* * * * * 

Day had come without Hyuk falling asleep at all. If it could even be called day –the sun was still hanging stubbornly in the same place, halfway down the horizon.

“How do you measure time?” was the first thing Hyuk asked when he descended the last of the stairs. Even though he hadn’t slept ever since entering this game, or even felt a need to, Hyuk felt somehow refreshened.

Himchan was busy scrubbing some split beer of a table. He glanced up at Hyuk, confused. “Well, glad to see you’re feeling better!” he greeted cheerfully. His apron and cape were back in place. He looked so… normal. Yesterday’s fight and Himchan’s bat-like wings seemed like a crazy dream.

“Yo, kid.”

Grinning like an idiot, Hyuk returned Ravi’s fist bump.

“Wait, you’re really friends?!” exclaimed Himchan, mouth in a comical “O”. “That’s great! I thought Bang made that up just to annoy Jongup and Zelo!”

Ravi groaned, throwing his head back exasperatedly. “Dad’s been fighting them again, hasn’t he?”

Eyes wide, he suddenly turned to Hyuk. “Dad didn’t bother ya, did he? My crazy father seems to have a ing problem with ma choice of friends,” Ravi complained, sighing. Himchan giggled before disappearing into the kitchens.

“No, not at all! He actually helped me a lot!”

“Oh?” said Ravi, surprised. “Well, that’s a first.”

“Want me to get you anything? Breakfast, or-” prompted Himchan from the other room.

“No.” deadpanned Ravi. He looked quite embarrassed.

“… Your dad’s actually really cool,” said Hyuk, trying not to laugh at Ravi’s childish behavior, “and Himchan too.”

“Uh, right”, murmured Ravi, but his tone suggested the opposite.

Never in his wildest dreams did Hyuk imagine Ravi was the type to be easily embarrassed. Although, if Himchan was MY family, I’d probably be embarrassed too. Someone really needs to tell him about that cape.

Right then, Yongguk barged though the door, holding a basket full of clean white towels.

“Yo, ‘mornin!”

Ravi just continued to sulk, but Hyuk returned the greeting with a smile.

Any trace of last evening’s fight was gone from Yongguk. There was no cut on his forearm – not even a bruise. Obviously the potion had done its work.

“There’s something I have to ask you,” said Hyuk, turning to Yongguk.

He hated depending on Ravi for everything. He hated that he couldn’t protect himself from Zelo the day before, so Yongguk had to save his . He hated that Himchan had to carry him all the way upstairs to bed. Whenever Hyuk played a game in the past, read a book or watched a movie, he always hated those useless characters who were weak and always had to be rescued by their friends. Turning into such a person was the most humiliating thing Hyuk could think of.

“Can you find me something I can fight with?”

* * * * *