five

“What in seven hells did you think you were doing when you made her fall asleep like that!?” Someone asked harshly.

“It seemed she was intruding. I only did what I do to anyone who enters the Judgement Room without permission,” came a monotonous reply.

“In all of hell, you have got to be the most…,” another voice said, followed by an exasperated sigh.

The voices, though mostly said in hushed tones, wake me from my slumber. I vaguely remember being knocked out somehow just as a groan escapes my mouth as I sit up groggily. My head throbs, but mostly because of how disoriented I feel, blood rushing to my brain. The three voices seem to quiet, and as I open my eyes, I can see three people standing before my bed.

Kai has one of his hands running through his hair while seated on a chair pulled from the balcony, Sehun stands beside him as his gaze focuses on me while another person I don't know stands beside Sehun, looking like a carbon copy of him. It is clear that they are twins.

“What's going on?” I mumble, voice raspy with sleep.

Kai stands from his seat and makes his way over to me, standing beside my bed with a difficult expression I can't decipher. He sighs and then sits on the edge. “You came under the influence of Hypnos,” he answers, then turns to point at the silver-haired man. “He's Than- Sehun’s identical twin brother, and he was guarding the room while I was busy.”

“Oh.” I look between the two brothers and am still shocked at just how identical they are. Then I realise that for once, Kai is talking in a civilised manner with me. He feels my gaze on him and turns around, eyes meeting mine.

“What.” The single syllable word that comes from his mouth sounds bored, emotionless. I open my mouth, about to ask him what exactly happened when he interrupts me but not without another sigh, “I brought you up to your room. You've only been knocked out lightly for a couple of hours by Hypnos’ gift.” Yet I felt like I had been whacked over the head with a baseball bat, but that feeling is already beginning to subside. Kai seems to read my mind when he says, “There are side effects to being forcefully put to sleep, so I suggest you rest. Just ask one of the Cocytiae if you need anything.”

Kai stands from my bed, looking a little resigned as he beckons for Sehun and Hypnos to follow. Sehun does turn back to look at me with a hint of worry but I wave him off, signalling that I'm just fine.

I lie back down once they leave and stare up at the ceiling as I think on what happened. So, Hypnos thought I was an intruder and made me fall asleep, then from what I can tell, Kai must've come back and found me and brought me back to my room. Sehun might have found out and that's probably why he was here as well.

But what really strikes me is that Kai didn't seem to look or sound angry at me, not once during this brief exchange. Normally we would've already been butting heads, at odds with one another. It feels like he had just had an almost 180-degree change in personality. He almost seemed like he was being nice.

I let that dwell in my mind as I settle under the covers, drifting off to sleep again. What changed him?

***

It is nightfall when I wake again, my stomach grumbling with hunger. I roll over, not yet wanting to get up. But my stomach continues to grumble and eventually, I sit up and get out of bed. Scrubbing at my tired eyes, I wander to the bedroom doors and push it open. Tia is sitting just outside as she sews. “Oh, you're awake, milady!” She says as she stands. “Is there anything you need?”

I nod, just as my stomach lets out another rumble. Tia laughs, and walks off saying something about getting food for me. The sewing she left behind on the chair catches my eye. It's embroidery picturing a woman and a man embracing with wreaths of flowers around them. I wonder who they are.

“I see you're finally up.” I know it's Kai from the way he speaks.

He comes up the stairs with his hands in his pockets, stopping just in front of me. Kai tilts his head as he gazes down at me, while I'm staring back wondering what he could possibly want with me now. After a few moments, he says, “Come with me.” Although it sounded more like a command than a request.

Too tired to retort, I follow him downstairs and into a room that opens out onto the courtyard. I've sat in this room a few times before when I took my meals during days the weather was too harsh, and today is no different, with food already prepared and laid out on the table. But whereas there is only one set, today there is two.

“You're… eating… with me?” I ask, frowning.

Kai answers by sitting down and picking up his utensils. He gives me a look that says if you don't sit, that's not my problem. I give in to my hunger and quickly sit opposite him. It feels a little strange to finally have company when I eat. Usually, as soon as I start to eat the servants seem to all disappear. Neither has Sehun ever joined me in eating, so I have no idea when he ate. He'd just sit there and engage in light conversation with me.

However, there is a clear awkwardness while we eat. Kai remains silent, the only sound heard being that of our forks and knives clattering against the plates. I don't know what to say. It just seems like a sort of dream to even have Kai sitting here, allowing me to take my fill of his handsome, albeit moody, face. It's a wonder his brows haven't joined together from the way he furrows them.

He finishes eating before I do, and just watches me as I eat. His