Nobody knows where Wooyoung is. It has Mingi pacing back and forth in the large office room, where he'd just got promoted to a Captain, and he feels on edge, when all eyes of the base's Generals are on him. It's betrayal, he thinks, because he'd just received his best friend's rank shortly after he'd gone missing. It's been a day - maybe a little over 27 hours - since Wooyoung had gone on the overseas patrol and at first, everyone thought he'd just stopped by somewhere to refuel and rest, since he hadn't done so at their home base, however there hadn't been a single message about him ever since he'd last given out his location. The redhead is fuming, eyes dark and narrowed on the hardwood floor, and he feels like punching a man, if there's anyone about to speak again. It's stressing him out; the Generals seem to not understand the heaviness of the situuation presented to them. It's not them, who'd have to deliver the news of the Captain gone missing, it's not them who would have to face the parents of the pilot, who would have to explain that their son was dead. It's Mingi.

"No, no I do not accept this rank. Until Wooyoung comes back, I will not acccept it," Mingi snarls after a while of pacing, ripping off the woolen strip neatly pinned above his left chest pocket. He slams it atop General Lee's desk then, eyes meeting the older man's in fury, and he straightens his back to speak again. General Jung gives him a threatening glare, when Mingi narrows his eyes on him as well, and the redhead hums. "I will be off for a patrol, there is no way he'd died. That's not Wooyoung-like," he then says, not waiting for an answer before leaving the office to get changed and ready to leave. He refuses to accept the news and it might be denial speaking off him; it might be the fact he'd always been attached to the Captain. And they were - Mingi couldn't think of a single achievement he'd reached, that Wooyoung wasn't there, and it drives his anger furthermore, adds fuel into the aggressive fire that is his running mind.

Nobody runs after Mingi then, and it's okay, because he wouldn't listen anyways. He's surprised, however, when he finds Jongho tending to his MiG just where his own Viper stands, changed in his flight suit and ready to mask up and leave. It's a surprise, but it's certainly not unwelcome, when the young soldier asks to accompany him on his search. "Sorry, but I did eavesdrop today," the younger grins and Mingi smiles with him, yet it doesn't quite reach his eyes. Jongho understands; he'd never seen the two older pilots separated like this, and understands how stressful and heartbreaking the situation must be for the taller man. Maybe that's why he decides to help with the search, or maybe it's because he misses his Commander, too. Wooyoung is an important leader in their crew, and the young Lieutenant is more than ready to go and search for him himself.

The two pilots board their planes and run them to the runway after, hearing desperate pleas to not leave the base by the women working their tower shifts, and it has Mingi groaning then; his friend is in danger, and he will leave that base whether they like it or not. "With all due respect, we will be leaving now, with or without your permission. Lieut Song and Lieut Choi ready for take off, over," The taller pilot hears Jongho speak - voice strict and tone passive aggressive - and he looks over to see him put on sunglasses, ones he'd got from Wooyoung last year as a birthday gift. There's a thumbs up from the younger, and Mingi replies with the same gesture and a smile underneath the oxygen mask; Jongho had always been fierce like this, and Mingi is more than thankful to have him here right now, ready to take his side like he always had before. He's a brother to him.

There's a resigned sigh on the other side of the transmitter, and a familiar voice speaks shortly after, "T1 to Falcon, MiG, R3 is clear, you're set for take off, over," and Mingi hears a silent 'this will cost me my rank later' added, but he smiles bright nevertheless, before turning up the engine and running the plane again. "I really hope you find this dumbass, you idiots," Juyeon prompts shortly after the planes had taken off, and it's a mess of arguments and curses from the tower's side of the transmitter. Mingi blocks it out then, turning off his radio station, because he doesn't care anymore, not now, when he's away from the base's air space, away in the darkness that stretches out miles upon miles in front of him. He doesn't care, because his thoughts are his companion now; dark as the void before him, but still calming in a way he doesn't quite understand. He's not alone.

And so the two pilots visit base after base, carrier after carrier, but there's still no trace of their Commander; not a crumb of information about where the hell could the man be, and with each base they pass, Mingi starts to believe that maybe, something had in fact happened to their Captain. It's the intrusive thoughts speaking for him, and it's getting hard to believe the healthier ones, that would've kept him from going insane the whole time. It's hard, but he starts to accept the fact that the blond might not be okay in the end, because it's so much unlike Wooyoung to let anything to him happen on purpose. The young pilot always makes sure to put himself first when it comes to piloting. Wooyoung knows better than to make foolish mistakes, knows better than to push forward when he knows he's at his limit, and Mingi knows that. It has him hurting.

Has him hurting so, so bad, that he refuses to board his aircraft anymore, when they stand and rest on the runway of Yecheon airport. The two pilots were given food and tea, after hearing they'd traveled half the kingdom in search of their Commander, and are tended to by the other soldiers, given fuel and fed until they physically couldn't eat anymore. The sun is about to rise, and it's a wonder anyone is even up at this, probably unholy, early hour of the day. Mingi sighs. 

There's a heavy feeling setting in the pit of his stomach; a feeling similar to the one he's had back when he was bidding goodbye's to his family, when he wasn't certain he'd ever return home to them again. It's a similar feeling now, yet he's sure it hurts much more than it had before; it threatens to crawl up his body and evoke shivers, it threatens to reach his mind and have him going crazy, and Mingi hates it. He hates it so much it has him sobbing there as he sits perched on the wing of his plane underneath the starry blanket. It's cold outside that morning, and the cold breeze almost freezes the tears that roll down Mingi's cheeks. He's silent as he cries for the stars, and it's the familiar feeling of fear overtaking him. Was this what Wooyoung had felt, back when Mingi had crashed?

It finally dawns on him then. Just like the young blond had risked his everything to save his life, Mingi is there to possibly save his, if he ever finds him. He realizes just how precious their friendship is to him, and there's a sudden wave of unknown emotions mixing within the familiar drive and adrenaline. He refuses to give up just now, not when he'd gone through half the kingdom to search for one, stupid pilot. Not now, when he's not the only one waiting for him to come home. Not now, not ever.

"Wooyoung," Mingi hums, voice rough from the silent sobbing, and one would've thought he's just about to fight, yell and swear out curses. Jongho, who stands just a few feet away looks up at the redhead, whose hair resembles a bird's nest in the early hours of the morning, and his smile drops, eyes turning downwards at the corners in sympathy. It's dancing with fire, dancing on the edge of something dangerous, when the younger decides to approach his taller friend, and he feels his stomach twist in pain when he notices the tear-stained face of his older crew member. It has his heart beating out of his chest with worry, and a careful hand resting on the ankle of Mingi's left foot that swings with the breeze just a head above Jongho's. 

"He's safe, Mingi. I can feel it."

And he really does, because as much as he's hurting, too, the spark of hope upon hearing Wooyoung's name being called out from the other soldiers before burns so painfully bright in his chest. It burns so much that it has him thinking and hoping he doesn't look like one of the stars above. Jongho smiles.

And Mingi smiles with him.