“Hey, look at that.”

Every single person in the room turned their head to see what everyone was gushing out about. In the big Conference Room, there were around twenty new recruits of Hunters, standing in perfect lines, facing the front of the room where the senior Hunters lined up. As the new recruits swept their gazes over the seniors in front of them, one by one taking in their familiar faces along with also familiar code number embroidered on their black jackets, they noticed the two hunters standing at the end of the line, closest to the exit door.

“Is that Ares and Eris?”

“Never did I expect I could meet them this early.”

Neither did everyone else. People who got to meet the Order's best duo were either unfortunate or people in the Order. They were unfortunate because if they met them, it meant they would get you no matter what, no matter how. No one could run from them. That was why both of them were called the cruelest Hunters.

Ares, the much taller of the two, with code number 061 on the chest of his vest, leaned over the wall with his one hand holding a sword on his hip and his other hand dangling around his partner's shoulder, a.k.a the other half of the cruelest duo, Eris, code number 004. The smaller actually looked less intimidating than the taller one, but everyone knew that they were deadly all the same.

Ares and Eris definitely made people regret being in love.

Before long, they could hear the voice of the leader of the Order, Nemesis, boomed from the center of the room.

“Good day, new Hunters! Shall we begin your welcome party?”

 

-+-

 

“Hey, Ares, Eris! Wait up!”

Chanyeol stopped on his feet when he heard his and his partner’s codename being called from behind them. With his hand still slung over Eris, Chanyeol threw a quick glance over his shoulder to see his leader, Nemesis, run along the hallway toward them.

“Should we run?” A mischief tone came from Eris as he religiously chewed on his gum, but his expression was blank, stoic. “I don’t feel like talking to him right now.”

Chanyeol grinned in return to his partner in crime. He, too, hated to be interrupted like this, especially when he and Eris were on the way for their mission of the day. It was a week before Christmas Day. Love got to be everywhere around the town and it was like the peak season for Hunters like them.

“Let’s hear what he gotta say,” Chanyeol said as he turned around, bringing Eris along with him. Another thing that he also hated was to be separated from his partner. “What’s wrong, boss?”

Nemesis, with number 001 embroidered to his jacket, smirked as he shook his head in amusement. “How many time had I told you to not call me boss? You’ve been working for me for a year.”

Chanyeol could feel Eris rolling his eyes beside him, he didn’t even have to see it for himself. “What do you want, Nemesis? We’re busy,” Eris bit out.

Feigning a smile from his face, Nemesis slowed down his pace and eventually came to a stop when he was exactly in front of his two subordinates. “It won’t take long. Can you guys spare me a minute?”

Chanyeol raised his left brow. “A minute?”

“Two minutes.”

“Starts now,” Eris said, exaggeratingly staring at his nonexistent watch on his wrist.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile. Working under Nemesis surely had been a bless for the past one year. His boss was clever and ruthless when it came to his job and position in the Order. But he was a chill person in general. That was why both he and Eris were always comfortable with him.

Nemesis chuckled at his subordinates antique, but his eyes suddenly turned serious in a split second. There was a heavy silence for a while, only the distant voices of people coming out of Conference Room after the welcoming party could be heard.

“You two know that it’s almost the end of the year, right? We need plenty supply of emotions.”

“It’s our second year here, and our second Christmas. We already knew the drill. Why are you telling us this again?” Eris snarled.

“S’not like it was news,” Chanyeol added.

Both of them knew perfectly that they needed to fill the quota of the year. This also happened the previous end of year. The amount of emotions that other teams collected wasn’t enough, resulting both of them needed to work overtime to reach the desired numbers. So, this year, he and Eris had known beforehand that they would work unnecessarily hard again to help The Order.

Well, as long as the pay was good. And it wasn’t like both he and Eris had anything to do this holiday season. They had no one to celebrate with.

Basically everyone in The Order had no one.

“They asked for an increase of 200% from the previous years. Is that still an old news to the two of you or you’ll finally let me talk?” Nemesis looked at them as he crossed his hands over his chest. When both of his subordinates went silent, looking slightly surprised, Nemesis continued, “Thank you for your attention, finally. So, just as I said, they wanted more, that damn government. Said that they expected the demands for fuel would be higher for the following years.”

“And you accepted it?” Eris looked flabbergasted, and Chanyeol’s grip on his shoulder tightened.

“What could I say, huh? They threatened me with ‘It’s the end of the world’ bull, and I couldn’t say no to that.”

“Yeah, more like it’s the end of the two of us.” Chanyeol pointed his hand to himself and his partner beside him. “Just hope that those new recruits of yours are great enough to at least help a pinch of our workload.”

“And that’s two minutes. Seeya, boss.” Eris waved his leader goodbye nonchalantly before he turned around, resuming his walk, not even bothered to see if Chanyeol had followed him.

Not liking the fact that his partner had left him behind, Chanyeol gave a tiny nod to Nemesis and followed Eris, despite he still wanted to talk to his boss about the ridiculous amount of work he and Eris had gotten. He didn’t really mind to be busy. In fact, he liked it when he was preoccupied with his job, making him not thinking the obvious. But...

Chanyeol eyes wandered to the man walking in front of him, with his small double dagger tucked in a safebelt on the lower of his back.

He was worried for Eris. Somehow. Chanyeol didn’t know why.

And he didn’t want to know.

 

-+-

 

Chanyeol couldn't exactly remember how he met Eris the first time. For sure, it took place at the Hunter trainee’s introduction. Back then, he just got his emotions taken away, since it was the requirement for people who wanted to join The Order.

When the news broke out about the new system, following the report that the earth had exhausted its petroleum supplies, government from all over the world made a new system: emotions in exchange of fuel. People were protesting at first. But then the government made it as official law, and promised reward for people if they gave up their emotions, for the sake of humanity, they said. There was one shortcoming from their system, which was people who got their emotions removed would get their emotions back if they were triggered by someone who still had them.

Besides that, the government also made a special organization called The Order with its special unit called the Hunters, who would hunt people who didn't voluntarily give their feelings.

At that time, it seemed like the most logical decision for Chanyeol to join the Order. He wanted to be away from whatever that had been pinning him down. He also didn't need his emotions, as well as his memories of what had hurt him.

When Chanyeol was finally conscious after his emotions being wiped out, he was like a blank canvas. He felt nothing, he remembered nothing. He got his uniform, code number, and code name. He was told to not reveal his real name to anyone, even to his partner.

Chanyeol tried to be invincible when he trained, which made him also not really aware of other trainees. So when he was told that he got an impressive result in training and he would be paired up with someone as great as him, he didn't really care.

He got paired up with someone with a code name Eris. They worked well together, that was all that matter. And the rest was history.

Being The Order greatest team had its own perks and losses. They were well respected. Not only by their co-workers, but also basically every humans with emotions in the country. After all, they were titled as the Cruelest. Their emotions-death toll was the highest. Everybody feared them, afraid that they would be the next target of the infamous team.

But what could they do? He, Eris, and a bunch of other Hunters of The Order just did what they had been asked to. Unless the world wanted to be extinct because of the lack of fuel, then they needed to shut it. If anything, Hunters worked for the sake of them, their lives. Losing your emotions--your love--was nothing compared to the fate of humanity.

 

-+-

 

“Aww, did you hear that? She said she can’t live without him.”

Hearing Eris’s sarcastic comment, Chanyeol broke his concentration from cleaning his blade to the couple not far away from them--hidden in the darkness of small alley, but not from his and Eris’s position high above the ground, the fourth floor of an old abandoned building, on the skirt of the town. Chanyeol can see Eris leaning over the edge of a broken window, his chin on his hand, his hair ruffled by the wind. The winter night wind was extremely chilly, making Eris visibly shivered once in a while.

Who wouldn’t wear extra jacket in this weather?

“They probably only knew each other for like, what, two months?” Chanyeol shrugged.

He knew it too well that how long someone knew each other wasn’t an indicator for people’s feeling towards one another. Take him for example. He had known Eris for a year and he didn’t even know his real name, despite being together for every minute, every day. Not that he wanted to know either. Chanyeol honestly couldn’t care less. The fact that he and Eris worked well together was enough. He didn’t need any attachment to the man.

He didn’t want any attachment to anyone, honestly.

“What a fool,” Eris mumbled. There was a hint of something in his tone that made Chanyeol look at him, and Eris looked back at him. “What?”

“Nothing.” Chanyeol peered down at their fifth target of the day. “We gotta move.”

Eris groaned, but he still took out his own blade. “It’s just getting interesting though.”

If Chanyeol didn’t know him better, he would think that Eris was genuinely interested in their targets. But the smaller male expression was as stoic as ever, although he could find the slightest frown on his forehead. Before he knew it, Chanyeol felt his mouth turning up at the corners.

Eris straightened up his posture and glanced at him. “Like the usual?”

What Eris meant by that was their usual ambush strategy. Usually Chanyeol would be the one who did the initial attack, trying to surprise and immobilize them, while Eris would do the final blow, making them unconscious and taking their emotions.

Chanyeol nodded. “Let’s go.”

Their usual routine consisted of Chanyeol moving forward first while Eris following him later on. So as soon as they arrived at the building’s front door, Chanyeol needed to say goodbye to his partner in crime for a little while.

“Good luck, Ares,” Eris said, smiling with his new unwrapped lollipop in his mouth.

Chanyeol wanted to reply him with a smile also, but his face felt so stiff he only managed to pull the other end of his mouth. “See you,” he murmured, forcing his hands to grip his weapon tighter, to not have them wandering to the other’s hair.

Chanyeol looked away from Eris and shook his head slightly, clearing his head, before he focused his mind on the job at hand. He took deliberate steps and hid himself behind the stack of wood boxes, exactly ten meters away from the couple who were still oblivious to the fact that they were being watched by Hunters.

Chanyeol took the time to scan his surrounding, making sure that they had no witness and intruder, like the Masks. Especially the Masks. They were a group of people opposed to the government’s method of making fuel, sometimes intruding their mission. Having to face the Masks was Chanyeol's least favorite thing to do in a mission. He then put his focus back on his target when he was sure that the area was clear except for them and the target.

He was about to start moving when his calculating gaze lingered on the face of one of his two targets, the man. He looked at the girl with sparks in his eyes. It was so soft and adorning that if Chanyeol still had emotions he probably would feel warmth in his chest.

Chanyeol bit his tongue, getting a grip of himself. With his weapon on the ready, Chanyeol came out of his hiding position. He walked slowly, trying to not make a noise with his combat boots. But he didn't need to try hard since the damp pavements tonight was a blessing.

From this distance, Chanyeol could hear the couple's murmuring to each other, probably exchanging sappy confession that would make Chanyeol sick if he heard it. But it was an advantage for him because the couple still didn't realize that they weren't alone.

What an idiot.

Pressing himself to the wall and keeping his breathing even so he wouldn't miss his shot, Chanyeol aimed his tranquilizer gun at the man. Good thing he was wearing a t-shirt, exposing his neck, so Chanyeol could--

“Ares, we have intruders,” came a calm voice of Eris through Chanyeol's earpieces.

Chanyeol jerked his gun down, cursing softly, “, the Masks?”

“Five of them. I’ll deal with it.”

Chanyeol only tore his gaze away from his target for only a second, in addition to his loud hiss when he answered Eris's warning, but it was enough to make his target noticed his presence there.

"Who's there?" The man put his woman behind him and looked directly toward where Chanyeol was.

Chanyeol had no time to shot the tranquilizer anymore, he'd been caught. So he bolted right onto them, sheathing his thin blade, smeared by poison that would make them sleep. He tried to throw the dagger. It missed, somehow. The blade hit the wall behind them and fell to the ground. Chanyeol immediately sheathed his other blade, and sprinted toward them.

The woman screamed, and the man looked terrified.

Good. They should be terrified.

But if anything, Chanyeol was the one who was scared less right here. Eris was alone, fighting the Masks. Not that Chanyeol doubted Eris's fighting ability. They had been fighting together for a year, after all. But between the two of them, Chanyeol was the better one. That was why Chanyeol always the one who attacked their targets, and Eris would do the job taking the emotions out of them.

Chanyeol tried to ignore the fact that his heart trying to break out of his rib cage since it was beating so loudly, almost painfully, and focused on the task at hand. Finish this and go help Eris.

Chanyeol lunged onto the man, yanking him away from the girl and threw him to the ground. Chanyeol clenched his teeth when he felt nails digging into the skin of his neck.

"Get away from him," the woman shrieked, latching her hands on Chanyeol's neck and shoulder.

"Foolish girl," Chanyeol murmured before he pinned the woman to the wall, took an injection out of his pocket, and quickly punctured it to the woman's neck. A neck for a neck, huh.

As Chanyeol watched her eyes rolled back, another blow came, this time to his back. He let the woman fell to the ground, lying on her side, and turned around to see the guy was readying to punch him.

Aiming at his leg, Chanyeol turned his body and kicked out with all his might. When the guy fell to his knees and screamed in agony, Chanyeol took the opportunity to immobilize him by grabbing his head and pin him down. He took no time to inject him with sedative too. In an instant, the guy's body went limp.

Chanyeol got no time to check if his target were totally down. His mind raced to Eris's instead.

"Eris, do you copy? Are you okay?" Chanyeol spoke to his earpiece. For a moment, Chanyeol could only hear his own ragged breathing. Then he heard the chaos not far away from his location. Just when he was about to stand and run toward the source of the noise, his earpiece caught some noise.

"Hey," Eris's voice sounded rattled, it made Chanyeol's stomach drop. "Ares, you there?"

Chanyeol pressed his earpiece with his fingers so he could hear him better. "I'm here. Where are you? I'm coming there."

"You don't have to. I'm finished here." Eris heaved and coughed once. "Goddamn."

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. What about you? Done with your job?"

Chanyeol closed his eyes and released a pent-up breath. He could finally breathe normally now that he knew Eris was fine. "I'm good. Come here, you need to take their emotions."

Eris chuckled. "Geez, alright, alright. I was just about to call the Order to send someone to take care of this mess."

Now that his head finally cleared, Chanyeol looked at his surroundings. His target, both the girl and guy were sprawled on the ground. Both of their hands were merely inches away, almost touching, their faces were facing each other. If Chanyeol had romantic bits in his heart, he would surely think that this was such a heartbreaking picture.

But as usual, Chanyeol never dwelled on the fact that his chest felt a little heavier each time he finished his task.

He forced his head to look away and found Eris's dark figure coming out of the shadow. His partner was smiling, but Chanyeol's eyes fell onto his left hand holding the side of his stomach. He couldn’t see whether he was bleeding or not since it was covered with jacket, but his posture looked gaunt and rougher.

"You said you were fine."

Eris smirked, grabbing Chanyeol’s shoulder and squeezed it. "Never said that I was totally fine."

"Whatever. Do your job now." Willing himself to calm down, Chanyeol let out a chuckle.

"What a meanie. I thought you were worried about me for a second there. Guess I was wrong.”

Eris looked at him with a teasing look before he walked over to their target. He stood over the targets’ body for a while, scanning them, before he crouched down and brought out his tools--a canister connected to some kind of a pointed, glowing rod. He pressed the pointed edge right where their hearts were supposed to be, and pushed the “start” button. The process of emotions removal finally began.

“Are you okay?” Eris looked at him.

Chanyeol furrowed his brows. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“You look kinda shaken.”

. Had Chanyeol lost it so much to the point he showed it bare to his partner? He didn’t even know what shook him so much. But he realized… that each time they had mission together, he grew uneasy.

 

-+-

 

“How’s Eris condition?”

Chanyeol looked up to see Nemesis looming over him. He moved for the first time since he sat in the medical ward’s waiting room. “You heard?”

Nemesis nodded. “Yeah. The guard told me you both were attacked by the Masks.”

“Not the both of us.” Chanyeol rubbed his face exasperatedly. It was 12 A.M. and he started to feel the fatigue from the result of their countless missions today. “Only Eris. He handled the Masks alone while I was trying to make our target unconscious.”

Nemesis looked at him with a questioning look. “You know it’s not your fault, right? Eris can fight well. Though not as well as you, but still. It was just bad luck that it happened to be five persons who attacked him.”

Chanyeol gritted his teeth and breathed in, trying to not yell at his superior. “You know damn well there’s no luck factor in this field.” His partner was injured and was currently tended inside the medical room, while his own mood had been like a whirlwind since they came back from the mission. Honestly he deserved to yell out a scream right now.

Nemesis nodded. Despite his scary codename, the Hunter’s leader actually had an angel face. “I understand. But it wasn’t bad though, right? The injury, I mean.”

“He’s injured all the same.”

Chuckling, Nemesis shook his head in amusement. “If I didn’t know you better, I would think that you were worried for him.”

Chanyeol froze for a split second, then gave Nemesis a death glare. “I did not.”

“I know, right?” Nemesis looked at his wristwatch and walked backward, away from Chanyeol. “Alright, I need to go. Tell me if Eris was done.”

It wasn’t long until Chanyeol once again left alone in the long corridor with his own thought. The event of the night ran through his head for the umpteenth times. After Eris was done with the emotions-removal process, the reinforcement team arrived to clean the area. After the fifth target, they were supposed to go looking for new target, but Eris’s condition turned out worse than he let on. They immediately went back to the headquarter for him to receive treatment although he had refused it at first. When Eris was being cared of, Chanyeol took the time to report back the mission they have for the day. To conclude, Chanyeol was exhausted both physically and emotionally.

The sound of door open startled Chanyeol. And the short figure of his partner emerged, ruffling his own hair until it was messier than bird nest. “Oh, you’re waiting for me, Ares?”

Chanyeol hummed and got up from his already warm seat. “How’s your injury?”

“It’s not even an injury,” Eris shrugged. “Only a bruise. Well, a pretty bad one but bearable. Sorry that you were waiting for nothing.”

“Nah,” Chanyeol approached him and slung his hand around his shoulder, bringing them together to walk down the corridor, toward the living area of Hunters. “What kind of partner would I be if I didn’t check on you, huh?”

“Oh, please,” Eris snorted. His tone was cold, but his gesture said otherwise. He was leaning to Chanyeol’s side, clearly okay being dragged around by the taller man. “You left me alone to deal with them.”

“, you said you could handle them yourself.”

Throwing his head back until it fell onto Chanyeol’s shoulder, Eris laughed so hard his voice echoed around the deserted facility. “It’s so easy to work you up, Ares.”

“Like I said, you’re an ,” he bit back, but his words lacked venom.

 

-+-

 

When he went inside the team’s assembly room the next morning, Chanyeol was surprised that Eris was nowhere in sight. With the room full with other squads, he noted that the majority of the teams were swarming the schedule board.

Thinking that Eris was probably late, Chanyeol made his way to the board. His menacing demeanor proved to be effective in making his juniors to make way for him until he was right in front of the board. But his feeling of triumphant quickly diminished after he saw his and Eris’s schedule. Apparently, they were expected to get at least ten targets for today. It was a day before Christmas Eve, so Chanyeol had suspected their quota would be overflowing. But with Eris’s condition, Chanyeol wasn’t sure they could work well.

The people in the room started to step out to start their day, and Chanyeol was still glued in front of the board, trying to memorize his schedule. Usually Eris was the one who took care of it.

By the time the room was almost empty and Chanyeol was about to leave to look for Eris, his partner stormed inside the room with distracted look. "Ares, hey."

Chanyeol frowned. "You're late."

"Yeah," Eris gave him a half-hearted grin. "I'm, uh... I was checking the Masks prisoner from last night. What's our schedule for today?" It was evident that Eris was trying to not meet Chanyeol's eyes, as he walked toward the board, brushing off Chanyeol. "Damn, look at that number. We seriously have to collect ten today?"

"Why are you checking the Masks?" Chanyeol ignored Eris's blatant diversion. "You never did that before."

It took a few seconds before Eris answered him. He kept looking at the board while chewing his lower lip. "They said something weird yesterday when I fought them."

Chanyeol furrowed his brows. "And why didn't you tell me that?"

Eris looked around the room, as if making sure that they were really alone. "I was really distracted last night with the chaos and my injury." He sighed. "It wasn't until this morning I remembered it."

Chanyeol put his hand around his partner's shoulder, steering him out of the room. Though the room was appropriate closed area for the secretive talk, they needed to move right now if they wanted to meet the day's quota. "What did they say?"

"Something about rebellion, I think. They told me to get ready, that they were coming."

The Order had received multiple threats from the public before, but they were just mild attack to their headquarter or protests. Nothing threatening at all. So, Chanyeol should've just waved this off as usual. But the fact that Eris was the one who got the threat first-hand didn't sit well with him. "They threatened you, and you decided to pay them a visit, alone?"

Eris stopped on his track and looked at Chanyeol with incredulous eyes. "Uhm, yeah? Was I supposed to go with you?"

"I would really appreciate it if you asked me to accompany you, yes."

Eris's mouth pulled sideways slightly. "What is this, Ares? These past few days you've been giving me weird vibe."

"Huh?" Chanyeol resumed their walk. They really needed to get going right now. "What do you mean?"

"You just sounded like you cared about me, that's all," he said nonchalantly.

Maybe Chanyeol did, although the thought was kind of ridiculous. But it was strangely welcomed. Chanyeol had lost his heart when he signed up as Hunter, he might as well lost his goddamn mind. The question as to why he kept caring for Eris was constantly there at the back of his mind.

Seeing that Chanyeol wouldn't answer him, Eris began to talk again as they entered the building elevator. "Do you think I should tell Nemesis about this?"

Chanyeol pushed the button to the underground floor. "Nah, it's probably nothing big, anyway."

"Yeah," Eris said, almost like a whisper, as he rested his head once again on Chanyeol’s shoulder. "Sorry for not telling you earlier. I hope I didn't worry you."

Eris did. But Chanyeol wasn't comfortable to admit that Eris had worried him a lot lately. "It's okay. Let's just do our job as usual today."

 

-+-

 

The day had been exhausting. Sure, they had crazy quota to fill, but it was more an emotional exhaustion for Chanyeol. Their targets for the day were mostly kids and parents. They were signed to take loves between family, and every time he watched Eris took the emotions out of their targets, knots were formed in his stomach. It was just too close to his own reality for comfort.

When their quota was met by the end of the day, it was already almost 11 PM. Chanyeol was dead tired, but his consciousness was going haywire. There was no way he could rest in his condition right now.

As he waited for Eris to do the final report to the station, Chanyeol looked over the list of the target he succeeded to acquire today. He suddenly wondered how many people’s feelings he had robbed this past year. People guessed that the cruelest duo had around a thousand victims. But honestly he and Eris never counted. A thousand seemed far-fetched, but maybe close. And the thought was oddly making him uncomfortable.

Seriously, what was wrong with him recently?

"I'm done." Eris forced Chanyeol out of his reverie. "You okay there?"

Eris himself looked worn out, but Chanyeol bet he look so much worse. "Just tired," he answered shortly. His jacket, his thick boots, and all the weapons he brought was starting to make him feel stuffy.

"Oh," Eris leaned against the wall. The green and red shade of Christmas light on the sidewalk made the left side of his face visible to Chanyeol. "Do you want to go back the headquarter or..." he trailed off. "You want to go somewhere else?"

Chanyeol must’ve really lost it if his partner was concerned about him.

"Yeah, I think I could use some company," Chanyeol responded. "You have somewhere in mind?"

Eris's mouth turned up at the corners. "Maybe. Dunno if you'll like it though."

"I'll take anything other than my room," Chanyeol stood straight, placing his hand on Eris's lower back, and steered him toward the main street. "Let's go."

They walked in silent, and it surprised Chanyeol when Eris led him toward their headquarter. He casted him a questioning glance, but Eris just smiled at him, and Chanyeol lost the intention to ask him.

Somehow, it wasn't a surprise that Eris brought them to the part of the HQ that he didn't know. It was a big, empty room with a big window, showing the night skyline of the city.

"Do I want to know how you have the key to this room?" Chanyeol asked as he closed the door, then following Eris who was walking toward the window.

When they already sat on the floor near the window, Eris finally uttered his first words since they took detour to this foreign room. "Would you believe me if Nemesis gave it to me?"

"No," Chanyeol answered shortly as he followed Eris taking a seat next to him. He looked out of the window. "This is perfect though."

They let the comfortable silent enveloped them. Not a single sound, even from the outside, as their building was made with unbelievably tight fort, so even sound wasn't able to go in or out. But the view made up for the lack of sound between them.

"It's amazing," Chanyeol mumbled.

"Right? I love it here."

Casting a brief glance to his partner, Chanyeol took the chance to ask him. "You often went off on your own, huh?"

Eris crossed his ankles in front of him. "It's not like I have to spend every minute with you,"

"I feel like I spend most of my time with you, though."

Fact was, Chanyeol had no other people beside Eris to spend his time with. Eris was the only one who was remotely close to someone he could call 'friend'. But to think that Eris could go without Chanyeol, that he could spend his time without him, made him feel slightly dejected. Chanyeol wanted Eris to always be with him if he could. If Eris had time to be alone, Chanyeol would've loved it for him to spend it with him.

It was a childish thought, he knew. But he couldn't help but thinking that.

“If only our quarter is closed to the beach, huh?” Eris broke the silence. “I would love to live by the beach, and whenever I feel so stuffed I could just go there.”

Chanyeol didn’t comment on it, because Chanyeol never really thought about how he wanted to live. All this time, he was always alone, he always felt lonely. Back then, he joined the Order because he wanted to run away from his current life. He opted to run away and he got what he wanted. This life he lived right now was what he wanted for so long. For everyone just to leave him alone.

But recently… recently, he felt himself gradually want more. He was floating with nothing tying him down, nothing grounded him. He was lost and he was drowning. And honestly he had no idea what to do for him to feel normal again.

He was fine feeling empty before. But now… the emptiness felt so loud he was desperate to find the missing piece of him. Though he didn’t know what it was.

"Hey, Eris," Chanyeol whispered his partner's name, not because he wanted to be quiet, but because he was starting to feel breathless. And maybe, the spontaneous question he was about to ask his partner was the way so he could breathe a little bit easier. Chanyeol waited until Eris put his attention on him before he spoke. "Can I know your name?"

As Chanyeol saw the expression of his partner morphed from blank to surprised to mortified and finally to sad, he realized that he truly had no one in this world except this person beside him, who he didn't know his name of, despite working and knowing each other for a year.

"Ares," Eris rasped.

Chanyeol turned away to face the view outside the window once again. "Do you know the meaning of my codename? Ares is the God of war, and he was often associated to violent. I couldn't help but feel ironically agree with that. I'm just so... hateful."

Eris didn't respond immediately. His feature which usually so stoic--whether it was fake or not--now was layered with concern. "I don't know why you seem so down lately, Ares, but if it'll make you feel better, Eris isn't a good name either, I guess." He laughed, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Eris is the Goddess of discord. A fit for a mess like me."

"You're a mess, alright." Chanyeol's voice dropped slightly lower. "A good kind of mess."

Chanyeol's heart felt like being squeezed when he felt Eris's hand crept into his, lacing them together. The smaller guy leaned onto Chanyeol's shoulder and rested his head there. "It's Baekhyun, by the way. My name is Byun Baekhyun."

Chanyeol was momentarily robbed of breath. He blinked at his partner, mind went blank.

"What about you?"

Chanyeol's voice when he answered Baekhyun's question was like sandpaper, but it came out from his mouth with a force of someone who had not breathed for years. "Park Chanyeol."

Baekhyun smiled. It was so bright that it was like the other smiles he'd given him so far were pale imitations. "Hello, Park Chanyeol."

 

-+-

 

Knowing each other's name proved to affect nothing to their professional life. It made Chanyeol wonder why Hunters had to hide their real names in the first place. They worked as well as before, and if anything, Chanyeol felt a lot better, emotionally. If he knew that it only took his partner to reveal his name and him revealing his own name to feel better like this, he would've done it sooner.

And honestly, Chanyeol didn't have time to be such an emotional mess anymore, given the fact that they had become busier each day. The dull Christmas had passed, and the New Year was approaching. But he had a feeling the change of the year would be as boring as the Christmas day. Nobody dared to actually go out and celebrate the occasion with the Hunters roaming the city. If there were no some red and green light here and there, people wouldn’t realize that it was in fact a Christmas day.

The only thing that had changed in Chanyeol’s life was now that he really spent every second of his waking moment with Baekhyun.

Baekhyun.

Byun Baekhyun.

Knowing his partner's name shouldn't have felt this fulfilling, but it gave him more than pride to be the only one who knew the guy's name. It was like a sense of belonging. He didn’t really know how much pleasure he could get from someone calling his real name.

Or maybe it was just his name sounded so good rolling out of Baekhyun’s mouth.

Despite the welcomed tiny change of their usual routine, both Chanyeol and Baekhyun worked as usual, with only one particular yet obvious change. The Masks were bold on their actions nowadays. It wasn’t only once or twice a day that their mission would get interrupted by their attacks. The Order had issued a warning to the whole Hunters to be careful, as well as a public announcement that they would take the attacks seriously. But the announcement didn’t change anything. The Masks were still brave on their actions, and it only made the general public to be braver.

It was safe to say that the situation was a mess.

“Do you think this was what the Masks had warned me about? Back then when I was attacked?” Eris asked when they were hiding in some shady old building in between their missions. The guy was sitting in the windowsill, the afternoon breeze blew over his smooth black hair. Since they were on break, Baekhyun had shed off all his equipment, except the radio in his ear.

Chanyeol, sitting on the dirty floor below the window, looked up at his partner with tired eyes. He only slept for four hours last night. Their schedule was just crazy. “Maybe,” he answered with flat voice. “They’re getting bold.”

“But why now though? After two years this system has been implemented?”

Chanyeol was quiet for a while, thinking. “I want to convince myself that this is nothing to worry about, but…” he trailed off. “Do you think it’ll get bigger?”

“Probably.” Baekhyun bit his lip. “But there’s gotta be a reason.”

Chanyeol frowned. “They want to destroy us, what else could it be?”

“This is definitely something else, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun’s tone was taking on an edge. “I have a bad feeling.”

Chanyeol was confused at first, since he never saw his partner look panicked like this. “Hey,” he got up from the floor, and positioned himself in front of the guy. “Why do you look so…” Afraid. “Worried?”

“I just think it's time for us to take this seriously.”

“So you're saying we should ask Nemesis to hold a meeting? Which is practically impossible since we’re all so busy with--”

“I know, I know, just--” Baekhyun sighed.

“What's on your mind, Eri--Baekhyun?” Chanyeol's face warmed. He was still not used to call him by his real name.

Baekhyun only smiled at that. But soon it was replaced with serious look. “Have you ever wondered…” He took a deep breath. “That maybe we were wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“I just have this thought…. recently, that maybe what we do is wrong. You know, taking people's feelings.”

Was Baekhyun serious? “You know damn well this is for the greater good. Our source of energy--”

“I know that, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun snapped. “You think I signed up for this job knowing nothing?”

“Then why the hell you said that?”

“Well, I don't know, I told you it just crossed my mind recently. What if we were wrong? That there are other possibilities out there, that we don't have to do this--stealing people's emotions--in order to be able to live.”

Chanyeol was dumbfounded. “You sounded a lot like the Masks just now, Baekhyun.”

For a split second, Baekhyun looked surprised, but he schooled his expression back. “Maybe that's why they're always persistent. They want to drill that concept into our stubborn heads that we have other options.”

“What are they, then? What are the other options?”

Despite Chanyeol's harsh tone, Baekhyun didn't flinch. He kept his expression neutral when he asked the question that froze Chanyeol's tongue completely. “What's the reason you become a Hunter, Chanyeol?” Only after he saw how taken aback Chanyeol was did his eyes softened. “Before you signed up for this job… did you agree with this system?”

Did he? It seemed like so long ago that Chanyeol didn't even remember.

Before he signed up to become a Hunter… that was a period of his life that he very much would like to forget. When the opportunity came in the form of this official system from the government, he gladly took it. He didn't care if they had to take his feelings along with his memories.

Chanyeol sputtered for a moment, before he got himself together. “What makes you questioning this? If the Order knew that you were having this bull thoughts, you’ll--”

“What, they'll take my non-existent feelings?” he scowled. “Anyway, the Order has nothing on me. They need me to reach their quota. I'm one of the cruelest duo, after all.”

Chanyeol felt like the bitterness come to abruptly. They never talked about this, the Order purposes and their system. This sounded a lot like Baekhyun was trying to shove the idea into him. “Baekhyun…”

A noise from their in-ear radio halted Chanyeol. He pressed the device in his left ear, seeing that Baekhyun also did the same.

“Ares and Eris,” Chanyeol reported. “What's up?”

There was only shouts and unidentifiable noise for few seconds before someone finally said proper sentences. “This is Ponos and Talos. We need help. The Masks attack. Too many.”

Chanyeol spared a glance at Baekhyun, the shorter guy was scrambling to put on all of his weapons back. Chanyeol guessed they were going. “Position?” he asked.

“Behind the Axe, the bar.”

“Got it. We're close,” Chanyeol said both to the Hunters on the line and to Baekhyun. His partner gave him a nod. “We'll be there in five.”

 

-+-

 

They arrived in four. Turned out, their location really wasn't too far from the attack. Only two blocks away.

When they arrived, Chanyeol knew that the other team wasn't exaggerating. They were ganged up. More than ten members the Masks were surrounding them. And Chanyeol felt his stomach knot. He had a bad feeling about this.

But he had no time to worry about anything since the situation demanded him to move and think fast. Before he knew it, Baekhyun was no longer on his side, running into the fight happening between the Hunters and the Masks. Gritting his teeth, Chanyeol cursed under his breath and charged into the battleground.

It was afternoon, and there was a possibility that commoners would see them and make the situation even more complicated, although they were hidden in the small alley. So Chanyeol needed to make sure. As he pulled one of the Masks, the one who wear long black coat, and threw him against the wall, he yelled to the Hunter with number 094 embroidered to his jacket. “Talos, you've called security team?”

Talos, gasping because of exhaustion, turned to him. “They should've been here soon.” He ducked down when a punch came toward him, then hit his enemy right on the jaw. “Thanks for coming here.”

Chanyeol grunted when one of the Masks smacked him on the head. His vision blurred for a while, but he was still able to scan the area. He was against two, while Talos had succeeded in immobilizing one and now fighting with another one. The most concerning part was the fact that Baekhyun and Ponos, Talos's partner, Hunter number 012, were fighting back to back against an alarming number of the Masks.

Both of them were on a smaller side in figure but they had to fight against more than five people.

Chanyeol snapped back to the task at hand. He wouldn't be able to help Baekhyun and Ponos if he hadn't finished the opponents in front of him.

He put his blade back into the sheath, and pulled out his sword. He struck two of the Masks before him. In an instant, jugular blood painted the pavement and wall. Chanyeol didn't wait until the two fell onto the ground before he charged forward to where Baekhyun was.

Baekhyun’s black clothes were coated by blood. Chanyeol hoped to hell that it wasn't his.

Noticing that Chanyeol was charging towards them, some of the Masks who were fighting Baekhyun and Ponos abandoned their station and attacked Chanyeol instead. He raised his sword once again, continued fighting to reach Baekhyun but with his attention divided, his strikes weren't as efficient as before.

Get to Baekhyun. Get to Baekhyun. Get to Baekhyun.

It took a long time to beat them. Chanyeol caught himself gazing at Baekhyun back and forth, making sure that his partner was okay. He looked fine, but the amount of blood on his body was alarming.

 It's his blood. . It's his blood.

The realization almost blinded him with rage. He barely bit back a growl as he shoved his hand around his enemy's neck and threw him aside.

Sprinting toward Baekhyun, Chanyeol could see out of the corner of his eyes, reinforcement had come to help them. But he didn't have time to sigh in relief when Baekhyun was still clearly struggling to even swing his sword.

As soon as he was right beside him, the relief in his partner's eyes was so visible. "Hey," Baekhyun grimaced.

"You're hurt," Chanyeol tugged Baekhyun against him, the fresh blood in his clothes seeped in between his fingers, while his other hand tried to fight the Masks before them.

"Yeah," Baekhyun grunted. "Stabbed. Lower abdomen." And his body went lax in Chanyeol's arms. Like he had been struggling to keep himself up all this time, so now that he knew Chanyeol was here, he put his guard down.

The new units who just came rushed into the scene. With their huge number, the Masks was easily outnumbered and Chanyeol saw his chance to withdraw.

"Ares," the Hunter who fought alongside Baekhyun, Ponos, a short guy with short hair and round eyes, approached them. "Take Eris away. I'll cover for you."

Chanyeol never knew the guy. In all his days spent with the Order he just didn’t care to socialize with people other than Baekhyun. But at that moment, with Baekhyun holding onto him like a lifeline in the middle of battle scene, Chanyeol promised that he would try to get to know the guy as his form of gratitude.

“Thank you,” Chanyeol rasped, holding onto his partner’s arm. “Baekhyun, we need to retreat.” Baekhyun didn’t respond to him, and Chanyeol took it as his cue to take over the situation. He put his free hand to press on his radio and talked to whoever hearing it. “Eris, code number zero-zero-four, is down. I repeat, Eris is down. We’re asking for medical assistance.”

Time was of essence. Chanyeol couldn’t waste time panicking. He was trained for this, so he was supposed to be able to handle this just fine. But for a year he worked with Baekhyun, his partner never put him in this position. And Chanyeol didn’t know that this situation was so terrifying.

Chanyeol’s head was in haze when he brought Baekhyun to the closest opened ruined building. He didn’t know how he was able to pick Baekhyun that far without hurting him more, but he marveled on the thought that he did a decent job as Baekhyun barely whimpering or hissing in pain.

He lowered Baekhyun to the ground, positioned him until he comfortably leaned his back against the wall. Only now that Chanyeol didn’t have sensory overload he realized that Baekhyun’s front was soaked red, making his black shirt even darker. The smaller man was visibly desperate to take breaths.

Chanyeol cursed and turned his head away, adjusting his headset to inform their location.

“,” Baekhyun gasped. “This hurts as .”

“Baekhyun.” Chanyeol pressed his palms to his cheeks. “Baekhyun, you need to hold on. They’ll be here in a second.”

Baekhyun gave a weak smile, and it made Chanyeol’s stomach churn. “Our rescue team . They’re not gonna be here for at least another ten minutes.”

“Just focus on staying awake,” Chanyeol commanded, but he sounded like he was pleading. “You hear me, Baekhyun? I’ll be here. I’ll be with you.”

Baekhyun’s breaths were a little too shallow for comfort. “I’m okay. I’m fine.”

You’re not okay. You’re not fine. And Chanyeol was ing terrified. He focused all his nerves on Baekhyun, that he didn’t even realize that a tear had escaped his eyes and his hands were trembling.

Chanyeol didn’t know how long he sat there, holding onto Baekhyun’s hand, making sure that his partner kept awake. When the help finally arrived, with indiscernible rush, Chanyeol was forced to be torn away from Baekhyun’s side. A few people surrounded Baekhyun, doing something that Chanyeol couldn’t see.

Before he knew, Chanyeol was sitting on the floor in the hallway outside of the medical ward, waiting for Baekhyun who was receiving immediate attention. He sat there with blank expression, his mind murky with blind fate that this all was just a nightmare.

 

-+-

 

If he could, Chanyeol didn’t want to be separated from Baekhyun. His brain knew that Baekhyun was okay, he was in the hand of the professional, he was gonna get the best treatment. He was okay, they were okay. So, really, Chanyeol didn’t know why he felt like this. His head was a jumbled mess and all he wanted to do was hold Baekhyun.

Instead, he hugged his knees tighter, burying his head in between them. He couldn’t breathe and he felt helpless. The silent was a terror for him and he was one thread away from falling apart.

Chanyeol didn’t bother to wonder why he felt like this. Why seeing Baekhyun hurt almost destroyed him. He didn’t want to know.

He just wanted to see Baekhyun. That was all he knew.

“Ares.”

Chanyeol didn’t have the strength to lift his head, but he did it anyway. He nodded to the two figures looming over him. The two Hunters that he and Baekhyun aided for earlier. “Hey,” even to his own ears, his voice was raw.

Ponos and Talos looked at each other, before they scooted down, making their eyes at least in line with Chanyeol’s.

The taller one, Talos, cleared his throat. “How’s Eris?”

Chanyeol scanned the partners in front of him. They were pretty much unscratched, just like Chanyeol. The fact that only Baekhyun came out badly wounded just wasn’t fair. “He’s being treated.”

“But he’s gonna be okay?” This time Ponos asked.

He should be. He must.

“They said the wound is deep and he lost a lot of blood, so…” he trailed off, lowering his head.

With his head hidden in between his knees, Chanyeol couldn’t see what the couple of Hunters in front of him did. He only heard silence come from them. Like they also didn’t know what to do.

“Thank you, though,” Chanyeol forced to pick his head up, looking at Ponos. “For covering us when we retreated.”

His appearance must’ve been absolute mess because Ponos’s expression looked pained when he answered. “No, thank you. If not because of the both of you, me and Talos would be dead right now.”

Chanyeol hated that word. If. It was what had been running around his head for the past hour. What if. What if. What if. But he knew it was no use wondering something that had already happened.

Afraid that his voice would crack if he talked, Chanyeol just nodded. His eyes turned downcast once again, while Ponos and Talos looked at each other.

“You care about him, do you?” Ponos asked. His voice was soft, although his face was expressionless.

It took a while before Chanyeol could answer that. Did he care? Of course he was. Baekhyun was his partner, after all. But even he knew that what Ponos asked from him was different kind of 'care’. People who saw how he reacted to Baekhyun today would be able to pick up that his care for him was on a different level. He decided on a vague answer. “It's not… like that.”

Ponos nodded, his expression indifference. Chanyeol realized how blatantly different Ponos and Baekhyun was. Baekhyun’s eyes were full of light, though he sometimes appeared cold. Come to think of it, Baekhyun’s eyes were different from all Hunters and all workers in the Order. They all had blank, empty eyes, while Baekhyun’s were so warm. Like someone who had feelings.

Talos patted his back before he stood up, followed by his partner. “Alright, we’re gonna get going for the emergency meeting. You’re coming, Ares?”

Right. Chanyeol didn’t even remember that they had a meeting. It was mentioned in a fleeting, panicked moment of his when Baekhyun was brought into the medical ward. The Order was in chaos because of the attack today. They never got attacked by more than five the Masks in one time. Not to mention the fact that one of them was severely injured this time. An emergency meeting was definitely in order.

“No, I’ll wait for Bae--” Chanyeol stopped himself, clearing his throat. “I’m gonna wait for Eris.”

“Okay, we’re gonna go now. Thank you once again, Ares,” Ponos said as he began to walk backward. “Give our gratitude too when Eris has woken up.”

Chanyeol didn’t bother to answer them, and just put his head to rest against the wall. After seeing his fellow Hunters, he felt a little bit calmer. Now that his head had become clearer, he didn’t understand why he was so worried. His feelings was still unstable but at least he didn’t feel like he was about to collapse anytime now.

Right when the nine o’clock rolled in, the door to the emergency room where Baekhyun was being treated was opened and Chanyeol launched onto his feet, while a group of men with white coats and medical masks got out of the room. He scrambled for an embarrassing few seconds before he regained his footing and approached the room. But he was blocked by a familiar face, Nemesis.

Chanyeol didn’t even realize that Nemesis was in the room with Baekhyun. It’s weird that he was here, not with all his subordinates leading the emergency meeting.

“Ares,” the boss greeted him. His voice was low, but Chanyeol could hear the edge. “You’re waiting for Eris, I see.”

“How is he? Is he…”

“He’s stable.” Nemesis’s angelic face turned stoic. “You should be in the meeting.”

Chanyeol wanted to answer that the man should be too, but he decided to shut his mouth. He wasn’t here to talk about work. He wanted to know if his partner was okay. And the fact that Chanyeol no longer regarded Baekhyun as “work” matter was missed on his jumbled thoughts.

“I need to see him,” Chanyeol shrugged past him, but then stopped walking and turned around. “What are you doing in here while they took care of Baekhyun, anyway?”

Chanyeol bit his tongue and realized it was too late. Nemesis was now looking at him with wide eyes, turning around with dramatic slow speed. “What did you just say?” he asked breathlessly.

Chanyeol's stomach churned. “I said what are you doing in here this whole time?” Albeit nervous that the possibility of him knowing Baekhyun's real name was on the line, he couldn't help but wondering about it. This whole situation was fishy.

“No, you said his--” Nemesis blinked. “You said Baekhyun.”

Narrowing his eyes, Chanyeol took a step closer to his leader. “It's his name.” Somehow he was feeling brave. “What about it?”

Chanyeol could see the gear turning inside Nemesis's head, trying to figure out how the hell his subordinate could know something that supposed to be a secret for everyone. “How did you--”

“None of your business,” Chanyeol said before he turned around. He knew Nemesis couldn't punish him for knowing Baekhyun's name, because there were no rule indicated that. He couldn't care less about it, to be honest. They could punish him all they want.

Chanyeol could hear Nemesis's hurried steps getting out of the medical area as he passed bed by bed separated by curtains. There were no other patient in this ward except for Baekhyun, it seemed.

When Chanyeol arrived at Baekhyun's bed, almost by the end of the room, and saw his small but not so small partner lying in a hospital gown, he felt light-headed.

It happened again, his emotion went haywire at the sight of Baekhyun in pain.

Halting his steps by the bed for not wanting to disturb the sleeping man, he hugged himself to process all of this. Of the fact that no matter how much he denied himself, Chanyeol was having feelings. He cared for Baekhyun. He liked him. And the realization knocked the air out of his chest.

I have emotions.

He should be panicking and having a mental breakdown right now, because this shouldn't have happened. Instead, he was feeling all sorts of warmth in his chest.

How could this happen? Chanyeol racked his brain trying to remember how this emotions-removal work. He knew that people who got their emotions taken wouldn't be able to regain their emotions.

Although there was one condition. They would get their emotions back if their heart were triggered by someone who still had them. But Chanyeol had not been around anyone other than Baekhyun for a year. And Baekhyun couldn’t have them… could he? Except Baekhyun might still have feelings, which was impossible since all Hunters were obligated to give their emotions away at the start of their recruitment.

A groan stopped his messy train of thought, it came from Baekhyun.

“Baekhyun?” Chanyeol stepped closer. “You alright?”

Baekhyun opened his eyes, and he genuinely looked surprised. “Chanyeol? What are you doing here?”

I’m here because I can’t function without seeing with my own two eyes that you’re okay.

“How are you feeling?” He asked back instead, leaning down until his face got closer to the injured man.

“Turned out it was a clean cut. It wasn’t messy or anything, just deep. The doctor could close it pretty easily.”

Chanyeol nodded. “But it made you lose so much blood.”

Chanyeol remembered how much blood pooled on Baekhyun’s stomach as well as on the floor when they were inside the ruined building, waiting for the medical team. It felt like it just happened only a few minutes ago, and now Baekhyun was fine here, still intact. If it wasn’t for his pale face, he wouldn’t know that his partner just got out of a nasty battle.

“Sorry for worrying you.” Baekhyun bit his lips. “Sorry for being such an uncool partner.”

Chanyeol chuckled, shaking his head, then he sat down on the edge of Baekhyun’s bed. “What are you talking about? You’re the best partner ever.”

“Is that sarcasm?”

“You’re the brain between the two of us. Figure it out.”

“You .”

Chanyeol threw his head back, giving out a laugh. In the middle of the empty ward, his laugh sounded like a canon. But it felt so good… laughing like that felt freeing.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in the meeting?”

“Should be, yeah, but,” Chanyeol looked at him. “Not really my priority.”

Baekhyun nodded, but then his eyes were glued to his hands on his lap. “Are you… uh… going to be here all night?”

Chanyeol’s brows rose. “Do you want me to?”

“Just asking.”

They were silent after that. Chanyeol only planned to see him for a little while and retreat to attend the meeting. But now that they were together, he wondered if he had any will left to leave his partner’s side. Being by Baekhyun’s side just made him breathe a little easier, and his heart got a lot calmer.

“I’ve been wondering…” Baekhyun broke the silence. “I think I’ve asked you this before, but you haven’t answered me. Why are you joining the Order, Chanyeol?”

“It's none of your business,” Chanyeol opened his mouth to say. It was at the tip of his tongue. If it was a few weeks ago Baekhyun had asked him that question, Chanyeol would have definitely answered him with that exact sentence. But now, he went silent. He seriously contemplated to tell him why he joined the Order. Why he willingly offered his emotions in return for a position as a Hunter, the cruelest job out there.

It wasn’t like Chanyeol still remembered his reasons, since people who got their feelings removed would forget their memories of the person their emotions directed for. But according to the data that was given to him, it was because…

“Seems like I had a ty mother back then,” Chanyeol murmured. Even to his own ears, his voice sounded weird, foreign, and distant. When he looked at Baekhyun, his partner’s eyes were giving him indescribable gaze. And it only made Chanyeol want to keep talking. “I don’t remember any of it, Baekhyun. But my document said that my father left us when I was a kid. And since then, my mom had been violent towards me.”

Family issue wasn’t an uncommon reason for joining the Order. Chanyeol was sure more than 30% of people working here had more or less the same root problems like him. They wanted to avoid their families.

He took a deep breath and let his eyes wandered somewhere else. “Apparently she was so bad to the point of breaking me until I couldn't believe in love anymore, it seems.”

That was the only conclusion that Chanyeol could come up with. The fact that he willfully handed himself in to be taken as the part of the Order--gotten rid of his feelings, his memories--when people out there were fighting for the exact opposite, must've been a result of some ed-up chain of events until he thought it was better to get all of it removed from his mind and heart. So really, his reason to join the Order wasn't some kind of noble reason like he wanted to save the earth or anything like that. In fact, he dared to bet that no one in the Order actually came here, giving up their emotions just to save the earth from fuel exhaustion. They thought of themselves and no one else, let alone the fate of the earth. Humans were selfish like that.

Chanyeol looked back at Baekhyun. His partner's eyes weren't on him, but he could see that they were shaking. “What about you, huh? Got some twisted past like me?”

Baekhyun's lips pulled up a little but the smile didn't reach his eyes at all. “You could say that,” he chuckled.

“I'm listening.”

There was no hesitation in him like it was with Chanyeol. Baekhyun even almost looked like he didn't care when he told his story. “My document said that I had a lover back then, who I loved so much. Turned out that bastard was a con. He made people fall in love with him, and he would surrender his target to the nearby Hunters so they could take their emotions, and he would get the reward.” He stopped and for a second, Chanyeol could see the change in his eyes. Hatred. “But I managed to run away before they took my feelings. And… not long after that I decided to join the Order and still gave my emotions away anyway, because the past me might lose his belief in love.”

Chanyeol's fist tightened without him knowing. “What a bastard.”

“I could say the same about your mom.” Baekhyun giggled. And with that his demeanor had changed like the usual.

After that, somehow, the atmosphere in the room had turned normal. Normal enough for their standard.

There was a weird feeling in Chanyeol's chest when he realized that once again, they had shared something personal about themselves. First was their real names. Now they shared their pasts. Honestly Chanyeol didn't know if his relationship with Baekhyun could be called as a mere work partner anymore.

“Hey, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun straightened his posture, which was a dumb move because now he was hissing in pain. “Do you think… do you think we could fall in love again?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean what I mean. Do you think we could find someone… that will make us feel again? We could trust enough to fall for?”

“Well, if we found someone who still had emotions so they could trigger our--”

“Just answer yes or no.”

He demanded a simple answer, but Chanyeol thought it was more than a simple question. “Maybe.” He must've lost his goddamn mind for entertaining that idea, but at that moment, at that exact moment in the middle of empty medical ward with strong disinfectant smell, looking at the man in front of him who had made him feel several questionable things in the past few weeks, Chanyeol truly believed that it could happen. “Maybe we could.”

Whatever the reason was, it seemed to be the answer that Baekhyun had been waiting for from him, because now he was beaming. The bright smile he had that genuinely turned his eyes crescent and sparkled. “Maybe we could,” he repeated what Chanyeol had said. His initial bright eyes then turned a little playful. “Maybe we should just try to fall in love with each other, Chanyeol.”

That got Chanyeol almost choke with his own spit before he snapped and retorted way too quickly. “No way in hell.”

Baekhyun snorted out a laugh.

“Besides, it's impossible,” he said nervously, but he kept getting closer, suddenly the need to be close to Baekhyun, to touch him, to share his heat, was unbearable.

“We don't know that.”

“We both don't have emotions, so…”

“But if it were us…” Baekhyun squeezed his hand. “Maybe we could.”

Chanyeol was a breath away from replying with the same phrase. Maybe we could. Because as much as he hated to admit, and how crazy it was, Chanyeol truly believed that if it was Baekhyun… he could.

“Just you see, I'll make you say I love you to me.” Baekhyun leaned toward him with a teasing smile. It was annoying, and beautiful at the same time. “You'll love me so much it hurts.”

“Uh-huh, and how you're gonna do that?”

“Maybe we should kiss. Kiss me.” He was teasing, but his pale skin turned a little pink.

Chanyeol's heart beat so fast, but he managed to put a fake scowl. How could all today's tension dissipate instantly when he was joking together like this with his partner he would never know. “You kiss me, then.”

Baekhyun faked a gasp. “Chanyeol, you know I can't move. My stomach hurts.”

“Too bad. I thought you wanted a kiss.”

“I do want to kiss. It's been more than a year since I last kissed and was kissed, you know.”

Baekhyun was adorable. Too adorable. Who would be able to resist him when he was being so cute like this? Not Chanyeol. Definitely not Chanyeol.

He wasn't thinking. Because he didn't need to. It was a pure instinct when he leaned down to kiss Baekhyun's forehead. A simple touch of his lips. And it lasted for only two seconds. And Chanyeol wanted more. But he pulled away. Because his heart was about to jump out of his chest.

The look Baekhyun giving him was worth the embarrassment. “I'll give you a real kiss when you manage to make me love you so much it hurts.”

Baekhyun blinked, then he chuckled, his expression amused. “Well, you already do, you're just denying it. But game on, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol was a weak man. He knew that if he kept staying here in a close proximity with Baekhyun, his will would be shattered and he wouldn't stop at the kiss on the forehead. He was weak, he was a coward, so he ran away. “I think I should go.”

Baekhyun opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to argue, but thought it was better for them to leave it at that. Despite all the joke, none of them wanted to cross the line. “Thank you for coming to check on me.”

Chanyeol shook his head. He got down from the bed and reluctantly let go of their joining hands. “I'm glad you're okay. Though you need to stop getting hurt, seriously.”

“Well, no promises.” Baekhyun's eyes started to droop like he was on the verge of falling asleep. “Get plenty of rest, Chanyeol.”

“Right back at you. Rest well, Baekhyun.”

And it took his entire being to not kiss Baekhyun goodnight.

 

-+-

 

That night at the medical ward when Chanyeol lost his mind until he planted a kiss on Baekhyun's forehead seemed like ages ago.

The Order had been in chaos. They were in high alert and not able to operate as well as the usual. The amount of quotas of the day were lessened to make sure of the safety of the Hunters. In addition, they didn't go as duo now, instead in a team of at least five persons. The extra precaution was unnecessary but they didn't want to take chances.

And just like that, the New Year which didn't feel like new year at all rolled around.

With Baekhyun was still on leave due to his injury, Chanyeol was forced to work with other units, and he couldn't say that he enjoyed it at all. They were great, but none of them even came close to Baekhyun's skill.

Chanyeol refused to believe that he was biased.

Still, every night after he finished his round, Chanyeol would visit his real partner. He would tell him about his day but he would never admit that he enjoyed working with the Hunter number 004 more. Chanyeol didn't want Baekhyun to get an idea that he missed him. Nope.

Everything was as normal as it could get. He worked with the new teams just fine, and Baekhyun was steadily getting better. The only weird thing was probably the fact that he often found Baekhyun not on his bed and only to come back half an hour later, or that Nemesis was by the side of his bed. The two things were odd but Chanyeol thought that he was just too paranoid. Baekhyun would say that he was having a night stroll around the facility, and Nemesis would say he came by to update Baekhyun about the current situation of the outside world.

Chanyeol trusted Baekhyun, but he couldn’t help the ill feeling he got every time he saw his partner with his boss. It didn’t help when Nemesis kept giving him intense glares whenever they saw each other. Which was weird, because all this time Nemesis had always been nice enough to him. But after the event of Chanyeol calling Baekhyun with his real name in front of him, his boss’ attitude changed and become more protective towards his partner.

Like right now, it was the seventh night after the incident that got Baekhyun bedridden, and Chanyeol was visiting him after his round of the day. He found Baekhyun with Nemesis by the side of his bed. There was nothing unusual except Nemesis was wearing a fighting gear just like him, complete with gun by his side, knee-pads, and combat boots. He also had his earpieces on. His code number 001 was etched on his chest.

“Ares,” Nemesis greeted him. His lips were pulled into a tight line.

Chanyeol replied with a stiff nod, and approached the two of them. “You’re going somewhere?” he asked his boss, then his eyes met Baekhyun. The latter’s eyes were wide like a deer in headlights. Did Chanyeol interrupt something?

“I have something to do,” Nemesis answered shortly. “Remember what I said, Eris,” he said to the guy on the bed. Then without glancing to Chanyeol, he went out of the ward.

Honestly, Chanyeol didn't know if he should feel offended or not. "What the hell was that? What did he say to you?"

"Nothing." The immediate answer from his partner was making it more suspicious than it already was. "He only told me to..."

"Told you to…?"

"Uhm," Baekhyun turned his head away, avoiding his gaze and his lower lips nervously. When he lowered his head until his chin almost touched his chest, he finally dared to speak. "He told me to do something."

Chanyeol didn't like this. "What is it?" Dread started to crawl into him. "Baekhyun, you never hide something from me."

It was unnoticeable--if it was other people who saw it--but because it was Chanyeol, and Chanyeol always noticed everything about Baekhyun, he could see it. He could see how Baekhyun flinched from his words. The statement that Chanyeol proudly declared. The thing that Chanyeol always believed. The thought that made him keep going for a year working in this emotionless place.

Baekhyun never hides something from me. We trust each other.

And that slight flinch from Baekhyun cracked the belief he had.

"Baekhyun?" Chanyeol took a step closer. "What is it? What did he want?"

Baekhyun shook his head. "I can't tell you."

"Baekhyun, I swear if he asked you to do something dangerous--"

"It's not--" Baekhyun looked up at him. Fear. The fear in his eyes was so apparent it also spread into him. "Don't make me do this. I can't lie to you."

"So it is a dangerous thing."

"Just listen to me." Baekhyun got up from his sitting position, swing his legs so he sat by the edge of the bed, his feet hanging. "I want you to do something for me."

Chanyeol positioned himself in between Baekhyun's thighs, cradling the face of the most important person in his life right now. "You really scare me right now, you know. Please just tell me."

Baekhyun closed his eyes, leaning to Chanyeol's touch. When he opened his eyes again, no longer they were clouded with fear. They were flowed with so much hope and faith for him it scared him. "I need you to get out of this place at midnight."

Chanyeol blinked. "What?"

Baekhyun heaved a sigh. "Chanyeol..."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Chanyeol scanned every inch of Baekhyun's face, trying to find some clues from it. "What do you mean? This place... you mean this room or this quarter?"

"This quarter."

"But, why?"

"I couldn't tell you."

"Bull. Is this some kind of stupid plan from Nemesis? For what?"

Baekhyun wrung his face out of Chanyeol's grasp, and put his forehead on his chest. At that moment, Chanyeol never saw him more vulnerable than this before. And he had seen the man almost died from blood loss. "Chanyeol, do you trust me?"

The question wrenched him. Why did it hurt so much? Why did this feel like... a goodbye? "You know I trust you with my life. But I couldn't trust you with your own."

"Nothing's gonna happen to me. I just-- I'm just gonna--" Baekhyun trailed off, biting his lip. "Remember when I asked you... what if there are other ways to... to get energy other than what we had been doing? Other than taking anyone's emotions."

Chanyeol felt himself shudder. "Baekhyun, I don't think this is the right place to--"

"That's what I and Nemesis been talking about."

"You talk about this kind of thing with him?" Chanyeol lowered his voice. "Rebellion?"

"This isn't a rebellion. This is the thing we need to do in order to keep this world from ending," Baekhyun whispered. "I should've carried this mission since a year ago, but you... you..."

"You've planned this since a year ago? Both of you and Nemesis?" What the actual is going on?. "And me... what about me?"

"It's because I got paired up with you that I forgot about the mission. I was too carried away... I enjoyed working with you." His hand came up to cradle the side of Chanyeol’s face, and his eyes burned into his. "Somehow I got caught up in the moment. For a whole one year. Until my friends and Nemesis had to get me back on the right course."

Chanyeol's mind reeled, and the room spinned. He tried to remember the first time he met Baekhyun. He remembered he wasn't like the rest of them. He wasn't a blank page like the other Hunters. He was aloof, yes. But he was full determination. Back then, Chanyeol thought it was because Baekhyun was truly serious to help the government to save the world. But then again...

"Are you..." Chanyeol's voice cracked. His throat felt like filled with sand. "You're a spy," he breathed out, almost inaudible.

It wasn't a question, it was a statement because Chanyeol knew it was the truth. But for a moment, Chanyeol hoped that this wasn't true. That this man in front of him was his trusted partner, his Baekhyun.

"Chanyeol--"

"You're a traitor," he hissed, taking a step back. And Baekhyun's hand in his cheek fell down. "It's all lies? All this time?"

A tear rolled down Baekhyun's cheek, and Chanyeol could hear his heart cracked. "Nothing's a lie. Our relationship is as real as you think it is. You're the only thing, the only one that is real for me. And I've been ignoring my main objective here for so long. I was so mad at the system, Chanyeol. I was deceived by my ex-lover, so I decided I wasn't going to just sit when people are suffering, I needed to do something to stop this. We have other ways, so many other ways. But not this, not taking anyone's precious emotions--"

"Shut up for a second." Chanyeol covered his eyes with his sweaty, cold hand. He realized that he was trembling. All over. "Do you..." he opened his eyes. "Do you have your emotions removed?"

Chanyeol forced himself to keep his ground through the silent. He refused to succumb to the dread, to the possibility that Baekhyun had been lying to him all this time. Had been hiding such a huge, huge thing from him.

"I still have mine," Baekhyun croaked. "They never took it because I got in through Junmyeon--I mean, Nemesis. Ah, -- I'm a mess."

This was too much information that he could handle in one single hour. His head started to feel dizzy and numbness began to seep in him. "That's why... that's why I've been feeling like this. You... you triggered me."

"What?" Baekhyun gaped. His eyes widened. "I... triggered you?"

"Yes, I've been feeling this past few weeks." He jabbed his fingers through his hair, feeling incredibly frustrated. "So you're one of the Masks? The reason the past few weeks we've been having endless attacks are because of you?"

Baekhyun looked reluctant to say anything but he ended up giving in. "The beginning was the night I was attacked by five of them. I... sacrificed myself to be hurt, so they could get arrested and taken inside the facility."

"What?"

"And when I almost died a week ago because they stabbed me? That was also deliberate. So I could be absent from my round, and do... something here when everyone went out for their mission. Including you."

Chanyeol didn't even have the strength to be surprised. The last bit of Baekhyun's confession hit him like a brick. He remembered this familiar emotions more than he'd like to admit. Disappointment. Feeling betrayed. Anger. His emotions had indeed come back. And it was all because of the man in front of him. One man that he thought he could trust.

"You done?" Chanyeol asked tiredly. "Or do you have anything else to confess? Is today the last day of your mission? That's why you confessed to me all of this, because you think we're not gonna meet anymore?"

A sob racked out of Baekhyun's mouth. Even though Chanyeol hated him so much right now for betraying him, seeing Baekhyun cried hurt the hell out of him. All he wanted to do was to wrap his hands around the other, making sure he wasn't in pain.

"It's more complicated than that." Baekhyun's hand settled on Chanyeol's wrist, grabbing it gently. "I don't plan to leave you. I'll get back to you... someway, somehow. That's why I asked you to get away from here tonight."

"Yeah, well, not happening." Chanyeol yanked his hand away from the other's grasp. He kept his tears at bay. No way he would let Baekhyun to see how much this had affected him. "I'm not a betrayer like you. Goodbye, and thank you for the heads-up, Eris."

Somehow Chanyeol was able to tear himself apart from Baekhyun's side. His partner. His Eris. His Baekhyun. And with it, his heart was teared apart for maybe the second time in his whole life.

 

-+-

 

Chanyeol didn't let his mind to be empty. He tried hard for it to be hyper-aware, overdrive by blatant matter at hands right now: the fact that a rebellion was on the work and his head-quarter was probably going to be under attack in a matter of minutes.

He got back to his room to retrieve all his battle equipment and put them all on, all the while thinking of a plan. He needed to do something. He knew the enemies' plan so there was no way he would just sit there. Evidently, he couldn't go to Nemesis--Junmyeon, as Baekhyun called him. Because for some ed-up fate, his boss was a traitor too, along with his only trusted person in the world.

What should I do?

Baekhyun is a traitor.

I need to tell someone.

Baekhyun is a spy.

I need to get ready for the attack.

Baekhyun still has emotions and has triggered him.

Chanyeol took a deep breath, then he shuddered when he realized he truly didn't know what to do. His mind was drawing blank. There was no way he could pull some strategies when his mind was full of the thought of Baekhyun.

"We have other ways, so many other ways. But not this, not taking anyone's precious emotions."

Chanyeol grabbed his hair and pulled them as hard as he could, willing himself to focus and getting the unnecessary thought out of his head.

Chanyeol had spent the majority of his life hurting. He wanted it to stop. He ran away. From his mom, probably. From his fear. From his feelings. So he did what he thought was best at that time. He erased all of it.

But Baekhyun came. Meeting him was what saved him. It wasn't immediate. It was the little things. From him started to appreciate the company of other human being, cherishing the little touch and smile and laugh they shared, realizing that maybe they could.

Maybe we could.

Baekhyun was never lying to him. All this time, it was the real him. He wasn't wearing any masks, he wasn't the Masks. He was real. His feelings were real. He might hide some things from him, but he never lied. When he smiled, he was smiling. When he was hurt, he was hurting. Chanyeol asked, and he would answer. He risked his plan to be destroyed by telling Chanyeol but he didn't care, because Baekhyun never lied to him. That was one thing that Baekhyun always did from the start.

Chanyeol's breath hitched.

And he heard an explosion.

 

-+-

 

When Chanyeol got to the first floor of his head-quarter building, it was already destroyed, leaving out nothing on the front door but the debris on the floor and white, thick dust in the air. He practically couldn't see anything as he reached for his gun on his waist, getting ready to fight whoever coming uninvited to their quarter.

It was the Masks, Chanyeol knew. But maybe--

It was pure instinct that prevented Chanyeol from meeting the blade head on. With his visibility decreased until only one meter radius, he didn't get to see two members of the Masks heading directly at him. Chanyeol was sure that the masks they were wearing this time were not only for hiding their identity. There must've been seeing and breathing devices attached because their moves were as suave as ever. Unlike Chanyeol who was already struggling to merely regain his footing.

Chanyeol realized he had no chance in fighting from distance. So he opted to meet his opponents head on, hand to hand combats.

One of his opponents yelled in shock when their bodies collided. The impact was enough to make Chanyeol a little dizzy but he pushed onward, flinging his punch right below the jaws and sending him flying. He didn't let his opponent fell to the ground. He put out another attempt to punch him in the stomach, but he got hit instead by the other guy. A hard surface--probably a handle of blade--met with Chanyeol's face in a violent blow that crumpled him over to his side. Immediately, he could feel blood in his mouth and bruises formed in his cheek.

His reflect decreased, resulting him to slowing down when reacting to the fight although he clearly saw them coming on him once again, all at once. One of them stepped on his face, while the other one stepped on his wrist, nearly crushing it. And he only could let out a howl of pain.

When all his senses were focused on the pain on his face and wrist, he didn't realize something--or someone--had sent the two guys on top of him flying away from him.

“I told you not to hurt number 061. He's Baekhyun's guy,” yelled the person who saved him, then he kneeled beside Chanyeol. “Hey, Chanyeol, you okay?”

“Nemesis? Why are you--”

“You know why I'm here. I know Baekhyun had told you everything. Although I've been telling him not to for the whole week, that stupid idiot.”

Chanyeol tried to get up with his elbow. “Shut up, Nemesis. And where's--”

“You can call me Junmyeon, I always hated that codename. And by the way, Baekhyun is on tenth floor,” his boss--ex-boss to be exact--said as he helped Chanyeol to stand up.

“What is he doing there? That's where we...”

Junmyeon gave him a look. “He’s carrying the main goal of this mission. Destroying the storage and all the machines there.”

“But that area has the tightest security.”

“That's why we draw all the attention to here.”

Chanyeol gritted his teeth. Of course. Of course his partner would be the one carrying the most important mission. All Chanyeol's ideal about betrayal had flown out of the window when he knew that Baekhyun was possibly in danger. His gears turned in his head, trying to find the best and fastest way to get to his partner. The rebellion could go to hell for all he cared, he just wanted to make sure that Baekhyun was safe.

He got to his feet only to be yanked back by his ex-leader. “You're not going there. You're just gonna hinder him and make it harder for this to work.”

“There's no way I'm leaving him there alone,” Chanyeol almost growled.

Junmyeon must've seen how deadly set he was. He wouldn't let anybody hold him back. So the other relented and loosen his grip. “, both of you are idiots. Please don't do anything stupid.”

Chanyeol didn't waste time to retort with any remarks even though he was dying to, but it could wait. Making sure that Baekhyun was okay was his priority now. He dashed out of the scene as fast as he could while bullets were flying passed him, not knowing if they were coming from the Order's side or opponent's side. Chanyeol didn’t even know which side he was on right now.

Whichever Baekhyun is.

It was at that moment--when he was running like his life depended on it, trying to get to where Baekhyun was--that he realized he would literally follow Baekhyun anywhere. He could just name it, and Chanyeol would follow.

The elevator wasn't running, so Chanyeol climbed the stairs two at a time. His legs burned by the time he got to the tenth floor.

Where is he? Where is he?

Chanyeol glanced around, weapon at the ready. The difference between the first and tenth floor was appalling. Here, it was as quiet as the funeral, save for the gun and cry sound coming from the first floor once in a while. The usual tight security was nowhere in sight.

Chanyeol took a deep breath as he willed his heartbeat to slow down. There seemed to be no one here. But he had this feeling gnawing at the back of his head that he was being watched. Still, he picked his way toward the storage room by the end of the hallway. From his position, he could tell that the door with the round glass was closed and there seemed to be zero activity inside. But if anything, it made him even more nervous since it was too weird of a situation.

By the time he arrived by the door, it was a gamble for him. Going back wasn't a choice, so he was more or less putting himself into a lion den, knowing fully that there would be a whole security team waiting for him behind the door. But did he care? Of course not. He was Ares. He wasn't afraid of anything.

He opened the door and the impact came expectedly immediate. It came from his side, so the culprit was probably standing by the door, knowing that Chanyeol was going to come in. The attacker collided their body onto him, so hard it sent him flying into the wall. But Chanyeol still managed to raise his hand in time to avoid crashing headfirst. He felt disoriented for a second before he regained his balance and shoved his hand right onto the neck of his attacker.

A quiet cry slipped from his attacker's mouth. A familiar one.

“Baekhyun?”

“Ch…” Baekhyun choked, and Chanyeol immediately released his hold on his neck. “Chanyeol? What are you doing here?” Baekhyun was holding his neck, all the while still standing on guard, looking confused and taken aback that it was Chanyeol who came.

“What are you doing here, ? You're immediately in danger if you're here.” Chanyeol noticed that his partner no longer had hospital gown on him. He was wearing his usual combat gear, just like Chanyeol, complete with his gun and radio.

“Well, you could see yourself. No one is here. I was alone until you came disturbing me. I thought I was found out, damn you.”

“How could possibly no one in here?” For a year he was working for the Order, not once he ever came to this room, since it was always Baekhyun who would deliver their quota of the day. Now Chanyeol knew why Baekhyun chose to be the one doing it. It was so he could get familiar with this room when the time had come. Which was right now.

“This is a well-planned operation, Chanyeol. You think we're going to just attack the quarter without any sort of plan? All the security here had been sent by Junmyeon to focus on the attack on the first floor while the lab workers were sent to the safe room.”

Chanyeol looked around the room. The room was the typical poorly lit room, with the source of light coming from the screens of the computers and machines. It was true that the activity in the room seemed to be mid-stopped. All the machines were still on standby and some of them seemed to be in the middle of processing something.

“Did you…” Baekhyun fidgeted on his feet, not meeting his eyes. “Did you come here because you're worried about me?”

Chanyeol opened his mouth, but the burn on his cheeks stopped him from answering. Not even half an hour ago he was so angry at this man, feeling so betrayed and did not want anything to do with him. But the mere mention of Baekhyun and the possibility of him being in danger were enough to make him relented. He could ignore his feelings all he wanted, but deep down he knew what this was. He cared for Baekhyun, he had established that. But this, this feeling, he might know what it actually was. What it was called and why it scared him. He wouldn't tell Baekhyun though. At least not until this whole ordeal was done.

“Shut up,” Chanyeol bit out. “Just finish what you have to do. I'll guard the door.” Honestly, what did Junmyeon think, not sending anyone to accompany Baekhyun.

Baekhyun blinked, seemed to come back to his senses. “Right.” He nodded. “I'll finish in ten.”

Baekhyun then approached the biggest machine in the middle of the room, with a big screen on it. It almost resembled a giant tube, with its round and thick metal structure. It was so huge that it almost touched the high ceiling.

“This is where all the emotions we collected being processed the first time. This is the first step,” Baekhyun explained like he knew what Chanyeol was wondering about, while his fingers were still busy typing in front of the big screen. “My mission right now is to destroy this giant thing right here by making a mess of the program. As well as wrecking their machines.”

“Why are you doing this? You know very well that they could build this again and continue the system. All the disrupt you make won't make any different.”

Baekhyun kept working, and his back was facing Chanyeol, but he still answered him. “That's where you're wrong. We're not destroying this machine in hope they'll stop the system all together. This is only for media coverage purposes. We need the mass public to know that we're not idling, or not doing anything. We're moving forward step by step. They need to know that they have us, and we have other ways, and we're slowly getting there.”

“You kept saying that you have other ways. What is it?”

That had Baekhyun stopped his rapid movement. His fingers froze above the numerous unfamiliar buttons for Chanyeol. From the back, Chanyeol couldn't see what kind of face he was making, but he knew that Baekhyun was conflicted on telling him, contemplating if it was the right thing to tell Chanyeol. After all, Chanyeol had fled from him earlier. Had run away, not believe in him.

But Baekhyun always had his ways in surprising Chanyeol. The next thing he did was turn around, facing Chanyeol, his expression was determined.

“It's all about the core,” he said. “All this time this system had us always taking the core of people. That's the very reason why people got their emotions completely wiped out from them. It produced huge amount of fuel if it was being processed, yes. But it disadvantages people, making people suffer. And if it is the government reason for the better world then it's utter bull.

“We have other ways. Human's emotions are still involved, but we don't take the core. We'll only take the tip of their emotions, and the bad ones at that. Sadness. Lust. Laziness. Greed. There’s so many other things.

“And it worked, let me tell you. I've been doing that most of the time when I worked here, with you. You never realized it, but more often than not I didn't take their core feelings. And somehow it still worked the same every time I brought our quota to the bank. Energy was still produced, and by the end of it, those people we called ‘targets’ were still human.”

There was inaudible voices came from his earpieces, but Chanyeol ignored it. He was still processing what Baekhyun had explained to him. “What…”

“We still haven't find a way other than using our emotions as energy. In the near future, we will. But right now, we'll make sure that this system will change. Bit by bit. We could.” Baekhyun finished his explanation as he pressed on his left ear piece. “Junmyeon?”

“Baekhyun? Chanyeol?” Junmyeon's voice broke Chanyeol's from his daze. “We’re going there. A group of security as well as the lab workers are on their way to that room. They found out there's something wrong. The system picked up.”

“.” Baekhyun immediately turned back to the computer, realizing that now he only had minutes to destroy all the system.

Chanyeol pressed on his radio. “I'll stall them. Hurry up, boss.”

A chuckle came from his ear piece. “Stop calling me boss, brat.” Then the line was dead after Junmyeon delivered his final order. “Take care of Baekhyun.”

With that, Chanyeol picked up his gun, hurrying to the door so he could guard it, when suddenly a burst of people in dark blue uniform got inside the room, followed by men with white coat behind them.

“.” Chanyeol put his gun under his chin. “Stop right there,” he yelled, and all of them stopped on their track, surprised by the fact that it was one of them who was in the room. “Stop moving or I’ll shoot all of you.”

“Ares?” said one of the lab worker. “What are you… Is that Eris?”

“Shut up.” Chanyeol took one step forward. “Back off and slowly get out of this room.”

Chanyeol could hear the non-stop clicking sounds of keyboard behind him. It’s okay. It’s okay. As long as Baekhyun was behind him, Chanyeol would do everything in his power to protect him.

“What is Eris doing there? We caught strange intermission in the system.” One of the lab worker looked down at his tablet, then his eyes widened. “Hey, stop him. He’s trying to destroy all the system,” he yelled at the security.

This was a group of the storage security, so they would of course listen to the lab workers rather than Chanyeol. More than five of them advanced toward the room and Chanyeol forced to attack. He aimed his gun to their feet and shot them, making them fall and incapable on going. After he initiated the first attack, the security no longer hesitant to charge toward him.

A gun with his left hand and a blade on his right. Chanyeol fought four people at the same time, even some of the lab workers who were trying to get to Baekhyun.

His throat burned, and he was pretty sure he got shot on his shoulder and got hit multiple times in the head. But he stood his ground, even though he could tell his energy was draining relatively fast because of the blood lost.

One of them grabbed Chanyeol’s shoulder and pushed him down to the ground. He tried to struggle but it was no use when other security joined to immobilize him. A noise crawled out of Chanyeol’s throat, somewhere between a sob and a whimper. "Baekhyun..."

His eyes were blurry with fatigue and tears, as his cheek touched the cold ground. The security pinned him down facing where Baekhyun was, while one of the lab workers knelt down in front of him, blocking the sight of Baekhyun's back from him.

"You're a betrayer," said the lab worker. "We need to neutralize you." Then he took out a familiar glowing rod from inside his coat. It was the device the Hunters always used for mission, removing people's emotions.

Chanyeol should've expected it. This was the basic protocol of the Order. When any workers showed any signs of feelings, emotions, betrayal, hesitancy, doubts, or anything that remotely suspicious, they needed to be neutralized, meaning his feelings had to be wiped out at that very second.

"No, no, no," Chanyeol scrambled, twisted, and turned to let their grip loosened. But he had three people pinning him down, he had zero chance.

When they flipped him around on his back, he realized that this was it. He would forget again, all his memories with Baekhyun, his unspoken feelings for Baekhyun. All of them would be erased, and he would be once again be a blank space. As he saw the glowing rod neared his chest, he closed his eyes.

"Stop."

Baekhyun's scream stopped their movements, and Chanyeol snapped his eyes open, realizing that Baekhyun had no longer working on the machine. Did he do it? Did he destroy the system?

"Don't touch him," Baekhyun said, with his small gun aimed right toward the lab worker who was holding the rod on Chanyeol. "Let go of him. He's done nothing. He's not a betrayer. I tricked him to help me."

Chanyeol shook his head, panicked. No, he wouldn't. He could see where this was going.

"You motherer, Eris, you destroyed the system," yelled the other lab worker.

Baekhyun tilted his head, smirking. "Did I? Damn, I did good, didn't I? Now release him. Ares is innocent."

Baekhyun wouldn't look at him, but Chanyeol could tell, could see it clearly. Baekhyun was trembling, his hands, his lips, his pupils. He was afraid, and his eyes were sad.

He was really doing this.

"If you want someone to be neutralized, it's me."

"Noooo," Chanyeol pushed back. No use, he still couldn’t move at all. "You idiot, stay back."

Some of the security wasted no time to catch Baekhyun, and two lab workers help to hold him, while also preparing their device. Only then his partner met his eyes. It was only a split second, but Baekhyun's eyes turned so soft, shimmering with tears, while his lips forming inaudible words which only Chanyeol could read.

I love you so much it hurts.

Then the device touched Baekhyun's chest.

Never in his life, Chanyeol wanted to cry and murder at the same time. Chanyeol watched, helpless, as Baekhyun's eyes slowly closed and his body dropped down, like he was pushed down by an unseen forced. Even when his eyes closed, he looked so soulless in a matter of second.

"No." Chanyeol's voice cracked. "No, Baekhyun, no, please, no."

But Baekhyun just lied there motionless, emotionless.

Chanyeol felt like floating when his body lost the pressure from the security finally getting off him. He didn't hear the sound of footsteps coming to the room. Help that came seconds too late. Ignoring the pain in his head and shoulder, he broke into a run, rushing to Baekhyun's side, pushing the security and lab workers aside, not caring that they would catch him too. But Junmyeon also had rushed to their side, helping him to get rid of unwanted people surrounding them.

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol rasped, pressing his palm to the side of Baekhyun’s face. He cradled his neck and picked him up onto his chest, while Baekhyun's head lolled back. Baekhyun's expression looked so peaceful--so, so gentle it almost looked like he was just sleeping.

Chanyeol touched his cheek, caressing his soft skin. It was also wet, because Baekhyun was crying at his last moment before they took his emotions. "Hey, Baekhyun," Chanyeol choked out the words. "Come on, don't do this to me," he begged, like this was just a joke taken too far, like Baekhyun was pulling a prank on him. “Please, don’t do this, please...”

The first sob coming out of his mouth was violent, and Chanyeol immediately buried his face on the crook of Baekhyun's neck. "You said you want to kiss me. Wake up, kiss me. Wake up, please. Kiss me, Baekhyun." Clutching Baekhyun tightly, he pressed his lips to Baekhyun’s temple and his tears fell to Baekhyun's face.

The mission was still on going around him. Junmyeon was yelling orders here and there. People were running, fighting.

And then Chanyeol was there. His memories with Baekhyun flashed through his mind; the first time he saw Baekhyun at Hunters orientation; the polite smile Baekhyun gave him when it was announced they were to be a team; Baekhyun teasing Chanyeol relentlessly because he was an awkward guy with no emotion; Baekhyun smiling at him brightly and genuinely, always genuine, and always directed toward Chanyeol; Baekhyun asking him if they could fall in love; Baekhyun asked him to kiss him, and he did albeit only on the forehead; Baekhyun sacrificing himself; Baekhyun saying I love you to him.

Baekhyun would remember none of it.

Chanyeol looked at him, half-blind with tears. "I'll remember." He kissed Baekhyun's lips, a soft press as he sealed his promise. "I'll remember for the both of us."

 

-+-

 

EPILOGUE

 

The small house by the beach where they had lived in for the past one year was Baekhyun’s choice. Even the interior, the colour of the walls, the TV programs they watched, the music they listened to, the breakfast they ate everyday, everything was Baekhyun’s choice.

Since it had become Chanyeol’s purpose in life now, to grant Baekhyun's every wish. Although Baekhyun kept complaining that Chanyeol needed to sometimes choose too. But Chanyeol was content. He strangely felt free when he had no choice at all.

“Let’s walk by the beach. The weather looks nice, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun said as his voice was muffled since he kept nuzzling his face on Chanyeol’s neck.

They were watching some news on TV. It was news about the progress of the new system after it had ran for a year now. They said that the energy was on the highest quota of the year right now, while at the same time, the welfare of people was at its highest, proofing that the new system was a huge success. People voluntarily gave out their emotions--the negative ones--so Hunters worked less now. Now their role was more like police. They helped patrolling and made sure only hunting criminals, and took their negative emotions.

The situation was strangely peaceful. It might be only temporary, but for now, they were good..

“Wear your muffler, then.”

“Nah, it’s getting warmer these days.” Baekhyun got up, and now his face was mere inches from Chanyeol. He grinned before giving Chanyeol an eskimo kiss. “Come on, get up.”

Chanyeol snickered as he let himself be pulled by his lover.

Lover.

Yes, they had been lovers for three months now. Chanyeol would've wanted it to be sooner but with Baekhyun's memory loss, he needed to begin from very start again. Not that he was complaining. The process was grueling, but he enjoyed it all the same, as long as he got to be with Baekhyun.

After the incident that seemed to be the end of Chanyeol’s world, he decided to take Baekhyun with him, with the help of Junmyeon. His ex-boss gladly helped him to settle everything. It was decided that he and Baekhyun wouldn’t take role on the new system implementation. The Order was taken over by the Masks, and Chanyeol tried to take care of Baekhyun.

Just like everyone whose feelings got taken, Baekhyun had no recollections whatsoever from the time he spent with Chanyeol.

It broke Chanyeol’s heart when Baekhyun had asked for his name. But Chanyeol gladly told him, promising him that he would be with him. From then, bit by bit, Chanyeol told him their story. But only vague stories, since Chanyeol didn’t want Baekhyun to remember the hardship he had gone through. Chanyeol didn’t even tell him about their codename. The legendary Ares and Eris, they said. It wasn’t important. The most important thing was getting Baekhyun to bring his emotions back.

It didn’t take long. Because Chanyeol’s feelings for him was so strong, it triggered Baekhyun almost immediately.

They made new memories. They created new stories of their own.

A harsh cold beach wind blew Chanyeol’s hair as he laced his fingers with Baekhyun, swinging their hands like mainstream couples walking by the emerald beach.

“It’s cold.” Baekhyun’s teeth chattered.

Chanyeol chuckled. “I told you so,” he sneered jokingly, but still he took a position beside Baekhyun when he stopped to admire the beach.

“I’ll never get tired of this view,” Baekhyun sighed, a small smile stretched on his face. Then he looked at Chanyeol. “Hey, Chanyeol, do you love me?”

Chanyeol’s eyebrows creased. “You know I do, .”

“Aww, say it.” Baekhyun smile grew wider. “Say it like you always did.”

Chanyeol faked sighing exasperatedly, but Baekhyun was still grinning like an idiot. And Chanyeol was weak. And Baekhyun’s smile was too beautiful. And the waves and the wind made him feel melancholic. So he did it. Because what Baekhyun wanted, Chanyeol gave it. Now, in the future, forever.

“I love you,” he said, unbidden, tightening his grip on Baekhyun’s hand. “I love you so much it hurts.” A rush of feelings rushed into him like a tidal wave. He didn’t know how he could express it, didn’t think it was possible to capture it in words. “All my love is for you.”

Baekhyun didn’t blink. Chanyeol even thought he wasn’t breathing. He was just standing there, staring at Chanyeol like he was absorbing all of it. Before finally, he blinked and a tear fell, and the smile he gave toward Chanyeol was so bright it was as if he was looking directly at the sun. “I love you too, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol suddenly felt breathless. Although Baekhyun had said the magical three words numerous times by now, sometimes it just left Chanyeol unable to breathe at how blessed he felt right now. Being in love with Baekhyun, and being loved back.

“I want to kiss you,” Baekhyun whispered, as he gripped on Chanyeol’s front, forcing him to lean down, before he pressed his warm and soft lips to his.

They both shuddered, Chanyeol could feel it. And it wasn’t from the cold wind of the beach.

He touched Baekhyun’s face and cradled it gently, humming softly as he pulled Baekhyun closer. He broke away when he felt an overwhelming feeling to touch the skin under Baekhyun’s sweater. There was still people here at the beach other than them.

Baekhyun looked up at him, his cheeks red, his lips moist. He was smiling, but his eyes gave a sign that he was thinking. “Hey, Chanyeol.” He tilted his head. “Do you know who Ares is? Somehow, that name floated around my head earlier when we kissed.”

And just like that Chanyeol froze for the longest time. His throat closing up. He didn’t even realize he was crying.

“Chanyeol?” Baekhyun scrambled to hold his face, panicking. “Why are you crying?”

“I love you,” Chanyeol said instead of replying. He swiped his arm over his eyes, laughing a little when he realized how stupid it was for him to cry. "God, I love you.”

"Uh, you might already have mentioned it once or twice."

Chanyeol laughed through his tears. "Shut up. I love you."

Baekhyun held him, rubbing his back and shoulders while whispering It's okay and I'm right here. When Chanyeol's tears finally subdued, he tiptoed, close enough until their forehead touched.

"I love you too, you know," Baekhyun breathed out. "So much it hurts."