For nakchi

[zenfu]

To: nakchi
Title: Take a Space Ride with a Cowboy, Baby
Pairing: None. Hyungjoon-centric, with focus on his and Jungmin's friendship in particular.
Rating: PG
Length: 6329
Summary: It takes almost losing someone to realize how boring your life would be without them.
Notes: I tried to combine a few of your requests into one with this. It's a plain space AU because I'm lame and have yet to read Ender's Game! I also focused more on them all as friends rather than a single pairing. I hope this is close to what you wanted! ♥ Oh, and yeah, I named this after that NSYNC song.


Even after two years, Hyungjoon still isn't used to waking up to a blinking robotic face hovering mere inches above his. The blaring alarm, a mix of sirens and pop music from decades ago, doesn't help him feel any more affection for it either. He smacks the thing away and gets a mechanically chipper, "Good morning, sir!" in return. Another bad thing about robots? When you roll over and try to get five more minutes of sleep, they're back on you in seconds and no matter how hard you hit them, they won't leave until you're out of bed.

Groaning, he gives the thing one last punch before getting to his feet. Another robot rolls across the room toward him, its long metal arms extending toward him with his standard-issue suit dangling from them. He pulls it on and is proud because, for once, he doesn't try to thank the robot. Aboard the Seoul Colony, it's sometimes difficult to distinguish between the human and inhuman. Hyungjoon has noticed several inhabitants having long conversations with the bots who work in the cafeterias, and as much as he enjoys making fun of them, it is a little bit creepy.

He rushes through washing his face and pulls on his boots in a hurry because, as his little alarm clock robot is screeching at him, he is five minutes late to work already.

Today's schedule is packed with an endless stream of children suffering from a mild cold. The parents tell him that 'something' is going around the elementary classes, and will probably get to the older students in no time. Hyungjoon clicks his tongue and refrains from telling them that something this contagious will no doubt spread through the entire colony eventually. There is no point in worsening a bunch of housewives' paranoia, and besides, he can tell right away that this cold is nothing serious.

He spends his morning sticking popsicle sticks into coughing mouths while calmly telling them to, "Say ah, it won't hurt a bit." All in all, it's an easy morning. He's always had a knack with kids-- they think his faces and cartoon impressions are funnier than anything they see on the colony's television programming. At one o'clock he pats the head of the last kid kindly and, as the mother and child leave, tells his secretary via the intercom that he'll be taking his lunch break.

A robot from the cafeteria brings him a tray of food, and Hyungjoon digs in without looking to see what it is. All the food is starting to taste the same anyway.

The academy had prepared him for absolutely everything, from basic living in space to how to do the most complex surgeries, since he was to become the colony's head physician, but they never mentioned was how boring life would be. Slowly, everyone aboard started to look the same, all of the food started to taste the same, and some days he had the worst bouts of deja vu in which he'd be convinced he was reliving the day before. Or was it the day before that? Eventually he got used to the way the days melted together into one consistent stream of predictability. At times he was even convinced he enjoyed it. After all, was he not doing his nation a huge service by choosing to live the rest of his life aboard the Seoul Colony?

Fifty years ago, in the year 2065, the world had to face a bitter truth: the Earth was dying. After years of speculation, scientists around the world finally had conclusive proof. Panic ensued for months, until finally the leaders gathered together and decided that they only had one solution. Project New Earth was born, with every nation capable starting up their own branch. Ten years later, Russia was the first to launch their space colony, the Moscow Colony. The United States follow suit with the Washington Colony, and soon every year a new colony was being launched, all named for the capital cities of their nations.

The Seoul Colony was one of the last to launch, but was boasted to be one of the best, the most technologically advanced. It launched back when Hyungjoon was in elementary school, and he still remembers being let out of school to line up in the fields to watch the massive rocket rise majestically into the clouds and disappear into the mysterious space beyond. He remembers how tightly his hands had gripped at his shorts, how he hadn't been able to blink for whole minutes, how it took thirty minutes for his teacher to get him back inside. Back then, the Seoul Colony was akin to Heaven in his mind, though he'd never tell the priests at his church that.

The goal of the colonies was to create a base for each nation in space in order to start the search for what are now called Potentials, meaning potential new planets to move to when the Earth became a wasteland. At first the only inhabitants of the Seoul Colony were specialists, but as the years passed, more and more engineers, captains and scientists were brought aboard,and then they decided to start bringing their families as well. It made sense, since eventually everyone would have to relocate into space. Having civilians aboard created new needs, such as daycares, schools and hospitals. In order to fulfill the colony's expanding needs, the Korean government started the National Space Academy, where the brightest students could attend and become any of the specialists needed to run the Seoul Colony.

And of course, after months of studying all night in preparation, Hyungjoon was first in line the day of the National Space Academy entrance examination. He'd made it in just barely, and after six years of grueling schoolwork which included his medical training, Hyungjoon was put on a shuttle to the colony, so excited he didn't sleep a wink the entirely of the twelve hour flight.

Two years later, he feels his eyelids drooping as he stares out the window of his small office into the black abyss of space, sparkling with stars in the distance. A huge hunk of rock-like debris floats by and Hyungjoon watches, unfazed. Whatever is in his mouth is completely tasteless and he wonders how long he's been chewing on it. A knock on the door breaks his trance, but it swings open before he can give permission. An annoyingly familiar head pops in with a grin.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," Jungmin says with fake concern at the frown Hyungjoon gives him, his cheeks still full of food.

"You are," he replies and returns his attention to his meal. Unsurprisingly, Jungmin disregards his words and enters the office with grand flourish.

"Oh, you," he sighs. "Don't act like you haven't missed me." He leans against the edge of Hyungjoon's desk, crosses his arms and gives an exaggerated wink. Hyungjoon pretends not to notice.

Taking another bite, he chews slowly and appears to think very hard. Then, cocking his head with feigned curiosity, he looks up at Jungmin and asks with perfect innocence, "Did you go somewhere?"

The smile disappears from Jungmin's face and he clicks his tongue. The reaction is a little surprising, because usually it takes more than that to get a rise out of Jungmin, but apparently having a month-long absence go unnoticed is enough to ruffle his feathers. "I could fire you, you know," he grumbles, but it's an empty threat. Though he has the power to fire whomever he wishes, being the son and heir of the company responsible for the creation and management of the Seoul Colony, Jungmin rarely extends his power beyond making the female employees swoon.

"Then I'll be on the first shuttle to Earth tomorrow," Hyungjoon replies with a grave expression, setting down his food and starting to organize his desk. "Good luck finding a new head physician; I'll be vacationing in Macau for the next few weeks, so don't call me."

Jungmin slaps his hands away and re-scatters the papers. "Shut the hell up, you know you're not going anywhere."

Hyungjoon sits back down and takes back up his plate. "Then why are you here?" Jungmin doesn't answer, but slides the rest of Hyungjoon's food out of his reach. Hyungjoon wrinkles his nose and smacks away Jungmin's hand before pulling the tray back. "I have a broken wrist to set this afternoon, so if you don't mind..." He looks to the door and Jungmin sneers.

"So this is how you treat your good friend after he's been gone so long?" Jungmin sighs, long and dramatic. "Such an ingrate."

"You're my friend?" he asks with wide eyes. Jungmin smacks him lightly on the back of the head.

"Yes, a friend who's inviting you to his welcome back party tonight, in Hyunjoong's cabin."

Hyungjoon frowns and raises an eyebrow. "Since when is Hyunjoong throwing you a welcome back party?"

"He'll be so grateful to me, he'll have to."

Setting down his empty plate, Hyungjoon can't resist leaning in while waiting for Jungmin to continue. "What the hell would make him that grateful?"

Smirking, Jungmin straightens his suit jacket. "As soon as I landed-- thirty minutes ago, mind you-- someone approached me and said that a certain captain had been spotted on several occasions asleep at his post. Said person told me I absolutely must rush over to the main deck and see for myself, because even at this very moment he's sleeping." He pauses and a worried look passes over his face so quickly Hyungjoon believes he may have imagined it. "Catching a high-ranking officer asleep on the job would absolutely require me to strip him of his title. So I told this very helpful person that I would go straightaway, and stopped in here on the way while sending Kyujong ahead to warn Hyunjoong. I'll give them another five minutes or so before I go since it takes so long for that guy to wake up."

At this point there are tears in Hyungjoon's eyes from trying to keep from laughing out loud. Jungmin gives him a cocky smile and shrugs. Wiping his eyes, Hyungjoon takes a deep breath and thinks that, maybe, it'll be good having Jungmin back. At the very least things will be far less boring. He would never tell anyone, but he missed having someone to piss off the past month. "I'll be there," he says finally.

"Damn straight you will," Jungmin mutters, checking his watch. "Well, looks like it's time for me to surprise Hyunjoong. Do I look like a cross and strict political genius?" he asks, frowning deeply enough to cause lines to form between his eyebrows and on his forehead.

"You look old," he says, but gives his friend the best happy smile he can manage, and it's enough to save him from another slap. Rolling his eyes, Jungmin leaves the office without another word.

"So I hear you almost got fired," Youngsaeng yawns as he grabs the bottle of beer out of Hyunjoong's hand. "And that Jungmin saved your ass." Hyunjoong just laughs and takes back his drink, while Jungmin launches into the story for the fifth time that night, shouting most of it into Kyujong's ear. Hyungjoon chuckles despite feeling a little bad for Kyujong, but then again that's what he gets for sitting next to Jungmin when he knows drinking will be involved.

Hyunjoong's cabin is huge compared to the others because of his rank, which is why they always force him to let them use it for their parties. In truth, Jungmin's is comparable in size, but Jungmin would never allow a group of rowdy young men to come in an trash his room every weekend. Hyunjoong is much more easy to convince.

"Welcome back," Kyujong says and clinks his bottle with Jungmin's. Jungmin smiles and leans on the engineer's shoulder. "Things were so dull around here. Just ask Hyungjoon; he asked me every day how long until you were coming back."

Hyungjoon chokes on his beer, sputtering all over Hyunjoong's carpet. Hyunjoong attempts a protest but ends up rolling over onto his face and giggling. "That's not true--!" A small cleaning bot pops out of the wall and starts scrubbing the wet spot on the carpet.

"Yeah, sure," Youngsaeng mutters, shooting the youngest a smirk.

"Don't be so shy," Kyujong coos at him playfully. In the meantime Jungmin won't stop staring at Hyungjoon with a knowing look that makes Hyungjoon want to punch him in the face.

"You all suck," Hyungjoon mumbles as he grabs Hyunjoong's bottle. This time, the captain is too far gone to care. He rolls onto his back and makes a lame attempt at stealing Youngsaeng's, who is sitting on the couch above him. Youngsaeng waves it at the drunk man with a small smile, teasing him. Hyungjoon pouts into the bottle as he takes a swig. He looks up at Jungmin is still staring, this time with a nasty smirk. "I didn't fucking miss you!" he shouts, but it comes out whiny and weak, like a tantrum. The four of them start laughing and Hyungjoon shakes his head violently and pushes away Hyunjoong's arms as they try to hug him from the floor.

"Despite what he says," Kyujong says, "we're all really glad you're back, Jungmin."

Jungmin laughs, and it's so dry and tired that it makes Hyungjoon look up from his bottle. He wonders how he hadn't notice the bags under Jungmin's eyes before, or the stress lines around his eyes. "Thanks, guys," Jungmin sighs. "I wish I could say I was happy to be back."

"What's wrong?" Hyungjoon asks before he can stop himself. Jungmin laughs again and shakes his head.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. The government is putting more pressure on us." He pauses and his features look strained. "Japan says that the Tokyo Colony has found a Potential."

That's enough to get even half-passed out Hyunjoong to look up and try to sit up, only to slip and face-plant back into the carpet. Youngsaeng stares at Jungmin, waiting for him to continue, and Kyujong nudges him gently. Hyungjoon's throat closes up and he feel as if he can't breathe. "What?" he gasps.

"They gave a press release about it two days ago. I have to make an announcement to everyone here tomorrow." He groans and rubs his head as if already feeling his impending hangover. "The question on everyone's mind is who will be next, and of course South Korea is desperate for that spot."

"Did they really find one?" Hyunjoong slurs, blinking slowly.

"That's debatable, but it's all about what's being said." The five of them fall silent, and Hyungjoon feels his hand grip his bottle tightly. A Potential has been found already? It's hard to imagine, and could very well be a lie considering the technological race that's been going on between the countries with colonies the past decade. But if one has really been found... then couldn't more be out there? Jungmin yawns and stretches, shoving Kyujong backward awkwardly and interrupting Hyungjoon's excited thoughts. "Anyway, I'm supposed to light a fire under everyone's asses and quite frankly I don't feel like it."

"Not that you have a choice," Youngsaeng points out.

Jungmin gives a half-hearted shrug. "If I don't, they're going to replace me."

Hyunjoong, having at some point crawled across the floor to where Jungmin and Kyujong are sitting together, grabs Jungmin around the neck in a rough head-lock. "Then you'd better tell everyone to hurry the fuck up, huh?"

"That includes you, you know," Youngsaeng mutters while sliding off of the couch since everyone but him is on the floor now. If Hyunjoong hears him, he doesn't show it.

"I suppose so" Jungmin says quietly, staring out the tiny window across from where the five of them are sitting. Hyungjoon follows his gaze and wonders to himself what exactly is waiting for them all out there.

The next morning, with eyes that scream hangover to anyone who's paying attention, Jungmin broadcasts an announcement over the colony television about Japan's claim to have found a Potential. For those few moments, time feels slower, even stopped, as all of the inhabitants of the Seoul Colony learn that there will be "great changes" and "new policies" to expedite their own search. Hyungjoon grins to himself because he knows very well that even Jungmin has no clue what those changes and policies will be.

"We've lost our focus," Jungmin's already loud voice booms through the television speakers in the waiting room in Hyungjoon's office. "We must always look toward out true goal: to find a Potential and establish our new nation there. Only then can we assure Korea's future." The small audience present in the main control room where he's giving the speech claps enthusiastically while Jungmin beams into the camera.

"I wish he'd get off our asses," Youngsaeng groans, the curses sounding strange in his quiet tone of voice. He sits on Hyungjoon's examination table and rolls his shoulders. "I can't even tell if there's something really wrong with my back or if it's just stress."

"It could be both," Hyungjoon adds, pushing up Youngsaeng's shirt in the back to get a closer look. He's not specialized in chiropractics, but he knows the workings of muscles well enough to see the problem. "You're right, though, it's just stress. I'll prescribe you some patches which will deliver pain-killers directly to the muscles."

Youngsaeng nods and gets to his feet. With a tired smile, he pats Hyungjoon on the shoulder. "At least you seem to be holding up well. Has Jungmin been in here yet?"

"No, why?" He wanders over to his desk to finish filling out the prescription while Youngsaeng attempts to stretch out his back.

"He's looking horrible lately, like he hasn't slept since the first night he got here. I can't even imagine being put under that much pressure." Hyungjoon's stomach turns nervously, but he hands Youngsaeng the paper with a smile.

"He's tough, I'm sure he'll be okay."

Youngsaeng nods and leaves the office. Hyungjoon uses the intercom to let his secretary know he'll be out the rest of the afternoon. Thank goodness for slow days.

He finds Jungmin dozing off at his desk in his huge office. He doesn't stir as Hyungjoon steps into the room and closes the door behind him, but snorts quietly as his chin rests on his chest. Youngsang was definitely right-- the meteor-sized bags under Jungmin's eyes aren't the only signs of exhaustion. He skin is pale and blotchy, and he looks like he's lost quite a bit of weight since returning two months ago. His white dress shirt, for Jungmin refuses to ever wear the "ghastly" uniforms that the rest of the crew were required to wear, is wrinkled and stained, when normally Jungmin changed his shirt at least three times a day to maintain his perfect appearance.

Hyungjoon settles himself into one of the plush chairs on the other side of Jungmin's desk and knocks lightly on the desk. "Just a moment!" Jungmin exclaims, eyes still closed, and Hyungjoon covers his chuckle with his hand. He watches Jungmin run his hands through his hair, eyes still closed, and pull at his clothes to straighten them. When his eyes finally flutter open, they narrow at finding Hyungjoon sitting right across from him. "Oh, it's just you," he groans, the only hint of his embarrassment in the slight tint of color that rises in his sickly face.

"Nice to see you, too," he replies.

Jungmin yawns. "Can I help you? I'm really busy, so--"

"Yeah, I saw that," Hyungjoon quips. "You've got a bit of drool on your shirt, just so you know."

Leaping to his feet, Jungmin grabs a tissue from his desk and wipes at his shirt, not that there's anything to wipe. Hyungjoon just enjoys watching his friend panic. It takes Jungmin longer than usual to figure it out though, and with an angry glare he collapses back into his chair. "You're a brat."

"Youngsaeng told me to come see you," he explains, ignoring the insult. "He said you looked like hell. He was right."

Jungmin gives a forced laugh. "What do you expect? My job has suddenly become important."

Hyungjoon wants to argue that it's always been important, Jungmin was just a slacker, but he refrains. "In any case, come by my office so I can give you a check-up."

"I'll check my schedule and get back to you," he says with a shrug.

"No," Hyungjoon insists. "Come with me now. The last thing the colony needs is you fainting in front of everyone."

Jungmin is oddly quiet, frowning and fiddling with the papers on his desk. "I look that bad?"

"Worse, even."

He rubs his thumb against his bottom lip and his eyebrows knot together. "Hm, well then maybe--" A dull ringing breaks the quiet of the room as a small red light flashes on Jungmin's phone. His mouth twitching slightly, he grabs it and answers groggily, "What is it?" From across the desk, Hyungjoon can hear someone shouting so loud that Jungmin holds the phone away from his ear with a grimace. "Calm the hell down, what's going on?" The person continues, quietly enough that Hyungjoon can't hear them. He watches Jungmin's face relax, his eyes go wide, his mouth fall open a fraction. "Are you sure?" he asks, breathless, but doesn't wait for the person on the other end to respond. He drops the phone, grabs his jacket from the back of his chair and bolts out the door.

Hyungjoon hangs up the phone for him and follows Jungmin out of the door as quickly as his legs will carry him.

Youngsaeng and his group of scientists are rattling away their astrophysical nonsense to Jungmin when Hyungjoon catches up, and Hyungjoon nods along and pretends to have a clue what they're talking about. He curses himself for never really paying attention during his required physics courses, but then again they probably wouldn't help at all with the complicated things these men deal with. They hand Jungmin charts and graphs and Youngsaeng's mouth is moving at a million words a second-- this is the most Hyungjoon has ever heard Youngsaeng talk, now that he thinks about it.

When he finishes, Youngsaeng stares at Jungmin meaningfully. The charts and graphs in Jungmin's hands rattle as his hands shake. He takes in a shaky breath, a smile twitching on his lips. "This is it," he says in a hoarse whisper.

Without another word, he takes off again toward the main control deck.

This time Hyungjoon finds Jungmin in Hyunjoong's office, his hands spread on Hyunjoong's desk and the air between them tense. "I can't let you that," Hyunjoong says calmly. The serious, almost grim expression on his face doesn't suit him.

"I'm not asking. This is an order."

That doesn't sit well with Hyunjoong, because he cocks his head with a wry smile and puts his feet up on his desk. "You're not authorized to take a team out on your own. You need an experienced pilot to do that. You just stay here and keep everyone calm like you're supposed to." He reaches for his phone, but Jungmin grabs his hand mid-reach. Their eyes meet dangerously.

"You have to let me do this," Jungmin chokes out, his eyes and voice pleading. Hyunjoong's expression softens and he leans back. "I've had the same kind of training as you, after all."

"True," Hyunjoong admits, and Hyungjoon can already tell he's conceding. "But it's been years since then. Won't you be rusty?"

Jungmin's usual cocky smirk returns and he straightens up, hands on his hips. "Are you kidding?" They exchange a smile and Hyunjoong sighs. Jungmin already knows he's won, but he adds, "I'll take a co-pilot just in case. Youngsaeng and a few of his team members will be joining me, of course."

"Yeah, yeah," Hyunjoong laughs, waving him off with his hand. "Just go get everyone ready. I assume you want to set off as soon as possible?"

"You assume correctly," he replies with a slight bow. He turns toward the door and startles a little at finding Hyungjoon there. The exhaustion has left his face completely, and there's even a little color in his cheeks. He grins, showing of his big, white teeth. He pats Hyungjoon on the arm as he walks past him out the door.

Hyungjoon blinks and looks to Hyunjoong. "What just happened?"

The captain yawns and folds his arms up behind his head. "Didn't you hear? We might have found a Potential."

The next morning, Hyungjoon watches Jungmin and Youngsaeng, suited up and beaming, climb aboard the small explorer shuttle. He waves magnanimously to the scattered reporters with their bright flashing cameras, and Jungmin makes another grand speech about the "betterment of Earth" and the "glory of our homeland," before disappearing inside the craft.

Hyungjoon's arguments are lodged in his throat, stuck because they've all been said before and he knows it's pointless. There's no reason for a medical technician of his rank to go; he has the health of the entire colony to worry about. But tears sting at his eyes and his brain is screaming irrational things about clinging to the wings and begging them to let him go, too. He balls his fists at his sides and watches with blurry vision as his two friends take off into the endless black sea of space.

He tells himself he isn't upset, that it's stupid to be upset when this is the most exciting thing to happen in years. He also tells himself that the growing weight of cold dread settling in his stomach is paranoia, and he tries not to think about it.

Drinking parties with just Kyujong and Hyunjoong are really, really boring, Hyungjoon soon discovers. Hyunjoong always passes out early without Youngsaeng or Jungmin to tease and to tease him back. He tries to start playing around with Hyungjoon, but he's too moody to join in. Kyujong is a quiet, incredibly normal drinker. Most nights Hyungjoon ducks out early with the excuse that he has work in the morning. Though he knows neither believe him, they also don't question him.

Things just aren't the same.

Every day after lunch, Hyungjoon wanders to Hyunjoong's office for the daily update. They reach the planet in five days' time. They spend two days observing and testing its atmosphere. All observations and calculations point to a safe and successful descent. They set a date two weeks out for their descent, and every night Hyungjoon has nightmares of eight-legged aliens with rows of sharp teeth skittering across blue sand and into river of purple-colored lava.

The day of the descent, Hyungjoon announces that he won't be seeing any patients. The entire colony is humming in anticipation as families are glued to their little television sets, so it's not as if he has any appointments. He walks into Hyunjoong's office and watches everything from there, as the huge window that takes up one wall looks right out onto the main deck. Hyunjoong is standing amongst the other soldiers and technicians, who sit huddled at their little stations with their eyes glued on their glowing screens. Hyungjoon wants to join them, but it's strictly military personnel only. He can see Hyunjoong giving orders, but can't hear what they are through the thick glass.

He feels a wave of dizziness as Youngsaeng's face suddenly appears on the huge screen at the front of the main deck. He looks tired, but very happy. He says something to the crew and they all laugh, and the nervous knot in Hyungjoon's stomach loosens. Hyunjoong nods at Youngsaeng and then tells the crew to do something. The main deck erupts into movement as the technicians begin typing orders into their computers. Then Jungmin shoves Youngsaeng out of the way and waves to everyone, the crew beaming back up at him and waving back enthusiastically. Despite knowing that Jungmin can't see him, Hyungjoon waves back, too.

The deck becomes very still and Youngsaeng reappears. Hyunjoong says something to him and he nods curtly. The screen goes black and Hyunjoong begins shouting his orders, the tension in the room building. Numbers and charts appear on the screen instead, measuring temperature, pressure, predicting lengths of times, and all sorts of things that could potentially go wrong. Something flashes furiously red and Hyungjoon stops breathing, but after a flurry of panicked orders, it returns to a less frightening color.

Then everything goes perfectly still, terribly quiet. Hyungjoon presses his hands and face against the glass, trying to read something in the expressions of the crew below. Their eyes are on the screen before them, but Hyungjoon can't read anything on it, let alone understand its meaning. Only when he sees them all break into smiles simultaneously does he relax and let his hands fall to his sides. The crew below leaps to their feet and cheer while Hyungjoon collapses into Hyunjoong's desk chair, relieved.

That night the three of them are able to cut loose for real. They make toasts to their absent friends, setting beers in their empty spots and talking to them as if they were there. Hyunjoong grabs Hyungjoon in a bear hug and passes out on top of him. Kyujong manages to peel the captain off with much effort, and the two of them tuck Hyunjoong into bed before stumbling back to their own cabins.

Hyungjoon curls up in his bed and affectionately pats his alarm bot. Tomorrow Jungmin will give them his first report about the Potential. Tomorrow everything will be better.

Only it isn't. The next day everything goes to hell.

They're missing. Jungmin never radios in, even after the four hour window they gave him because he's never on time. Sometime during the night they loose the GPS signal for the landing craft as well.

Earth Headquarters tell them to assume the crew is dead if they don't somehow show back up in seventy-two hours.

Hyungjoon can't breathe.

Seventy-two hours pass in a horrifying flash, and Hyungjoon finds himself watching another friend board a shuttle to nowhere. Hyunjoong knows that when he returns, he'll be demoted or even fired, but he gives Hyungjoon a confident grin as he crawls inside.

He doesn't feel anything as he watches the launch. All around him men and women alike are crying their eyes out, because this is the last chance. He doesn't feel Kyujong's arm around his shoulders or the tears running down his cheeks. He marches back to his cabin and folds himself into his bed. He doesn't even hear his alarm the next morning until the third cycle of sirens.

Kyujong brings him daily updates and meals since Hyungjoon refuses to leave bed the second he's in it. Hyunjoong arrives safely at Jungmin's shuttle and manages to reassure the remaining crew there at least a little. They're planning another descent even though Headquarters is forbidding it. All calculations and samples collected by robots sent onto the surface indicate that landing will be safe.

Deep down Hyungjoon doesn't believe they'll really attempt another descent. It's too illogical, too risky, but he forgets who's in charge of the mission. Hyunjoong orders Kyujong to drag Hyungjoon to watch the mission on the main deck. Hyungjoon doesn't fight against Kyujong, but he doesn't say it's because Kyujong may soon be all he has left.

"Watch me, Hyungjoon!" Hyunjoong sings on the giant screen. Hyungjoon feels a smile on his lips and he manages a little wave. The sight of him and a few other crew members crawling into the absolutely minuscule craft that would take them to the surface, however, causes a sudden tightening in his chest.

"Don't go," he says so quietly that only Kyujong can hear him. The arm around his shoulder squeezes him but the helpless feeling grows as the craft launches.

He's gone, he thinks to himself. He looks over at Kyujong desperately and sobs. Kyujong pulls him into a tight hug and tells him over and over, "It'll be okay; not even a meteor could take down Hyunjoong when he's actually trying."

The next morning Hyunjoong radios in from the surface. Hyungjoon is about having a heart-attack as he listens to his friend report that, "it's so cold my balls are going to fall off, but we found a body of what looks like water and we're testing it." The substance ends up being safe to drink, and every new detail fills Hyungjoon with painful hope. He remembers the time, back on Earth when they were all still in the academy, Jungmin had bet him that he could hold his breath longer, and Hyungjoon had almost passed out trying to prove him wrong. Turns out Jungmin had trained himself at a young age to hold his breath for a full ten minutes, and he relished the months following during which Hyungjoon had to do all of his English homework.

He remembers when he first met Youngsaeng, hiding in the academy's lab from an administrator who was tired of Hyungjoon's pranks. Youngsaeng had just looked at him and shook his head, but hadn't yelled to the teacher as he ran by. That day Youngsaeng gave Hyungjoon a lesson in breeds of plants which to this day Hyungjoon can't remember for the life of him.

He remembers the way Hyunjoong always waited until the very last moment to do anything, but when he did it, he did it better than anyone else could. He remember how Hyunjoong made him believe anything was possible, because somehow the laziest man on Earth had risen to be the highest ranking military official aboard the Seoul Colony.

Those countless drinking parties flash before his eyes, and he wishes he could recall every single tiny detail-- the way so-and-so laughed when so-and-so teased him, what all of their faces looked like when they were passed out at the end of the night and, most of all, all of the secrets they told each other night after night. Those nights feel like forever ago and he wants more than anything to know that someday there will be more of them.

Hyunjoong tells them that they're heading out. A tiny flashing blue dot tells Hyungjoon that somewhere far away, Hyunjoong is attempting the impossible. He closes his eyes and lets himself fall against Kyujong.

Four days later, they find Jungmin, Youngsaeng and the rest of their team. They're starving and exhausted-- they tried to sleep as little as possible because they had no idea what could be on the planet-- but they're okay. Hyungjoon hears it all, but he can't believe it. Hyunjoong can't provide visual from their position, but he promises to call in again when they're back on the shuttle.

Hyunjoong's elated, unshaven face fills the screen and gives them all a huge thumbs-up, but at Hyungjoon's worried face says that Jungmin and the others are too tired. They're going to rest for the entirety of the trip. "What are you so worried about, huh? They're coming back, Hyungjoon. They're coming back!" Kyujong shakes him as the screen goes black.

"They're coming back!"

The landing dock is flooded with people. Happy faces cram together to get as close as they can to the ever so slowly lowering ramps as the shuttles open. Hyunjoong is the first out, waving to everyone and motioning Kyujong and Hyungjoon forward. Youngsaeng stumbles out of the second shuttle and falls into their open arms, smiling weakly and squeezing them with tears in his eyes. "It's good to be back," he mumbles and his grip around Hyungjoon's neck is painful. Kyujong wraps an arm around Youngsaeng's waist and helps him make his way through the crowd.

Hyunjoong helps the rest of the crew off of the second shuttle until, winking at the crowd, he shouts, "And the man of the hour!" He disappears inside the ship and Hyungjoon feels light-headed. Then he hears a shout from within and Hyunjoong re-appears, visibly shaking as he calls Hyungjoon up, "Quick-- he stopped breathing!"

He climbs into the shuttle to find Jungmin collapsed on the floor. He checks Jungmin's pulse and finds nothing wrong, but it's evident that he's not breathing. He can feel his tears spilling over and they drip onto Jungmin's shirt as Hyungjoon checks for any external reasons he would stop breathing. Nothing. He can't think, so he takes a deep breath and looks to Hyunjoong. "I'm going to try CPR, but if it doesn't work we'll need to move him to the infirmary as quickly as possible. His brain can't be without oxygen for too long or he'll suffer brain damage."

Hyunjoong nods gravely. Hyungjoon stares at Jungmin's mouth and shudders. If Jungmin had any idea that Hyungjoon was about to do this, he'd punch Hyungjoon in the nose. Squeezing his eyes shut, he pinches Jungmin's nose shut.

"Didn't know you missed me that much, you big baby." Hyungjoon's eyes fly open, meeting Jungmin's smiling ones. "Oh, look, you're moved even to tears. Come here, I'll kiss it better." He puckers his lips and grabs Hyungjoon's head. Hyungjoon screams and punches at whatever part of Jungmin he can reach. Fingers pull his hair and he growls, pinching Jungmin's stomach until he finally lets go. Jungmin falls back, roaring with laughter, and Hyungjoon turns to find Hyunjoong doing the same behind him.

"I hate both of you!" he half-growls, half-sobs as the tears continue to stream from his eyes. He tries to wipe them away with his sleeve, but they won't stop. He hiccups as two sets of arms grab him on either side.

"Aren't you glad we're all together again?" Hyunjoong sighs. Jungmin nods and rests his head on Hyungjoon's shoulder.

Through his sobs, his snotty nose and his tears, Hyungjoon nods, too.