Archive of Our Own

Yunho didn't know how he got here. 

Just an hour ago, Hongjoong had landed their spaceship, Utopia, in this colorful and huge planet with a huge, excited grin as he turns to them before declaring loudly,

"Today, we let loose!"

Yeosang and Jongho clapped their hands, as reserve as usual (though the shine in their eyes shows how excited they are on the inside) while Mingi had hollers happily at the declaration. Seonghwa laughs at everyone's excitement, though he also looked quite happy at the prospect of finally getting a break after saving another planet from the Stellaron and a few operations to piss off the IPC. Yunho had also cheered loudly, accepting his fate as a sort-of punching bag for Mingi's excitement. 

He was looking forward to this— he really was.

That is until literally everyone ditch him and disappear into the crowd as soon as they left the ship. 

Seonghwa and Hongjoong rushes off right after warning him to not push himself for the thousandth time (and a head pat because why not, he supposed) while Mingi makes his way to a ruin that he wanted to investigate, saying something about how the ruin has stayed untouched by even the natures for thousand of years because of the planet unique quality, Yeosang following him with a whipped smile while barely sparing Yunho a glance (Yunho still doesn't know how they're still not together). Jongho had stayed with him for a bit until something caught his eye and he immediately insist that Yunho should have some alone time before running off somewhere.

So, yes. You can say Yunho has been completely abandoned by them. 

Feeling a little lost, he eventually ends up sitting on a bench just outside of a busy market place and sulking a little. 

He seriously can't believe they all just left him be like this. Even his dearest childhood friend ditch him to go on a date with his not-really lover.

Yunho watches his surrounding for a while— a few vehicles hovering above ground drove past on a specially made rail, a family strolling while chatting and laughing happily, a friend group laughing at something as they points out something on a holographic screen at the sidewalk and couldn't help feeling a little lonely. He's not very used to being alone anymore these days— not since Hongjoong and Seonghwa took him in years ago when he had nothing but himself.

Yunho shakes his head. 

He shouldn't dwell on something depressing like that on days like this. Seonghwa did say it's best for him to focus more on happy things.

He got bored after a while. The scenery, while unique with its neon, bright colored light, doesn't really have anything special to them and the weather continues to be as consistent. He doesn't have a single idea what planet they're even on so he doesn't know where to go. Just as he contemplates on going back to the ship to finish up some work, maybe he could re-organize some archive files, a voice suddenly caught his attention.

"Hey!"

Yunho pauses, a little confused as he looks around. The voice was loud and clear but nobody around him really seems to be fazed by it. 

"Up here! Can you see me?!"

Yunho looks upward, squinting slightly when the sunshine hits his eyes before noticing a hilly slope where some more pedestrians can be seen walking on. When he finally spots the owner of the voice however, he freezes.

It's a young man— his face strikingly beautiful with midnight black hair shining under the artificial sun of the planet with slightly tanned skin and his lips stretched into a wide, dimpled smile. He has a hand raised in a wave to catch Yunho's attention while sitting on the rail of the slope, legs swinging in a relaxing manner all the while everyone around him seems to ignore his presence entirely.

"You're alone?!" He asked, loudly. 

"Uh," Yunho turn his head left and right before pointing at himself. With a chuckle, the man nods in confirmation. His face warmed and Yunho could feel his eyes flashing to yellow for a split second. "No- wait, I mean- yeah! Kinda."

The man giggles, his reddish eyes glinting with amusement. "Which one is it?"

"I'm- sorry." Yunho tries again, more steadily this time as he reels himself back in. If he accidentally burn something here, it wouldn't do any good after all. "I am, alone, yes. My friends kinda ditch me…"

Huffing a laugh, the man didn't even hesitates before jumping down from the railing. Yunho instinctively takes a step forward to catch him, that is until he landed on the ground without a scratch before brushing some dust off himself.

Once again, Yunho couldn't help but noticed that nobody seems to pay the person in front of him any mind. Normally, doing such a thing would at least earns some attention from the public. However, nobody even so much as flinch at his stunt. 

How curious. 

"That makes the two of us." The man grins, holding out a hand. "I'm San. Choi San. What's your name?"

Seeing as he has not much choice and not wanting to see rude, Yunho smiles back at him while gripping his hand firmly as he looks down at the man. "My name's Jeong Yunho. Nice to meet you, Choi." 

"Ah, please." San chuckles, waving his hand dismissively. "Just call me San. Choi sounds a bit too formal, don't you think?" 

Yunho nods, pleased. "Sure. You can call me Yunho too." 

"Great!" San beams. "You must be new here, I'm guessing? First time visiting this planet?"

"You got it." Yunho sighs, shifting in place as he put his hands into his pockets. It's a little chilly and he couldn't help but suppressed a hiss when pain shot up from his collarbone and begin spreading through his body. "My, uh, my friends just disappear into the crowd as soon as we got here. I've never been here before so you can just imagine how lost I felt." 

San hums, nodding to himself. "I see… Well, I guess your friends want some alone time for themselves." 

"Clearly." Yunho rolled his eyes, pouting. "I still hate that they left me behind though. Even the one who wasn't doing anything…"

San's eyes shine as his smile widen before leaning forward abruptly, causing Yunho to let out a small yelp as he took a step back from the man. "Isn't this lucky though? I get to hand out with someone as handsome as you and you… Well, you get to hang out with me!" 

Yunho's face warmed again and he has to consciously made sure his eyes stay on its brownish color (the man has very smooth skin and beauty marks and cute moles holy shit-). It's quite rare for anyone to make him feel like this and he doesn't know if he likes it. Hongjoong and Mingi was very insistent on him tempering his emotions, something that Yunho does agree and have no difficulty with. Now, however, he is having quite a hard time doing so for some reason. 

"Um…"

"Since you're alone and I'm alone… Why don't we go for a stroll together?" San asked, eyes looking up at Yunho with excitement. It kind of reminds him of the spoiled kitten he often sees on Mingi's former space station. "I'm a local here so I can show you around!"

Yunho's eyes widen, taking out his hands from his pocket to shake them frantically in a gesture of denial. "Oh, but I wouldn't want to bother you-"

"It's fine." San waves his concern off, finally backing away from his face. "I'm free right now anyway. Think of me as a tour guide. Don't you want to know more about this place?"

Yunho hesitates a bit more. As much as he enjoys San company so far, he can't deny that there is something suspicious about him. The fact that he just randomly extends this invitation towards Yunho out of nowhere can't be a mere coincidence, especially when you combined this information with the weird looks other people seem to throw at Yunho ever since they both starts talking. 

Still, he doesn't look like an IPC worker so at the very least Yunho doesn't have to worry about busting himself out of jail (or worse, the crew busting him out). Besides, Yunho can't let this guy wander around unsupervised if he is dangerous, not if there's a chance of him being a danger to his crew. 

And, well, at his core, perhaps Yunho is just a curious follower of the trailblaze in the end, one that wants nothing more than to explore, understands, establish and connect with the world. He would love to learn more about the planet. 

"Well then," Yunho grins. "Lead the way." 

San winks. "Gladly!" 

-

San, as it turns out, is an excellent tour guide. 

Their first stop were at a museum, its sign displayed on a hologram in front of it. San doesn't simply just points at a hand painted painting or interesting looking items and give a vague history about it and move on; He gives every specific details he knows about it. Even the greatest tour guide Yunho had known before this couldn't possibly known the detail San seems to know. He actually finds himself taking notes on his phone as San talks and babbles about this new planet, eager to update his own knowledge and the details their archive lack or got wrong. 

Apparently, the planet he is on had been blessed by Fuli, the Aeon of Remembrance a very long time ago (though San sheepishly admit even he doesn't know the exact number of era that passed since). To simplify the explanation about their history, the planet was facing a huge catastrophic events that was about to destroy them and begs for help from any Aeons—and the one that answers is THEM. To preserve the planet's life and memories, THEY decides to keep the planet in an eternal loop. 

"Interesting." Yunho murmurs, eyes shining as he stares at a written out details pasted onto the museum wall. "So THEY granted the citizens here a chance to stay alive by repeating the previous day before the disaster starts?" 

San hums. "That's right! Everyone here has been living in an eternal loop since then; the children here stays as children, the young stays young and and old stays old. Nobody died or were born ever again; THEY completely rewrite the natural order of life here."

Yunho nods to himself, taking another note. 

That must be why the ruin Mingi talked about stays untouched. If life never properly move on, then nature wouldn't either. "How fascinating… To think that everyone here just agrees to this way of life…"

"Hm~ I wouldn't say that." San tilted his head. "Some did escape." 

Yunho turns back to him. "Escape?" 

San seems to hesitate, making a show of looking at his left and right before inching closer to him, cupping his mouth before lowering his voice as he speaks. 

"It's a bit of a taboo to talk about this…" He starts. "But some people do leave the planet sometimes. Those who stayed and knew… Well, the government here usually make them stay quiet about it. You know, to make sure no one else would get that kind of idea." 

He paused, eyes glinting with something that Yunho couldn't decipher as he looks up at him. "But Yunho… I wonder, what do you think about them?" 

Yunho blinks. "… What do I think?" 

San nods. "Do you see this place as a cage to these people? Or… Do you think those who left they threw away their chance at happiness? An eternal loop of a happy, ordinary day… Is it not what one would wish for?" 

Yunho hums, tapping at the back of his phone as he mulls over the question. 

"… That's a complicated question." He commented. "After all, it depends on a person's perspective, doesn't it? Some may view the lack of future as a blessing but some may see it as a curse. A boy may want to grow up into a man and a girl may want to grow into a woman… But an elderly person might not want to die and a young teen might want to stay in his golden time if their life."

San leans back slightly, though he still doesn't seem satisfied. "What about your perspective? What do you think? Would you see it as a blessing?" 

Yunho's hand twitched, feeling the urge to pull out his sword and feeling a flash of yellow about to creep up into his eyes.

Such a dangerous question.

"… Is this important to our tour, San?" 

San blinks, perhaps sensing the sudden hostility in his tone before grinning again. "I supposed not. Just a small Q&A. I asked this question to a lot of people and they all have varying and interesting answer." 

"…I'm sure." He replied, smiling wrily. He hates to disappoint the other, but Yunho's answer is his own to know. "Is asking people philosophical questions appropriate for a tour guide though?" 

San giggles, amused. "Just a little fun in the middle of the historical lesson! Gotta keep you on your toes to make sure you've been focusing on my lesson." 

San spies at a digital, holographic clock above the exit door before letting out a gasp. "Oh! It's getting late. Maybe we can pause this here. Let me introduce you to another side of the planet! Something way more fun!" 

Yunho looks down at him with a curious look. "Fun?" 

"Follow me, come on." San beckons him as he move, walking backwards as he smiles at Yunho with his eyes shining. "I think we should do a U-turn and go back to the market." 

Yunho follows, avoiding the people who, despite avoiding San flawlessly, seems to not spare the same kind of treatment to him. "For what?"

"Observation!" San winks, lifting a finger. "To know something is to learn it in its nature. You can see how the people here live, learn about their daily life through their conversations and of course, the most fun ones…"

Yunho raised an eyebrow. "Most fun ones…?"

San beams and Yunho shudders when a small gust of cold, winter like wind suddenly blows. "Food and crafts! Those are always the best way to start with!"

Then, lifts his hand slowly, a few white, delicate snowflakes appearing and disappearing at the tip of his finger. "For example…"

He snaps his hand, making Yunho flinch and covers his eyes at a sudden bright light. A sudden loudness around him entering his ears however cause him to slowly blinks them back open… only to realize they are somehow standing in front of the market they were at. 

"What- How-!?"

Yunho's gasped, his lips twitching. 

What an interesting and bold trick. 

He watch as San waves him off, rushing off into the dim market with eyes already fixed on the first stall. 

"Don't sweat the details!" He drawled, eyes examining the things on the table. 

After a small moment of silence, San drops some money onto the counter while the stall keeper had his back turn and grabs a container filled with ball shaped doughs topped with soy sauce and some unknown flakes. He pulls Yunho with him before picking up a dough with a stick, a teasing smirk on his lips. "This might be good for you to start with. Here, Yunho, say ah~" 

"San-?"

His words were cut off by San shoving the food right into his mouth, making Yunho instinctively chew it. He intended to do so hurriedly and demands answer on what the hell did San just do but the flavour of the food make his eyes widen; the dough are perfectly cooked and the filing seems to be a perfectly cooked and preserved beef, a very expensive one he's sure, juicy and tender as they melt in his mouth. It's extremely delicious— not something you'd expect from a market stall. 

San seems amused by his reaction, chuckling. "And all that for barely 100 credit in this planet currency." 

Yunho swallows with wide eyes. "Barely 100 credits?! I had to spend half of my allowance just to get something half this good in other planets!" 

San chuckles at his reaction, walking off without glancing back at him and making Yunho scrambles to his side. "The food here is unique. Can you guess why?" 

Yunho paused, frowning as he crossed his arms. He thought of the planet's history and different nature; how it differs from most planets. Time doesn't move here, things that went missing will be found again and something that was broken will be fixed magically…

"… I see." Yunho mutters, accepting another bite of the food from San. "Everything here last forever. They can afford to infinitely use their ingredients and food; even the best ones." 

"Wow!" San whistles, impressed. "You got it! Most would answer that it's because the living cost are lower, can you believe it? It's like they don't understand the basics of economics" He cackles. "To add more to your answer though; it's also because time doesn't passed here. No one runs out of time. Chefs and artists— everyone can practice as long as they want and take their times to practice their specialty."

Yunho taps his finger on his thigh as they walk, spotting another stall filled with tourists. There are a lot of hand drawn paintings and crafted goods scattered in the tent as the owner entertains the curious costumers. "… Seems like that one is quite popular too."

"Only for those who came from out of this world." San mused, pointing at the locals walking past the beautiful, perfected works without a glance. "Such things wouldn't impressed the people here. 'Perfect' is the standard here."

"A world where perfect is the standard, huh?" Yunho repeats as they pass the stall, eyes still fixed on the smiling owner's face. 

He couldn't help but thought of Yeosang and his hatred of that word. 

He would hate this place. 

"That's one of the factors that some people choose to leave." San continues, skipping a little as they almost reach the end of the dimly lit market. "Expecting perfection from mere mortals were unacceptable to them."

"And they're not wrong for leaving." Yunho mutters. "It's an unfair expectation." 

"Is it really?" San questioned stopping his step to look up at him. "They have forever at their disposal. Why shouldn't they expect perfection?" 

Yunho startles to a stop, looking down at San with a raised eyebrow. "Because perfection doesn't exist? Everything have flaws." 

"Interesting." San answers simply, his dimpled smile widening. "Then you must think the Aeons— the Gods of this universe, are flawed?" 

Yunho paused. 

He thinks back to his sword; one that he can't unsheathe as easily as he used to be able to. His sword that was given to him in hope that he'll use it to protect only for it to be used to destroy. He thinks back to Mingi, who were so desperate that he turns to said gods for help, only for THEM to turn him away with a vague answer that make him waste away eras of his life. He thinks back to his friends who in many ways and forms had tried to served THEM only to gain nothing in response. 

Yunho's lips curled into a humorless smile. 

Once again, he seems to be asking him such a peculiar question; one whose answer Yunho prefers to keep to his own chest. 

"…You're playing a dangerous game with me here, Choi San." 

San tilted his head. "Oh? I'm just asking a question, Yunho. I'm not playing anything with you."

Before he could say anything back as a response, a gust of wind suddenly passed him by, as if something, or someone, had run past him at a fast speed. 

Yunho's instinct immediately screams at him and at the same time—

"Help! My daughter-! Somebody just took my daughter!" A woman shouts, running past Yunho at an incredibly slow speed while crying and shouting frantically. 

San's eyes widened at the sight of her before he immediately shove the food container into Yunho's hands before his eyes seems to shine as he stops the woman by standing right in front of her; it's the first instance in this whole trip when Yunho even sees anyone looking at San properly.

Yunho's eyes narrowed at him before they turn to the woman. 

 "Ma'am, wait-! Calm down! What happened!?" San asked, concerned. "What do you mean someone took your daughter? Why would they?" 

"I don't- I don't know!" She wails, covering her face. "They took my girl-! Oh Aeons, my poor girl!" 

"Ma'am, calm down." San reassured, biting his lips nervously as his eyes move to Yunho before looking back at her. "I'll- I'll bring you to the nearest police station-"

"Hah!" A voice scoffs came from the inside of one of the stalls, causing to San to flinch and making Yunho immediately snapping his eyes at the seller to find an elderly man casually inspecting his wares despite seeing what exactly just happened. "There is no need to make a fuss over something like this."

Yunho blinks, appalled. "Small? Sir, a child was kidnapped-!"

"So what?" The man waves him off. "Filing a report is too much of a work, you know? Especially if the brat were taken off the planet. They can't do anything."

The woman's sobs grows louder, curling into herself as she continues to bury her face into her palm. The old man click his tongue, rolling his eyes at her. "You're overreacting. She'll be back in bed before you know it, lady. Just wait until today's midnight-"

"Sir." San snaps, sternly. "Please, keep that kind of thought yourself. You don't have the right to say that to her."

The man bristles. "Watch your mouth, brat! Are you even from here?! It's useless crying over this. My stupid son left this planet eras ago and I got a better one to replace him with. I'd say it's a blessing for me after putting up with that rebellious brat for so long."

The man's words dance around Yunho's mind long after he stops talking. It's too incomprehensible for him to process; the fact that this planet was able to replace the human beings that left, the thought of the old man readily replacing his own flesh and blood that he raised for a more 'obedient' copy, was simply too ridiculous of a notion.

He can feel his eyes flashing yellow as anger build up from the inside of him. He hasn't felt this fury often but when he does, it isn't as easy to fade. "How could you-!"

"With all due respect, sir," San cuts him off, eyes blazing with anger as well. "Not everyone's love feel as flimsy as yours."

The old man's face flushed in angry red.

"How dare you speak to me that way?! Who do you think you are?!" He shouts, grabbing a hold of one of his wares and tossing it right at San.

Yunho immediately threw aside the food container in his hand and, in a blink of an eye, immediately catch the item right before it could even reach San.

"Keep your ugly wares off of us." Yunho hissed, teeth gritted in an effort to hold himself back and his eyes surely flashing between yellow and his usual brown.

"You'll see, you brat!" The man hissed back, glaring at them sharply. "Once midnight strike, nothing else matters but what you have in front of your eyes. I only have one son and it's the one that's still here by sunrise, not the ungrateful runt that goes off into the stars! She too will got a better one!"

"You-!"

"Yunho." San calls as he guide the still crying woman to a bench near the stalls, stalling his retort, jaws clenched as his eyes moved to the path the criminal's disappeared to. "We have no time to argue about ethics right now. If that person wants to take her out of the planet, that means he'll be headed to the dock. We need to find him before he leave."

Yunho restraints a grunt of annoyance and sends one last glare to the man before turning his attention to San. "We will have to catch up then."

San nods, grimly. "That we must. Let me just-"

"Excuse me then, San."

San blinks, turning to Yunho. "What-?"

He didn't let San finished, only hooking the other's over his shoulder with no other warning with his arms wrapped securely around his waist, readying himself in a sprinting stance.

"Hold on tight, San."

"Wait, Wait- Yunho, How- What are you-?!"

Yunho took a deep breath and opens his steps without another word, leaving behind the market in record speed and the sound of wind as well ceramics breaking fading into the background. The world blurrs around them— neon signs turning into blurry passing lights and the faces of the people not even visible by the speed they are going with.

Yunho had to dug his memory a little deeper just to remember the way to the dock— this is his first time at the planet after all— but luckily, it seems to not fail him for the day as he made turn after turn that seems familiar(well as familiar as it can be with the how unclear things are due to his speed), pointedly ignoring the occasional gasp and shouting of the citizens in the background.

The crew is definitely going to found out about this.

Yunho force himself to a stop after one last sharp turn into a secluded part of the spaceship dock, his boots skidding to a stop as he tries to reel his strength in.

He couldn't help but internally groans as he gently put San down, the phantom pain in his joints already making themselves known. It's hard having a body that you have a personal beef against.

He's definitely going to feel this tomorrow.

"Are you okay, San?" He asked nervously as he rises. "You don't feel nauseous or anything? The last time I did this to Yeo- uh, my friend, he threw up twice so…"

San seems to be in a bit of a daze as he was being put down before he immediately snaps back into attention when his eyes landed on Yunho. "I-I'm fine but Yunho, how… Uh, no it doesn't matter. Let's uh, let's go find that thief."

"R-right… How do we do that?"

San turns, eyes seeming to glow slightly as he searches for something before he froze.

"There. Let's go, Yunho! He's right ahead of us!"

"Of course! Should I-"

"Wait- no, no! He's close!"

"Right- sorry!"

They sprinted towards a slightly run down part of the dock, Yunho following behind San closely without stopping for even a gust of air. He sense San giving him another look but decides not to push, not when he they have a more important task at hand.

"That's him!" San yells just as a man shoving a sack into a spaceship enters their vision. He startled as the sound of footsteps comes from behind him, face contorted into annoyance. "Seriously?"

San stops right in front of him with Yunho quietly following behind, a deep frown on both of their faces. "Give her back."

"Look man," The man starts, reaching his hand into the side of the spaceship as he looks at them warily. "No one have to get hurt here. She'll be back here by this midnight anyway, right? What's the point of you chasing after me all the way here? Hell for all we know, she could already be a replacement or whatever."

"You heard him, you piece of shit." Yunho hisses, ignoring the man's comment. "Give her back."

"Well,"The man sighs, pulling a standard IPC gun out of the spaceship, one that has Yunho narrowing his eyes. "I guess a little damage control is due. Boss isn't gonna be happy about this."

He quickly lifted it to San's direction, fingers ready on the trigger.

He didn't even get the chance to pull it however before a hand suddenly wrapped around his throat and he was lifted into the air in mere seconds, causing him to let out a choking noise.

Yunho's jaw clenched as he held himself back.

He can't kill this guy, not when they just recently had gotten in trouble with the IPC and narrowly escaped. A murder will only complicates their current situation no matter how tempting it is.

"San," He called, refusing to turn around as he knows for a fact the color of his eyes are definitely not the soft brown one he had throughout the whole day. It works wonders to mum the guy in his grip though, judging by how pale and breathless he is at the moment. "Take her out of that thing. She won't be able to breath."

He heard San wordlessly stepping forward towards the spaceship and the muddled cries of the girl getting louder as he took her out of the bag.

Yunho swallows the bile crawling up in his throat.

With a loud grunt Yunho drop the man onto the hard floor, stepping while closing his eyes to reel back his power again.

He has to control his emotions.

"Yunho?! Yunho! Are you here?!"

He lift his eyes up just in time to see a familiar tall figure rushing over to him, followed by a few more footsteps behind him. He couldn't help the sigh of relief that escapes his mouth as a hand landed on both of his shoulders as if to steady him, letting himself be pulled up.

"Yunho! What happened!?" Mingi asked frantically, eyes wide in confusion and thinly veiled concern. "Are you okay?! Did your temperature rise again? DID YOU BURN OR DESTROY ANYTHING ASIDE FROM THE ROAD?!"

Yunho paused, hesitantly meeting the other's eyes. "… I broke the road?"

"You used your power, you idiot." Yeosang shook his head, shooting him a deadpan look the moment he confirms he has no injuries. "Did you really think the road can survive that?"

Seonghwa chuckles. "It's alright. It'll fix itself… Although we might have to leave earlier than expected."

"It's kinda our fault anyways." Hongjoong mused, leaning against Jongho who is shamelessly eating a bag of chicken tenders. "We should've known to not leave him alone."

"Oh, come on." Yunho grunts, rubbing at his now normal eyes again. "It's only been like, what? 3 times counting this time."

Yeosang huffs. "Three times too many if you ask me."

"That aside," Jongho speaks up in-between his chewing. "What are we going to do with those?"

All of them turns to the man slumped on the floor, his chest rising and falling being the only proof that he's still alive and then to San standing awkwardly at the side, clutching a sobbing little girl in his arms.

"… Yunho." Yeosang starts, looking weirdly exhausted. "What did you get yourself into?"

"Hey!" Yunho shouts as he stood in front of San to block their view, offended at the other's tone. "I didn't ask for this to happen! I was just making a new friend and looking around the place! It's not my fault!"

Seonghwa laughs. "I guess trouble just seems to always find you."

"I'd say it's a given." Yunho mutters before turning to the two again. "San, we should-"

"Mina!"

The group startles and watch as a woman suddenly appears from the corner, eyes filled with tears as it landed on the girl in San's arms. "Mina! Oh my Aeons, thank goodness! Mina!"

"Mama!" The girl wails, trying to wiggle herself free.

San smiles as the woman rushes towards him, gently lowering the little girl onto the ground and nudging her forward to her mother's open arms. The woman collapsed onto the floor, words of gratitude spills out of her mouth as she curl herself around her daughter.

"Well, that resolved itself." Mingi sighs before turning to the passed out body on the floor. "What about this bastard?"

"I'll contact one of the Stonehearts and see if I can pull some favor." Yeosang offers, rubbing his forehead. "If worse comes to worse I'll see what I can do with my parents."

"How do you always have a favor to spare?" Jongho tilted his head, curious. "You settled that rebellion a few months ago by pulling their favor too."

"It comes with the job." Yeosang waves his hand dismissively, unbothered. "Honestly, I also owe them quite a lot so it's a mutual agreement type of things I guess."

Mingi beams. "Capitalism can be beautiful sometimes!"

Yeosang sighs, fondly. "No, Mingi. It can't."

"Guys, I think the guy is waking up." Jongho drawls, taking another bite of his chicken.

Hongjoong yawns, stretching. "Knock him back out."

"Ugh… Who the hell- Ack!"

"Holy shit dude, he said to knock him out not kill him."

"He's still breathing, Jongho. As far as I'm concerned, he's alive."

"Wait- Yunho, where did your friend go?"

Yunho blinks. "What? He's-"

He turns to where San was standing only to find nothing, not even the mother and child from before.

"… He ran off."

Seonghwa laughs while Hongjoong huffs as they watch Yunho deflates.

"What an eventful vacation, huh?" Seonghwa comments, amused.

"Tell me about it." Hongjoong said, spying the thoughtful look on Yunho's face. "I have a feeling it's about to be more eventful though."

-

After being alive for so long, San would like to think that there isn't much left in the universe to surprise him. He have traveled far and wide across the seemingly endless space, collecting and recording many memories in different planets and world. He really thinks there isn't much left that can be considered shocking for him.

San originally came to this planet to check it out for himself only out of curiosity. After all, seeing as this world is already under Fuli's infinite gaze, there isn't much for mere memokeeper like him to do. No new or unique memories are left when the one who opens the path for it is the God Themselves after all.

He didn't expect anything from this. He certainly didn't expect an anomaly like Jeong Yunho to suddenly appear out of the blue the way he did.

San had watch him wanders around the market aimlessly, flustered and alone at a new place. He had thought it was amusing and decides to try peeking into his memory or fortune. It was supposed to be something to pass his time.

Imagine his surprise when his memories not only seemed to be hidden from even a memokeeper like him; but it also seems to be slowly burning away too. All he could spy from him was his current memory, nothing from his past.

Intrigued, San immediately make himself known to the chosen mortal. He was just curious. Nothing more and nothing less.

Still, he really should've known better. He hasn't used his true power but it's more than enough for San to click the puzzle in place.

Yunho is more likely an Emenator of some sort. He's not sure of what but he's not very keen to find out either.

San sighs as he continues on his way out of the dock, feeling a chill running down his spine. He hasn't felt wind against his skin for eras by now but somehow, he thinks that he somehow can feel it right into his bone.

He has erased their memories of him and the parent and child leaving but he couldn't find it in himself to make them forget about him entirely. It's a ridiculous notion at this point but he wants them to remember today's events. He wants them to remember him.

San huffs, eyes catching the stars littering the space outside of the dock. He's getting nostalgic. It must've been his age catching up to him.

"… I should get back to work too." He mutters turning at a corner only to paused, eyes widening in surprised.

Yunho stood in front of him, heaving as he leans against the entrance of the dock and preventing his exit.

Well, not really, he can just walk through him, being a memokeeper and all. It's not like he could possibly see him anymore anywhere-

"San!" Yunho beams, eyes shining as he looks straight at San.

San blinks, confused.

… What the fuck?

Okay, he admittedly haven't encounter many emenators and most of the ones he met up with had him willingly showing himself to them. Still, he should be back in his memokeeper body so how could he possibly still see him?

Has emenator always have that kind of power or is Yunho just an exception?

"… Yunho." San said, his earlier laid back attitude turning to wariness. "What are you doing here?"

Yunho hums, brimming with confidence that he definitely didn't have earlier. "Well, I do think we both have a conversation overdue. You can't just walk away without a word, can you?"

San hesitates, though he's fully planning to decline whatever this invitation is but a foreign sensation wrap around his wrist made him freeze.

"Yunho, How-?!"

"Yeosang and Mingi told me about this nice little place near the dock where you can watch the stars uninterrupted." Yunho continues, completely unbothered as he opens his steps and practically drags San along with him. "A perfect place for a small talk between us!"

San gulps, his throat dry as a desert as they both move towards the said spot. The other man is humming under his breath, not turning back to look at San once. The only saving grace for San at this point is that he at least doesn't look angry.

San's face flushed.

It would be a little awkward for him to die to Yunho out of all things, though in hindsight… That doesn't sound too bad either.

The boring, practical hallway they were walking through slowly make way for a big opening at the very end of the dock. San can already sees stars glittering through the dome, making even a few familiar constellations. It's not the most incredible or beautiful sight he has ever seen but he couldn't help but be captivated nonetheless, especially with the warm hand wrapped on his wrist firmly but gently, as if he was a glass.

Yunho ends up dragging him all the way to an open railing, overlooking the stars through a big window. They look like diamonds, twinkling brightly among the sea of darkness of space.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Yunho grins. "Mingi is a lot of things but unreliable isn't one of them. Well, most of the time at least. He was a member of the genius society after all."

San's focused broke, once again shocked at the sudden revelation. "Genius society?"

"Well, it has been a few Amber eras and a lot of people don't talk about him anymore but yeah, he used to be one!" Yunho nods, eagerly. "He left willingly though. I guess it's his adventurous spirits talking. He's never been the type to stay in one place for too long, even back when we were kids."

San couldn't help but feel his curiosity nudging at him. He knows that Yunho and his friends are not exactly what one would call normal—what kind of group of lunatics smuggled an emenator across the universe anyways?—but hearing that… He can't help but feel like he underestimated how crazy they might actually be.

"All of you are quite a bunch, huh?" San commented, a bit loss for word. Yunho, however, didn't seem the least bit offended, huffing a laugh.

"You know, I've seen a lot things in my life, San." Yunho mused, tapping at the railing as his eyes continues to lock onto the other. "And I met a lot of different people and species too. Do you know which kind that sought me out the most though?"

San paused. "… What is it?"

"Well, first place is totally taken by the Destructions." He groans, annoyed. "The Lord Ravager sent their minions after me sometimes, which is why I usually don't go out of the ship or at the very least, when I do, I made sure to kept a low profile. For my own, my crew's and the nearby solar system safety."

San's jaw dropped, eyes wide and his complexion paling. "YOU'RE A LORD RAVAGER?!"

"WHAT!?" Yunho shouts, his face flushing… yellow? What the fuck has San got himself into-? "No! no, Heavens no. Well, I guess, technically I am but I'm- I'm not actively working with Nanook! THEY also leave me alone most of the time… THEIR minions however came after me all the time because I'm not doing my job as an Emenator of Destruction that's all! Nothing more!"

San feels dizzy. "What the fuck-? You're a Destruction Emenator?! That doesn't make it any better!"

"Cut me some slack, will you?" Yunho pouts. San couldn't help but feels like he's in a dream. What kind of Destruction creatures pouts?! "I didn't ask for this either. Things… Happens in the past and that's why I ended up like this."

San paused, his panic dissipating slightly at the mention of his past. Yunho won't talk about it, at least not at this point in time but San knows enough even without having to pry into his memory. It couldn't have been easy if he were to become an Emenator of an Aeon that aims for the universe's destruction.

"… Well," San ended up saying, still wary but mostly calm. "That makes the two of us."

Yunho glances at him but didn't bother asking further. Both of them have their own secrets for now. If he won't tell his, San wouldn't tell his own either. "Anyways, the second species that loved to came to me? Memokeepers. Fuli's little fairies love trespassing into the Utopia and harassed me and everyone on it for a slightest bit of information about my memories. It's a little annoying."

The panic comes back full force. "… The… Memokeepers, you say?"

Yunho hums. "Yeah. Most of them seems to look like female so I'm quite surprised…"

"… About what?"

"You." Yunho raised an eyebrow, grinning smugly. "I never knew such a beautiful man like you could also be one. I'm honoured to meet you, Choi San."

San's brain short circuit for 5 whole seconds before he could feel his face getting hot—He didn't even know he's capable of feeling that anymore—and embarrassment comes creeping in. He has been alive for a long time and he hasn't blushed like this for literal Amber Eras by now.

All because of one realization by this stupid, annoyingly good looking man-!

"You knew?!" San shrieks, his calm composure and demeanor disappearing into dust. "You knew I was a memokeeper this whole time?!"

"Well, you weren't very good at hiding it. At least, not from me." Yunho smirks, smug and cheeky. "Nobody in this world had paid attention to you aside from me, you 'teleport' us just because you probably think it's funny—you memokeepers have weird sense of humour, you know—and you somehow disappear without a word despite us not seeing you leave. Not to mention, the fact that the mother of the little girl somehow knew where we were. I reckoned that Mingi already figured you out the moment he laid eyes on you too… Ah and also because your… siblings, I guess, came to me all the time. I can figure you guys out in my sleep by now."

"They're not my siblings!" San clarifies, his face still flushed. "And you were- why were you acting so clueless this whole time then!?"

"Because unfortunately for you, I also have a weird sense of humour. It is kind of entertaining to mess around with one of you for once instead of you guys messing with me." Yunho huffs, though his grin did not fade at all. "I don't know what it is with you fairies; all of you just love making a fool of other people. I thought your job is to collect memories, not be an annoying pranksters."

San groans and buried his face into his hands, utterly humiliated and wishing so hard for Oroboros to come back from the dead and swallow him whole. "… You're so annoying. Like, genuinely the most irritating person I've ever met."

"I'll take that as a compliment considering how old you probably are." Yunho winks, utterly delighted. San move his hands to glare at him.

"Are you calling me an old man?!"

"Look around us, San." Yunho rolled his eyes. "You can't possibly believe an Emenator like me to be a mere young mortal, can you? Hell, I'm sure I'm older than you even."

San stares at him, his anger fading by the seconds and exhaustions threatening to take over. If he still have his human body, San would love nothing more than to chug some alcohol.

"… Fair enough, Jeong Yunho." San bites out, though it doesn't sound very biting. "You win this time. I'll need to make sure to talk to those bastards memokeepers who somehow got me roped into this too…. I didn't even know about your existence until today and I ended up being the one paying the price for their invasiveness!"

Yunho laughs. "Well, I know the quickest way to find them."

San looks at him, skeptical. "What does that mean? You got a tracing skill as good as ours?"

"I got a ship they usually snuck onto." He answers, eyes glinting with expectations as he tilts his head. "They came by a few times a month. Having a guardian to chase them away would be great, don't you think, San?"

San's brain short circuit again. If he read the lines correctly, Yunho is definitely…

"… Are you asking me to join you?" He asked, still pouting. "You want me to board your ship? Travel with all of you?"

"Utopia is a big ship, really. Hongjoong design it big enough for at least 3 whole family. One more addition wouldn't hurt since there's only 6 of us at the moment." Yunho explains, smiling. "We have more than enough space and necessities too. I'm sure Hongjoong wouldn't mind either."

Yunho stretched out a hand towards him.

"What do you say, fairy?" He said, his smile unwavering. "Do you want to be on the Utopia with me?"

San stares at the hand, a feeling of hesitation suddenly taking roots inside his chest. If he were to be honest with himself, he doesn't have that much of an attachment to being a memokeeper but he had become one for a reason. He's not sure how much of himself he gets to keep and how much of himself he might lose if he were to forfeit himself to being a nameless instead.

But still, Fuli, even with THEIR heartless search of preserving memories, still have a loophole THEY allowed their emenators to exploit.

Maybe…

San took his hand and pulls him forward, causing Yunho to stumbles before he grab a hold of his shoulder, looking deeply into his brown eyes with a grin. "How bold, Jeong Yunho. Trying to steal an Emenator of another Aeon to take for yourself?"

Yunho blinks, flushing a little though he doesn't back down and lets his own lips stretched into a grin as well. "Well, what do you say, fairy? You'll reject this offer to travel on the path of the trailblaze?"

San hums. "Well, if your captain doesn't mind another Emenator on his ship, I supposed I don't have a reason to decline, do I?"

"Well, we can ask for ourselves. What about we-"

"Jeong Yunho, do not carry me just to go to your crew who is not even that far away from us. Put me down."

"Hmph. You're no fun, little fairy."

Yunho pouts but they begin walking back to the group with their hands still connected, San sparing another glance at the glittering stars that suddenly seems to be closer than before despite him moving away from the dome.

They found Hongjoong lounging against a wall at the dock, laughing about something with Seonghwa. Mingi and Yeosang are both crouching at the passed out man, poking him with a random metal rod while Jongho is lounging on a crate at the corner, scrolling on his phone.

"What… are they doing?" San asked, shooting a look at Yeosang and Mingi while Yunho drag him towards Hongjoong.

"They just do that kind of thing sometimes. Don't worry about it." Yunho answers and beaming when Hongjoong finally turns to look at him. "Cap! I got a suggestion!"

"Let me guess, you want him to join?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"As expected of our Kim Hongjoong! So smart! So cool!"

Hongjoong rolled his eyes, though he looks fond rather than anything. "No need to butter me up. We have space so I don't mind as long as he's fine living with a bunch of outlawed lunatics."

"Welcome aboard!" Seonghwa cheered, delighted. "What's your name? I can't wait to get to know you better."

"My name's Choi San but uh you can call me San. If I'm right you're… Seonghwa… right?"

"Well isn't he a polite one?" Hongjoong comments, crossing his arms as he lean against the wall with a nod. "I'm sure this guy already told you my name so I think that should be enough for you to know about me. Nice to have you here with us."

"Thank you but uh," San paused, biting his lips. "I… actually can't join you guys now. It's uh, is it- is it okay if I talk to Yunho alone for a bit about this?"

"Of course! We won't ask what you won't tell, San." Seonghwa reassures. "We'll be right here, just come to us if you need anything."

San nods at them and immediately turns to walk back towards the hallway, Yunho scrambling to follow behind him.

They stops right in the middle, Yunho looking down at him nervously. "San?"

"Listen, Yunho, I uh… I know I accepted your offer and I really do want to go with you but there's a bit of a problem." He begins, a little awkwardly. "I can't… well, I don't want to travel with all of you in this form… I'm basically a ghost, you know. Unless I wills it, nobody can see me… and I can't touch anyone or anything properly either. Except you, I guess."

Yunho's lips contorted into a sad frown. "So you're not coming?"

"No, I'm definitely joining you guys but only if… Only if you guys are willing to give me some time." He stutters, shifting his feets in place. "I have some… arrangements and assignments I need to rearrange. If you don't mind waiting…"

"Of course I won't." Yunho said, firmly. "I can wait as long as you want me to."

San chokes out a surprised a cough at the blunt admittance. "Shouldn't you think about it more-?"

"No, San. I told you I'll wait so I'll wait." He insists, eyes unbearably earnest. "I have more than enough time to spare. As long as you come back to me, I really don't mind."

San looks up at him, his own eyes softening with pure adoration. "… You're so irritating, Jeong Yunho."

"It's my charm, fairy." Yunho winks, his lips curling upward again.

San was about to retort again when Yunho suddenly lifts his pinky finger in front of San's face, startling him. "… What is it?"

"It's a pinky promise." Yunho explains briefly. "You said you'll come back. Let's promise on it, yeah?"

San's eyes move from his face to his hand before huffing out a small laugh, connecting their pinky. "Of course."

They separate right after, Yunho offering to talk to Hongjoong about this arrangement while San leaves for the day to get started with his preparation.

"I'll be back soon!" San calls out, walking backwards as he waves at Yunho, his form disappearing into snowy mist. "Wait for me!"

"I'll wait!" Yunho shouts back, smiling from ear to ear. "Make sure to come back to me!"

San's figure dissipates completely not even a second later, his laughter echoing in the wind as Yunho stood in front of the dock, a sense of emptiness immediately overwhelming him.

Well, he's always been a patient man, if he says so himself. A bit of waiting wouldn't tether him.

-

Maybe it's the price he has to pay for his whole existence—perks of being a Destruction based being—(or maybe it's San cursing him somehow to get back at him), but Yunho can't help but wonder how keeps getting himself into situation he didn't ask for.

Just an hour ago, Hongjoong had landed their spaceship, Utopia, in a slightly run down, neon lit planet; their usual go to spot after getting intro trouble. With a huge, excited grin, he turns to them before declaring loudly,

"Alright, crew! Today, we'll really let loose!"

Yeosang and Jongho clapped their hands, as reserve as usual while Mingi had hollers happily at the declaration. Their new crew member, Wooyoung, joins in his hollering without delay and making Seonghwa laughs. Yunho only smiles at them, not having much of a reaction.

He had planned to stay in the ship and organized some of the files. Stepping foot into the planet doesn't sound all that appealing to him, not when…

Well, not when San is not here with him.

"You're staying in again?" Jongho asked as they watch Wooyoung and Mingi begin bickering about which food they should get once they got off, all of them waiting for the ramp to be lowered. "Wooyoung was starting to wonder if you were just a myth of the ship if not for you leaving the archive today, you know."

Yunho, despite everything couldn't help but snort. The boy had been a runaway they picked up by chance from the Xianzhou, just a few months after the whole fiasco with San, although it was Jongho's idea to bring him onboard. Yunho, unfortunately, hadn't had the chance to met him at all due to his insistence of staying in the archive and organising the datas despite them being in the exact ship.

"Seriously, how long are you going to brood?" Yeosang pipes up, his arms crossed. "You need to get some fresh air too. Come on, join us. Your beloved boyfriend wouldn't be happy to hear about this, you know."

It's a low blow really, and Yunho himself is not sure if they're even at that stage of their relationship yet, but it was more than enough to convince him to at least step out for a fresh air. The planet was as he remembered; not very chaotic but not very quiet either. A perfect balance of peacefulness, ironic considering the fact that most of the people here outlaws of the IPCs or their planets.

Yunho wasn't really looking forward to being left alone… but that is exactly what happened.

In a hindsight, he probably should've expected it. Seonghwa and Hongjoong immediately ran off to get some materials for the ship and for their usual date while Mingi, Wooyoung and Yeosang practically drag Jongho off to do some shopping.

Yunho ended up finding refuge in a restaurant they frequent here, sitting on a table outside of the store with a cup of juice and takoyaki. Appearently that's the name of the dish that San made him tried back then.

Yunho sighs, taking a sip of his juice.

There he goes again, thinking about San.

It's been almost a year since San disappeared into that snowy mist. Yunho tried to throw himself back into his usual routine and life, devising plans to dodge the IPCs attempts at throwing them all in jail, taking care of the archives, chasing away more Memokeepers—but in every part of his life, he seems to not be able to erase San's presence inside himself, not even for a single second. He's always lingering at the back of his mind and truthfully, it has been driving Yunho a little crazy.

He took one bite of his food, shoulders slumped.

Who knew waiting could be so agonizing?

…

He should go back to the archive and-

"Hey!"

Yunho froze in place, eyes widening in surprised. The voice… it sounds too familiar, too casual-

"Up here! Can you see me?!"

Yunho's head immediately snapped upwards, squinting slightly when the sunshine hits his eyes as he searches for that face he has been longing to see at the pedestrian bridge above the store.

Yunho's lips automatically breaks out into a smile, tears prickling at the corner of his eyes as it enters his view;

San's face is as strikingly beautiful as before, his midnight black hair shining under the sun of the planet complemented by his tanned skin and his lips stretched into a wide, dimpled smile. He has a hand raised in a wave to catch Yunho's attention while sitting on the rail of the bridge, his legs swinging in a relaxing manner all and attracting other's pedestrian attention, making them shot him a confused look.

"You're alone?!" San shouts, grinning teasingly.

Yunho huffs a laugh filled with relief and happiness, feeling a drop of tear escaping his eye. "I am! I'm alone right now!"

San giggles, his reddish eyes glinting with amusement. "Well, can't let our precious puppy be lonely now, can we?!"

Yunho blinks when he sees San shamelessly standing up on the railing and balancing himself, causing a few shrieks and shocked look from the people walking by him before Yunho finally realizes what he's about to do. "Holy- San-! Fairy-! Wait!"

San completely ignores his warning, launching himself off the railing with a resounding delightful laughter that cut through the horrified gasp and screaming of the passers-by due to his stunt.

Yunho's earlier enthusiasm was replaced by terror for a second, cursing under his breath as he pushes himself off his chair to rush over right where San is rapidly falling.

He immediately reach his hands out—

THUD!

He grunts as a heavy body literally slams into his arms, knocking the wind out of him as his shoes skidded across the tile after being pushed backwards by the weight in his arms.

The man in his arms burst into another bout of laughter, locking his arms behind Yunho's neck. "You caught me this time!"

Yunho, however, couldn't find it in himself to be mad. The body in his arms feels solid and real— heat radiating from them instead of the previous ice cold temperature that San seemed to maintain as a memokeeper.

"You're an idiot, fairy." Yunho chokes out, uncaring of the looks they're receiving from the public. "An absolutely reckless idiot."

San pulls his face closer, tilting his head with a wide, beautiful smile that Yunho certainly has miss very much. "Did you wait long? You must've been lonely."

"… I sure was." He answered, adjusting the man in his arm into a bridal carry position that made him laugh even more. "Now, come on. Won't you accompany me, fairy?"

"For sure! Where are we off to?"

Yunho hums, lifting his head as the sun hits both of them as he moves deeper into the market road. "Well… First off, how about a tour?"