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“So what’s your name? Little lady Byun?” the stranger asked, still crouching before her and taking her hand in his. Inhyun blinked at him, quite unsure whether she could trust this stranger, although he had such a beautiful smile.

“I’m Kim Jongin.” He took the chance to introduce himself first. And then the little girl couldn’t help, since she was always thought to exchange greetings politely.

“I’m Byun Inhyun.”

“Inhyun…” he repeated her name thoughtfully. “So are your omma and Oppa at home Inhyun-ah?”

The little girl nodded first, and then shook her head. “Only omma is there. Oppa has been gone for days.”

The youth watched how the little face fell at the mentioning of her brother. “Where did Oppa go?”

Inhyun shrugged. “But who are you Oppa? And how did you know our family name?”

“Because I’m your family too.” He smiled. “Now Inhyun-ah, will you lead me to your house, like a good girl?’

“But there are soldiers.” The girl shook her head. “They won’t let you in.”

“I will take care of that. He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “You know, I’m also good at fighting. Just like your Oppa. Maybe even better.”

* * *

The night started falling, making the surroundings chilly and Baekhyun more uncomfortable.

“You said she’ll be here within an hour.” He stopped pacing around the small room, and turned to his mother. “But it’s been more than four hours omma! Where on earth is Inhyun?”

“She’s never been this late Baekhyun.” Her mother shook her head worriedly. “I cannot even ask the guards. They will step in if I talk to them, and I cannot risk them finding you here.”

“That’s why we need to escape.” Baekhyun sat on the floor, and ran his fingers through his hair. “And how are we supposed to do that when she’s not here? And what if something’s happened to her?”

“Nothing will happen to her.” His mother mumbled, although she had turned paler than ever. “The villagers aren’t rude to her. She’s probably having dinner at some house.”

“I’m going out.” Baekhyun finally declared, and started standing up. But his injured thigh gave way, making him groan in pain and kneel down before he could control himself.

“What’s wrong Baekhyun? Oh my goodness…” the lady gasped, reaching her son and seeing the wet patch on his trouser. “Exactly how injured are you Baekhyun-ah?”

“Nothing serious…” he muttered, and forced himself up before his mother could fuss any longer. “I’ll sneak out somehow and find-”

He could not finish his sentence, as a several odd thuds were heard from outside the cottage, and soon followed another few groans of pain and a final thud of a body hitting the ground. Seconds later, the cottage door flung open, and entered a familiar strapping figure.

“Yukhei?” Baekhyun’s mother gasped, and received a bow and a grin from the youth. Just then the second figure entered, holding a lantern obviously stolen from a neighboring house.

“Yah- Jaemin, how could you two-“Baekhyun stepped forward, wondering what caused the two youngsters to change their previous plan. “It’s not midnight yet…and there were four guards or more there…”

His voice trailed off when the third figure entered, escorting the little girl along.

The young man entered right behind Inhyun, with his hands securely on the girl’s two shoulders and smiling as if he had forever known them.

Baekhyun stopped absolutely still. The lady stood up as well, and stared at the intruder as if she had understood his origin. “Are you perhaps…” she asked nervously, taking steps closer to him. “Did Eunjo send you?”

The young man stepped forward and bowed, to both the lady and Baekhyun, and straightened up with a bright smile. “Kim Jongin.” He turned to the lady, and nodded as a reply to her question. “I’m her son. Good to see you, aunt.”

“Oh my goodness Jongin-ah…” the lady spread her arms wide and invited the young man to her embrace, which he gladly accepted. “Jongin? You’re Kim Jongin?” Baekhyun asked in disbelief. “Aunt Eunjo’s son?”

“He said he’s your cousin and came here for you.” Yukhei explained, still staring at the new comer. “Is he really? Hyung?”

“He is of course…” the lady released Jongin from her embrace and wiped her tears. “My sister’s one and only son. The last time I saw him, he was just four or something…but still, he’s the splitting image of his father.”

“I am.” Jongin smiled, and turned to Baekhyun. “It’s our first time meeting, but I’ve heard enough about you.” He flashed a grin. “Good to see you hyung. Now let’s get going.”

“What do you mean?” Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, and looked at this two pals questioningly. “You three entered together didn’t you?”

“He came to us with Inhyun while we were hiding.” Jaemin explained. “Said he’s here to take you three with him, to north he said.” Jaemin finished, turning to Jongin. “Quite the fighter he is. He took down three of those guards while Yukhei took one down, and I just stood there with Inhyun.”

Yukhei cleared his throat. “He says he has this marvelous plan to sneak you to some safe place… But I’m not sure where in Joseon would be safe for outlaws to stay.”

Jongin just flashed him an amused grin. “The city guys are different indeed. Just as I expected.”

“How so?” Yukhei spat out. “Of course our punches are more trained than your barbaric ones, but your remark just sounded like an insult.”

“I mean you sound so…” Jongin struggled to find the right words. “Polite? Or educated than we do. I just came here because my mother heard about what happened to her sister’s family, and wanted them to come and live with us, mainly because those crackpot idiotic soldiers never cross the river and enter our villages in north. And my blows are ‘barbaric’ as you say because I rob people in the northern jungles for a living. I’m not trained like you guys to protect Kings and Queens.”

“Jongin-ah,” Baekhyun’s mother gasped in horror. “Surely you’re not…”

“I don’t harm children and ladies though.” He turned and grinned at her reassuringly. “I just take away what the rotten Noblemen take away from our people saying it’s tax and so on. I keep enough to feed my mother and me, and give the rest to the villagers.”

“If only your father was alive…” the lady sighed, taking Jongin’s hand in hers. “He may not have been of noble blood, but he surely was a good man.”

“We’ll catch up with the talking on our way aunt.” Jongin patted her shoulder, and turned back to Baekhyun. “Let get out of here before those guards wake up.”

“You two, now get back to the capital.” Baekhyun looked at Yukhei and Jaemin, while taking Inhyun’s hand and leading her to the door, as his mother started bundling the few belongings she had in possession. “Thanking you is not enough…for what you’ve done so far-”

“Stop being all cliché now hyung.” Yukhei took the bundle the lady had made, and hung it over his shoulder. “We’ll come with you to north, make sure you’re safe there and return to Jeju.”

“Jeju?”

“For the time being.” Jaemin explained. “Relatives from my mother’s side live there. Yukhei hyung and I will stay there until the fuss about us die down in the capital, and return home.”

“This is exactly why I wanted you two to return earlier!”

“It’s just for the better.” Yukhei smirked, exiting the cottage after everyone,