1.1 | louder than bombs

- 16 -

so the song can be played when cai starts singing

🏔

"I have an idea!" Troy sat up, a wide smile pulling his lips into a happy curve, his sapphire eyes turning into crescents.

Cairo was all healed up although he was refrained from doing his medic duties. He was allowed to walk around, enjoying the lovely weather while taking a break from his responsibilities.

"Why don't you sing him a song?"

"Yeah! For the first time, I agree with what this dumbass said," added Phoenix while tipping her head towards Troy, giving an I-approve look to the grey-head before turning towards Cairo.

"...should I?"

"Totally," Troy promptly answered whilst nodding his head violently, resembling a bobblehead on a roller coaster ride.

"I mean, I do have a decent voice but-"

"No buts. You are singing and that's final," Phoenix said, already pushing Cairo onto the bed, plopping herself beside the brunette.

"Now," she continued, turning her small body towards the fidgeting male, "Do you know what you want to sing?"

"I think so."

🏔

It was a quiet night albeit a cold one. The air turned cold with traces of the upcoming winter, making the youngsters stationed in the North Border crave a cup of liquid warmth multiple times a day.

"Come with me," Cairo said, tugging on Jaemoon's arm, pulling him towards an area dense with trees, limping slightly.

He found Jaemoon cooped upon in his office earlier that evening. Before Jaemoon had the chance to come up with an excuse to walk away from his presence, Cairo simply help his hand and pulled a confused Jaemoon out of the room.

"Where to, Doe?" Jaemoon asked, his heart fluttering at the body contact.

Jaemoon knew that it had something to do with him avoiding Cairo ever since the attack but he couldn't help. He couldn't help but shield his heart from pain which he knew was inevitable. But he also couldn't help himself from turning into putty in his Doe's slender hands.

"Just come."

Cairo spoke to Dohyun that morning. The elder didn't tell him much, saying that it wasn't his place to tell, that Jaemoon would tell him himself when he is ready. But he did tell him one thing.

...

"He's scared, Cairo. Show him that you are worth it. Fight for him. Fight for both of you. Please don't give up on Jae," the Lieutenant said before standing up, ruffling the younger's caramel locks before walking away.

...

They reached a clearing after a two-hundred metre walk through the tall and dense grove of trees.

The view was simply breath-taking.

The full moon shone brightly against the inky black sky, accompanied by millions of stars glittering like pixie dust. The hilltops were barely hidden by a translucent veil, the white, hazy mist lingering delicately around the soft peaks while dancing to an enchanting rhythm, making the green hills look like something straight out of a fairy-tale.

Maybe it really was a fairy-tale, a story about two young men finding each other, falling in love in a place of lavish beauty and probable bloodshed, the North Border.