This chapter isn't very good. I'm sorry about that. Huh.
I also realized it was kinda stupid to choose Harry Potter as an audio book (or more like, unrequited?) since, you know, it's about witches xD urgh, maybe I'll edit that later lol

          Donghae sighed quietly, feeling Hyukjae's hand caressing his hair affectionately. He leaned to the gentle touch, enjoying the sweet and comforting attention. His mouth was busy chewing lazily on the little portion of rice he had shoved in his mouth, but he was eating without much enthusiasm.

He didn't have so much appetite. He hadn't slept well and the lack of sleep, combined to what Kyuhyun had told him the previous night, made him feel a bit down. Hyukjae had sensed it ever since they had gotten out of bed. He had tried to lift up the boy's mood with sweet words and gentle caresses, and it had worked a bit, but Donghae was still unusually quiet and couldn't wipe off the little pout plastered on his face.

"Maybe I should stay today", Hyukjae muttered, worry lacing with his soft voice. "Or tell Sungmin to come over. It's okay, you know, you don't have to feel bad about being uncomfortable around Kyuhyun. I didn't know about this repulsive-instinct thing..."

"No Hyukkie", the boy mumbled, trying not to spit his food as he spoke. "Sungmin Hyung needs to rest and Kyuhyun Hyung said I would get used to it. And I want to talk more with him..."

"Fine", the man gave in, patting the younger's hair a little more. "I still think it could be good for you two to spend some time together. But if really you don't feel well, Kyuhyun will call me or Sungmin, alright?"

"Yes", Donghae flashed him a small smile.

He was a little nervous about spending the day alone with Kyuhyun, not yet used to his instincts screaming for him to avoid the other cursed one, but at the same time he wanted to chat more with Kyuhyun. The male seemed to know a lot of things about the Cursed Ones, and Donghae was eager to receive some information.
Furthermore, his sudden drop of him mood wasn't only connected to Kyuhyun's presence. It also had to do with the revelations about his father...

He shook his head, trying not to think about it again. The bittersweet feeling it created in his chest every time he did wasn't very pleasant.

"By the way, I should tell you... Kyuhyun isn't your hyung", Hyukjae chuckled. The soft laughter was so sweet, it instantly brightened Donghae's mood. "He's turning 18 in a couple months, so basically you are the hyung."

"Oh", Donghae slightly gaped, surprised. A couple of rice grains escaped his mouth and he quickly closed his mouth not to spill his food everywhere.

"Anyway", Hyukjae gently wiped the boy's mouth with a napkin. "He may be younger and slightly immature, but I know he'll take a good care of you today. I'm not sure yet if we can let him stay with us more than a couple days. I'll give a phone call to Heechul and Sungmin during lunch break and discuss it with them..."

Donghae pursed his lips. He wanted to tell Hyukjae to let Kyuhyun stay, but he wasn't sure if he had a word to say in this situation. It was Hyukjae's house after all. Yet, knowing how kind-hearted the elder male was, he wouldn't be surprised if he eventually allowed his friend to stay over.

"Aish, I need to go now or I'll be late", Hyukjae muttered. "Why is it so hard for him to get up? I already went to wake him up five time and he's still lazying in bed..."

"It's okay, you should let him sleep", Donghae softly uttered. "Maybe he's tired, or has a fever, we should let him sleep... Hyukkie", he suddenly called and reached out for the man. "What should I do if he feels sick?" he asked, feeling a wave of anxiety wrap him. He had no experience being with someone unhealthy and he knew he wouldn't be very helpful if Kyuhyun ever needed any medical care.

"Don't worry about that, if he needs someone he'll call me or Min. I'm more concerned about you. I wish he could get up now... I don't want to leave knowing you're all alone here."

"I'm not alone", Donghae retorted. "He's in the next room. I'll be fine."

Hyukjae didn't seem much convinced about the boy's words and it took another round of coaxing and reassuring promises from the younger before he eventually agreed to leave for work. Before that, he made sure that Donghae was nicely settled on the couch, with everything he needed to entertaint himself. Donghae gave him a sweet smile, the first sincere grin he made that day, and Hyukjae seemed to relax a bit.
The man quickly rushed out of the apartement, he was already late.

Donghae sighed as the front door was shut. He sat completely still on the couch for a while, all alone in the living room. An unpleasant feeling spread in his guts as he listened to the complete silence filling the flat. Not even a sound came from Henry's bedroom, which meant Kyuhyun was probably sleeping soundly.

Trying to fight the uneasy sensation tugging in his chest, he grabbed his guitar and began to play a bit. He practiced the notes he had learned and tried to play the new piece of music Sungmin had taught him the previous day, but it wasn't easy without the elder around to help him.

As he played, he felt a little better. He liked how the strings vibrated under his digits, liked the sounds he could create by pulling on them and pressing his fingers on a specific area. He didn't know much yet, but he was glad to learn. He couldn't do much in his condition, and playing music was one of the rare activities over which he had a full control.

Much to his satisfaction, Kyuhyun came out of the bedroom not so long after. Donghae tensed a bit as the younger male entered the living room, mumbling some tired greetings to the boy settled on the couch as he dragged himself to the kitchen. Donghae pursed his lips and shifted hesitantly on the couch. He didn't like the tension, nor the way his body naturally rejected Kyuhyun, but at least he wasn't scared anymore.

Putting his guitar away and carefully standing up, he slowly made his way to the kitchen, listening to the sounds Kyuhyun did as he opened and closed drawers, seemingly looking for food. His feet made no sound as he approached and stopped next to the door frame

"Hi", Donghae shyly muttered, standing there, half clinging onto the wall.

"Hmm, good morning", Kyuhyun uttered in a yawn. "Did you eat?"

"Yes", the boy replied, shifting his weight on his other foot. He felt unsure about what to do.  

"Hmm", Kyuhyun just hummed and yawned again. A short silence followed, but Donghae quickly broke it.

"Are you tired?"

"Yeah, barely slept", the younger grumbled, pulling a chair and making it screech against the floor. "I'm not used not having Min around", he added in a low voice. "Hey, come here."

Donghae was slightly startled when warm fingers grasped his wrist without a warning. Next, he was pulled inside the room and forced to sit down. His teeth dug into his lower lip as he let Kyuhyun push him down on the chair and once seated, he didn't move. Kyuhyun placed a few things on the table, cold rice and kimchi from what the boy could smell, before he settled himself next to the boy and proceeded to have his breakfast.

"I heard you play the guitar", he said. His voice seemed softer than normal, as if he was trying to soothe the boy's awkwardness around him. "Sungmin is teaching you, right?"

"Yes", Donghae replied.

"He taught me too", Kyuhyun chirped, so happily that Donghae found himself smiling.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Actually that's how we met", the other chuckled. "He came to my parents' place when I decided to learn how to play the guitar and he tutored me. That was four years ago... I wasn't cursed back then... Whatever, I can teach you a bit too, if you want."

"You like Sungmin Hyung a lot", Donghae commented, unconsciously ignoring the offer. He was much more interested in the way Kyuhyun's voice softened everytime he talked about the elder.

"Yeah, I really do", the younger sighed. He chewed on his rice a few times before he gulped it down. He remained quiet for a while. "You know, Min and I are lovers", he softly breathed out. "My parents were mad when they found out