Taek Woon wasn’t antisocial but the idea of living normally didn’t cross his mind. For that, Hak Yeon started small. He started by making Taek Woon sleep back to his room, while he slept in the living room. It made the nanny change her attitude with the man, as she wake him up and offer him soothing tea for his back pain.

“If you start getting comfortable with living outside that cage, I want us to go out and have dinner.” Taek Woon blinked at him. “Don’t worry, you have full control of your powers now and we are going to eat only.”

“I am scared.” Taek Woon admitted and Hak Yeon held his hands. “I’ll blow it up and people will know I’m a shape shifter.”

Hak Yeon thought of it. “Let us work on an escape plan, ok?” He stood to walk around. “We will come up with a nickname for you, so even if people discover you shape shift, nobody will think of Taek Woon, the son of the Jungs…” Taek Woon never actually looked at Hak Yeon through the eyes, but he did then. “Don’t worry. I’ll be by your side; ok?”

“Why are you doing this?” The question was asked several times and Hak Yeon had always the same answer.

“I’m doing this because you deserve it.” Hak Yeon stood right in front of Taek Woon. “You deserve to have the right to live normally despite your case.” Taek Woon felt something kick his insides, and wondered why he felt like that as he nodded shyly toward the man.

After much struggles, he left the house, holding on Hak Yeon as he tried to avoid people’s eyes. The last didn’t mind and even greeted people, introducing Leo as someone they found by their door, and who lost his memories. “He didn’t want get near anyone except me. Maybe because I was the one finding him.” The only explanation given whenever Leo growl at people.

“That’s too kind of you to take care of him.” The people say and Taek Woon agreed, but still he frown as they use that scolding tone that Hak Yeon brush off with a chuckle.

He would look at Taek Woon and smile reassuringly every time. “He’s a nice person, don’t worry.” Taek Woon’s insides flipped every single time Hak Yeon said so.  They had a nice night out, had fun as Hak Yeon made Taek Woon taste all kind of food sold in the markets. “How do you find your first night out of the house?” Taek Woon was still eating and blinked cutely to Hak Yeon. “Woah, such a cute sight.” Hak Yeon chuckled as Taek Woon blushed glaring at him. “So, how was it?”

“Beautiful.” Taek Woon mumbled as he his lips from the excess of food. “Can we go out again?”

“Sure!” Hak Yeon’s bright tone expressed his happiness. “We will do it as often as possible.”

Taek Woon blinked at that. “But you work. Just don’t work yourself up.” Hak Yeon brushed that off and surrounded Taek Woon’s shoulder with his arm.

“I’m truly glad you are starting to live normally.” Hak Yeon said with sincerity that made Taek Woon smile. They walked back home, greeted by worried elderlies. “Everything was fine and nobody knows he is your son. You can rest.” Hak Yeon was polite but still cold toward them. “We will sleep now. Good night.”

As Hak Yeon pushed Taek Woon in the room as Taek Woon get hard time to sleep, the last held Hak Yeon. “Can you stay? I don’t want you to sleep in the living room.”

“But, this is your room; I can no longer use it.” Taek Woon shook his head, pleadingly.

“Stay. I fear sleeping alone.” Taek Woon stood to take off his clothes. “I’ll shift into a cat or something and sleep by your side, ok? Just sleep.” Hak Yeon blushed but still stood to change his clothes. They did that while being together in the same room, despite how shy they were with each other. When Hak Yeon turned, Taek Woon was already in his leopard shape.

“It’s a big cat.” Hak Yeon chuckled. He got in the bed and covered himself while Taek Woon got in other side and curled up in the bed. “Good night.” The leopard’s soft gurgles made Hak Yeon chuckle as he slept comfortably.

In the morning, Hak Yeon was surprised to find Taek Woon by his side, hugging him. It made him have a jolt of oddness as he observed the long hair that hide Taek Woon’s beautiful face. “He must have felt scared and looked for reassurance.” He mumbled to himself as he poked Taek Woon’s nose. “Good morning, Leo.” Taek Woon jumped in surprise. “Did you sleep well?” The man nodded, blushing madly as he tried to hide his body with the cover. “I’m heading to breakfast.” Picking clothes, Hak Yeon left the bed while Taek Woon was left behind, dying in embarrassment; it broke Hak Yeon in laughter once he was alone in the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, took a small shower, and get dressed properly.

Once in the kitchen, he met two frowning people and overjoying nanny. “Good morning?”

“What does it mean to sleep with that thing in the same bed?” The old man yelled. “Do you know how disgusting your position was?”

“He was in leopard shape when we slept, because and that you caused that, Taek Woon admitted fearing to sleep alone.” Hak Yeon explained with a soft smile. “If you didn’t lock him down, he won’t be that scared to sleep alone in the bed, and I won’t have to sleep next to him.”

“You could use an extra bed or something.” The mother interjected with a pale shocked expression. “Sleeping with a man while you are one is … sinful.”

“We slept, mom. We didn’t have .” Hak Yeon paused, giving them a glare as he slammed the chopsticks in the table. “And legally, Taek Woon and I are brother. Do you know what means brothers?”  He picked his cup of coffee. “I have to head to work and I hope once I get home you will think of it properly. He is my brother and I treat him as such.” When Hak Yeon stepped out of the dining room, meeting a silently crying Taek Woon made his heart squeeze. “Taek Woon ah…”

The man ran back to his room and Hak Yeon glared at the people in the room before pleading the nanny with her eyes to take care of Taek Woon. Taek Woon was sobbing silently by the time he was offered the breakfast that he didn’t touch. By Lunch, the nanny sat down by Taek Woon’s side. “Do you think Hak Yeon will appreciate you refusing to eat?”

Taek Woon forced the food down, without saying much, and the nanny noticed how down he was. “Can I have the keys for the cave?” The woman handed them to Taek Woon who rushed out of the house, surprising the old couple which was sitting by the front yard.

“Where do you think yourself going?” The man jumped down the cave and locked himself in while his parents knocked and called him out. “Come out! Taek Woon ah; come out. Ok? Please.” He didn’t not even when Hak Yeon showed up and knocked the cave’s door.

“He was like this since Lunch.” The nanny worriedly said. “Nobody said anything to him.”

Hak Yeon glared at her then sighed, avoiding his parents’ eyes. “What was said in the morning is enough to hurt anyone’s pride.” He sat down by the door. “I know you hear me, Taek Woon. I’ll stay in here until you open the door.” Hak Yeon said loudly. “I’ll be always here.”

The lock was heard but nothing else happened and Hak Yeon dared to open the door, finding it unlocked and walked down to find Taek Woon curled in the corner. “Hey.” Hak Yeon made his way to sit by Taek Woon’s side.

“I’m not your brother.” Taek Woon sobbed. Hak Yeon was shocked and hurt by that when Taek Woon suddenly held him. “I don’t want to.” The man hissed, crying. “I don’t want to.”

“Taek Woon… what do you want then?” Hak Yeon’s eyes got filled with tears when Taek Woon suddenly hugged him tightly.

“I don’t want you to be my brother. I don’t want you to be forbidden…” It shocked Hak Yeon who tensed but still patted on the man’s back. “I wish I can turn into a girl… I wish I could be a girl.”

“Why?” Hak Yeon pushed the man away. “You are fine as you are.”

Taek Woon shook his head and pushed himself away. “You don’t understand.” Taek Woon curled in a very tense way, pulling his hair in frustration. “You won’t understand.”

“Taek Woon ah.” Hak Yeon paused for a moment. Maybe Taek Woon was mistaken in his feelings. “Maybe you just feel so because I’m nice to you. Don’t rush on your heart, you deserve to be sure about it.” Taek Woon glared deadly at him. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Taek Woon hugged himself, trying to block Hak Yeon’s words from reaching him. “I love you too, Taek Woon, but is it the same love? Will this love make us live together without struggle? Will this love last forever, Taek Woon?” Taek Woon looked up, shedding tears Hak Yeon dried. “You just got your life back, my dear. Just focus on it for now, and we will figure things out slowly. Ok?” Taek Woon nodded, as he held Hak Yeon’s wrist.

“I’m sorry.” Hak Yeon shook his head, pulling Taek Woon close, knowing that the man was living many insecurities he will never see the end of. He knew that and was prepared to face them all.

Taek Woon was pulled to his room, where his mother waited with food. “I made something. He didn’t eat for hours now.” Hak Yeon nearly scoffed, because it was their mistake anyway, yet he thanked her as he sat Taek Woon down, feeding him silently. Taek Woon didn’t feel like eating but he did.

Taek Woon pulled Hak Yeon inside the bed, once he finished the dinner, and stiffened as he kept Hak Yeon closer. “Can’t I change my clothes?” Taek Woon looked at him uncertain. “I’ll just change, right here.”

“You didn’t eat.” Taek Woon peaked at the meal he finished without sharing with Hak Yeon. The last just stood and changed before joining Taek Woon, hugging him tight.

“I’m fine.” They slept at it, for a while, when in the middle of the night, Taek Woon’s body jolted. Hak Yeon woke up in a flash, noticing Taek Woon rushing to the bathroom, where he vomited. “What happened? What is going on?” Taek Woon vomited for so long it turned red and Hak Yeon’s mind was filled with horror as he observed Taek Woon losing consciousness in front of him, the whole bathroom covered with blood.