Himchan looks out the window, gazing at the falling rain. It's been several years since he'd first met Jongup, and his combat skills were getting better day by day. He lets his head fall onto the window pane, and while listening to the soothing sound of the rain pit-pattering against the glass, he sighs. When was he going to be able to save Yongguk?

He looks up immediately when Jongup enters the house, dripping wet. He rushes to him with a towel in his hand, quickly trying to dry him off.

"Hyung, why didn't you come home earlier when the sky started turning dark?" Himchan asks worriedly, pushing Jongup into the bathroom to shower and change into a warm set of clothes. "You could have caught a cold if you'd stayed out there longer."

Jongup rolls his eyes and chuckles, "Sometimes I wonder who's the older one between us two. You're so naggy." He slams the sliding door shut before Himchan has a chance to pout and reply, and the younger simply sits down, leaning against the door.

"How exactly is this world we're living in?" Himchan muses, more to himself than anybody else, but Jongup answers anyway.

"You think?"

"Well... I think it's a world that needs love and trust to survive."

Jongup scoffs, and Himchan can hear it from the other side of the door.

"That's a boy's answer. There's no such thing as love or trust—it's all lies. Trust me, kid. The world is cruel."

Himchan pouts at Jongup's negative answer, snapping, "You taught me not to trust, so why should I trust you and your lies?"

Jongup suddenly slides the door open, and Himchan falls backwards onto the wet floor. He sits up, pouting and whining at Jongup, but the older merely walks away.

Later, Himchan regrets snapping back at Jongup, for all his effort he put in the past few years were gone just like that—Jongup had retreated back into his protective shell, keeping the space between them again.

Short chappie, I know, but I wanted this scene to stand on its own... ^^

Next chapter coming right up!