The vehicle drove away slowly, tracks left behind in the grains. Chief Seong tentatively wheeled him along, leaving the sand and haphazardly pushing the chair along a pebbly beach. It didn’t take long for the wheels to get caught on the rocks.

“Is this necessary? There’s no one around and I’m certain with the growing darkness it would be hard to spot my wings immediately,” Hrafn said.

Chief Seong stopped. “I’m more worried that you’re about four heads taller than me.”

Hrafn weighed the height around in his head. “Fair enough.”

“But,” the human continued after a pause. “I’m sure you’d be quick enough to just duck down. Not to mention it is your first time to venture out of the apartment…so if you just happen to get up on your own to explore, it’s not like I can stop you.”

“Well if you insist,” Hrafn grinned a bit, standing and clenching his talons in the rocks. They were smooth and water-worn.

Chief Seong folded the wheelchair and continued to drag it along the beach. “I’m not as sensitive as Ha-Rin or Haneul…but if you want someone to talk to. I’m all ears.”

Hrafn huffed. “Was it that obvious?”

“You and the boss haven’t left each other alone since you got here, man,” Chief Seong chuckled to himself. “Of course we’re going to notice when you’re not even looking at one another.”

A flush of embarrassed heat flushed through Hrafn’s neck.

“You two are like school kids dancin’ around one another.”

“It wasn’t my intention to make things so obvious.”

“You're a two-and-a-something meters tall bird-man, subtlety is not going to be your strong suit here.”

Hrafn suddenly wanted to be hidden away in the garden back at the penthouse. This was far too open for him.

“Did you reject him?” Chief Seong looked forward, never taking his gaze from their invisible destination.

“How…” Hrafn found himself stumped but perhaps this is why Jiu Seong was part of a protective force. Intellect was almost as scary as brute strength.

“Haneul’s been pining after you for a long time,” Chief Seong chuckled to himself. “Anyone who knows him could tell.”

Oh.

“Not your type?” Chief Seong asked. “Too short? Too alien?”

“No, it was none of that. Haneul is perfect—” Hrafn hurried before covering his mouth.

 A bellowing laugh broke free from the human. “You’re very honest for some fierce warrior, hm?”

“Humans baffle me.” Hrafn growled, looking away completely embarrassed.

“Good thing to know. Imagine if every alien species could figure us out. End of humanity as we know it.” Chief Seong’s voice didn’t waver. It was incredibly fond, if anything. “But Haneul is an open book. You’re smart, I know you can read him. And if we’re reading you correctly, you feel the same way about him as he does for you. So why are you holding back?”

Huffing, Hrafn wondered if he should be offended by that. “It’s not the time nor the place. Haneul has his own problems and so do I.”

Friend or not, of course he wouldn’t get into the nitty gritty as to why. 

“Ha-Rin had mentioned you had a hard life. But if that’s the case, then there would never be a good moment, right?”

Hrafn hadn’t thought of that.

Chief Seong hummed. “Regardless of the time, you are one of the first choices that Haneul has made for himself in a very long time. If you don’t hold any romantic regards for him, then that’s one thing—it’s not your fault, but please make that clear to him. However if you do care for him, and it’s not some big foreign cultural difference, then maybe you should go for it. There will never be a right time for you or him. Especially once you inevitably leave.”

“And that doesn’t bother you as his friend?” Hrafn demanded. “What I am?”

“An alien warlord, a bird, a freeloader, or a male…? At least, I presume male.” Chief Seong looked him up or down.

“Male, yes. But I meant alien…” Hrafn hesitated. “Wait, is my being male really an issue?”

Chief Seong snorted. “Oh, you’d be surprised. But luckily for you, Haneul probably prefers that.”

They arrived at a small alcove right at the edge of the coast. There was a fire pit constructed of broken brick and stone. Ocean waves crashed up against the ledge of the coastline but didn’t splash into the fire pit. Chief Seong threw down the wheelchair as if it offended him. 

“Finally, we’re here!”

Hrafn stood at the edge and stared out at the sea. So odd to see it churning and not frozen beneath paces of ice.

Chief Seong stood beside him and lit a cigarette. “As Haneul’s friend, I’m not bothered by what you are—in any capacity. Neither is Ha-Rin. You’ve made him very happy, and it’s been a while since we’ve seen him genuinely content.”

“I didn’t realize my presence made that much of a difference.” 

“You’re the reason for a lot of Haneul’s behavior these days. That’s a good thing.” Chief Seong took a dreg of smoke before exhaling. “We all have our preferences. Hell, Ha-Rin had the biggest crush on my wife for the longest time.”

“Crush?”

“Ah, she liked-liked her? Had romantic feelings toward her? Held her in the deepest of regards?”

“In the same capacity of …Haneul and I like-liking each other?”

“There ya go,” Chief Seong chuckled. “At the end of the day we all have what we like. Who cares if you are a freaky bird-man or not.”

“Ever eloquent.” Hrafn frowned. “But my existence here puts Haneul in danger both with my people and his own. A relationship as you suggest would only make that worse.”

“That is not just your decision to make,” Chief Seong tapped the ash out into the water. “Haneul has a heart and mind, same as you. Support each other. Be each other’s strengths.”

And weaknesses, Hrafn thought but instead said. “Why did Ha-Rin like-like your mate?”

Chief Seong choked out a laugh. “What’s not to like? Former convict, did an honorary stint with yakuza in Japan, could crush your head in her hands if she so chose. She’s a damn dreamboat, I’ll tell you what.”

Hrafn blinked. He didn’t know a handful of those words. Yakuza? Dreamboat?

Maybe they were all insane.

“You guys!” Haneul’s voice carried over the ocean.

Both he and Ha-Rin came running over the sand dunes and over the rocks. Together they carried a box that slushed with the sound of glass and ice. The first time since their spat, Haneul was smiling brilliantly. His shirt hung open, tie probably abandoned somewhere in the van with his jacket. The wind had tossed his hair messily. Bare feet sunk into the sand and pebbles with every footstep. 

Hrafn felt something shatter in his heart and he was almost certain it wasn’t his affections.

It was his resolve.