Yoosung moaned in pain softly, sleep sliding off his mind, but sticking just enough to keep him only barely conscious. Every inch of his body ached in pain, but he was more confused than anything. 

It was then that the warmth hit, the incredible soft heat that he thought he'd never feel again. He remembered being banished and then walking... walking... walking. There were no memories present after that. 

Had he died? Was that why he was so warm? Yoosung tried to take a deeper breath, but it hurt his chest too much. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids wouldn't budge, try as he might. 

He had to know where he was... Even though it hurt like hell, he suddenly heaved out a large breath of air, whining slightly at the pain, trying to alert someone... anyone? 

Suddenly, muddled and foggy voices. 

"Did you hear that? I think he's awake, boss."

Yes, that was definitely a voice. Low, feminine, and timid, but a voice nonetheless. And then, Yoosung could feel something other than warmth. 

Small fingers curled around his wrist lightly, and then the soft pad of a thumb pressed into the inside of his wrist. 

"Yeah, he's definitely here."

"Good." 

This voice was different. Its low, silky tone sent what Yoosung thought to be shivers down his spine. These shivers were different than the cold though. Yoosung shuddered, shaking his head, not wanting to remember the hallowing Cold. 

"Good job, kid. Glad you pulled through." Yoosung froze. The voice was close now. Too close. Right in his ear. If he concentrated hard enough, he could feel the warm breath puffing to the shell of his ear. He shuddered again. 

He heard a low chuckle, and then the breath pulled away. Yoosung didn't know if he was glad. Who were these strangers? What were they going to do to him? He was wary of Mr. Silk over there. Stupid him, with his deep voice and presumably attractive face. 

Yoosung winced as his mind began jumping to conclusions. Had he been kidnapped? Was he being held captive? Where they a rapist group that had captured him?! Was he going to die?! None of his questions were answered of course, as they remained unvoiced, but it was worth thinking about it nonetheless. 

"When will he really wake up?" Silk grunted.

"It's hard to say, but probably either tomorrow or the day after. His body temperature is still unstable without the heating pads. His heart slows when his temp's even a degree under 99. Are they all like this?" 

WHO IS THEY?

"Yes, he'll get used to it soon though. All the others did. Don't worry, he'll be fucking frolicking in the snow in no time, and his temp will go to average."

WHAT IS SNOW?

"I trust you, sir."

Now Yoosung felt even MORE confused. What did his body temperature have to do with anything? It was higher than average? But back in the Kingdom, most temperatures were at least five or six degrees higher than him. Was there something wrong? 

But Yoosung was exhausted, even now, after only a few brief minutes of consciousness. He sighed softly, inching his head to the side, drifting back to sleep.

"Yes, let's hope for tomorrow."

...

Yoosung woke with a start, gasping even though it burned his lungs. Tears pooled in his eyes, and he coughed violently, pain racking through his body. Heaving, the nightmare repeated over and over in his head. 

They were only seven years old. V's face was emotionless as he pushed past Yoosung, who stood with pleading eyes as he watched his one and only friend being escorted to The Wall, and willingly as well. 

There stood the Queen of the Other Kingdom, a separate kingdom more formally known as Calida. The powerful woman stood straight, looking down at V, shrouded in various unknown animal furs, her white hair pulled into a tight bun, ice-blue eyes staring straight at V's tall brave posture, much like her own. 

He had bowed, kissing the back of the Queen's outstretched hand, before straightening to address her. "Name?" She asked coldly.

"Jihyun Kim," he replied, clasping his hands in front of him, teal hair pushed out of his face. Yoosung watched in disbelief as the Queen pulled a young girl, who had been previously hiding behind her mother's large skirt, to stand next to her. 

The girl had long blonde hair, waves flowing over her shoulders. Her bright green eyes locked on V with curiosity. "Rika, this is Jihyun," the Queen said, almost sternly. 

V had bowed to Rika too, and she had giggled in an annoyingly high-pitched voice. And without even a glance or a goodbye to Yoosung, V had left with the two rulers of Calida.

And Yoosung was alone.

The one sight that would forever haunt Yoosung was those bright green eyes staring at Yoosung as the door closed behind them, a lilting smirk on her soft pink lips. 

Yoosung gasped for breath, heart pounding. He squeezed his eyes shut, shaking with fear. He didn't open his eyes again until his heart had returned to normal. 

It was then that he remembered that he was, in fact, alive. But how?