Seungho stepped on the porch and grabbed the doorknob to the front door, and mercilessly pushed his way in. "CL!" He called. But the sight shocked him more. Zelo stared at him with wide eyes. 

"Seungho!"

Seungho froze in his tracks and noticed Yongguk slowly turning toward him. A slow and surprised smile crawled across Yongguk's face. 

"Seungho...." He said under a relieved whispered, Seungho watched as Kyungsoo began appearing from behind the counters as he stood up. Seungho felt his heart stopped, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Without knowing he approached Kyungsoo and as he passed Yongguk he wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo and the shorter man did the same as tears ran down his cheeks.

Yongguk had on a wide smile as he hugged them from the side, Zelo sighed to keep his tears in and quickly rushed over and hugged Seungho from behind. 

Seungho's tighten his hold around Kyungsoo as the man hide his face near Seungho's shoulders and his arms wrapped around the younger man's thin waist. Zelo leaned his head against the back of Seungho's neck, while Yongguk leave space between their heads. 

CL smiled as they reunited with sobs and laughter. Yongguk laughed the loudest, it was a good start for the day. 

Yoo Jung and Jun Gyu was sitting in the living area quietly. Jun Gyu broke the ice first, "Yoo Jung, if you're hungry go ahead and eat."

"I'm fine, but if you're hungry I will prepare something for you." 

Jun Gyu smiled and shook his head. He wasn't hungry. Or rather he had no appetite since the younger man wasn't around. He was worried about Zelo and Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo seemed so vulnerable and aimlessly without Seungho. 

Taking some time to think about Seungho and thinking of how Seungho must have been alone, it reminded him of his lonely days. When he was stuck in a single room and lived off of rotten food. And when he got food poisoned and slept for five days straight without anyone to care for him. 

Jun Gyu shook off his past and smiled when he and Yoo Jung's gazes met once again. 

And with that, they waited quietly and patiently for the others safe return.

Kyungsoo sniffed Seungho's strong smell. 

He had been careless. He smelled of sweat and blood and Kyungsoo knew, Seungho haven't been taking care of his hygiene. But it came as no surprise, if Kyungsoo doesn't pushed Seungho for a change of clothes then the man wouldn't do it. Most of the time. 

CL was slowly approaching the men and she stood a few steps away as Zelo and Yongguk released their hold around the pair. Seungho loosen his hold around Kyungsoo but the latter didn't do the same. "Just a little more...." They heard Kyungsoo mumbled, Yongguk smiled and patted Kyungsoo on the back as he turned to face Seungho. 

"It's good to see you again, Yoo Seungho." Yongguk smiled widely and Seungho nodded. "Well give you two some space, we'll be around." Yongguk reassured and he spun around and pushed CL a little as she smiled and waved to Seungho. Zelo followed after placing a hand on Seungho's shoulder and shook him a little. 

Then after a minute or two, Zelo and CL pushed and pulled one another into the hallway while Yongguk made sure the front door was shut and locked. Then he followed after the other two into the halls. 

Seungho's hands were on Kyungsoo's back as he stood straight and tall, balancing his older brother. Kyungsoo's face was still hidden and Seungho could feel the man's heat and warmth. Seungho slowly dropped his hands and slide it down Kyungsoo's arms, trying to pull the man off him. "Kyungsoo...." Seungho said in a low voice. 

"Just a little longer...." Kyungsoo whispered and Seungho sighed as he gave up and wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo's shoulders. 

"Your arm. Is it better?" Seungho asked, Kyungsoo nodded. Kyungsoo was happy to hear that Seungho still remember the wound he received before their departure. It has been a while and after having to always worry about Seungho's whereabouts, even Kyungsoo had forgotten about it. "Let me look at it." Seungho insisted but Kyungsoo didn't budge. "If you keep squeezing me I'll shrink." Seungho bluntly stated and Kyungsoo laughed a little, but kept his arms around his brother. 

"You won't grow anymore anyway." Kyungsoo whispered after a short laugh.

Once Kyungsoo grew quiet again, Seungho sighed as he held Kyungsoo longer until the man's body begin trembling and shaking. He could tell Kyungsoo was crying again. 

Zelo peeked from behind the hallway then quickly slapped his back against the wall, he gestured for CL and Yongguk to go back into the room as they were peeking out from behind the door to Seungho's room. Then Zelo tip-toed over and pushed them into the room. He shut the door and they were waiting for his answer. 

"It's really Seungho, we didn't see a ghost." Zelo said as he placed a hand over his racing heart. CL and Yongguk giggled. 

"We asked you to check if they needed more time, who asked you to see if it was really Seungho or not?" Yongguk asked as he chuckled at the silly youngster. Zelo shrugged in response. 

"Five minutes, ten minutes, three hours, the whole night? Who knows?" Zelo asked to no one in particular. Yongguk laughed and ruffled the taller man's hair. 

"Nevermind you clueless kiddo." He said in the process, Zelo slapped Yongguk's hand away and fixed his hair. 

"Why are you treating me like a kid?" Zelo asked as he continued to lined up his blond hair. Yongguk smiled and turned to CL who smiled back as well. 

Seungho shut the door to the basement as he gently lowered Kyungsoo down. The man had fallen asleep as Seungho sat him at the corner and leaned his head against the dead fridge. Seungho took off his jacket and placed it over Kyungsoo's motionless body. 

He squatted beside the man and stared into his face. He took one last look of Kyungsoo's sleeping face before standing up and headed into the hallway. He opened the door to his room and found CL sleeping on his bed while Yongguk slept with his head leaning on the side of the mattress. Zelo was sleeping at Seungho's desk with his head hidden in his folded arms. Seungho stepped out with the door slightly opened. 

He returned after carrying Kyungsoo into the room. He set the man against the soft carpet and covered him with the jacket. Then Seungho got up and looked around the room once more. 

"Sleep well." He whispered to everyone while looking at Kyungsoo then stepped out and quietly shut the door. Seungho wrapped his fingers around the pistol which was tucked in the case around his belt. He pulled it out and had it ready then he left the hallway and headed toward the front door. 

He shut the front door as he stepped onto the porch. It was already dark out but no wayfarer was in sight. Seungho was dressed in a long sleeved grey shirt and black jeans. He blended well with the casted shadows made by the trees on the sidewalks. 

Seungho took one last look at the front door and then without wasting any more time, he left. 

Alone. Again.

Jun Gyu woke up early hearing when the sky was still a dark blue, the sun haven't rised yet. It was too early but he noticed they haven't returned. Yoo Jung was sleeping on the same couch across from him. Jun Gyu figured once the young girl woke up, she would be hungry. So he made his way into the kitchen and begin looking through the cabinet for anything that may be of her liking. 

Hyori sat upright as she kicked the covers off her. She sighed and rolled her eyes. 

"How long do I have to stay with these people before our target shows up?" She asked herself as she headed into the living room. She found Jun Gyu making a ruckus in the kitchen while Yoo Jung slept on the couch, as she was walking down the stairs. 

Once she entered the kitchen, she noticed Jun Gyu pouring sweet fruits together. "Are they not back yet?" She asked him and Jun Gyu jumped at her sudden appearance. 

"You scared me!" He said in a loud voice then covered his voice to avoid waking Yoo Jung, Hyori scoffed. 

"How would I scare you? I'm not a zombie you know?"

Jun Gyu waved her off, "I get scare easily these days, just don't come out of nowhere." He advised and she puffed her cheeks out before moving away from him. 

"But did they really spent another night out?" Hyori asked and Jun Gyu hummed with irritation. Upset she didn't apologize for scaring him, instead she kept asking questions with obvious answers. Hyori dropped into the long couch and exhaled heavily. 

"Make me something to eat too." She said aloud and Jun Gyu's jaw almost dropped open. 

"Y-you too?"

"Of course, make me some breakfast too." Hyori called and then made herself comfortable as she napped on the couch. Jun Gyu shook his head as he prepared something for Hyori as well. 

Kyungsoo slowly opened his eyes and then quickly sat upright. He scanned the room but there was no sign of Seungho, however he could clearly spot the other three. Kyungsoo looked down as Seungho's jacket slide off him and ended up on his lap after sitting up. 

Kyungsoo looked around carefully once more and panicked. He reached and grabbed Yongguk's clothes, then begin pulling and waking up the latter in the process. 

Yongguk opened his eyes after one try and rubbed him with his index finger. "Huh?" He asked as he turned around toward the pulling, he saw Kyungsoo's worried face and quickly he became fully awake. "Oh Kyungsoo, what's wrong?"

"Seungho-Seungho. Seungho isn't here." Kyungsoo said as he looked about the room once more, hoping he had missed the sight of Seungho his first and second glance. Yongguk was confused by his words and actions; it was still too early to think. 

"What?"

"Seungho is gone. He's not here." Kyungsoo said with short breaths, Yongguk noticed the man's strange behavior and grabbed Kyungsoo's wrist, grabbing his attention as well. 

"Kyungsoo calm down first, what do you mean Seungho is gone?" Yongguk asked and Kyungsoo looked directly into the bigger man's eyes. 

"He's not here Yongguk!" Kyungsoo's shouting woke Zelo and CL up. Zelo spun around in the chair and rubbed his eyes. 

"What's going on?" Zelo asked and Kyungsoo quickly got up, and hurried out of the room. He dropped Seungho's jacket in the process, Yongguk failed to call for Kyungsoo and quickly got up, but his legs were dead after he had been sitting on them. Zelo became aware of the situation and chased after Kyungsoo. 

Right before they could exit the house, Kyungsoo and Zelo came to an ultimate halt. Seungho shut the front door and turned to face them with an expressionless face. "Oh, you're awake alre-?" Before Seungho could finish asking his question, Kyungsoo ran over and wrapped his arms around Seungho again. The man froze and look up, Zelo too wore a confused expression. "Kyungsoo-"

"I thought you were gone again." Kyungsoo said in a whisper, but the room was so quiet that even his whisper could be heard clearly by Zelo. "I woke up and you weren't here, I thought I was only dreaming...." 

Seungho sighed as he wrapped one arm around Kyungsoo and left one hanging. 

The arm that was hanging. 

In his hand was a candy bar. 

Kyungsoo's favorites. 

A Hersey bar. 

End of Chapter 20.