Dongwoon and Kikwang abruptly stopped their running when they reached the road that will lead them to the outside world. They looked at each other before collapsing to the ground at the same time.

Kikwang pulled his hand out of his boyfriend`s grasp and wiped the sweat that trickled down at the side of his face. “This is not far from the lake. If Yoseop and Doojoon made it as what we have plan, we will meet with them soon”

“We just have to run along this road, right?"

“Yeah…”

“And they just have to let the current of the lake guide them?”

“Yes”

“That is good to finally hear that”

Kikwang didn`t respond to that, instead he kept on looking back at the tunnel, as if waiting for his friends to magically appear there so that they can continue their journey together again, just like they originally plan.

“This is so different from what I thought I will be seeing”

“What do you expect?”

“I thought it will be like vast of an empty land. Since they didn`t let us step outside of the wall. So I thought it might be nothing out here or at least there will be some kind of polluted place that people must avoid at any cost”

Kikwang shook his head, “Turns out that out here has everything, better than the inside of the wall”

“Look at the scenery” Dongwoon pointed far away from them, “It is so beautiful I almost thought I am dreaming of being at a wonderland just like in the children books always said. I remembered looking through one book at the dumpster back in Line7, there was a scene just like this. Maybe the writer had been to the outside of the wall”

“Don`t be ridiculous. Other than the people in the most upper Line, I doubt anyone have been here at the outside”

“I know. I am just stating what`s going on in my mind, that`s all”

Kikwang sniff slowly, “It is beautiful. It is too sad that we will be the only one who can see all this. My only wish now is that all of us can live together, only the six of us”

“Yeah… Me too” The taller nodded, “Are you okay? You are not too tired to run again, right? We almost make it”

“I am fine” He lied, “Let`s just end this quick. We need a good rest” Kikwang said, his lips and it is not long before he sobs really hard.

“Hey…” Dongwoon inched closer and pulled the smaller man into his embrace, “I know that you are sad but you need to be strong. We talked about this just now, right? We agreed that we will be strong for them, right?”

Kikwang shut his eyes tight. He wanted to stop crying. It just that he can`t, his tear duct won`t listen to him. “What should we tell Yoseop and Doojoon? Yoseop maybe can take it in since he didn`t quite remember his friends but Doojoon won`t. The three of them had been friends long before I even met them”

“We tell them what we should tell them” Dongwoon said firmly, “We tell them what had happened and what Junhyung hyung asked us to do and I believe they will understand it. It is hard, I know, but they will understand it. Doojoon hyung is a strong and intelligent man, he will accept it”

“I feel so stupid. I should have stayed with them and die together”

Dongwoon raised his eyebrows, “Then… you want me to die too?”

“I would force you to go”

“I believe that`s what Hyunseung hyung had been trying to do to Junhyung hyung” Dongwoon snickered, “There will be no way I will leave you. Just like there will be no way Juhyung hyung will leave Hyunseung hyung”

Kikwang stayed silent for a moment and when he already composed himself, he straighten his body, standing up and give out a big sigh, “You are right, Woonie. I will be strong for them. No matter what, I will live for them”

Dongwoon stood beside Kikwang and smiled, “That`s my hyung…” He whispered.

They both chuckled and were just about to link their fingers together again when suddenly there was a huge explosion can be heard just behind them.

_____~~~~~_____

About half an hour prior to the current scene, Yoseop and Doojoon were busy building their raft from the tree trunks that they found and from the small trees that they cut. They planned to make a huge raft so that it can withstand if the lake current is going to be rough.

“Do you think these are enough?” Yoseop asked while pointing at all the trunks he had been collecting for the past hour.

They were debating before on who will be the one that collect the trunks and who will be the one who build the raft. Of course, building the raft will be much harder and both of them wanted to take the task, just so they can show how strong they are.

And the debate won by Doojoon who won by playing scissor, paper and rock. Childish, yes but at that moment, the result matter the most to them.

“We`ll see, cutie. I don`t know yet since I am still in the middle of building its base. But I can tell that it is enough”

Yoseop slit his eyes, “What did you call me just now?”

“What…?” Doojoon raised his eyebrows, teasing the other man.

“I know you knew what I am talking about. You called me cutie just now”

“Really…?” Doojoon frowned, “I guess instantaneously reply can`t lie, right?”

“I am not cute. I am manly, manlier than you especially”

The slightly older man chuckled this time, “Well… I doubt that, concerning our position in bed”

Yoseop, who was just about to swallowed his own spit choked on it instead and coughed badly, like an old dying man back in Line7, “That is not funny at all” He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I did not say that to be funny” Doojoon stopped his work and looked at Yoseop, “I know you acknowledged it”

“This is not the time to talk about that” Yoseop said, averting his eyes from Doojoon but then somehow, he went back into looking at the man. The eagle eyes have some sort of magnet to it. It drew Yoseop into looking at it even at the critical moment like this.

Doojoon his lips slightly, wiped the sweat at his forehead and slowly walked towards the much smaller man until there is no space between them. He sneaked both of his hands around Yoseop`s small waist, encircling them.

“We are going to meet with the others first before we can talk about this, Doojoon”

“It will take just a moment, right?”

“It will not. We both know it”

“No, I don`t”

“Yes, you do. You would probably sneak a kiss on me and I have to admit, even when I am tired and hot and sweaty, I can`t let that go with just a kiss. Soon, we will be sprawling on the grass, , making each other grunt and groan while our friends wait for us at the other side of the lake”

Doojoon groaned, knowing the truth lies in every single word Yoseop said and he stepped back from Yoseop, “Fine, but we will talk about this, about us, as soon as we are all save and sound, okay?”

“Alright…” Yoseop nodded as he took a seat close to the Captain. “I wonder how the others were doing. Have they reach the outside and see all these”

“I think they have. Don`t underestimate Junhyung and Hyunseung especially, their strength combined together can take down the whole troops all by themselves”

“Well…” Yoseop resorted, “Don`t underestimated Kikwang and Dongwoon too. Back in Line7, I would not be alive if it wasn`t because of them being beside me no matter what”

Doojoon chuckled, “Then, we can assumed that they just doing fine, right? The four of them are strong and I know we will be meeting each other soon. You don`t have to be worried too much. Just believe in them”

“How can I not be worried? Those guys risk their life for me. I am sure the soldiers will follow them”

“Yoseop-ah…” Doojoon looked at the other man for a while, “They will be fine. I am sure of that. I know you are strong, much stronger than us but they are not the Elite Squad`s best men for nothing”

Yoseop dejectedly nodded, “Can you build the raft faster, so that we can see them quickly? I am getting anxious right now”

“I am trying my best. Why don`t you rest first. Then, while we already on the lake, you can navigate and I can rest” Doojoon said. “It is quite energy draining you know, building this huge raft”

“I told you I want to build the raft so that you can rest. You know that I have more strength than you, right?”

“Excuse me, cute young man. I am the Captain of Elite Squad, okay? Don`t ever think that this will diminished my strength to the zero level. I am perfectly fine even though I am a little tired. I have face something worse than this already back during my training period”

Yoseop scoffed, “Alright, my dear Captain Yoon. I will follow your orders no matter what” He mimicked.

“That`s my bo-” Doojoon didn`t get to finish his words when suddenly a huge blast of an explosion was heard right behind them in the tunnel that they just went through before.

Both of the soldiers stood on their legs and stared at the smokes that emerged from the tunnel. Before long, the wall around it collapsed and closed the tunnel for good. Anyone can tell that there will be nobody that can get in into or get out from the tunnel.

“What the hell…” Doojoon muttered under his breath.

“Doojoon-ah…”

“What…”

“Let`s just build the raft quickly. I have a bad feeling” Yoseop said, eyes still looking at the closed tunnel.

_____~~~~~_____