“Jongin! No, they will pe…”

A whimper broke out of the tiny shadow of a boy sitting on the window sill.

A blurry shape came to him and then scooped him up into a warm palm. The sparrow didn’t actually peck him. Its beak just went through him harmlessly but it did startle him and so he sniffled and fat black tears splashed on the palm and disappeared.

“Oh Jongin! Its ok, it’s ok. See the ugly monster bird is gone. I will protect you, don't cry.”

Warm hands gently pushed his head to rest on a warm chest. A strange sound thundered periodically in Jongin's ears but strangely he was not scared. It in fact calmed him greatly and Jongin wanted to know where it was coming from. He placed his small hands from where he though the sound was coming curiously fumbled to find the source.

A rumbling laughter erupted from the chest he was leaning on, “that… is my heartbeat. Does it scare you?”

Jongin still hiccupping lifted his head to see where that warm voice was coming from. He couldn’t see anything though. The figure was a blur and no matter how much Jongin rubbed his eyes with his tiny fists, he still couldn’t see clearly.

Afraid, Jongin, started crying again.

“shhh, my poor baby, I think you have had enough excitement for the day. You can come home now and rest okay.”

The palm lifted him up and he soon felt his eyes drooping. As the hand took him closer to a small black hole, Jongin felt at peace and closed his eyes. The last thing he heard was.

“I love you Jongin, sleep well.”

Jongin woke up with a start. For a moment he could still remember the dream but before he can recollect it, like smoke, it just disappeared. What he did remember though was that feeling of helplessness when he couldn’t see the person in his dream. Slowly, he his side.

There was a man sleeping next to him. Jongin tried hard to remember who that was, but nothing came to his mind. Then the face turned towards him and memory rushed into his mind. 

“Jun…”

Suho looked so tired. His pale skin was papery and his dark glossy hair was limp and lifeless. Jongin bit his lips and stared at Suho in worry. His Jun was not well, but Jongin did not understand why. He wanted to help but had no idea how. Jongin tried to remember all that Jun had done for him but nothing came to his mind clearly. Frustrated he squeezed his eyes and tried to think of something Suho did when Jongin was sick. And suddenly, he remembered Jun hugging him close when Lay had poked him with a needle the last time they went to the hospital.

Slowly, trying his best not to wake up his Jun, Jongin squirmed his way closer and just as slowly and gently, pulled Suho into his arms. For the next two hours until Suho eventually woke up, Jongin stayed fully awake staring down at the man in his arms and wondering how all of a sudden, he was bigger than his Jun.

“I am leaving to the underworld in a few days. My father has summoned me.” Sehun unceremoniously barged into the healing quarters and sprawled on an empty bed.

Lay turned around surprised and wanted to ask more, but the way Sehun said ‘father’ made him hesitate. Sehun and Lay had become friends over just one subject; the subject being Suho. They collaborated on finding a way to save Suho, but that’s the extent of their friendship.

“So, when will you be back?”

“Whenever the old man decides to let me go, bastard always had awful timing.”

Lay was taken aback by the way Sehun referred to his own father.

“What?”

“I take it you don’t like your father much.”

“There is nothing to like or dislike. He usually forgets I exist until he needs me to do some dirty work or other. Once the deed is done, he disappears presumably looking for his bastard child.”

Lay gave him a sympathetic pat in the back and for a while they stayed silent.

Just as Sehun started to doze, there was a gentle knock on the door.

Lay opened the door to reveal Jongin and Suho, the former looking worried and agitated.

“Jongin! How are you?”

“I am fine, as you can see. It’s Jun, he threw up his breakfast.”

Lay and Sehun who had just sat up exchanged a meaningful glance.

“Jongin… its nothing. Lay has a lot of work and we shouldn’t…” Suho tried to interject.

“No! Lay will check you and tell me what is wrong. Otherwise, I will not allow him to examine me either.”

With a sigh, Suho sat down on the bed Sehun had just vacated.

“I will check him my prince, but you please step outside.”

“No, I want to see what you are doing.”

Sehun hastily stepped towards Jongin. “Listen buddy, doctors do their stuff in private and Suho is a grown up. Give them space okay.”

Jongin just stared at him defiantly.

“Jongin, I am hungry and my throat feels raw. Can you please get me some porridge from the kitchen.” Suho suggested but still Jongin didn’t budge.

“Jongin, please. It will take you just 10 minutes.”

With a huge sigh, Jongin grabbed Sehun’s hand and dragged him away towards the kitchen.

“Ah, that was easy.” Lay commented sarcastically.

Suho just started at him and got up from the bed, but he felt dizzy and swayed. Thankfully Lay caught him and made him lie down on the bed.

“Suho… we can slow down now that his body has grown almost as good as it was before. Until we find a way to get you out of this, we can slow down.

“No! No! Jongin’s progress should not stop at any cost. He still has a lot to learn and grow.”

“But, you are dying!” Lay cried out in frustration

“I know…” Suho mumbled.

“What! You know and you are still doing this? Are you mad?”

“You can say that.” Suho chuckled sarcastically.

“Why?” Lay asked.

“You won’t understand.” Suho mumbled.

“Try me. And so help me if I don’t hear an explanation, I am going ahead and stopping all treatment to Jongin right now.”

“You won’t dare…” Suho started but one look at Lay and he deflated.

“You won’t understand Lay because you have been saving people all your life. Making people breath, live and smile is normal for you. I… I am walking death. I have cut down thousands of lives. These hands, they are permanently stained in blood. Do you know how it feels to know that you are good for nothing except blood and death?”

“Suho…”

“Jongin… Jongin is the first and only chance I have to save someone. Saving him will not save my soul, but it will be something I can focus on when I burn in hell. Don’t, don’t take that away from me please…”

“Suho, I understand… but that doesn’t mean we can’t save you… we can save you and still get the prince to become the Kai he was before.”

Suho laughed mirthlessly.

“Don’t take me for a fool Lay. I know why Jongin is growing. My life is the price for his. A price I will gladly pay.”

Jongin’s steps slowed as they neared the kitchen.

“There is something going on with Jun isn’t it?”

Sehun grimaced. He was never good in these types of situations. He just blurted out a ‘maybe’

“Sehun… you know me before I died right?”

“Yes, we were… umm… friends.”

“Someday, you should tell me how we met.”

“Sure, you deserve to know how awesome I am as a friend.”

“Suho, did I know Suho before as well.”

Sehun snorted. Trying to kill each other is one way of knowing wasn’t it?

“Let’s just say, you guys knew each other for completely different reasons.”

“I… I don’t remember him. I am afraid I am forgetting him slowly despite him being right next to me.”

This was dangerous because there is no history of the one saved by the spell remembering the person who saved them and yet here was Jongin confessing like a guilty child for doing something he shouldn’t even remember doing.

“You won’t Kai… “

“Jongin… you call me Jongin.”

Jongin started walking ahead. Sehun observed his friend for a moment. Kai was almost back to his old self. Initially, he was as good as a baby, but Lay had been forced to treat Jongin with the support of spells that accelerated his growth. A year ago, Jongin was just a black mass of dark miasma, but now his golden skin had returned. His hair was thick jet black and the red eyes have mostly receded to warm brown. He even spoke and behaved as good as the old Kai minus the arrogance. But the more Jongin became Kai, the closer Suho got to death. Sehun was dreading looking at his scroll least Suho’s name figure in the souls he needed to collect in the next six months. There was still time though and maybe he can set his pride aside and ask his father for a favor.

“How long do I have Lay?”

Lay was expecting that question. However, he was hoping that Suho would rest for a while just then and deal with questions on his death later. 

“I, I don’t…”

“Please Lay, give me this one gift so that I can finish what I have to do and go in peace”

“About another six months perhaps…”

Just then there was another knock on the door. A bold and sure knock meaning that it was not Jongin or Sehun. Stiffening, Lay wondered who would be knocking at his door this early in the afternoon. He opened the door and peered outside only to gasp and hastily step aside.

“Lord Kai is not here your highness, he is…”

“I know where my stupid son is, fetching porridge like a butler… anyway, I am here to meet Suho and I have made sure my son will not return just yet.”

Suho stood up and bowed before asking, “How can I help you, demon king.”

“I am not going to beat about the bush. Seeing that my son is extremely cooperative when you are involved, I have decided to get him ready to take the throne before you die.  To that end, I have chosen an alliance for him to marry prince Zitao, son of the dragon king of middle kingdom. You Suho must ensure that my son marries the prince and become the demon king with minimum fuss.”

Suho and Lay were surprised by Siwon’s plan but both understood why. The demon prince’s condition had raised speculations on his capability and there is a lot of general unrest among the people. The dragon clan is mighty and next only to the demons. Hence, an alliance with their prince would put to rest all speculations of the next ruler of the demon lands.

“I refuse…”Suho smirked.

“What! Are you channeling that brat Sehun now? Don’t give me a hard time, this is for Jongin’s well being.”

Suho shook his head and smiled sweetly, “but whats in it for me?”

Siwon threw his hands up and shouted, “Fine, so what do you want?”

“Let Xiumin and Luhan go.”

“What, they tried to murder my son!"

Suho merely lifted his eyebrows as if to ask what he is going to do next.

“Fine, fine, just keep your end of the deal.”

Just then, Jongin and Sehun walked in with a tray holding a steaming bowl of porridge.

Seemingly ignoring Siwon, Jongin set the tray on the table. He then proceeded to sit comfortably on the bed and then uncermoneously pulled Suho onto his lap, just as Soho had done for him before. He then lifted the bowl of porridge ready to feed Suho who was blushing like a .

Siwon looked on disgusted and then threw his hands up yet again in frustration before stepping out mumbling, “What the hell did I do to deserve an idiot son like this.”

“Did my father do anything to you Jun?”

“No, silly Jongin, he just came to talk.”

“Oh ok, now say ahhhh”

Lay,  Sehun and Suho were all baffled because Jongin seemed to remember Suho's past actions and was doing what he had done for him so many times.

“I can eat on my own Jongin.”

“Maybe, but I still want to take care of you. Now say ahhhh.”

This time, Suho did open his mouth wide. He quickly finished eating the porridge Jongin had brought and soon listening to the low murmurs of Lay and Sehun in the background, Suho started nodding off. Warm hands held him close and Jongin’s thundering heartbeat was a soothing melody. Just before completely slipping into sleep, he though he felt a soft kiss on his forehead.