Deep in the woods, they stop running, knowing there are no signs of pursuers. However, they are in the middle of the woods, in the middle of the night. Zero plan, zero preparations, surrounded by darkness. All they have are the clothes on their bodies and a ship key in Rod's pocket.
"Now, would you tell me what's going on? Why are you in such a rush?" Steve asks as they rest under a tree.
"Steve, I get it now," Rod pants between breaths.
"Should I be scared or honored that you're having an epiphany right now?"
Rod ignores him and pulls something from his pocket—a key with a keychain, a blue ribbon embroidered with the word SKY!.
Steve's eyes widen. He quickly snatches the key, examining it in disbelief, while Rod takes the moment to look behind them, checking for any movement.
"Rod, how did you get this?" Steve hisses. This is the ship key!
"It was in his drawer. Now, I want you to go to that ship, turn it on, and leave," Rod commands, his eyes dead serious.
"Yes, but... now? Are you coming with me or not?!"
"I—" Rod can't finish his sentence. Steve's question is tempting, especially when he realized that they might never see each other again. Just separated by time is already agonizing, let alone unable to see each other again. This time, Steve is gone for sure. Rod would go, but he isn't prepared for this, when he reach for Steve, all he want is just to gave him the key, that's all.
"I don't want to go if you're not coming with me," Steve insists.
"Steve, you need to go. That man is crazy. Being under him, I finally understand everything. The way he speaks, his opinions... he's obsessed with you. He want to make sure you ain't going anywhere. You need to be somewhere safe, away from him" Rod whispers.
"I know..." Steve sulks, then finally tells Rod everything. Cezar has always tried to tame him, to dominate him, to make Steve his own. But Steve has always found ways to keep him at bay.
First, Steve befriended Cezar's wife, sneaking into the ladies area, disguising himself as a girl. Plan works well, Cezar wife loves him so much. That small act of friendship alone was a threat to Cezar—it made him cautious, wary of trying to claim Steve again. Second, Steve bought a body cam disguised as a button. He warned Cezar about it, swear to God that he will show his wife the footage if he General ever dare to touch him again.
But Cezar retaliated. He spread nasty rumors about Steve, claiming he was promiscuous and carrying syphilis, hoping to ruin his chances at ever finding a boyfriend. As if that wasn't enough, Cezar went even further—he deep-faked Steve's face into a pornographic videos, destroying his reputation and turning people against him.
"So that's what happened, I should've know it was him all along," Rod punch his own palm.
"Don't change the subject. Answer me—are you coming with me or not?!" Steve now looks at Rod with a serious expression.
"How could you ask me that now? I haven't prepare anything, I didn't carry anything with me. My stuffs, my things, my weapons, my----" Rod shook his head, it doesn't matter anymore! The thought of never seeing Steve again once he leaves this island is driving him crazy. "Yes! I'm coming with you! Let's go to the horizon together!"
Steve's serious expression softens, his eyes brightening with a warmth that replaces the tension from earlier. A genuine smile spreads across his face—a rare, unguarded happiness that makes him look even more radiant. Yet, despite the joy shimmering in his gaze, a little concern still annoys him.
"Did I push you into this?" he asks quietly. "Is this really your decision? You don't have to go if you don't want to."
Rod doesn't hesitate. His voice is steady, resolute. "No, no. I'm willing to. My place is anywhere around you."
Before Rod can say another word, Steve pulls him close, wrapping his arms tightly around him. Rod barely has a second to react before Steve peppers his face with kisses—his forehead, his cheeks, the tip of his nose—each one filled with an overwhelming affection.
***
As they continue walking side by side to the secret beach where the yacht is waiting, Steve starts to tell Rod his story—how he found the yacht and why he hasn't left yet, even though he could.
Two years after Steve buried his makeup box, Rod was assigned to him. Steve, ever the charming and playful soul, made an effort to befriend Rod, who was painfully shy. With clear boundaries—since Rod was only 15 at the time—Steve tried to flirt with him, but it was always lighthearted, a way to make Rod feel at ease. It seemed to work; Rod would laugh at Steve's flamboyant behavior, and sassy humors. So, Steve keep doing it, he was happy to see Rod smile.
But then, Rod's focus shifted. In the cafeteria, he caught the eye of Charles, and his attention was completely consumed by him. It was as if Steve had never existed in Rod's world anymore. Rod even started calling him "Charles" instead of his name, "Steve." It stung, though Steve couldn't quite explain why. His name, his identity—everything that once mattered between them seemed forgotten.
Perhaps it was jealousy or the realization that Rod wasn't meant to be his friend after all. He began to withdraw, spending more time alone, burying himself in his thoughts. All he want is to fly away from this place, and embraces new life, where he finally can feel free.
One morning, while taking a walk in the forest to clear his head, Steve got lost. As he wandered, he stumbled upon a yacht stranded on a solitary beach. Curious, he inspected the vessel, finding the engine in perfect working condition. Testing it out, he carefully maneuvered the yacht, getting it stuck intentionally to the coral stones to trapped it, securing it safely.
Steve took the key, his heart racing with excitement. This was it. The yacht could be his ticket to freedom. He knew it wasn't going to be easy—he couldn't just sail away without proper preparation. So, he meticulously planned, quietly moving some of his belongings into the yacht and leaving the rest behind. Rather than stock up on food, he filled the yacht with tools—fishing rods, nets, a water sterilizer—anything that would help him survive once he left. When the day came, all he would need to do was set sail.
The day arrived sooner than expected, and Steve made his escape. But as he tried to leave, Rod intercepted him. Despite Steve's efforts to get away, Rod captured him and had him thrown into the jail for a week. Steve was caught off guard—he hadn't anticipated this, but what really surprised him was that Rod, unexpectedly, followed him into the jail.
"Wait, so you were trying to ride the ship at that time?" Rod repeats.
"Yeah, how else you think I would escape this island?"
"You're right...."
"Since you handcuffed me that time, I had no choice but to cooperate," Steve says, nudging Rod's side. "You seemed like you weren't going to let me go."
"Yeah, I can't lose you," Rod smiles sheepishly, feeling the weight of the moment.
"I'm sorry," Rod continues, his voice sincere. "I took you for granted and kept getting in your way. I wish I could have treated you better. I'm really sorry, Steve."
"Why are you keep digging outdated issues?" Steve shrugs. "You already make it up well, also it was me you kissed, right?" Steve grins, his usual playful tone returning.
Steve continued his story. After he got out of that week-long punishment, Cezar called him into his office. He took the key from Steve and demanded to know where the yacht was. But Steve stayed silent. After checking for any hidden camera and snatches it away, Cezar escalated the situation into something worse.
Still fresh in Steve's memory, despite the pain coursing through his body, Cezar shouted in his face, "Where the hell is the yacht?! Say it!!"
But all Steve could tell him was, "Go ahead, take everything from me, take it all! But you can't ever take the sky from me!" He grinned, only making Cezar even more furious. And then, the beating started again.
But he can't break a broken man.
"And I signed alliance with him," Rod shook his head, anger to himself raises. He can't understand why no matter how much he tried, he kept making mistakes. Even now, he keep trusting the wrong person.
He still took the bait when Cezar offered power in exchange for Steve, as if he could outplay someone like him. As if he could stomach standing by his side, ignoring the sheer hostility burning inside him, waiting for his time to end.
It was a wrong strategy. He thought he can watch and waiting, but apparently, all he did was just betraying the person he care the most. Just... stupid.
Rod stopped walking, his frustration boiling over. He turned to the nearest tree and swings his powerful blow on that tree, cracking the branch.
Steve pull him away, saving the tree. "What are you doing?!"
"I am the most useless, stupid person to ever exist!" Rod snapped, his mind spinning with guilt and self-loathing. "When am I ever going to learn from my mistakes? Keep doing the same mistakes over and over again, settle down in bargaining. I am so stupid!"
Steve placed his hand on Rod's bruised hand and noticed a wooden splinter stabbing through his knuckles. As he carefully removed the splinters, he spoke in a calm but firm voice. "Cutie, did I blame you for any of this? We all make mistakes—nobody is perfect. And look, you gave me the key to my freedom!"
Rod yanked Steve away and grabbed his hair in anger.
Steve tilted his head with a smirk, his eyes playful. "Here's one way to look at it: if the yacht's still there, that means I was right and you were wrong about yourself. What do you think?"
Rod exhales, then he nods in agreement, "Fair enough."
Steve's grin widened. "Exactly. Now, let's get moving to the secret beach."