Something warm and sticky was dripping over her lips. Ach. It had a metallic taste to it, and Han brushed the substance from only to see dark liquid smeared across her right hand. 

Contrary to her thoughts, she had fallen prey to slumber yet again, but the fogginess was quickly evaporating from her mind as she sat up and spotted specks of crimson blood on her trousers. It trailed down her nasal septum and crept into the corners of where she could taste the element of iron. A glance at the diminished fire and her heated cheeks confirmed her suspicions. She had slept way too close to the heat, and she was paying for it.

Holding her sleeve up to her nostrils, Han got up, blindingly searching for the pond in the foggy wisps of early twilight to rinse the lower half of her face. Her eyes automatically scanned around for Jiyong, hoping to catch his silhouette to allay her worries that he hadn't completely deserted her during the middle of the night. She wouldn't blame him for she did repeatedly wish for his departure during the past seven days, but, unbeknownst to her conscious, she missed his presence. No, craved it. She gnawed on her chapped, lower lip. Even if he came embedded with his own set of painful scars, she desperately depended on his cheery and playful disposition that he displayed to her. It was a nice contrast to her sole desire for revenge in Sandy's name anyway.

A broad silhouette whacking what sounded like wet material against the harmless leaves of a tree branch greeted her ears as she slightly stumbled her way closer to the edge of the pond. She spied the familiar wringing of the shadowy cloth and drips of water slapping the soiled earth. Jiyong must be washing his clothes. Han released the breath she didn't know she was unconsciously bottling up. She observed his back as he looped one leg of his former trousers over one of the lower branches, assuming that he was intending to hang it there to naturally air dry and continue rinsing the top half of his dusty suit. Maybe I should just go to the other side- 

Han paused. Were her eyes really that tarnished from a heated sleep or was Jiyong starting to wound the pant legs around his neck? Before she could second guess herself, she instantly sprinted to the clearing and, with all her might, slammed into him while screaching expletives to the curious birds watching above.

"Are you insane?!" Han screamed as she wrestled his dangerous pair of old, star striped trousers out of his solid grip.

Momentarily breathless from the surprise assault, Jiyong attempted to regain his composure as he tried to fend off her swiping hands to no avail. "Han!" He painfully uttered as he held her wrists at arms' length away from his face. "I was washing my garments is all."

She would not fall for his weak reply. "Did you think dying would serve any purpose, you fool?"

"But I wasn't exactly-wait, Han! You're bleeding! We should-"

"I'm sorry, alright?" Her vision began to cloud from the tears welling up in her eyes, but she stubbornly resisted the urge for them to spill over. It's my fault. I pushed him over the edge. I should've been supportive and understanding. "Anyone who has the ability to stick with me and my attitude for this long just to help me to rescue my friend without needlessly uttering the nightmares of his past...that deserves merit."

Jiyong cringed as drops of Han's blood splashed against his cheek.

"You promised to accompany me on this journey, and that means you can't leave me until we're finished." Han stared into his hazel irises, anxiously awaiting for his confirmation.