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Chapter 13

Yeonjun looked over at Kai, stretching his hand to touch the younger's cheek softly. "How're you feeling?" He then pressed it against the younger's forehead. " You need some herbs?"

But Kai only shook his head and let out a comforting smile. "I'm fine." He then covered his mouth, trying not to puke at how nervous he was about the tribe they had mentioned.

Suddenly, the clouds above them began to shift; white puffs went everywhere as humanoid figures with pretty white hanboks as well as delicate ribbons here and there, hopped and danced gracefully above them. They were curious and alert at the strange new scents that the wind had carried, so much that their leader himself had come to investigate.

Yeonjun walked away from Kai, and straightened his back as he looked up at the clouds. "That's them."

"Oh, boy." Kai shivered nervously and hid his face once again against Soobin's shoulder. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden? Well, he wasn't the "brave" kind of guy, and he was very fragile and skinny compared to his friends, but. . . This was a whole kind of nervous. It was the type of nervous that made you wanna vomit and immediately disappear from the face the earth. Oh, how much he wanted to do that right now. . .I mean, what if something went wrong?

 He didn't know any of these creatures and he didn't know their intentions towards him. As far as he knows, these weirdos could easily grab him and roll him above a fire pit so they could feast upon his flesh. 

"Hey. . . Your grip's getting tight." Soobin's sudden choke made Kai snap back to reality and away from the image of him being cooked alive while the Air Tribe members danced all around him. Kai bit his lip nervously and removed his arms from the older's neck. "I-I'm sorry. . ." He mumbled while pouting.

Soobin gazed at him and frowned at the small pout on the younger. The younger looked so distraught and pale; the stress at meeting his new tribe and being separated from the safe circle that his friends had provided for him was seriously eating him away. " Hey, why are you nervous? They'll take of you."

"I know that but. . . What if they don't want me?" His eyes shone with sadness before pressing his cheek against the crook of the older's neck. "You know how weak and pathetic I am compared to all of you," He pouted once more and met Soobin's blue-gray eyes. "I'm like a small chicken wing, they'll eat me up in one bite."

Yes. . . Kai was more fragile than Soobin and the others. He had always been the runt of their group; too afraid, too small and too scared to do anything without the company or the help of his Hyungs. But everything had a cause and a reason behind it, the experiments and the trauma of the tortures were the cause behind Kai's anxiety and the sometimes severe panic attacks that he had always suffered from.

It broke Soobin's heart to know that his poor friend and probable crush was still suffering even after their newfound freedom. He only wanted Kai's face to fill with joy and happiness. He looked so pretty when he smiled, it should stay that way. 

"Baby, you're not a chicken wing," The older nuzzled Kai, earning a small flustered squeak from the younger at hearing the new, yet familiar pet name that Soobin liked to use when trying to earn a smile out of him.

"You're stronger than you think," He went on and gave a Kai a quick wink, making the poor boy even more flustered. "You were the one who shook the entire building during you guys' rescue mission." After his efforts, he finally earned what he wanted as soon as Kai let out a giggle, making both of them drift deeper into their own world. 

"Ugh! The terror you made go through," The younger moved his hands and squished the older's cheeks. "I thought I had killed you!"

"Well, I'm here now aren't I, Baby?" Soobin moved his head to the side and rubbed his nose against Kai's, making the younger even more flustered. "Stoooooop, I'm not a baby!"