The following days consist of Jake doing like Heeseung instructs, pushing himself until he reaches his breaking point.

The first day after Jake free falls down the cliff was excruciatingly difficult. He woke at six then headed for the training field, only to see Heeseung already there shrouded by the mist. His speed takes Jake aback, frightening him a little.

Jake spent most of that morning trying to evolve back on his feet after diving into the river, and finally at the last minute, he managed to do it.

Wednesday, which happened to be the day after, consisted of the same thing more or less. Jake practiced evolving, and then Heeseung taught him how to evolve body parts in case he gets clawed at by those demons.

It was odd - so odd - with Heeseung bashing Jake's torso with his nunchucks, the weapon rippling through him like he was made of liquid. It numbed and slowed him down each time, but he supposed that was the point of all this anyway. He couldn't afford to be delayed when he finally confronted those demons.

It still hasn't dawned on Jake that he's going to fight them in the future. He also can't believe how dedicated he's being about this when he wakes up a little after five that Thursday morning, zipping up his hoodie as he tries to keep his exhaustion at bay.

I'm only doing this because I don't want to diffuse, or whatever, Jake thinks, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't sort of... looking forward to these training sessions everyday now.

It's not because he gets to spend them with Heeseung, Jake reasons. And he certainly isn't getting up this early so he'd impress Heeseung with how committed he's being to this.

The air is crisp and cool when Jake makes it outside, icing his lungs as he takes a few deep breaths.

He's both relieved and disappointed when he doesn't spot Heeseung anywhere, so he decides to run instead, eager to free his mind from thoughts concerning the other guy.

It's peaceful and quiet around here, and it certainly helps that Jake's getting more and more used to training. He's gotten a bit broader, his legs don't ache anymore, and he covers more distance in a shorter period of time than he ever thought possible. Of course, his circumstances are anything but ordinary, which means he's going to improve rather quickly, but Jake feels proud of himself.

Unfortunately, the peace doesn't last as other thoughts soon take hold of his mind. He thinks of Sunoo and the last time they spoke. Soobin had said his phone had gotten destroyed in the wreckage, and Yeonjun and Heeseung had been too busy saving him and altering the memories of the driver to worry about restoring it. Jake also knows he probably isn't allowed to contact someone who's living, especially when they won't see him anyway.

Jake sighs, the breeze doing little to ease his worries. He wonders if Sunoo's even thinking about him. Their last conversation ended on a sour note, but Jake had never even gotten the chance to say goodbye.

He thinks of his aunt and uncle. The second he got his admissions letter he moved out of their house, glad the countless nights he'd spent slaving over his studies had finally paid off. They'd never really cared about him, but Jake still wonders if they're aware of his disappearance. Are they even looking for him?

You know they aren't, says the voice in Jake's head, adding to the lump stuffing his throat. And Sunoo probably gave up searching too.

Jake sprints until his heartbeat roars against his eardrums and his head pounds with something other than poisonous thoughts. It certainly helps that he's stronger than he was before he'd gotten revived, so he pushes himself further. As long as it keeps the tears and the crippling loneliness at bay, he'll keep going even if it kills him.

A shadow suddenly looms over Jake, startling him.

It's Heeseung, his gaze trained ahead as he easily keeps up with Jake. "Morning," he greets, neutral like always.

"Good - good morning," Jake stutters out, remembering his response after he'd asked his age on Tuesday. He'd gotten revived at twenty-two (though he wouldn't elaborate on why), and he's been at this for four years.

Jake tries to maintain his pace, but he's struggling now, and he's pretty sure it's because Heeseung is there. It's annoying how the guy doesn't have to do anything really for Jake to lose all coherent thought.

He also doesn't want Heeseung noticing his blotchy pink cheeks and how the damp strands of his hair curl around his nape.

Heeseung meets his gaze. "Jake -"

Fortunately, that's all that's needed to get Jake to halt. Unfortunately, he stops so suddenly that he trips on nothing, narrowly inhaling a mouthful of grass. Shit.

For a moment, Jake just lies there , sprawled out, relishing his defeat as thoughts of the past infest his mind.

Heeseung appears above him, eyes darker beneath the hidden sunrise. Jake can't count how many times the guy has looked down at him from this angle, but it stings a little more each time around. But Heeseung looks so admirable up there, so breathtaking.

"What?" Heeseung says, brows arched in surprise.

Jake sniffs, his nose suddenly stuffy.

Heeseung's surprise promptly transforms into concern. Concern. "Are you okay?"

Jake sits up, and hates that he likes how Heeseung kneels beside him right then.

"You actually care," he blurts, and curses himself for having such a loose tongue.

Heeseung frowns. "Of course I care. And you don't look okay."

Jake chews his bottom lip. Then he inhales a shaky breath before finally speaking up. "Will I ever see them again?"

Granted, Heeseung might not know who Jake is talking about. Or maybe he does. Nevertheless, he watches Jake like he understands what he's going through.

He probably lost someone too, Jake reasons. Most of them probably did. And, maybe it's a result of the solidarity you develop after experiencing similar traumatic situations - regardless of how different you both are - because Jake feels like he can speak his mind all of a sudden.

"The last time I talked to my relatives was before I left for university," Jake says, picking at his hoodie sleeves. "And the last time I talked to Sunoo, he'd lied to me about where he actually was so he wouldn't have to hang out with me."

Saying everything out loud makes the pain and frustration a lot more real. The loneliness is there, too. It always is.

"They're probably glad I'm gone, aren't they?" Jake shrugs. It's a rhetorical question, yet Heeseung shakes his head. His palm warms the small of Jake's back, and while Jake isn't courageous enough to say it out loud, he appreciates it. So much.

"They're not," Heeseung says, staring into his eyes.

Jake finds it hard to believe. "How are you so sure?"

"Their memories of you will always remain with them. They may not want to admit it, but your presence is missed regardless of how they feel about you. As long as they remember, they'll find themselves searching for another glimpse of you, only for it to hurt a little more when they realize you're never coming back."

Jake has no idea how he comes to this conclusion, but he's positive Heeseung is now talking about something else entirely. Speaking from experience.

His eyes are clouded over as he stares at a spot far ahead of them. Jake doesn't like how wistful he looks.

"Was that supposed to make me feel better?" He asks in an attempt to distract the taller.

Heeseung frowns, his eyes finding Jake again. They're so round and lovely, and suddenly Jake thinks of deer.

Those little scars lining Heeseung's left cheek start to glimmer like stardust, interrupting Jake's train of thought. Heeseung seems to notice, because he ducks his head, his hair now shielding them from view.

He clears his throat, pointing at Jake's chest. "Your mark. It's glowing, which means you're tired. How about we skip training for today?"

Jake looks down, and sure enough his left chest shimmers through the fabric of his hoodie, to his dismay. "Oh."

Heeseung leaps to his feet. "We spar tomorrow." A pause. "Good work today, Jake."

Jake hardly feels the same, but he nods regardless, getting up as well. "Thanks, I guess."

Heeseung hesitates for a moment, contemplating something while he nibbles on his lower lip. But he quickly decides against it, watching Jake once more.

"We're all glad you're here," he says, before leaving a second later.

We're all glad you're here. The words replay in Jake's mind, rearranging themselves into several forms until one of them stands out.

I'm glad you're here.

Jake's heart skips a beat.

---

True to his word, Heeseung and Jake spar the next day inside the gym Jake had no idea they had. But then again, he's pretty sure there are a bunch of other rooms in this colossal as fuck castle that he absolutely knows nothing about.

Of course, Heeseung beats Jake's ass the first few times. Okay, he's lying. Heeseung took him down several times, totally humbling him each time.

Fortunately - though Jake won't call it particularly impressive - he manages to subdue Heeseung at a certain point after he got used to the moves he'd make.

Heeseung just had to twist his arm and hold him captive for Jake to double over, trip Heeseung up and knock him into the padded mat. Unfortunately for Jake, he also gets dragged along, instantly toppling on top of Heeseung.

They're close now, so close, faces mere inches away from each other. Heeseung's palm is splayed across Jake's lower back, sparks igniting along his skin.

"You learn fast," Heeseung says like he just needed to say something quick, though his eyes are sincere. But then his leg hooks around Jake's all of a sudden, spinning the two of them around so he's the one above now.

Jake's breath gets knocked right out of him, especially under Heeseung's unwavering attention. He desperately wishes he could read minds, tell what Heeseung is feeling, but at the same time he isn't sure he's ready to know just what Heeseung thinks of him.

Footsteps near the gym at that moment, loud and flanked by laughter.

Heeseung hops off of Jake without a moment's notice, which both disappoints and relieves Jake because Sunghoon and Jongseong enter seconds later.

"Shit, we didn't know you guys would be here," Jongseong says, like he and Sunghoon had planned on doing something else entirely inside the gym.

Sunghoon nudges his rib with a glare that screams 'shut up', before gracing Jake and Heeseung with a smile. "Ignore this guy please. You guys can continue."

"We're already done," Heeseung says, not even casting that sidelong glance he's always giving Jake his way before he grabs his water bottle and heads out.

"Well that was weird," Jongseong says, while Sunghoon heads for the treadmills lining the other side of the gym.

Jake tries not to think about it as he gets up, but the marks glimmering up Jongseong's exposed arm like veins remind him of what happened yesterday morning.

"You're not hurt," he finds himself saying.

Jongseong frowns in confusion. "Yeah, I'm not."

Jake is just as confused. "But, your mark."

"Oh." Jongseong rubs over the tendrils. "Sunghoon and I acquired them after we got revived."

"How... how did it happen?" Jake asks, even though he knows it's none of his business.

"A hit and run," Sunghoon responds this time around. "We were holding hands when it happened. Didn't wanna let go of each other, right Jongseong-ah?"

Jongseong nods like Sunghoon just described a normal occurrence instead of their tragic deaths. "Yep. It happened just two months after we got married, too."

Jake's eyes widen in shock. "Ma-married?"

"Yeah." Sunghoon says, now sprinting over the treadmill. "I thought I was gonna lose that fucker over there. Imagine my joy when I realized we're basically stuck together forever now."

"Hey," Jongseong pouts Sunghoon's way - at his husband - though he doesn't look that mad.

"Jesus. I'm so sorry," Jake tells them, in disbelief. And he thought he had it bad.

"Dude, it's okay." Jongseong waves him off, grabbing some boxing gloves. "As I was saying, our marks are similar because of what happened. They represent the things that made us human after all - our love. And yeah, they do shine when we're hurt, but they also shine when we're feeling fantastic as heck."

Jake recalls how Heeseung had looked when he comforted him yesterday. Recalls how brightly the marks on his face shone. Jake's chest was the same way, but Heeseung had been quick to say it was because he needed to rest.

"Oh my god, I just realized something," Sunghoon suddenly adds, racing so quickly Jake fears he'll fly off the treadmill. "I never would've thought Heeseung would volunteer to mentor another revival, considering how much he hates that kinda stuff. Or maybe it's 'cause you're the first we've had in a while, I don't know."

"He volunteered?" Jake repeats, wondering if he'd heard wrong until Jongseong nods, ramming his fist into a punching bag.

"Yep. He told Soobin he wanted to train you because he thought you'd fall behind. And Soobin agreed."

Heeseung wanted to help Jake get better. Heeseung had acted so distant with him, so cold, but he'd been looking out for him all this time.

"Heeseung's actually pretty nice," Jongseong says. "Though he can be a bit mean at times - like a feral cat, before it gets all the love that softens it up."

Jake hates how much he gets it, and hates how happy this makes him.

We're all glad you're here.

For the first time in a long while, Jake feels wanted.