18.10.2049 Seoul, Gangnam-gu, SHA Headquarters, Chief’s office

  “When?” Chief Han turned back toward the hunter at the door.

  “Twenty-four hours until the gate is fully open. Smaller beasts may appear before then.”

  “They’re flying, fire-type, so let SA1 know. We can’t send Special Ops until the gate is fully open.” Han Seri leaned on her desk. “You understand what this means, right?”

  Kang Jeonhyun and Kim Jaeseong took position. “Yes, Chief!”

  Jaeseong’s nose twitched, sensing something off about Kang Jeonhyun. It wasn’t the scent of his usual pheromones, a warning to keep distance, but some kind of instability. He didn’t brush it off; instead, he convinced himself to keep observing.

  “Make sure you rest, contact your families, and write your wills if you haven’t.” Chief Han’s words would have been brutal for anyone else, but these men were used to it. “Now go.”

  18.10.2049 Seoul, Gangnam-gu, SHA Headquarters, Special Ops briefing room

  Kang Jeonhyun took his usual seat at the briefing room table. He sat at the end where they could all see him, but he felt uncomfortable. Not because of all the eyes on him, not because of the responsibility thrown at him, not even because of the gate opening, but something closer to physical. He pulled at his collar to breathe easier, and concerned gazes turned toward him quietly, without him noticing. When Kim Jaeseong saw the others reacting too, he understood it hadn’t been his imagination. There was something wrong with the Second Lieutenant.

  Jeonhyun was distracted. He heard Choi Yoonsun explaining formations and going through possible scenarios, how the terrain might be this time, what they should prepare for. Even though he heard everything, he couldn’t comprehend it; it sounded like a foreign language to his blurred mind. His hands rested on the table now, his face flushed, cold sweat beginning to surface. Park Minjae stood and moved closer to him, a little too close, and handed him a handkerchief.

  “Lieutenant?” Kim Jaeseong checked from the other side of the table.

  “I’m fine. Keep going.”

  “…perimeter formation—” He knew Kim Jaeseong was talking, but no words were sticking. He was too out of it, his head spinning, as if he might collapse at any given moment.

  The team marched out of the briefing room. Kang Jeonhyun stopped in his tracks as heat rose under his skin. The dizziness hit him harder, strong enough to make him stagger. He took support from the wall just as Park Minjae rushed to his side.

  “Lieutenant! Are you okay?”

  “I said I’m fine!” he snapped.

  Minjae placed his palm against Jeonhyun’s forehead. The worry in the team’s eyes was obvious. If Kang Jeonhyun was sick, they stood no chance at the gate.

  “You have a fever—” Park Minjae gasped. “You’re not going into—are you?”

  Kang Jeonhyun slapped his hand away and walked toward the elevator. He rushed inside and pressed the button repeatedly so no one else could get in. Leaning against the wall, he convinced himself this was all just anxiety, from what had happened with Yoon Taeha. His face burning red, he pulled his phone from his pocket and stared at the name on his contact list.

  The memory of Memorial Park hit him hard. He was already in a sensitive state, but the words they had spoken to each other crawled under his skin, creating an itch he couldn’t scratch. He remembered Chief Han’s words: Write your wills, she had said. He had only ever imagined writing one for his mother, but was now the time to write one for Taeha as well?

  What would I say? I’m sorry I was an asshole, take care? I’m worse than trash and you deserve better, bye now?

  For a moment, even dying in the gate felt easier than confessing his feelings and telling Yoon Taeha the truth. Still, the thought of dying while Taeha believed he hated him tied a knot in his stomach. Was he really ready to rush into his death without apologizing?

  What happened next had nothing to do with logic. It was pure instinct. He called. There was no answer. So, he texted. Three simple words. All he could do now was hope that Taeha would respond.

  His skin was practically steaming when he got into his car. He looked at himself in the rearview mirror, his face flushed red. He was just anxious. Or maybe it was the flu. He convinced himself he’d be fine by morning.

  18.10.2049, Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Apgujeong-dong, Heritage Court Apartments

  He had reached his apartment building two hours ago, but he felt too weak to get out of the car. He just sat there, leaning against the steering wheel. It wasn’t the flu. It wasn’t anxiety. Or maybe it was all triggered by it. He was in rut. Suppressants didn’t work on someone like Kang Jeonhyun. What he needed was a partner, an omega.

  Of course, he’d had them before. There was never love involved in his relationships; it was always only a mutually beneficial physical act. He thought about calling someone, but he didn’t want any of them anymore. None of those omegas were close enough to the person he really wanted. Suddenly, he was glad he couldn’t reach Yoon Taeha. He would have hated Taeha seeing him in that state.

  He gathered everything he had in him to get out of the car and walked slowly to the elevator. Jeonhyun opened his uniform jacket and loosened his collar so he could finally breathe. His heart rate was in the hundreds. How was he supposed to fight in a dungeon the next day, in the middle of his rut?

  He walked toward his apartment door and froze. There was someone waiting for him.

  Yoon Taeha was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, one foot braced behind him like he’d been standing there for a while. The man turned to him. His expression was sharp enough for Jeonhyun to know he was holding something inside, ready to spill. Taeha’s gaze was fixed on the panting alpha.

  “You have the nerve to ask someone to talk and then not even be home for it?” Yoon Taeha snapped. “You look like death.”

  Jeonhyun opened his mouth, but nothing came out. His head was spinning; he couldn’t think clearly. His body felt too warm, too unfamiliar, like it didn’t belong to him anymore. Had his ruts always been this intense? Had they always hit him this hard?

  Every inhale felt like breathing smoke, and it wasn’t just because the atmosphere had grown heavy. Even though Taeha’s pheromone control was better, even the smallest amounts he emitted were intoxicating to Kang Jeonhyun.

  He needed to get closer. He needed to touch him. It felt like he would suffocate if he didn’t.

  “You—” Kang Jeonhyun didn’t manage to finish his sentence.

  “I came here against my better judgment,” Taeha said, “but let’s use this time wisely. What do you want?”

  “You came—”

  “I replied to your message. I even tried calling back, but you didn’t answer. I figured if the Second Lieutenant was contacting me, it must be important. Although I can kind of guess I’ll just get a scolding about my resignation.” Taeha’s nervous blabbering continued, his heart beating fast with adrenaline. “Anyway, what’s done is done. I’m not changing my mind, so if you’re not going to say anything, I might as well head back.”

  “I—I didn’t—” Jeonhyun swallowed, pressing a hand against the wall. “No. You’re right. You shouldn’t be here.”

  Taeha frowned. “What?”

  “You need to go.”

  That only made Taeha angrier.

  “Unbelievable.” He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “You summoned me, and now you’re telling me to leave?”

  “I did not tell you to come!” Kang Jeonhyun slammed his fist against the wall, startling Taeha.

  “Why do you always do this?” Taeha’s voice shook. “You act like you don’t care, like I’m nothing, and then you send me messages like that— Is this fun for you, or are you just bipolar!?”

  Jeonhyun didn’t answer. He just ran his fingers through his hair, but Taeha could feel the words spilling out, unstoppable, like he was about to spill everything.

  “I—” His hands curled into fists. “You’re impossible. Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me? Every time I think we’re getting closer, you take a hundred steps back. I feel like I’m a stray dog you feed once in a while, but also enjoy kicking. What is wrong with you—!?”

  Then it hit him. He felt everything. The air was heavy with familiar pheromones, so strong he covered his nose instinctively. In just a moment, his lower body reacted without permission. The man in front of him was flushed, panting, barely keeping himself together. His pheromones were crashing into Taeha like waves against rocks.

  “Fuck,” Taeha whispered. “You’re in a rut.”

  “Please,” Jeonhyun said, breathless. “You need to go. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You’re doing this on purpose aren’t you? Hngh—“ The pheromones were too strong for Yoon Taeha to fight them back. Somehow it felt like his body didn’t even want to resist them and he didn’t blame Jeonhyun for the way his presence made it hard to breathe.

  “I need to go,” Taeha said, his voice shaking, even as his feet stayed planted. But Jeonhyun moved before he could think, making Taeha take a step back. He barely had time to gasp before Jeonhyun’s hands were on him. His hold was firm, but he was trembling, like he didn’t trust himself. Taeha’s back hit the wall. He had hesitated for too long. It wasn’t only Yoon Taeha’s body that was reacting, his mind was racing.

  Kang Jeonhyun’s face was inches away from Taeha’s, so close they could feel each other’s breaths. Tears began running down the omega’s cheeks, but Jeonhyun didn’t back off. He left no time for hesitation and grabbed Taeha’s waist, while the other hand behind Taeha’s neck pulled him into a kiss. Attacked by a thousand feelings of his own Yoon Taeha struggled, then managed to push him away. The tears burned in his eyes, not from fear, but from how badly he wanted something he knew would hurt.

  “Don’t—” Taeha cried, his hands curling into Jeonhyun’s collar. “I should hate you… I need to hate you!”

  “Don’t hate me. I can’t stop now.”

  Yoon Taeha stared into the alpha’s eyes, now glowing gold, just like they had on the night he rescued him in the alleyway. The scent of his pheromones drew Taeha closer, and his body finally betrayed him. Maybe it wasn’t Jeonhyun who was bipolar, maybe it was him.

  “Then don’t,” he whispered before he could stop himself.

  Kang Jeonhyun moved, this time lifting him in his arms, diving for a kiss. Their tongues tangled. Taeha pushed him away, but only for a moment. “You’re a piece of shit.”

  “I know.” Kang Jeonhyun leaned in, and Taeha wrapped his legs around the alpha’s waist.

  Kang Jeonhyun opened the door with his mouth still covering Taeha’s. The beeping sound of the lock wasn’t enough to distract them. Jeonhyun reached behind his back to remove Taeha’s shoes throwing them on the floor, and carried the omega straight to his bedroom, not bothering to turn on the lights or close curtains.

  He dropped Yoon Taeha on the bed gently and got up just enough to remove the top part of his uniform. Taeha with his face flushed, staring at the godlike body on top of him, emitted pheromones of his own. It didn’t take long for them to realize his heat had begun syncing with Jeonhyun’s rut. Last time it had been brutal, forceful even. But this time it was all but that. There was only heat and passion in these pheromones, and something else Taeha couldn’t quite name.

  Kang Jeonhyun leaned closer, lifting Taeha’s shirt slowly, now fully revealing his chest. His hands wandered, until they traced over the places that made his body react, pinching the other side gently, then bringing his mouth on the other, making the omega’s moans echo in the room. Jeonhyun leaned in, pressing a slow kiss to Taeha’s lips.

  Yoon Taeha couldn’t understand how it had escalated like this. He had received a message from Jeonhyun asking to talk. It had been the most straightforward message it could have been. And yet, it had stirred something in Taeha’s mind that he couldn’t let go of. No matter how hurt he was, he had still hoped Jeonhyun would finally show a feeling other than hate toward him. But now, with the man kissing his body, his tongue wandering, he understood there was no going back. He wouldn’t let this go, and he wouldn’t let Jeonhyun forget this moment.

  Kang Jeonhyun’s mouth moved lower down Taeha’s body, reaching his belt buckle. It opened far too easily. Jeonhyun placed his hands under Taeha’s pants to pull them, but Taeha resisted for a moment.

  “Wait!”

  But Kang Jeonhyun pushed him back down gently, without words. The pheromones he was emitting were making Taeha dizzy, but the pleasure of it all kept him conscious. His pants were slowly pulled away exposing everything below his waist. Yoon Taeha unconsciously pressed his knees together to hide it, embarrassed. He was by no means a virgin, but the sight of Jeonhyun’s face between his legs made him quiver.

  “Don’t close them.” Jeonhyun finally spoke, leaning in closer to Taeha’s crotch.

  “Ngh!” A loud moan escaped when Jeonhyun took Taeha in his mouth. The scene was enough to make Taeha go insane, but the feeling was much more. That rigid, cold hunter, was now everything but. While Jeonhyun’s mouth was busy, his hand wandered even lower. Taeha flinched as he felt Jeonhyun’s fingers enter him. His moan’s got louder as he was dripping.

  “Jeonhyun—“ he could bearly speak, “I’m going to—“

  There had been times Yoon Taeha had imagined doing this with Kang Jeonhyun, but what he felt now was far more than his imagination had led him to expect.

  “It’s okay, you can cum.”

  “Ahh—“ The sound of Taeha’s climax only fuelled Jeonhyun further, his fingers moving in a precise pace pressing just the right spots between Taeha’s cheeks. Taeha tried to grab Jeonhyun’s moving hand.

  “Please, I just came.”

  “It’s going to hurt if I don’t loosen you up.”

  However embarrassed, knowing he was right, Taeha stopped resisting Jeonhyun’s touch. Just a moment after Jeonhyun stepped away to remove his pants, then kneeled between the omega’s legs. Taeha was still catching his breath when he saw Jeonhyun’s hardness.

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  The weapon of mass destruction. Seeing it, he panicked, he wanted to crawl from the bed and escape. Fuck, it’s even bigger than I remembered.

  “It’s not going to fit!” He cried, but Jeonhyun pulled him closer to kiss him.

  “I would never hurt you,” he began, “Even if I can’t stop, can’t control myself, I know my instincts will never let me harm you.” He caressed Taeha’s hair, gently. Although nervous, Taeha finally gave in. Jeonhyun placed three fingers in his entrance and kept a steady pace. Finally, it was loose enough for him to enter. He pulled him closer and, to ease his nerves, kissed him as he entered. The pleasure spread across Taeha’s body like electricity. But the pleasure alone wasn’t enough to ease his mind.

  Jeonhyun slowed the moment he felt Taeha tense beneath him. He didn’t pull away, and Taeha didn’t try to fight the man on top of him. He couldn’t help but remain still.

  He didn’t want to run away anymore, he wanted to be there, to be held by the man. But he was afraid, a thousand emotions hitting him at once. It was as if he was afraid that the moment would shatter if he breathed too deeply. Yoon Taeha covered his eyes to avoid the man’s gaze.

  Jeonhyun’s hand brushed the omega’s red hair. Slow and gentle he pulled Taeha’s hands off and exposed his face once more. Taeha squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

  “Look at me,” he said, gentle yet firm. Taeha hesitated. Then, reluctantly, he did.

  His eyes were teary and his expression overwhelmed. Desire and fear mixed together, petrified him, making Jeonhyun’s chest ache.

  “I don’t want you to be afraid,” Jeonhyun said quietly. “Not of me.”

  Taeha let out a weak laugh. “That’s a little late for that.”

  There was a pause.

  “Tell me, what are you afraid of?”

  Taeha brought his hands on Jeonhyun’s face.

  “That this doesn’t mean anything,” he whispered. “That tomorrow, you’ll look at me like I imagined all of this.”

  The words broke Kang Jeonhyun’s heart. He knew what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t, he didn’t know how. Not without admitting that he didn’t even know whether this time tomorrow he would still be alive. All he could do was offer comfort for the moment.

  “This isn’t nothing,” he said, wiping away Taeha’s tears. “And you don’t cry over nothing.”

  He moved, lifting Taeha onto his lap until they were sitting upright, Taeha tight in his arms, their faces only inches apart. Neither of them spoke. But it was the moment they understood each other for the first time.

  Their pheromones filled the room with something more than pleasure. They were tangled in their feelings. This time, Taeha moved first, making Jeonhyun grit his teeth. He pulled Yoon Taeha closer, kissing him like he was afraid to let go. And then, Taeha had to finally admit to himself that he didn’t want him to.

  19.10.2049, Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Apgujeong-dong, Heritage Court Apartments

  If the soreness Yoon Taeha felt in his lower body didn’t count, morning came quietly to him. The sun, peeking through the curtains, curtains he didn’t remember anyone closing, burned his eyes for a moment. The scent of the room, Kang Jeonhyun’s pheromones still lingering, woke him fully, bringing back memories of the countless hours of lovemaking from the night before. It was hard to believe all of that had happened after every argument they’d had. But it finally proved that Taeha wasn’t delusional, that it wasn’t just him who felt something between them. In the end, it had been mutual, just… misunderstood.

  The bed felt warm, but even without turning around, he felt that something was missing. He turned, expecting to see a familiar face beside him, but to his horror, the right side of the bed was empty. He placed his hand there, making sure he wasn’t imagining it, but the sheets were cold where Kang Jeonhyun should have been sleeping. Taeha sat up quickly, throwing the blanket aside, panic rising in his chest. Then, on the bedside table, he finally saw it, a yellow note, written in handwriting that took him a moment to understand.

  I have a morning shift.

  I left food on the table.

  Get home safely and rest.

  – Kang Jeonhyun

  Yoon Taeha felt a quiet relief in his heart as he read the note the man had left him. He’d been afraid Jeonhyun might pretend it never happened, even if he promised it wouldn’t be like that. He wanted to believe this note was proof that Jeonhyun didn’t regret anything, that he had thought of him. Taeha read it again and again before finally letting out a small chuckle.

  “This airhead. He’s seen every part of me and still signs his last name.”

  Why is he like this?

  He walked to the bathroom, and another kind of horror hit when he saw himself in the mirror. His body was covered in kiss marks and bite marks. Kang Jeonhyun had really not left a single place undiscovered, maybe even parts Yoon Taeha himself didn’t know of. It was all evidence he couldn’t explain away, even to himself.

  “Oh,” he whispered, mortified.

  Then, suddenly, his heart skipped a beat, panic seizing him. He turned quickly, the back of his neck facing the mirror, fingers brushing over his skin. There was no mark. Taeha exhaled in relief, and his mouth twitched into a subtle smile.

  Even overwhelmed, out of control during his rut, Jeonhyun had been careful. He had chosen not to cross that line and had stopped himself from marking the omega.

  Yoon Taeha just stood there for a moment. His face burned with embarrassment, but what was done was done. There was no going back, only forward. And he really hoped it would go forward. The marks on his body were proof that Jeonhyun had held him and wanted him.

  He took a shower almost reluctantly, thinking about how he was now washing Jeonhyun’s scent off him, but he also knew he couldn’t go back to the base soaked in his pheromones.

  Once he got out, he noticed the fresh pair of clothes the man had left for him. The familiar scent brushed his senses gently.

  “Nobody will notice, right?” he said to himself, smiling lightly, secretly happy he’d carry Jeonhyun’s scent with him a little while longer.

  Yoon Taeha walked into the kitchen and saw the plastic-wrapped plates set neatly on the table. The dishes were very basic, but he could tell Kang Jeonhyun had put thought into it. The reality of the situation was slowly sinking in. He was there. And everything had really happened.

  19.10.2049 Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Hunter’s Association Headquarters, infirmary

  “You’re good to go,” Han Yoonseo said. “Your rut seems to have subsided. It would have been a real hassle if you’d gone in in that condition.”

  “Tell me about it,” Kang Jeonhyun exhaled in relief.

  “I’d still suggest you meet with Doctor Yoon Jiyeon, just in case—”

  “No, that won’t be possible,” Jeonhyun answered sharply.

  “What? Why—” Doctor Han began, then his eyes widened, and he nodded. “Ah. So that’s how it is. You horny nutcase.”

  Kang Jeonhyun remained silent while the doctor had his laugh. He hadn’t said anything, but it was obvious.

  “I hope you used protection. A dominant alpha and a dominant omega—” He brought his hand over his mouth, remembering that Kang Jeonhyun might not have been aware that Yoon Taeha’s secondary gender had evolved from recessive to dominant.

  “What did you say?” Kang Jeonhyun was taken aback.

  “Forget it. I already spoke too much.”

  Kang Jeonhyun felt a knot forming in his stomach. He had been in rut and not in his right mind, but not using protection had been a bad call from him, nonetheless. Yoon Taeha might have been aware of his secondary gender, but his heat had surfaced because of Jeonhyun’s rut, so he couldn’t blame him for not thinking clearly.

  “You fucked up, didn’t you? You didn’t use—” It was as if Doctor Han could read his mind.

  “Don’t say it.”

  “Well, you might want to add him to your will then, just in case.” Doctor Han crossed his arms.

  “I already have,” Kang Jeonhyun added. “Besides my check-up, that’s also why I’m here.” He handed two letters to the doctor, who was visibly stunned by the gesture.

  “A love letter? For me?”

  “Shut up,” Jeonhyun snapped. “I don’t want to worry my mother by giving my will to her, and I can only trust you with the second letter. If something happens to me, give it to the First Lieutenant.”

  “Can I read it?”

  “Don’t you dare.”

  “You’re no fun,” Doctor Han said, lighting a cigarette. “But I’ll do as you said. Are you sure you don’t want to tell him before you go?”

  “To tell you the truth, I was very certain about it until yesterday, but my resolve has begun to waver. Still, after—“ Jeonhyun hesitated. “If I tell him, I’m afraid he’ll rush in with us.”

  “Yeah, that fucker is an impulsive one.”

  “Watch your tone.” Jeonhyun’s eyes sharpened.

  “I really hope you’re doing the right thing, for both of your sakes.”

  “Me too.” Kang Jeonhyun exhaled slowly and stood up.

  “Godspeed, Lieutenant,” Doctor Han said, taking another puff of his cigarette. Kang Jeonhyun turned just enough for the doctor to see his smile before continuing out the door.

  19.10.2049, Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Hunter’s Association Headquarters, Main Operations Hall

  The main operations hall hadn’t seen movement like this since the Jujak gate ten years ago. There had been some openings since then, but after Yoon Taeha’s awakening, returning from a decade-long coma with no memory of what had happened, the Association had grown far more cautious. Kang Jeonhyun wondered whether the Association’s goal this time was for the hunters to uncover more about what had happened back then. But no one would say it out loud, and the mission might not even have fallen to the Special Ops.

  Chatter filled the hall as the hunters prepared for their gate entrance. The Special Ops were used to dangerous missions, but some of the other teams consisted of young hunters who had never experienced danger like this. It made them uneasy to think that they were now responsible not only for their own teams, but for others as well. The younger hunters’ expressions betrayed them as they listened to the commands of their team leaders. It wasn’t surprising to anyone that they were scared, even the more experienced hunters were.

  SA2 was gearing up near the center of the hall, filling their inventories. Nearby, SB1 was preparing to rotate with SA1, who were guarding outside the gate. SSO stood apart from the others, quiet and focused. None of them spoke. Jeonhyun adjusted the strap across his shoulder, his eyes scanning the room.

  “Status,” he finally called. An administrative hunter checked his monitor.

  “SA1 is holding position at the gate. Minor beast emergence only, no attacks on civilians, no casualties. The gate remains stable, for now.”

  “SB1 is ready and will replace SA1 at perimeter control in fifteen,” Seo Yejin, team leader for both SB1 and SB2, confirmed. “SB2 and SC1 are on standby if escalation occurs.”

  “And the gate?” Jeonhyun asked.

  “Confirmed A-class,” the administrative hunter replied. “No resonance spikes. No signs of an S-class shift.”

  Jeonhyun nodded once and stepped forward, raising his voice.

  “Listen up.”

  The room quieted, and the hunters and soldiers straightened.

  “We’ve trained for this,” Jeonhyun said evenly. “You know your roles. You know your tasks. You know who you’re covering.” He scanned the room, seeing the fear on their faces.

  “This is an A-class gate. That means it’s dangerous.” He straightened his posture. “None of us are alone in this. We assist each other. We move in groups, but we work as one, no matter the rank. We help each other, and we do not leave anyone behind.”

  A few shoulders eased.

  “SA1 has held the gate, and SB1 will take over. SA1, SA2, and SSO will enter together. Basic units remain in reserve unless ordered otherwise. SB2 and SC1 have been alerted to remain on standby.”

  He paused for a moment. “Trust each other, and come back alive.”

  Silence followed, but the tension in the room eased. Jeonhyun placed his fist over his chest.

  “I pledge allegiance to the Republic,” he began.

  The hall answered as one.

  “To the Republic.”

  “To its people and unity.” he continued.

  “And to the peace we are sworn to protect, within our borders and beyond them.”

  Jeonhyun lowered his hand, and with that, the hall began moving again, this time with focus.

  “Well, I’d never have thought you’d actually lead an operation this big. Aren’t you all grown up now?” Choi Yoonsun said, patting Kang Jeonhyun on the shoulder.

  Kim Jaeseong stepped up beside them and grabbed Jeonhyun’s other shoulder.

  “Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. We’ll be back in no time at all, and then we get to fight for his affection again,” he laughed. “And this time, I won’t lose to you, Lieutenant.”

  Kang Jeonhyun almost laughed, remembering that he had pretty much already won that competition.

  The rest of the team followed behind them, convinced they would all come back in one piece.

  19.10.2049 Gwangju, Buk-gu, National Unified Training Center, Gwangju Base

  Finally knowing how to properly use his cellphone, Yoon Taeha browsed through his apps on the training center officers’ lounge couch, half-distracted as he tried to figure out what Kim Jaeseong had downloaded for him.

  “I swear, if I see a dating app here—”

  He heard whispers and footsteps coming his way.

  “Did you hear? A Jujak gate opened in Hapjeong—”

  Hopping to his feet, Yoon Taeha didn’t stay to listen to the rest of the sentence. He bolted out of the room, shoulders colliding with another soldier walking past him. He barely registered that he’d just pushed a man aside.

  No, no, no.

  He burst out of the building, looking for the fastest way to reach the main road. The base’s gates were at least a kilometer away, but Taeha didn’t wait, he ran. His lungs burned, his breath caught. It was like breathing fire. A sweaty mess, he waved for the soldiers to open the gates and sprinted toward the road. He waved and waved. Cars passed one after another, but none slowed. The panic came fast, only growing stronger.

  The memory of ten years ago stabbed him like a blade. He relived it as he had in his nightmares, everything red, everything burning. He remembered his team, his friends, and now, in his mind, Kang Jeonhyun stood among them.

  Not again.

  He couldn’t let it happen again. He had to stop them. He told himself he would, whatever it took.

  A military truck rolled past the gates, filled with new recruits.

  “Stop!” Taeha shouted, stepping into the road.

  The driver startled at the sight of their Supreme Leader waving and slammed on the brakes. Taeha yanked the driver’s door open.

  “Get out. I’m taking over!” he snapped, unintentionally harsh. He didn’t have time to care about emotions. He had to be there. He was running out of time.

  “Sir, we’re heading to Incheon, we have orders to—”

  “I’m giving you new orders,” Taeha cut in. “We’re heading to Seoul. I don’t care what you do afterward. You can blame me if you’re late.”

  “But sir!” one of them protested.

  “Who made you a military official?” Taeha snapped. No one answered. None of the men dared to cross the Northern Beast.

  Yoon Taeha dialed Kim Jaeseong’s number, his hand trembling. But there was no answer.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” he cursed. “You fucking useless piece of shit. Where are you when I need you!”

  He tried again, and again, until he was redirected to voicemail five times. He wanted to throw his phone out of the window. Then he thought of the last time Jaeseong had ignored him. Now he understood.

  His chest tightened as he tried to reach the others one by one. Each call ended the same way, straight to voicemail.

  They’re not inside yet. They can’t be.

  Reluctantly, he dialed the one number he was most afraid to call. Kang Jeonhyun.

  They had finally seen eye to eye, finally faced whatever there was between them, and now… he was about to lose it all. If Jeonhyun entered the gate, only his memory would remain. And it would be painful one.

  The line rang. Once. Twice. Nothing.

  I beg of you, don’t go in. Wait for me. His eyes reddened. Please let me make it on time.

  The soldiers in the back seats were scared for their lives, seeing Yoon Taeha speeding while on the phone.

  Traffic slowed the truck near Hongik University. Taeha didn’t wait and hit the brakes. The car had barely stopped when he jumped out. He ran again. He ran until his lungs screamed.

  He wasn’t like Jeonhyun, couldn’t bend wind to fly to them. He wasn’t like the twins, blessed with speed. He wasn’t like Jaeseong, able to tear through space itself. He was just… himself. A soldier and a useless hunter.

  The gate finally came into view, glowing from afar. His stomach dropped. There was no mistaking it. A Jujak gate.

  19.10.2049 Seoul, Mapo-gu, Hapjeong

  Hapjeong was already in chaos, burning as vermillion birds burst from the gate, tearing through the air. Their wings blazed as they set buildings and streets alight. Whatever they touched burned. Hunters covered the area, fighting the beasts to contain the destruction.

  If the birds are out, then… they’re still here.

  Relief and terror blurred his vision, but he didn’t stop, he ran faster. He didn’t let his body betray him, not now, not when he needed to see them. Needed to see him.

  And there they were. His team. The only people he had left. And among them, the one he wanted to hold most dear.

  Taeha surged forward, only to be yanked back violently by Kim Jaeseong.

  “Taeha, don’t!” Jaeseong’s grip was tighter than ever. He’d spotted him running from afar and needed to stop him before he reached the Second Lieutenant. Jaeseong knew that if Taeha got near Jeonhyun, he wouldn’t walk into that gate. They’d kept Taeha in the dark, and now they were facing the consequences of it. Jaeseong knew it, too, if he looked Taeha in the eyes now, saying goodbye would be impossible. He’d crack.

  “Don’t, Taeha,” Jaeseong said again, this time serious. “You know you can’t go.”

  “I’m not going in!” Taeha shouted, struggling to get away from his grip. “I’m stopping you from going! Get off me!”

  “We have our mission,” Jaeseong snapped. “We have to— Everything will—”

  “Don’t you dare say everything is going to be fine!” Taeha screamed. “You have no idea what it’s like!”

  “I’ve seen a Jujak gate before, we’ve taken one down!”

  Jaeseong didn’t understand. He couldn’t. It might be an A-class gate now, but he didn’t understand how fast it could shift. By nightfall, it could become S-class. The Jujak gate was the most unpredictable of them all. And Taeha had experienced it firsthand. He didn’t understand how hunters who had already entered one before could be so na?ve about it. Had they just been lucky last time?

  Three hundred men had barely taken the beast down before, and if this one shifted, like the one ten years ago… Taeha would lose the only peole who mattered to him.

  “You know nothing!” Taeha screamed. “So let me go, you motherfucker!” He drove his fist into Jaeseong’s stomach and finally freed himself from his grip. Kang Jeonhyun was right there.

  “Lieutenant,” Jeonhyun said automatically, the title grounding him. “You have orders to remain at the Gwangju base.”

  “Don’t go,” Taeha said. Jeonhyun froze.

  “What?”

  Taeha clutched his sleeve like it was the only solid thing left in the world.

  “Please, just don’t—” Taeha bit his lips. He let go of the mans sleeve and grabbed his collar, dragging him closer. “I beg you. Don’t go in.”

  “What are you—”

  “If you go in, you’ll die,” Taeha sobbed. “Please. Just listen to me. You can’t. You can’t!” His reason had long since shifted to grief.

  Jeonhyun loosened Taeha’s grip on his collar and pushed him back gently by the shoulders. The words he spoke next felt like an excuse, but he had no other choice. If he didn’t go, who would? Who would protect the Republic?

  “We have to go,” he said, his tone gentle. “This is our duty.”

  “If I tell you everything,” Taeha cried. “If I tell you… will you stay?”

  For a moment, Jeonhyun hesitated. Then he shook his head.

  “As much as I want to hear it,” he said quietly, “this comes first.”

  Kang Jeonhyun placed his hand gently on Yoon Taeha’s head. Then he let go and turned away. Yoon Taeha stood there, staring at the man’s back as he walked away, tears blurring his vision. Then Jeonhyun turned.

  “I’ll be back,” he said with a smile. “I have someone to come home to.”

  Something inside Taeha shattered as a memory struck him, one he had buried deep or forgotten.

  I’ll be back, Jeonhyun. Because I have someone to come home to.

  The team stepped into the gate and Taeha’s knees gave out. He collapsed to the ground, red hair swaying as the gate burned before him, Kang Jeonhyun already gone.

  The realization came too late. How could he have been so blind? This wasn’t just another hunter walking into a gate. This was the boy he had promised to protect.

  And Taeha had let him go.