Cold drops pit-patter in front of him, lifting tiny bits of dirt that cling to the edges of his boots. The cluster of oak trees is the best shelter he could find nearby as he was reluctant to move the hurt captain too much.

Kyungsoo was the first soldier he ever saw die up close. The image of his decaying and melting body is as fresh in Kai’s mind as it was all those years ago. He’d suppressed all thoughts of that first battle, but seeing Kyungsoo all bloodied and hurt again, brought back the guilt he’d felt that day at not being able to save the man’s life. The way Kyungsoo’s hand had tightened around his before relaxing and letting go completely is something he’ll never forget.

A raindrop lands on his nose and he shakes his head. He brushes the water off with the sleeve of his jacket and then twists back to look down at the unconscious captain. After checking the man didn’t have a concussion, Kai let him sleep with the rule that he would wake him up every hour to check on his condition. Kyungsoo sleeps soundly, pillowy lips parted, letting small whimpers escape every once in a while. It makes him look younger, inexperienced and lost, like that day in battle. It doesn’t matter that he’s older; Kai feels a renewed impulse of protecting him.

Maybe this time he could actually do it.

Kai leans closer. How could he have forgotten this face? He’d stared for long minutes after Kyungsoo had died that day, memorizing every single detail. There are new lines now and tiny battle scars on Kyungsoo’s skin. His hair is cut different too, close to his head, showing off his angular jaw, thick brows and wide eyes.

Wide eyes looking back at him.

Kai jerks back and clears his throat.

“Stop staring, soldier,” Kyungsoo’s faint voice breaks the silence of the forest.

! “I-I wasn’t. How are you feeling?” The captain doesn’t answer and instead struggles to sit up. Kai helps. He keeps a hand hovering at Kyungsoo’s back just in case.

“Report.”

Kai rolls his eyes. Of course, those would be the first words out of the captain’s lips. “We’re halfway down the mountains. A couple of hours walk should get us to lower ground where the temples are.”

Kyungsoo sways. Kai grabs him by the shoulders and is surprised when the other doesn’t push him away, but instead holds on tight. “We need to find one of the temples and wait there,” he says. “Or if we can make it to the fortress.”

Kai doesn’t think the captain can make the hike up to the fortress, not in the condition he’s in. “Shouldn’t we try to locate the others first? I tried the headpieces and either they got damaged or the others lost theirs.”

“Damn. We’ll just have to—” Kyungsoo touches his forehead and flinches. After cleaning the blood, Kai had held pressure down on the wound until it sealed up. Now there’s only a nasty dark purple bump with a red line across. “I can find them. I just…need to rest a bit more. Maybe they’ll even find us along the way.”

Rest? What he needs is a medic. “That’s not a very good plan, captain,” Kai says.

“It’s the only one I can think of right now.” The captain looks way too tired and weak, so Kai shuts up. But being semi-lost in the middle of Bukhansan National Park with a hardass injured captain who keeps his mind unfocused and his heart skipping beats with just a look is not ideal.

After much discussion, Kyungsoo decides they should at least try to find one of the temples. He is able to walk with the help of a sturdy broken branch, but Kai still keeps an