Hongjoong spent a good portion of his day in the sole companionship of his horse, trotting dutifully beneath him.

At the beginning he had still tried to hunt Wooyoung and his kidnapper down but it got clear pretty quickly that the other man and his powerful horse knew the rough terrain much better than Hongjoong did, thus gaining a huge lead on him. By now Hongjoong was just following their trail, his eyes trained on any clues they might have left.

Honestly, he was even astonished that the man did not just kill Wooyoung already, obviously either having shut him up with some cloth or actually being able to ignore the other's chattering. Hongjoong was pretty sure that if he had been a kidnapper he would not have hesitated to ditch or kill Wooyoung long before they reached their goal. If that was what kept Wooyoung alive though, maybe it was good that he was such a chatterbox for once.

As it seemed their goal was indeed the mountains too, San had been right. Hongjoong wanted to try to catch up with them before he had to fight the whole group of bandits, keeping it at a single person only.

So his plan had been letting loyal Wave rest during the day and sneak up on them at night but he had completely underestimated the stamina of that damn black horse. So he did choose to rest at night still, even when not wanted, just to be able to fight more rested in the morning then. He needed the energy either way.

After having a grumpy meal Hongjoong laid down in the darkness, hoping that he would wake quick enough if somebody were to approach.

He did, in fact, not.

When Hongjoong awoke in the middle of the night it was to the flames of a fire happily dancing away in front of his face, warming him up considerably.

He had, however, not lit a fire.

So he awoke with a start, sitting upright immediately. His gun was drawn too when opposite of him and veiled by orange sparks was not a worried San, as he might have hoped, but a man with a black hat.

"You!" Hongjoong would deny how his voice cracked at his shout.

From under that black mask sounded a dry snort.

"Aye, me. You trying to freeze out here? Already fed up with the happenings in the village?" His voice was not charming at all, a mocking lilt following his thick accent.

Hongjoong sorted his legs around his frame, slowly lowering the gun as he still had the security of the fire between them but letting the heavy weapon rest on his lap to grab it immediately again when needed.

"No. I lost something out here. What are you doing here?"

"Would you not rather have me here than in your precious town killing your people?"

Hongjoong tried to see more of him in the thick darkness behind him. His body seemed to blend into the black of the night, his silver accessoires blinking like stars in the night sky. He held his body differently than the man who had taken Wooyoung so Hongjoong assumed them to be different people, but he was sure that this was his usual bully.

However, he could not see any long hair on him. What did that mean? He was about a hundred percent sure that this was the man he had seen going south to kill Mary. The man Seonghwa said to have long hair.

Hongjoong tried his luck with his theory about Yunho instead.

"I do not care about what you do, Youjin. I will capture and see to your hanging either way.", he coolly retorted, watching the man hide his eyes beneath his hat again with a chuckle.

"My name is not Youjin, dear. Where did you get that name from?"

"I guessed. You look like a Youjin."

For a moment they just observed each other, waiting for a reaction but then the man dropped it with a shrug.

"I guess somebody ran their mouth too much. I do not care for that though." The man in black calmly rose to his feet, dusting off his pants. Hongjoong watched him with narrowed eyes, waiting for him to attack in any way. The heavy metal of White Rose cool under his fingertips

However, the only thing the man seemed to plan to do was turn and leave into the darkness.

And with that, a quick idea appeared in Hongjoong's head. An idea that seemed genius and foolish at the same time.

"Wait! What did you come here for?" He scrambled to his feet too, waiting for an answer.

His visitor barely glanced over his shoulder, his hat shadowing his eyes. He nodded at the fire nonchalantly, one gloved hand coming up to adjust his hat.

"Just making sure our troublemaker sheriff does not die from the cold. That would be mightily boring. I still need you for the fun, you know?"

Hongjoong pressed his lips together in a thin line, feeling his blood boil at the arrogance of the other. Oh to be back home and sink into Seonghwa's warm arms and enjoy his body without any worries in the world. But no, he had to deal with this human scum.

"I'm thinking about striking a deal with you," Hongjoong breathed calmly, going for the truth before the other lost interest. Indeed the man turned around the barest bit, finding Hongjoong's eyes with that dark and black painted ones of his again.

"A deal?"

Hongjoong put the gun away, lifting his chin a bit to meet the other's eyes more coolly.

"Yes. You know your way around the plains, no? I'm asking you to take me to Wooyoung. He got kidnapped by one of your friends."

The fire was throwing dark shadows on the man's face, reflecting in his eyes and making them seem all the more fierce. It fit him well.

"You are asking me to betray my people?"

"It is no more betrayal than I am playing with by striking up a deal with one of the enemies. I do not want you to go against them. Just show me the way and fight me as soon as we arrive if you desire so." Hongjoong balled his hands into fists of calmness, forcing himself not to kill the man on the spot but instead put himself at risk.

The other man's shoulders were still tensed, showing his distrust.

"What kind of payment do you imagine for this kind of service? You are aware that I can take whatever I want, no matter what it is, right?"

That was true indeed. Hongjoong had also things he could just not give up, like the town or the people's lives. He needed something he could offer without putting anyone at risk or restraining himself.

"Answer me a question then. Are you or are you not one of the people from the town I am risking my life for right now? If you were, you would normally be the first one executed. However, I might save your life and get you out of a sentence if you promise me your loyalty on this matter."

The bandits eyes grew wide from where he had narrowed them suspiciously before and then he was stepping around the fire, his movements deliberate.

"But that is too much, Sheriff Kim. My life for a bit of help that might get you killed in the end either way? I might kill you as soon as you lay eyes on Wooyoung again, you know?"

Hongjoong held his breath when the man stopped in front of him, lifting a hand to brush a stray strand of hair out of Hongjoong's forehead. Hongjoong felt his blunt nails dig into the skin of his palms, suppressing a shiver.

"Let's try something different. A replacement in some way. You will get Wooyoung back, safe and sound but I want that railroad operator in exchange. He slipped through my fingers far too easily."

Hongjoong could not keep his face from slipping, staring at the other in horror for a moment.

"Seonghwa? No, I can't do that! I need to protect them all equally, this is my job! I can't save one and sacrifice the other!"

He would sacrifice himself any time. But then who should stop the bandits?

"Why do you want to kill him that bad? Was ruining his leg not enough? He cannot even defend his life from your attacks on his own any more!" Hongjoong grew agitated, all of his haggling not succeeding. Why did that man want the one kind of thing Hongjoong could not give?

"I don't want to kill him yet. Let's say he and I, we have... old problems to take care of still." He probably smirked under that mask and it made a foul taste spread on Hongjoong's tongue. He gulped.

For a moment they just stared at each other, trying to get into the other's head to read their minds.

At the end it was the bandit who broke the silence again.

"Well. I get that I have to get him myself then. Do not complain later on. Now, what could you give me for my help instead... I for sure like that gun of yours." His eyes lowered, scanning Hongjoong's hips for the weapon and finding it strapped to the holster on his thigh. Hongjoong shifted his legs self-consciously. He quite liked that weapon himself, his hands used to it's shape and weight and he would only part unwillingly from it.

"If I give it to you... will that settle it then? We will part as soon as we find Wooyoung?" Hongjoong defeatedly dropped his hand to the weapon he cherished so much, having redesigned its looks by himself when he was younger. The weapon itself had been crafted by his father, having much more worth to Hongjoong only.

"I will help you find him, yes. It should not be long, maybe a day or two." He held up his hand, waiting and Hongjoong carefully pulled White Rose, handing her over. He did not like feeling her leave his grasp, the bandit testing her balance with an approving hum.

"I will use this one to shoot your dear town's people. I hope you are aware of that. Who knows, somebody might even recognize it? Maybe they will hang you first for treason.", he drawled full of mockery, his eyes glinting crazily.

Hongjoong forgot quite quickly that they had just formed an alliance, striking at the man's head. An amused chuckle answered him, a quick hand coming up to dodge him.

Hongjoong hissed when the barrel of his own gun pressed against his forehead, forcing him back. He tried to calm the boiling of his blood, he really did, but the way the other man's eyes glinted when he forced Hongjoong down to his knees in front of him made him rage like a wild animal ready to be unleashed.

Oh, he would love to take this man apart. As soon as he could he would absolutely destroy him, wipe that cocky grin off his lips.

Hongjoong stayed on one knee, not going to back down fully and looked up at the man with the hat towering above him, tilting his head slowly.

"You are weak right now, don't even have your weapon. Do not play with your luck."

Hongjoong lifted one hand to push the weapon away, firmly holding it in his grip. He felt the warmth of the man's fingers through the gloves brushing his fingertips, showing that he was indeed human and able to bleed.

"Will you tell me a name to call you for me to know just which bastard I will have to watch out for?", Hongjoong growled at him darkly, his nerves still close to snapping.

In the distance the lonely call of some bird sounded.

"Call me whatever you prefer. Daddy, Sir, Master, I don't mind."

Hongjoong wanted to kill him so bad but first he wanted to see his face, wanted to know just who would spew such nonsense.

"You'll have to respond to bastard then."

With another chuckle the man stepped back from him, putting White Rose away in his jacket.

"No the worst I've had." He offered Hongjoong his hand, pulling him back to his feet.