Hongjoong could be glad that medical help had been right there when he was hurt but he still felt unwell when the Sunbeam appeared on the sky soon. He was leaning heavily in Wooyoung's arms, his lids fluttering as he strained to stay awake. His pain had been numbed, but the meds were trying to pull him into the sweet blackness of sleep.

But Hongjoong wouldn't succumb. Not when Seonghwa was still out there, not when San was searching for him. He had to watch the ocean, had to wait for them to break through the masses of water. He would be ready to welcome them back anytime.

He felt no panic at least. Instead of nearly bursting with anxiety and running into the water foolishly, his heart rate was much too calm due to his medicaments. He felt like a corpse in Wooyoung's hold, the man had grabbed onto Hongjoong tightly to quench his own worry.

Normally, that would have made Hongjoong even more nervous. Wooyoung was the type to stay positive and calm in any situation, truly a master of his chi. But now he was all over the place with fear for San. Maybe all of them would have made foolish decisions if not for the large ship approaching in the sky.

Not soon after they had first spotted it, another message came in. Yeosang announced it to them while Hongjoong only listened with one ear.

Come back, Seonghwa.

"Survivor, we see you! Man, I don't know how you held out down there. We've broken atmosphere and we're descending towards the landing site. It seems like not many of you made it. We can still wait for a bit but the time is a bit tight. Sending out the last call to come, we leave in two hours and you gotta wait for Alterra to send another ship then."

Yeosang shut up again after relaying the message and stood to glance up into the sky. The Sunbeam was visible easily by now, slowing down in their descend to land. They created some mighty wind until they finally settled down, hovering just over the water surface. It sent ripples out over the water, the newcomers were unsuspecting of just what might be watching them from the depths.

Hongjoong could barely believe the sight. If felt too good to be true, like a fata morgana due to feverish dreams. He hadn't expected to be able to leave anymore.

A single ramp descended and Hongjoong felt the first tears wet his cheeks when a group of people emerged. There were six of them and they all came with androids that immediately swarmed out over the island to collect all survivors.

They would go home. They would finally go home. But Seonghwa...

A man with dark hair came jogging over to their group, which was the nearest (and probably largest). Hongjoong furiously wiped his eyes as he neared, trying to battle out his worry with the endless relief. Again, he nearly passed out.

"Congratulations, survivors! I'm so glad to bring you home! I'm Jackson, the Communication Officer of the Sunbeam! Does anybody here need first aid?" He was human, his face filled with happiness even when his worried gaze fell on Hongjoong. He stepped closer then, wanting to help.

Yeosang quickly thrust his hand out, keeping him at an arm's length away.

"Don't approach them further. This planet is contaminated with foreign bacteria, every human is infected. No need to get it too."

"Oh, I see, alright!" He tapped his in-ears, quickly telling the rest of his crew. Hongjoong stared at him in wonder, not believing the efficiency. They would truly leave.

"We'll set up an isolated space for you then. Alterra will make sure to cure everybody, we will send them all the data as soon as we have boarded." He gave their group a reassuring smile that Hongjoong could barely appreciate.

Seonghwa, please. Please come back already.

"Send some androids over to take care of them." With that, Jackson tapped the device again, turning back to them fully.

"I can't believe you managed to survive in such a big group. Alterra will send another ship to collect any remains of the deceased and important data soon. If there are still survivors hiding somewhere by then, we will find them with suitable technologies. We're only some trading ship, right?" He winked at them, motioning them to stand up then. They did, helping each other onto shaking legs. Hongjoong clung to Wooyoung.

"Alright, let's go. We already cooked up a nice meal for you. Thank God the idea of fish was rejected. There's also loads of alcohol if you need it." He kept rambling, not noticing the tense silence of the group. Hongjoong spoke up about it finally.

"We are still missing somebody. Our friend searches for him but it might take some time. Please let us wait here a little longer.", he murmured weakly, swaying precariously in Wooyoung's hold. The scientist worriedly pawed at his back, balancing him against his shoulder so Hongjoong wouldn't strain the mess that his right shoulder had become.

Jackson frowned concernedly.

"Oh, you lost somebody on the way? We got some big sensors, maybe we can pick his signal up."

"No, it's... We were attacked..."

"He's an android.", Jongho supplied helpfully and Jackson's face brightened with understanding.

"Ah, I see! That's no problem then! Tell me his ID and I will make sure another one waits for you at the station ready to go."

Hongjoong hastily shook his head, pulling at his bandages. Wooyoung gave a warning yelp.

"No! I need exactly that one!" Hongjoong was growing frustrated with the conversation, there was still no trace of Seonghwa, and his need to leave was battling his want to stay.

Some sort of understanding settled in Jackson's eyes, his posture becoming increasingly softer.

"I will send out a drone then. It can collect his data and we can copy it perfectly, no worries. However, we don't have the time to search for androids."

That wasn't what Hongjoong wanted! How could he explain that he needed his Seonghwa, his only and no copy? It was not the same!

"If we could just wait a bit-" Wooyoung was interrupted in his attempts by a firm shake of Jackson's head.

"No, sorry. This guy here needs medical attendance right now. The rest of you look close to collapsing too. We will take all androids that are present right now but we won't go around and search for more. That drone is the only help I can offer." He sounded apologizing indeed but that didn't stop Hongjoong's anger. He wouldn't leave without his Seonghwa! Exactly that one and no copy.

In a foolish movement, he stepped away from Wooyoung, only to collapse right into the sand. The edges of his vision were blurring. Everything was getting too much for him to endure.

Yeosang picked him up again and Hongjoong heard them heatedly discussing with Jackson in his stead. He couldn't stay awake to listen to the end of it. He sure appreciated his friends though.

-

Hongjoong felt better when he awoke next time. He must have been out for a while, probably drugged so he would stay asleep because when he rose, the pain in his shoulder had already disappeared completely. Instead of pain, he just felt hungry, his stomach gurgling with need.

He said up carefully, looking around the room they were in. It seemed to have functioned as some storeroom before they had arrived. Some crates and bags were pushed in a corner to accommodate the survivors of planet 4546B.

Hongjoong counted eleven make-shift beds. Three androids were going around and checking on the mostly sleeping humans. When Hongjoong sat up, Yeosang had already turned to him and was coming closer quickly.

"What happened?" Hongjoong asked in a whisper, looking around attentively. He didn't want to wake anybody up.

"We took off already. You have been asleep for nearly three days. We will reach the facility soon. How do you feel?" Yeosang copied his hushed tone, standing close to him so they could hear each other.

"Where is Seonghwa? San?"

Yeosang glanced around, his eyes straying over Wooyoung in the bed next to Hongjoong's. The man looked tired even in sleep, his face contorted in a grimace and deep shadows had settled under his eyes. He was frowning as if it had been etched into his face and it made Hongjoong's stomach sink further.

"San is around here. I met him yesterday but they are getting him to help with data because there are enough people around here to take care of the infected. Seonghwa is... more of a problem."

Hongjoong felt his heart clench, his hands reaching out to desperately clutch at Yeosang's arm. The man took it smoothly, covering Hongjoong's hands with his.

"Did they ditch him? What about Yunho and Mingi, what-"

"Shh. It's alright. It's not your load alone. San came back with uhh- Seonghwa. He didn't say anything about Mingi and Yunho but I guess they went back where they came from. It was wise not to get too close to them." Yeosang's eyes flickered through the room, avoiding Hongjoong.

The poor human felt close to bursting.

"Tell me! What's wrong with Hwa?! Is he alive?!" He yelled, immediately quieting down after. His chest was heaving, his fingers digging into Yeosang's arm in a way that would have been painful if he were able to feel.

"He didn't make it."

Hongjoong slumped back, dropping against his pillows lifelessly. Rather than a chaos of emotions, now there was a deep emptiness punched inside of his chest, devoid of any feeling.

Seonghwa was dead.

"Don't. San managed to retrieve most of him, also his database. It's as Jackson said. They might put it in another PSH 22 model and revive him. He's not lost. Just gone for a while," Yeosang quickly continued to explain. He seemed desperate to tell Hongjoong the truth and regretful that he did at the same time.

Hongjoong couldn't blame him.

"I don't want that. Can't they repair him? Is there no chance?" He was aware that he was acting like a stubborn child, but his heart felt wronged at the thought of another Seonghwa. That was not his own.

"I'm not sure. It depends on how much San managed to get, I didn't see. But Hongjoong... they probably won't dwell on repairing androids after the disaster of the Aurora. They will be busy with curing you and saving people's lives. Androids are exchangeable."

God, how that thought hurt. Hongjoong knew that it was exactly his way of thinking some weeks ago. That androids didn't matter, that humans were more important than them. But right now he would gladly ditch a group of humans to get Seonghwa back. It was not the same to use the same model.

Hongjoong fell quiet after that, brooding over his thoughts. He would have to find a way to save Seonghwa. Anything.

"You're hungry. I will get you some food. Here, also take this. There are some forms for you to fill out. Be prepared for a lot of them." Yeosang sighed when he noticed the shift in the mood, turning to the door after he dropped a tablet into Hongjoong's lap. He gently patted Jongho's foot when he passed him, the man awake and in the middle of reading something. Jongho gave a forced smile, concentrating again then.

Hongjoong merely stared at the room, at their isolation, and waited. His head was empty. He couldn't come up with a single reason why they had to save Seonghwa and him especially. There were many more pressing matters to attend.

He blankly ate when Yeosang returned with his food. Then, he went on a walk through the room while Yeosang held him up, making a round to see the survivors. Lydia was not one of them. The only face Hongjoong recognized was that of Jimin, a man working together with Wooyoung in physics. They all showed the same symptoms of the infection and some of them were willing to indulge in a little talk with Hongjoong. After exchanging some information and well-wishes, Hongjoong returned to his own bed.

He was wide awake but he had nothing to do.

In the end, he settled for a board game, playing with Jongho and Yeosang without actually having any fun with it. The other two gave their best to not trigger him further, staying away from each other.

Hongjoong barely noticed their efforts.

He just wanted Seonghwa to come back.