They didn't get far.
At first, it was barely noticeable—the slight shift in Haru's weight, the way his steps began to lose rhythm, dragging just a fraction longer than before. Anyone else might have missed it.
Yoon didn't.
By the time they reached the narrow stretch of the forest path, where the trees grew denser and the light thinned into faint streaks of gold, Haru's breathing had already changed. It came unevenly now, quieter, as if he were trying to hide it even from himself.
Yoon slowed.
Not enough to draw attention—just enough to feel it more clearly.
"Haru."
No answer.
The name lingered in the space between them, swallowed by the stillness of the forest.
He stopped walking.
The sudden halt seemed to pull everything else to a standstill as well—the wind, the distant rustle of leaves, even the fading light above. For a brief moment, it felt as though the entire forest had gone silent with him.
"…Haru."
This time, his voice was lower.
Closer.
Haru's head dipped slightly against his shoulder, his grip loosening where it had been holding onto Yoon's sleeve. What little strength he had been forcing himself to maintain finally gave way.
"Don't… stop…" Haru murmured, the words barely forming. "Keep… moving…"
Yoon's chest tightened at the sound.
There was no strength in it.
No stubborn edge.
Just exhaustion.
"You're not fine."
A faint breath left Haru, something that might have been a laugh if it had held any life in it. "Never said… I was…"
The attempt at humor dissolved almost immediately.
For once, Haru didn't try to cover it.
Didn't argue.
Didn't push back.
Yoon lowered him carefully to the ground, supporting his weight the entire time. The moment he let go, even slightly, the truth became impossible to ignore.
The blood hadn't stopped.
It had only slowed enough to deceive.
Now, in the fading light, it was unmistakable.
Too much.
Far too much.
For a second, Yoon didn't move.
His hands hovered just above the wound, tense, uncertain—like he didn't trust himself to touch it without making it worse. Then, slowly, he pressed down, trying to stop what he didn't fully understand.
"…stay awake," he said.
The words came out quieter than he intended.
Not a command.
Not even a request.
Just something fragile, slipping through before he could hold it back.
Haru's eyes fluttered slightly. "You sound… serious…"
"I am."
"…that's new…"
Yoon didn't respond.
Because this wasn't something he knew how to face.
Not like this.
The forest shifted.
It was subtle at first—a change in the air, a pressure that didn't belong. Then came the sound.
Footsteps.
Not distant.
Not careful.
Close.
Yoon's head lifted slowly, his gaze sharpening as the silence broke apart. The shadows between the trees stretched, twisted—and then figures emerged from them, one after another, until there was no space left untouched.
They had been waiting.
Not chasing.
Not searching.
Waiting.
Haru noticed too.
Even like this, he noticed.
A quiet curse slipped from his lips as he forced himself to move, his body protesting with every inch. He pushed against the ground, trying to stand—
"Don't."
Yoon's voice stopped him.
It wasn't loud.
But it didn't leave room for argument.
"You can't fight like this."
Haru stilled, his breath catching slightly. For a moment, it seemed like he might argue anyway—like he always did.
But this time—
he didn't.
"…and you think you can?" he muttered instead, quieter now.
Yoon didn't answer.
Because it didn't matter.
He stepped forward.
Just once.
Just enough to place himself completely between Haru and them.
The man from before approached slowly, his gaze fixed on Yoon with a certainty that hadn't been there earlier. There was no hesitation in his movements now. No softness left in his tone.
"You're running out of time," he said.
Yoon met his gaze without flinching.
"…leave."
The word settled into the air, quiet but unyielding.
The man exhaled, almost like he had expected that answer. "You still don't understand."
The atmosphere tightened.
Not suddenly—
but steadily.
Like something closing in from all sides.
"Take him."
They moved all at once.
No warning.
No pause.
The first strike came fast, aimed to break through before he could react. Yoon intercepted it instinctively, forcing it aside—but the second followed immediately, faster, heavier, leaving no room to recover.
Pain shot through his arm.
Sharp.
Real.
But he didn't step back.
Couldn't.
Another attack—
closer—
stronger—
Haru shifted behind him, trying to rise again despite everything.
"Yoon—move—!"
"I said don't."
Something changed.
The words didn't come out the same.
They dropped.
Lower.
Heavier.
Not louder—
but deeper.
Heat spread across the back of his neck.
Slow.
Steady.
Unavoidable.
The mark awakened.
Light didn't explode this time.
It seeped.
Quietly.
Like something breathing beneath his skin.
The air bent around him, subtly at first—then enough to feel wrong. Enough to make every movement hesitate, every step falter.
The attackers slowed.
Not by choice.
By instinct.
Yoon moved forward.
Not rushed.
Not aggressive.
Just certain.
"…you're not touching him."
The moment one of them tried anyway—
the pressure dropped.
Hard.
The ground beneath his feet cracked, forcing him down instantly, his body slamming into the earth as if something far heavier had taken hold of him.
The others froze.
Completely.
For a moment, no one moved.
No one spoke.
Even the forest seemed to hold its breath.
Yoon stood there, unmoving.
But there was something behind his stillness now.
Something watching.
Something awake.
"…we'll come back," the leader said finally, his voice tighter than before. "When you're alone."
Yoon didn't respond.
One by one, they retreated.
Not slowly this time.
Not confidently.
They disappeared into the trees like something chased away by a presence they didn't fully understand.
Silence returned.
But it felt different now.
The pressure faded.
The light disappeared.
And Yoon swayed.
A hand caught his wrist before he could fall.
"…don't collapse now," Haru murmured weakly.
Yoon steadied himself, his breathing uneven for a moment before it settled again. When he looked back, Haru was still there—barely holding on, but conscious.
Alive.
"…you're worse," Yoon said quietly.
Haru let out a faint breath. "…still talking, though."
A pause.
Then, softer—
"…you stayed."
Yoon frowned slightly, like the words didn't make sense.
"…of course I did."
For a moment, Haru just looked at him.
Then, despite everything—
he smiled.
Small.
Tired.
But real.
"…yeah," he said. "You always do."
Yoon adjusted his hold once more, more careful than before as he helped him up again.
They moved forward slowly after that.
No rush.
No wasted strength.
Just enough to keep going.
And as the last light of day disappeared beyond the trees—
one thing remained certain.
Whatever was coming next—
they would face it the same way they always had.
Together.