Chapter 5.
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"The fever is almost gone", Hyukjae said with a pleased voice, earning a smile from the cursed boy. "How do you feel?"
"Better", Donghae muttered and he wasn't lying.
After he had fallen asleep in Hyukjae's embrace, he had woken up a few hours later without any head ache and no sweats running down his body. Of course, he still felt tired and his body was a bit aching, and he had this unpleasant lump down his throat. But all in all, he felt better.
"Good", Hyukjae replied softly. "How about a shower, hm? Doesn't it sound nice?"
Donghae grimaced as he realized he hadn't bathed for days. All the sweat from his fever made him feel sticky and dirty, and he knew he probably smelled bad. He felt sorry for Hyukjae who had to endure it while taking care of him.
"Yes, I want to", he slowly nodded.
"Now?" the other simply asked and he nodded again. "Okay, let's get you up then", Hyukjae sweetly said and helped Donghae to get out of bed and up on his feet.
Donghae stood up, a bit wobbly on his legs, and felt Hyukjae's hand gently press on the small of his back, supporting him and showing him the way at the same time. Carefully, Donghae followed the instructions and they slowly made their way to the bathroom. Unlike when his father would lead him to the shower, Hyukjae didn't rush him but made sure Donghae wouldn't bump into any furniture. The simple attention was enough to make Donghae's heart swell up with strong emotions.
"Ah! Be careful here", Hyukjae suddenly mumbled and Donghae felt his toes step onto something wet. He tilted his head, wondering what that was. "Aish, that dog..." Hyukjae grunted. "Choco! Why did you pee here?" he began to scold someone.
"Who are you talking to?" Donghae inquired.
"My dog, Choco", Hyukjae replied. "Sorry about that. She's a bit nervous since..."
He didn't end his sentence but Donghae could guess what he wasn't saying out lout. Since you're here.
"Is she scared of me?"
The pressure of Hyukjae's hand on his hand increased.
"A bit. She doesn't like strangers."
Donghae knew Hyukjae was half lying, that it was not the only reason for the dog to be nervous. He was not just a stranger, he was a cursed soul, and the dog undoubtedly felt it. But yet, the fact that Hyukjae tried to hide it so that Donghae would not feel hurt touched the cursed boy deep inside his heart.
"I'll clean this later, let's just get to the bathroom."
Donghae nodded and began to walk again, ignoring the wet feeling on his foot. They stopped a few meters away and he felt the floor changing under his feet. It was colder and harder.
"Okay, there we are", Hyukjae crooned and walked away from the cursed boy.
Donghae heard some closet being opened and he assumed Hyukjae was looking for some towels for him. Quietly, he grabbed the hem of his smelly t-shirt and pulled it off his body. He just dropped it on the floor, like how he was used to do with his brother and his father, and then his hands worked in his sweat pants.
As he was about to take off his underwear, Hyukjae's sudden gasp stopped him.
"Oh!" he heard the other breath out. "Oh, huh, d-do you... Should I leave you alone now?"
"No!" Donghae squeaked and brought up his hands in the direction of Hyukjae's voice, desperately trying to find him. "D-Don't leave please!"
A hand caught his wrist, and then he knew where the other was.
"Okay", Hyukjae quickly said. "Okay, I'm not going anywhere..." he added softly. Donghae instantly relaxed. "I just thought maybe you wanted some privacy."
"Privacy?" Donghae repeated, clueless about what Hyukjae meant.
"Yes, people like to be alone when they take a bath. They don't like when someone else watches them shower."
Donghae slightly parted his lips, his mouth forming a silent 'O'. He had never imagined people wanted to shower alone. He always had had someone with him, to lead him to the room and pick up his clothes for him.
"Why?" he genuinely asked. He remembered he loved it when Donghwa showered with him, they splashed water everywhere. And it felt less lonely when you had someone to talk to.
"I don't know", Hyukjae replied with a chuckle. "I guess it's embarrassing."
"Why?" Donghae asked again as he took off his underwear, getting himself completely .
"Well", Hyukjae's voice slightly faltered for a second. "Some people are ashamed of their body."
"Why? Don't we all have the same body?" Donghae inquired. He couldn't understand what Hyukjae was trying to explain.
"Technically we do", the other patiently replied. "But some people think they're ugly, or too fat, or too skinny..."
"Why would they think that?" Donghae kept asking, his strong and natural curiosity striking back.
"They compare their body with other people's body", Hyukjae said with a thoughtful voice, as if he was trying to understand the reasons himself. "And then they look at their own body and want it to be different... Some people just don't like their body."
"Do you like your body?" the cursed boy questioned innocently as he
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