In the early morning, the six men walked towards the foot of the mountain before sunrise.
"How far is Magior from here?" Abrafo asked, stretching his legs.
"I haven't been there, but I think two or three months, if you ride on horseback," Baishui replied casually.
Abrafo frowned. "You don't even know the place; how can you be our guide?"
"Well, my maid is bringing me my guidebook," Baishui said with a playful grin. "How can you call it an adventure if you've been there before?"
U-ri, already tired from walking down the mountain, complained, "Two or three months on horseback? Is there a river nearby where we could sail instead?"
"Nope," Baishui said, shaking his head. He looked at Hajime. "Are you tired yet?"
"Not yet," Hajime replied, then turned to U-ri. "Why do you hate walking?"
"When your bones are half as thin as mine, you will understand why I hate walking," U-ri grumbled, his voice weary.
"I'm afraid it will be a long time," Baishui chuckled, smiling at U-ri. He stopped, took out an orange from his sleeve, and handed it to Hajime. "Eat this to quench your thirst."
"What about you?" Hajime asked, concerned.
"I'm good for now," Baishui assured him.
Hajime took the orange and thanked Baishui. After peeling the orange, he handed the peeled fruit to U-ri. "Old man," he said with a smile, "eat something to keep your mouth occupied."
"You don't like oranges?" Baishui asked Hajime.
Hajime approached Baishui and whispered, "I like oranges, but I hate U-ri's nonsense. Walking won't kill me, but U-ri's complaining will." He laughed softly.
Baishui chuckled, his voice low. "I agree."
Abrafo, following the others, watched Hajime and Baishui walk happily side by side, occasionally touching each other's shoulders. He looked at Yul, who was walking beside him, seemingly oblivious to Hajime and Baishui's closeness.
Abrafo frowned. "Really?" He looked at Yul, a pointed question in his eyes.
Yul turned to look at Abrafo. "What's wrong?" he asked, still showing no reaction.
"Aren't you worried at all?" Abrafo asked, pointing at the backs of Hajime and Baishui. "They just met, and look how close they've become. Aren't you worried?"
Yul sighed. "Why should I worry about how close they are?"
"Because Hajime married you," Abrafo said firmly.
"You and I both know that my marriage with Hajime is just a contract," Yul explained, his voice flat. "I want to help our kingdom, and Hajime wants to leave Tanzang."
"We've been together for so many months; do you have no feelings for him?" Abrafo pressed.
"I cherish our brotherhood and friendship," Yul replied, avoiding the question of deeper feelings.
"You need to work harder," Abrafo urged.
"Why would I do this?" Yul asked, his frustration evident. "Why would I force myself to do something I don't want to do?"
"Because if our mage falls in love with that man… that man will take our mage from us," Abrafo explained, his voice growing serious. "And we'll be right back where we started. No mage. No key. No white dragon tail. Everyone we know will perish into the black hole."
Michio, who had walked up to Yul, nodded. "I agree with what Abrafo said. Do you remember what Hajime said to us when we first met? He said that if he found his true love, he would be with his true love. Together, they will not go back to Tanzang with us."
Yul looked at Hajime and Baishui, who were walking not far away. Hearing Abrafo's worries, he finally realized that if he didn't strengthen his game in this battle with Baishui, he might lose Hajime and the last hope of saving the kingdom.
"If Baishui is Hajime's true love, and they are destined to be together, what right do I have to stop Hajime from leaving?" Yul asked, his voice tinged with resignation.
"You have every right because you are his legal husband," Abrafo countered.
Yul looked at Abrafo. "Hajime doesn't consider me his husband, but a friend."
Abrafo smirked. "That's what's stopping you from trying to change his mind about you, huh?" He raised an eyebrow at Yul. "From my point of view, Hajime really showed a lot of affection for you. I saw it in his eyes the day you passed out in Skull Forest. Maybe he was waiting for you to speak first."
"Yeah, who wants to look at a handsome face that is as cold as ice?" Michio added, looking at Yul. "Everyone, man or woman, we like the ones who put a smile on our face and are able to make us laugh with his little sweet jokes."
"I know no jokes," Yul admitted, a slight frown on his face.
"You can learn," Abrafo insisted. "It's not too late yet; Hajime hasn't completely gotten involved with that handsome guy yet."
"I don't have time to learn jokes to tease and flirt with other people," Yul said, clearly exasperated.
"Don't you care if Hajime leaves us and goes with that guy?" Abrafo challenged.
"Whatever happens, I can't stop it from happening," Yul replied, his voice firm.
"Really?" Abrafo pressed. "Then why are you desperately trying not to let Tanzang be destroyed, but are unwilling to put more effort into your relationship with Hajime?"
"The two are different," Yul said, his voice curt. He looked at Abrafo and Michio, shook his head, and walked away from them.
Michio scratched his bald head and murmured, "I don't see any difference between the two."
Putting his arm around Michio's shoulder, Abrafo said, "I'm pretty sure he's in denial. I believe there's some spark between Yul and Hajime. I know there is."
"I don't know…" Michio pondered. "Yul's attitude towards Hajime is giving all the wrong signals."
Abrafo pulled his arm off Michio's shoulders and crossed them across his chest. He looked at Michio. "You want to bet with me?"
"What are we betting on?" Michio asked.
"Yul will fall in love with Hajime," Abrafo declared.
Michio shook his head. "They are married, so they will fall in love sooner or later."
"You are no fun at all," Abrafo grumbled. He then ran forward and grabbed Hajime's arm. "Hajime…" he gasped. "Yul has something to tell you privately."
Hajime looked at Abrafo, confused by his words. "Privately?" he asked. "Why? Is it so important that he can't share it with all of us?"
"It's a very important thing that no one else can know about but you," Abrafo insisted, trying to sound mysterious.
"What is it?" Hajime pressed.
"I don't know," Abrafo said, shaking his head. "You must ask him yourself. He didn't tell me anything."
Hajime walked back to Yul. "What are you trying to say to me that no one else can know but me?" he asked.
Yul looked at Hajime, bewildered. "What? What are you talking about?"
"Abrafo said you have something to talk to me privately," Hajime explained. "So, what is it?"
"Why should I talk to you in private?" Yul replied, genuinely confused. "There must be some misunderstanding."
"If you have nothing to say to me in private, why would Abrafo say that to me?" Hajime pressed, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"I have nothing to say," Yul stated firmly.
"Well, why would Abrafo lie to me if you have nothing to say?" Hajime challenged.
Yul sighed and shook his head, finally relenting. "Abrafo is worried that you will fall in love with Baishui and leave us. You will not help us find the key to No Man's Land," he confessed, still avoiding eye contact with Hajime.
Hajime looked at Yul with a smile, a teasing glint in his eye. "And you're not worried that Abrafo guessed right?"
Yul looked at Hajime, finding that the dark red horizon, which had just risen to the top of the mountain, made Hajime's eyes light up. "I can't control who you fall in love with, but I hope you will do what you say and save Tanzang."
"Don't worry," Hajime said, his voice reassuring. "I won't fall in love with Baishui. He is so different from me; we have nothing in common. So, he can't be my true love." Hajime opened his palm, revealing four pieces of orange on it.
Yul looked at the four pieces of orange in Hajime's palm. "What is this?" he asked, his gaze fixed on them.
"I know you didn't sleep well last night; you must be very tired this morning," Hajime said gently. "Besides, nutrition is very beneficial to wound healing."
"You keep and eat it," Yul replied, trying to refuse. "I'm not tired."
Hajime grabbed a slice of orange and gently stuffed it into Yul's mouth. Yul quickly grabbed Hajime's hand and held it tightly.
Yul sighed, his eyes on Hajime's hand. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice muffled by the orange.
"Well, if you eat well from the beginning, I won't cross your boundaries and stuff it into your mouth," Hajime explained, a playful smile on his face. "Open your mouth and eat well once."
Yul stretched his head forward, slowly opened his mouth, took the slice of orange fully into his mouth, touched the tip of Hajime's thumb and index finger with his lips, and then slowly let go of Hajime's wrist.
Although Yul's mouth and lips no longer touched Hajime's thumb and index fingertips, Hajime could still feel the warmth from Yul's mouth. Just looking at Yul, he suddenly felt very embarrassed. He quickly grabbed Yul's hand and put the remaining three pieces of oranges in Yul's palm.
"Remember to eat," Hajime said, and then, flustered, ran towards Abrafo and Baishui.