poured everything he had to the song.

The first two songs had been great. The Vajras were affected by his song, going to full stop while the pilots obliterated them. The flow of the battle seemed positive enough, but Wonshik knew that their main dish wasn’t served yet.

In the middle of the third song, a massive holographic figure appeared from the core of Vajra’s home planet. Wonshik inhaled sharply as he stared at the figure with wide eyes.

“HAKYEON!”

Taekwoon’s desperate cry was heard before the song started.

Hakyeon’s voice echoed throughout the fleet—throughout the galaxy. The Vajras regained their focus, attacking them with more force. A rather close explosion snapped Wonshik from his trance, and he started his song again. He knew that his power was insignificant compared to Hakyeon’s, but he didn’t give up.

“It seems that Hakyeon is controlled by the circlet he’s wearing. We need to find his real body and break that circlet off,” informed Sanghyuk from the bridge.

“On it,” replied Hongbin.

“I’m right behind you,” added Taekwoon.

It stung so bad, but Wonshik pretended that he didn’t hear it. He needed to focus. His own feelings didn’t matter. He had to sing so that those Vajras would be distracted enough—

His throat burned, tightened uncomfortably to the point he could barely breathe. He dropped to the floor, gasping for air as he clawed his neck. The virus must be attacking again, either triggered by his own unstable emotion or Hakyeon’s song. Either way, it’s bad for them all.

“Wonshik, can you continue?” asked Jaehwan, voice thick with concern. Wonshik chuckled and clutched tightly at his mic, standing up again as he switched his wardrobe to the all-white one and signaled for all the stage light to shine upon him.

This is his last stage. He wouldn’t let Hakyeon snatched it from him.

“Listen to my song!”

The damage to the ship Wonshik rode on was too severe, and they were forced to make emergency landing on the alien planet. So far, the combined effort from Hongbin and Taekwoon had managed to retrieve Hakyeon from enemy’s side, and it gave them significant advantage.

Problem was, the mastermind of the whole thing had merged herself with the Vajra Queen, so she would be able to control the Vajras at her will without Hakyeon’s song.

“Aim for the head,” advised Hakyeon. “Their actual core is on their stomach. Decapitating her will only cut off the connection between that woman and the Vajra Queen without killing her. Just aim for the head.”

It’s much easier to say than to do, though, since the Vajras protected their Queen restlessly. Then, the main ship ordered them to stay clear. They’re going to fire the main cannon, killing the Queen in one shot.

“Give me time; I can handle this,” begged Taekwoon.

“We can only give you time while the cannon is charging. If you fail to decapitate her in the meantime, quickly steer clear from the path. Am I clear?” replied Sanghyuk.

“Roger that,” said Taekwoon as he maneuvered towards the Queen.

“You can’t do it alone. I’ll help,” said Wonshik. From the signature, Taekwoon found that Wonshik was piloting one of the spare units kept in his performance ship. It was unarmed; functioning only to escape.

“Wonshik, stay back, this is dangerous!” scolded Taekwoon.

“I was trained as a pilot before I became an idol, Taek. I can handle this,” said Wonshik with a teasing grin. Taekwoon was about to protest when a shot almost hit him, so he said nothing.

With a few press of buttons, Wonshik activated the autopilot with the Queen’s belly as the end point. He also fiddled a little with the settings so that the external speakers were on full blast. He rested the hand circled with Fold Quartz bracelet on his neck, and he began to sing.

His throat protested, but he couldn’t care less. He just wanted to sing, for one last time, to cry out his unspoken feelings towards the person he loved the most. It was a love song, a painful one, but he was sure it would resonate enough with the Queen.

And somehow, it worked. It could be because the infection was getting worse, so his power multiplied because of that. It could also be because the twin Fold Quartz bracelets were on a very close proximity so the effect was significantly raised. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because Wonshik had finally let it all go, already accepting his fate and the choice Taekwoon made. Although Taekwoon hadn’t spoken it, he already knew it by the heart. Wonshik really couldn’t win against Hakyeon, could he? Whether it’s for the title of Intergalactic Idol or Taekwoon’s heart, Wonshik could only let it all go to Hakyeon.

When his unit got close enough to the Queen, Wonshik opened the cockpit, and he touched the Queen’s belly as he sang more powerfully. Then, like a magic, the Queen and the whole swarm of Vajra stopped moving. They stayed still, enough for Taekwoon to swing his blade in full force, decapitating the Queen as he steered clear from the cannon’s path.

“Sanghyuk, we did it! We—”

“Hyung, I’m sorry…”

Taekwoon had no time to ask about Sanghyuk’s apology, eyes widening at the sight of the main cannon opening. Sure, he managed to decapitate the Queen’s head, but the cannon had finished loading as well and there’s no way to cancel the fire.

“No. No, no, no! Wonshik is still there!” shouted Taekwoon as he turned his unit around, planning to snatch Wonshik away before the cannon fired. But Hongbin’s unit caught him, and he’s not letting go.

“Let me go, Hongbin! Wonshik is there! He can’t dodge that cannon!” yelled Taekwoon.

“It’s too late, Hyung! If you go now, both of you will be wiped away!” yelled Hongbin back. But Taekwoon was having none of it, still trying to break free from Hongbin, to the point Jaehwan had to help Hongbin holding down Taekwoon’s unit.

“Let go, goddammit! I have to save him! I have to—”

“Looks like we have to say goodbye here, Taekwoon-hyung.”

Wonshik’s voice was eerily calm for someone who had to face death head-on. Taekwoon whipped his head to the communication feed, finding the video was broken so only the audio could be transmitted.

“Wonshik! Listen, even if you can’t steer clear from the cannon, the chance that it would penetrate the thick exoskeleton of the Queen is—”

“Even if I survive here, I’ll probably die from the virus on my throat very soon. Either way, I’m going to die,” cut Wonshik calmly. Taekwoon hated the fact that what Wonshik said was probably true; that he couldn’t reassure him about any cure for the virus because there was none. He bit his lips, still not giving up.

“You told me that you have something to tell me after the battle is over. It’s already over. So get your here and tell me what exactly do you want to talk to me about,” said Taekwoon desperately. Wonshik chuckled and shook his head in disbelief. Taekwoon could be really demanding sometimes.

“I should have told you before we departed,” said Wonshik softly, before turning off the communication feed. It was useless already.

The Vajras who had regained their self-consciousness swarmed near their Queen, humming softly. It sent warmth throughout Wonshik’s body, making him felt safe and home. One of the Vajras gently picked him up from the cockpit and placed him on the Queen’s hands, who then cradled him close.

Wonshik saw his bracelet glowing, and the protective barrier engulfing them. They were going to warp to someplace safe, where the Vajras could live in peace and undisturbed once again. Hot tears starting to flow uncontrollably as he felt just how far it would be from the other Protocultures, from the other humans, from Taekwoon.

But he knew that the Vajras would keep him safe, as one of them.

“It would’ve been nice if I told you ‘I love you’ a bit more often…” sang Wonshik along with the Vajras.

The bracelet pulsed, resonating the heartache Taekwoon felt to Wonshik. He chuckled and cradled the bracelet close to his heart, having just realized that his voice reached Taekwoon somehow.

“I love you, stupid hamster!” yelled Wonshik, grinning widely while his tears were still flowing endlessly.

Sighing softly, Wonshik added in a whisper, “Goodbye, Taek. Be happy.”

The Vajras and Wonshik warped before the cannon hit them, disappearing to the other end of galaxy. They didn’t hear the triumphant cry of the survivors, of the relief that washed over the fleets.

They didn’t hear the desperate cry of a silver-haired pilot, mourning for his lost love