Minho

Jinki dabs gently at my nose, but I can't help a pained grimace. The cloth he has wetted by the creek, however, gives me a somewhat pain-relieving coolness.

"It looks bad, but it's not broken." He states, which reassures me greatly.

"How did that even happen?" he wants to know. But just the thought of the gonging metal against my face and how it thudded in my ears makes my head hurt again.

Jonghyun whips out his hands and pretends to hit someone with a shovel.

"That little girl packs quite a punch." The crew has to laugh and they are amazed at the girl.

Now all my men know that I was beaten up by a woman, great! That will certainly do my reputation good. But I try to concentrate on my recovering nose and not let it bother me.

"Don't call me that!" she nags at Jonghyun.

"Oh yeah right, sorry Titty." Lucas looks at her in wonder with his big eyes.

"That's not my actual name." She explains to him and it's the first time I've heard her not scream or shriek. After all, at a pitch like that, her voice is almost tolerable.

"I'm Jinki, by the way. I didn't even introduce myself, how rude." Once again I wonder what he's doing here. Yes I helped him, but to give up his life and travel with me for that? I doubt it's worth it. Jinki is too good for this world. Then again, the worst fates happen to good people. I wish he could live a normal life again, but there's a bounty on his head too, and that's my fault.

Jinki sits down next to the girl and hands her a bowl of the soup he has prepared for us. I can easily detect its warm, delicious smell and have missed it for the last few days. Jonghyun and I can hunt. But getting something decent to eat out in the open and then cooking it afterwards that it tastes good is impossible for us.

Jinki collects herbs, mushrooms and leaves and knows how to use them.

The girl looks confused, but accepts the bowl. I would like to tell her that she doesn't need to be afraid of Jinki. But she has already tried to run away twice. If I give her another reason not to be afraid of us, she will try again. And if she succeeds, we are in big trouble.

Jonghyun sits down on the other side next to her.

"You don't need to introduce yourself. We're pretty well known around here."

"That's no reason to be rude." Counters Jinki matter-of-factly and I have to smile a little at his manners. Even though I don't deserve him, I'm grateful he's with me.

"You've got a point there." Hastily, Jonghyun stands back up.

"So Titty, listen up. This is Jinki. Cook, hunter, gatherer and our ball of sunshine. No kidding, I've never seen him sad." Jinki waves at her with a smile, even though she's sitting right next to him.

"You've already made Lucas's acquaintance, after all." Lucas nods politely over to her as well. Theatrically, making me roll my eyes, Jonghyun introduces him.

"He doesn't talk much. Because ever since his brother has been in the dungeons of Wayv, he's sworn not to talk until his brother is freed. Isn't that touching?" He runs his finger over his eye as if he had been crying.

She looks worriedly at our silent friend. "Is that true?" I'd like to know that too. It would make sense.

But no one knows when Lucas stopped talking and above all no one knows why.

"I don't know honestly. Since he doesn't talk, we don't know why. But it sounds cool, doesn't it?" She looks at Jonghyun in annoyance, and I have to admit I don't think it's funny either.

"Chubby's eating, as usual." He introduces Shindong charmingly. But with him, Jonghyun's sometimes teasing words don't bother me. I don't know how much longer he will be with us. I can only hope that when he