Lunar Dream (Sunnew)

Nineteen

That night, Joonyoung and Youngjae prepared their bags to go again. Changmin and Younghoon went to get their horses. Chanhee wanted to help but Joonyoung advised him to rest more, considering his state.

They walked out of their building and back to the main gate.

"Wait!" A voice yelled out.

Hyunjae came running to them. He took a look at the horses and bags, then at Chanhee.

"I thought we already told you. You can't go back just like this. It's too dangerous." He said.

"Those ambushes only happened because we were with you. We are also quite capable of protecting ourselves, thank you." Changmin said. Hyunjae looked baffled.

"I heard what you said to Haknyeon and Hyungseo. But I promise, we are in no means trying to make you our weapons. We are only looking for more recruits but we don't have any intention to force you. But please don't leave right now. It's nightfall. It's dark and dangerous." Hyunjae said the last sentence looking directly at Chanhee.

Chanhee averted his gaze and rubbed his arms awkwardly. Hyunjae frowned a bit in disappointment. 

"You are staying." All of them turned to Sangyeon who came, walking quite calmly.

"I see you are all better now. But who are you to tell me, us, what to do?" Joonyoung asked, voice quite firm. The four gumihos could sense the slight irritation in Joonyoung's tone.

"Believe me. If it were up to me, I would've let you go the moment we escaped. But, you saved my life and I am grateful for it." Sangyeon bowed his head. Joonyoung just watched him.

"And? You seem like you still have more to add." 

"My master, the owner of this place where you just rested, does not wish to let you go. And I am in no place to refuse his orders. So I am here to tell you to go back to your chamber."

"You forgot, you still haven't answered my question." Joonyoung quirked his brow and stepped closer to Sangyeon, "Who are you to tell us what to do?" 

Youngjae looked between them nervously and pulled Chanhee's sleeves a bit. Chanhee looked at him and saw that Youngjae was nervous. Well, Chanhee didn't blame him. Joonyoung was being unusually fierce. If looks could kill, Sangyeon and Joonyoung would've killed each other by now.

"I said, it's an order from my master." Sangyeon said, slightly clenching his jaw.

"It's your master, not mine. I don't see why we got to obey that." 

"Go back while I'm still being nice."

"Nice? Ha." Joonyoung scoffed, "Who do you think you are, threatening a far more powerful being than you?" 

Hyunjae panicked when Joonyoung's eyes blazed blue and he started stepping closer to Sangyeon. 

Sangyeon, though, did not flinch.

"Hyung, that's enough. We don't want to cause more commotion." Chanhee said carefully. 

Younghoon stepped forward and put a hand on Joonyoung's shoulders to stop him. But Joonyoung didn't mind him.

"I could easily end you just as I saved you." Joonyoung spoke.

"Then do it." Sangyeon replied.

Hyunjae knitted his brows, confused as to why Sangyeon was staying this calm. He turned to Chanhee for help but Chanhee just stared back at him. 

"Hyung!" Younghoon reached to stop Joonyoung. 

Joonyoung had got out his claws and slashed them right at Sangyeon. But Sangyeon managed to dodge it. He looked at Joonyoung with a challenging look.