“Were you able to find out how Young Jae feels?” Yong Guk asked his mate.

Him Chan shook his head, “No, I couldn’t find an appropriate time to ask. I didn’t want to make him suspicious.”

Him Chan leaned into his mate’s chest, looking up at the trees, “Did Dae Hyun say anything?”

The elder sighed, “He only sees Young Jae as a friend. When I brought up the possibility of him being the father, he said he had similar thoughts. He’s afraid that the only reason that the two have become close was because of the baby.”

“Did you tell him what could happen if he rejects them?” Him Chan asked in a whisper, barely loud enough for his mate to hear.

Yong Guk kissed the top of his mate’s head, “I told him, he was shocked. When we reach the village he’s going to look for his own place. He wants to keep as much distance as he can.”

“I wonder how long it’ll have to be that way,” Him Chan said thoughtfully brushing back his hair.

“We’ll have to look that information up or we might just have to wait and see,” Yong Guk said.

“I’m worried for Young Jae,” he admitted softly.

“He’s not going to be losing Dae Hyun forever,” Yong Guk protested.

“You never know,” Him Chan sighed. “He might end up finding someone, and that person could be very jealous of their relationship, especially since Young Jae is a Carrier.”

Yong Guk just nodded his head. “There’s nothing we can do, we can’t just force them together, we’d be no better than the Facility.”

“I know,” Him Chan spoke in a sad whisper. “How are we going to explain this to Young Jae?”

“We could always make Dae Hyun explain it to him,” Yong Guk joked lightly. Him Chan looked up at him with a smirk, “You’re going to be the one to tell Dae Hyun to talk to Young Jae. We’re probably both going to have to be there when he tells him, to make sure nothing happens.”

Yong Guk nodded, “Let’s hope things go smoothly.”

“Don’t hold your breath.”

“I know,” Yong Guk pulled his mate in to his lap. “Can we change the subject for now?”

“To what?” Him Chan asked lazily.

Yong Guk kissed his neck lightly, trailing along the color bone, “how about to how much you’ve been neglecting me lately?”

“What was I supposed to do about the kids?” Him Chan defended. “I can’t let them run amuck. Do you know how much trouble they would cause? Who knows what Jun Hong would lead the others into doing?”

“I know,” Yong Guk laughed. “Wouldn’t Dae Hyun be enough to control them?”

“Jun Hong will walk all over him,” Him Chan said flatly. “Plus, he has a mass amount of influence over the others.”

Yong Guk chuckled, “That’s true. You know what I find funny?”

“What’s that Bang Yong Guk?”

“That even though Dae Hyun says he doesn’t like how Young Jae nags, but every time he makes a request he falls to his hands and knees for him.”

“Are we sure he wasn’t lying about not wanting to mate with Young Jae?” Him Chan asked skeptically.

“I’m not sure,” Yong Guk admitted. “He seemed sure of himself, but his eyes said something entirely different.”

“Do you think he’s still fighting with himself over it?”

“Probably, but it might be best if we leave him alone,” Yong Guk suggested, “Let him figure it out himself. If we push he might make a decision that he would regret.”

Him Chan nodded. “I have to figure out a way to ask Young Jae how he feels about Dae Hyun.”

“Him Chan,” Yong Guk said monotonously. Him Chan looked back at his mate, “What’s wrong?”

“You managed to change the entire conversation from me to the kids.”

“I didn’t mean to,” the black haired man defended.

The elder quickly changing their position, soon he was hovering over the younger that was now lying on his back facing him. “Why do you keep avoiding me?”

“I am not,” Him Chan glared. “Do you really think I’m avoiding you?”

“No,” Yong Guk admitted, “but you haven’t been with me entirely.”

“I’m trying to keep our family from falling apart,” Him Chan cried out softly.

“We’re not falling apart,” Yong Guk soothed his mate. “We’re just learning things in a different way.”

“I feel like we are though,” Him Chan allowed his tears to gently roll out of his eyes. “With Jong Up attacking Young Jae and Dae Hyun already rejecting him without him even knowing he’s the father of his baby.”

Yong Guk sighed, “And Jun Hong likes Jong Up.”

“And that,” he said wirily. “Dae Hyun is going to be forced out because of Young Jae, but it’s neither of their faults and Young Jae is going to be left alone to raise a baby; he has no idea how to do that. The maknaes are more than likely a little messed up in their feelings. How is it that you don’t see this as drifting apart?”

“It’s all part of growing up,” Yong Guk kissed his mate’s cheek. “We can’t stop them from growing up, they need to learn eventually, and Young Jae isn’t going to be alone we’re all here to help him.”

“I feel like I can’t even help him.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I don’t even know how to raise a baby.” Him Chan turned his head the side, looking away from his mate. “We were deprived of that opportunity remember?”

“Don’t think that way,” he pulled the younger’s face gently. “We can do this and so can Young Jae. Neither of you are going to give up, not while I’m here. You’re both a lot stronger than what you think. I know, I can see it and I know the others can as well. If you don’t believe me then go ask them.”

Him Chan began to sob lightly. The elder decided to lay next to his mate to pull him into a comforting hug. His deep voice whispering calming words; his hand rubbing soothing circles in the younger’s back.

Jun Hong sighed in boredom, “Where are Yong Guk and Him Chan?”

Dae Hyun glare and the maknae, “Do you really have to ask?”

“I passed by them a while ago,” Young Jae interjected, answering Jun Hong. “They were talking and from the looks of it, it seemed pretty serious.”

“Did you hear what they were talking about?” Jun Hong smirked.

“Hey,” Dae Hyun called out. Young Jae shook his head, “I was too far to hear anything.”

“Good.” Jun Hong glared at his silver-hair hyung.

“How long do you think they’ll be out there?” Young Jae asked.

“Probably a while,” Dae Hyun answered leaning back on to the tree. “And neither of you are going looking for them.”

“No fun,” Jun Hong complained. “What are we supposed to do now?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where is Jong Up?” Young Jae looked around.

“He said something about going to the river,” Jun Hong shrugged.

“That was over an hour ago though,” Seo Gu said. The three looked to the almost forgotten man sitting in front of the small fire stirring the soup. “He hasn’t come back.”

“I’ll go get him,” Jun Hong sighed but before he could get up Dae Hyun had pulled him back to the ground.

“I’ll go get him,” he said as he got to his own feet. “I need to talk to him.”

The two youngsters looked at him with worry. Dae Hyun sighed, “I’m just going to talk to him don’t worry.”

Neither said anything. With a nod from the both of them Dae Hyun left towards the river in search of Jong Up.

Jong Up sat on a small cliff that over looked the river. He sighed to himself, it had been over five days since the incident and nobody seems to want to remember but he couldn’t forget. He felt incredibly stupid and erted for what he had done. He wanted Young Jae to love him but he didn’t want him to cry, so why couldn’t he bring himself to stop?

A single tear rolled down his left cheek, he wiped it away carelessly. He felt like he didn’t deserve to cry for what happened. Though Young Jae treated him like nothing happened there was still a small amount of fear the blonde held in his eyes that he just couldn’t hide. How could he ever make it up to any of them? There was no undoing the damage he’d caused.

Jong Up looked back hear footsteps behind him. his body involuntarily tensed seeing who it was. Why would Dae Hyun look for him? Wasn’t he angry with him? What if he realized the baby was his and he was here to kill him for hurting Young Jae?

“Relax, Jong Up,” Dae Hyun spoke softly, “I’m just here to talk to you.”

Jong Up didn’t say anything he just watched the elder mover next to him.

Dae Hyun didn’t look down at him; instead he looked at the scenery below. His mind trying to think of something to say, the silence between them drew out longer than anticipated. Neither wanted the silence, but then again they didn’t want to be the first to break it.

Below them they could see the trees sway ever so slightly in the gently cool breeze. The sounds of the birds and the flowing water bringing the landscape to life. Fish jumping every now and then the sound of the water splashing around their slick bodies resounding throughout the little canyon.

The greens mixing with various shades of brown and occasional yellow and orange of the forest line; blues and white made up the river. the sky was an array of colors. The sun slowly setting behind the mountain added to the beauty of the world that they had taken for granted. The blues turning violet and the yellow fading to red and orange; their colors all were mixing in the sky. Dark blues and black slowly creeping up on the magical colors of the sky, bring with them the mystical world of the night.

The gently breeze that carried the harmonious and gay songs of light was slowly changing its cargo to the ominous howls of the dark. Soon the birds would go to sleep and the wolves would begin to prowl in their place. Their howls would enchant and haunt the trees and carry out in the wind.

Still the two sat in complete silence watching the world change slowly around them. The clouds passing them by seemed to have a more lively look with their odd and fun shapes coaxing them into a game of charades. Birds overhead chirped their farewells as they passed by, they seemed more eager to talk to one another than the two friends did.

The night’s silence was going to hit them harder. The birds at least had their songs to fill the air and chase away their tension, but at night the world grew silent with the occasional howls filling the air.

Dae Hyun sighed loudly causing the brunette to look up at him. “We’ll be at the village in about two days.”

“I know,” Jong Up’s voice was quiet but still carried well. The brunette looked back down and the darkening scene below him.

The elder chewed the inside of his cheek, carefully thinking of his next words.

Jong Up sighed the silence was unbearable, he couldn’t stand living without talking to his friends normally, “I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be,” Dae Hyun shook his head.

“Why not?” Jong Up became confused.

The elder looked away, “How much do you like Jun Hong?”