Wooyoung calculated San's every move. He slowly backed towards the window looking into the inner yard. If he threw Seonghwa down onto the concrete ground with full strength, he would shatter into a million pieces. 

If Wooyoung wanted to save their delicate AI friend, he needed to act fast. He was quick on the draw, but San kept a vigilant eye on his every twitch. Though he wouldn't kill anyone else if he could avoid it, dropping Seonghwa was as easy as a jerk of his arm.

Clearly, the one San monitored most and whom he feared to distract him the hardest was Wooyoung. Their relationship couldn't be too one-sided if he was afraid of a confrontation.

So Wooyoung did what he needed to do.

He stayed still with all of San's amassed attention on him and kept his nervous heart clenched in the palm of his fist.

And, as always, he trusted in Yunho. 

When the other raider twitched in his peripherals, San's eyes immediately flinched his way. His step stuttered, insecure about his actions even when he pledged his loyalty to his colony. 

But Yunho didn't draw his weapon. He merely reached for a squirming Hongjoong with a warning gaze at San not to shoot their helpless madman. As before, Hongjoong wasn't sober enough to realize their situation and tried to flee from the two men holding him down.

San deflated. Pity crossed his gaze since he wouldn't shoot at someone wronged so unrightfully.

But that moment was all the distraction Wooyoung needed.

When his hand made for his gun, San wasn't fast enough. His eyes widened, but his senses reacted too slowly as his feelings forbade him from harming Wooyoung.

The immediate shot reverberated through Wooyoung's body, causing him as much harm as San. 

San's howl echoed through the building and made Hongjoong screech in a warning. Finally, Yeosang let him go and he came right at San as the gun was flung from his grip from the force of Wooyoung's bullet hitting its casing. While San curled around his aching fingers and desperately stumbled away so the door would close on him, Wooyoung aimed at his leg.

He hated this, hated it so much. But San was no match for them. He knew, and he still tried to prove his loyalty.

Wooyoung wanted to punch everyone in his colony in the nose after thanking them for saving him. They didn't deserve San's blind dedication. Wooyoung wanted it all for himself.

Before he had to shoot San and force him down, Hongjoong mauled him. He clawed at San with hands and feet, jaws snapping viciously wherever he could bite. He didn't care whether it was human skin or that of a foul, punitive against anyone who threatened him.

San crumbled, unable to fight him off. He felt too much for those suffering from this world. Had grown too attached to the group to hurt them.

As he sprawled out, defeated, the laptop thudded onto the concrete by his side. Wooyoung came closer with his gun pointed at the ground. San pressed his good hand to his eyes and tears soaked his bandages, as he didn't mind Hongjoong's useless gnawing.

Jongho scurried past Wooyoung and snatched up Seonghwa. Worried hands dusted him off. When he backed away, Jongho sent San a punitive stare.

"I got you, my light. He won't hurt you. Never," he babbled. Seonghwa stayed quiet, aching together with the rest of them. He understood the destructive power of his cure, but he also knew this was his purpose.

Wooyoung scratched his head with the butt of his gun as he crouched by San's side. Yunho hovered near in case San reached for his knife, but he didn't try. Once Yeosang hauled Hongjoong away to give him something else to be occupied with, only San remained, dusty and bloodied, on the ground. His quiet sobs wracked through his body. 

"I can't do it," he choked out, and his self-hatred was palpable in the air. It tasted salty like tears and Wooyoung had to lower his gaze.

"I can't- It would be so much easier if I could kill you. Why can't I kill you?" San begged for an answer as if they were some superhumans. As if they didn't bleed and die and the two of them danced on death's blade already.

Wooyoung exhaled.

"In whatever shape or form, both outcomes are right. You are a good boy for wanting to help your people, but... Siding with us also helps many others. There is no loss here, just a path to pick." His mutter was understanding. Once, he also had to choose how to continue his life. If he could leave behind what he knew. 

Yunho stood with his arms crossed, but his frown eased at Wooyoung's understanding words. San didn't try to hurt them. In one way or the other, his motivation came from a good heart. As disappointed as Wooyoung was that he didn't choose them, him, he couldn't fault San.

It seemed the others agreed because no one suggested killing him on the spot. The sense of belonging restricted both sides.

How ridiculous. A few weeks back, nothing would have kept Wooyoung's trigger finger. 

"They will all die," San whispered to himself. "They sent me out to ensure their survival and now they will all die because of me."

Wooyoung knew that guilt. Of getting fed and swathed in all the blankets so he could survive and have a life while his parents withered away. He didn't know what he would do in San's stead when given the same prompt as an adult. But the pain throbbing in his heart wanted to reassure him.

"Seonghwa can figure something out. They sent you out to live, so don't repay them by getting yourself killed," Yunho muttered. He helped Wooyoung when they lifted San into a sitting position. He didn't stop crying and his bandages had slipped to his neck to display his reason to be here and to fight so viciously. 

San's nose was bleeding from Hongjoong bumping into him earlier. He didn't mind it as Wooyoung relieved him of his weapons and Yunho tugged his hands behind his back.

"Sorry about this, but you will have to sit this one out until we know you won't do anything to Seonghwa," Wooyoung grimaced, but he knew San wouldn't complain. Had San wanted, he would have thrown Seonghwa upon getting shot instead of collapsing with him. Hongjoong was skin and bones and San was all wired muscle. His heart had become his downfall.

When Wooyoung glanced behind them, Seonghwa was hooked back onto the computer and the booting process started anew. Jongho was happy with himself and Hongjoong hung by his side with sparkling eyes at the moving colors. 

Insecure, Yeosang picked up his bag.

"Go check on Mingi," Wooyoung pleaded, reading his mind. "He shouldn't be alone down there."

The trader would be furious. He might shoot San's head off once he spotted him, but Wooyoung would gamble for his survival. San did his best not to harm them.

Yeosang dashed away on quick legs. Yunho and Wooyoung leaned a bound San against the wall and Yunho stood to carry his weapons outside of his reach. Only Wooyoung remained to run his hand through his hair. San was handsomely disheveled and blood dripped from his chin, but he had fallen silent. The grit of his jaw was pained as he submitted to his fate.

"I'm sorry, San. We will do anything to consider their situation."

No wonder San wavered so much. As much as he vowed himself to Mission Bluebird, his conscience kept catching up to him. His despair had been short-lived.

Somehow, Wooyoung adored him even more, ridiculous as it was. He tried hard to make things work for everyone, but he made himself too vulnerable to succeed.

"It doesn't matter anymore," San muttered, and he rarely looked so mellow with all his strength and the scars raking down his arms. He glanced over Wooyoung's shoulder, where Hongjoong and Jongho matched each other's shy excitement about Seonghwa's progress.

"Everything is too late now."

"Just stay here," Wooyoung replied. He wanted to help San out, wanted to assure him, but there was nothing they could do. Even Seonghwa said relocating the entire colony would take time they didn't have. If the cure waited, their last hope for Jongho evaporated.

It was unfair, down to the very character of this world. Wooyoung understood why San didn't want to disrupt the tentative balance humanity regained on a toddler's feet.

Voices got loud downstairs, so Wooyoung rose to check it out. Yeosang dragged Mingi over his shoulder and their trader looked battered. He only took one shot since San misfired once, but he clutched his hand to his bleeding thigh and hopped along with difficulties. His face was a constant grimace of pain, but he leaned on Yeosang with full trust. The hasty bandage Yeosang wrapped around his leg was already soaked with blood.

With one look at Wooyoung and his unwillingness to leave San to the coyotes, Yunho jogged to help them. Between them, Mingi let go of a breath. His hat dangled from Yeosang's bag and his sweaty hair stuck to his brow. 

When Jongho heard them near, he hesitantly glanced at Seonghwa. He was peacefully doing his initialization process and Hongjoong attended with clueless eyes. 

For nothing else, Jongho would have ditched his guarding duties. But when he spotted Mingi groaning between their two friends, he clutched nervous fingers into each other.

"Just go. I'm doing fine," Seonghwa assured him. With a quick glance at San, Jongho dashed out of the room. Their foul friend didn't move anymore, pinned in place by Wooyoung's presence that he couldn't sidestep. 

With worried eyes, Jongho came to stand before Mingi. His hands hovered in the air, eager to help yet unsure where to touch the trader so he wouldn't cringe in pain.

Mingi studied him with exhausted eyes. The blood loss paled his cheeks, but San had been right. He would recover.

"You're okay. I'm glad," Mingi whispered and threw Jongho a crooked grin. Bashful at his rough voice that cared for him first before it cared for its owner, Jongho helped sit Mingi inside the safe room.

"See, we match now," he babbled nervously and hovered along while Yeosang renewed his bandages. "The pain will be gone soon, all the pain will be gone soon. Hold out."

Mingi clenched his teeth when Yeosang yanked the knot shut with an apologetic smile. His laugh came out ragged.

"Where is that bastard? Did he hurt anyone?"

Wooyoung stood with his back to San, arms crossed. When Yeosang glanced at them, Mingi peered around the corner and his face darkened.

"He won't do any more damage. We'll continue," Wooyoung announced. San hung his head behind him, defeated.

Mingi pursed his lips.

"He shoots at friends. Just so you know, loverboy."

Wooyoung ducked his head, feeling responsible since he had introduced San to the group and insisted on his innocence.

"He couldn't go through with it. Let's think about him once Seonghwa is finished. That is the most important deal right now."

Wooyoung's heart hammered in his throat. If Mingi wanted San dead, no one could stop the lethal force of his rifle. Wooyoung wouldn't dare fight him, but he would also love to save San's life.

"I'm doing fine now, Mingi. Rest yourself," Seonghwa also called. His process was almost finished. 

After another strained moment, Mingi exhaled. His head thudded against the wall, and Jongho winced, reaching to cushion him and massage his scalp. The lazy grin on Mingi's lips distracted him from his murderous intentions.

"Are you almost done?"

"I am," Seonghwa replied and his singing voice echoed between the pillars cradling the computer branches to support the mother system.

"I am transferring myself into this computer's database right now. We are online and every function is where it needs to be. As soon as I have access, we can start."

Excited, Jongho placed Mingi's head back down. At his apologetic smile, Mingi grinned at him to run off. Their leader scurried away to check on Seonghwa and hope sparked in the eyes of the others. 

San drooped against the wall, watching in defeat. Wooyoung didn't depart from his side. His posture was tense as he both guarded and barricaded San. 

"Wowie," Hongjoong said when the screen lit up brighter and a little figure popped up on the screen. Suddenly, Seonghwa's voice came from everywhere around them and filled their bodies until their hair stood on end.

"Transfer successful. Welcome to the mother system," he chirped, and Jongho clapped in his hands. The pale, artificial light showcased everyone's exhaustion and filled them with a deep satisfaction at the same time.

Mission almost accomplished.