you left your shadow here ; yeonbin

12

Yeonjun's mouth dropped open as though he wanted to object, but Soobin held his gaze to stop him.

“If the tunnel were to collapse and flood with water, I could create pockets of air and get out safely,” Soobin continued and saw everyone except for Yeonjun nod with not convincing but some level of understanding.

“We don't know what to expect down there, I'll come with you,” Yeonjun asserted with a helpless look in his eyes.

He was scared, terrified even, Soobin could see as much. His hands trembled around his cup, and Soobin was sure the others were starting to grow suspicious of his behaviour.

“No,” Soobin fought, “supplying both of us with enough air to survive is going to wear me down much faster. Chances are better if I go alone.”

The sickly grey under Yeonjun's eyes told Soobin that the thought of either option was torture for him, but Soobin knew that he would let him go.

Because Soobin believed that even if what Yeonjun's heart wanted and what he knew was right and helpful for the case stood on polar opposites of the spectrum of possibilities, when it came to making a decision, he would never choose his heart but always what was right without hesitation, and that was exactly what made him a good leader.

Yeonjun was rigid and cold in a way that didn't make him cruel or unlovable but rather reliable beyond question and miserable in a way only Soobin seemed to notice – or wanted to notice.

Soobin reached out to place his palm on Yeonjun's restless knee under the table.

“I promise to be careful. The moment I see as much as a drop leak through a crack in the wall I'll turn around and we'll look for another way.”

Yeonjun's lips were bitten raw. As much as he disliked the thought of Soobin running around through the shaky ruins of ancient tunnels that were in danger of becoming underwater ruins at any moment, he had to admit that it was their best chance at getting their hands on the books.

Kai cleared his throat across the table, and Soobin felt the warmth creep into his cheeks, as he suddenly was very aware of the intimate way he and Yeonjun were staring at each other – like two halves of a shipwreck lost at sea – but when he turned around, he found Kai exchanging knowing looks of concern with Beomgyu and Taehyun.

“We might not have the time to look for another way.”

“What do you mean?” Yeonjun tensed out of his slouched position.

“The Phantom Coven didn't have our request ready,” Kai explained. “And we don't think they will ever. Something is going on.”

“Black Charon?” Soobin asked.

“Possibly, maybe not.” Taehyun shrugged. “All that their emotions revealed were feelings of spite and hostility and that they weren't willing to help us ever again.”

“Without the papers we cannot stay here for much longer,” Kai said, but Soobin knew that in reality, it was just him that couldn't stay, and yet none of them looked at him like sending him away would ever be an option.

Soobin tried to breathe around the lump lodged in his throat and found that forgetting what it felt like to be alone was scary and hopeful.

Yeonjun cursed under his breath and ran his fingers through his damp hair. They had been forced into a corner, and this knowledge trickled through the silence like acid.

“So what if we don't stay,” Beomgyu pondered and raised his eyebrows in anticipation of consequential reactions.

“What if we left the city and disappeared, changed our names… at least for a while. Think about it, once anybody – especially Black Charon – finds out we're in possession of the books, and they will find out sooner or later, we won't live to see the next day.”