stage 1.1

the zero

✩ Daemin counted the pills in the medicine bottles on the counter as he counted Hwieul's pills every time he came over to makre sure she was taking her medicine. It was scary enough to find her the last time and certainly did not want to find her again. He took one of each of each out just getting a glass of water just holding them out to her as she came out of the bathroom. "You haven't taken them." He looked at her as he watched her take the items. He made sure that she acutally took them. 

"Stop counting my medicine." She glared at him. 

"How will I know that you'll take them?" He asked her 

"Well you could trust me." Hwieul noted 

"I would if you just hadn't gotten out of the hospital and today need someone to be a witness to your bandages coming off and speaking ot a professional." Daemin answered 

"Oh  you, I am going by myself." Hwieul blurted at him

"How are you going to get there?" He followed behind her "Look, I just care okay. I do not want to find you like that again." He said to her He watched her sigh as she grabbed her jacket. 

"Fine." Hwieul answered as the paired walked out of her apartment. "Plus you need to stop crashing at my place. My landlady thinks I have a roommate." Hwieul said 

"Well you do have an extra room." Daemin chimed as he looked at her. 

"Hell no. I am not living with you." Hwieul glared at him as she walked. Hwieul might give into her bestfriend a lot, but she was probably the only person Daemin had a hard time controling and getting them to do what he said which is probably why they got a long so well. Well sometimes. 

"Okay, fair enough. It is just your apartment is close and then I don't have to take the bus." Daemin started 

"Oh poor you, you have to take the bus. I don't care." Hwieul answered him as she handed him her keys.

"And I can drive you around for free. This car-" Daemin started 

"Was my parents." Hwieul as she shut the passenger door. 

Daemin sighed as he got in and started up the car. "I am sorry. I didn't mean-" He started

"We are going to be late." Hwieul answered 

"Right." He backed out as he drove them to the hospital. There was really only one big hospital now with little clinics and older hospital in the area. Though only the big hospital had the mental ward and services to help people like her. Daemin locked the car up as he walked next to her. 

"The royal car is here." Hwieul noted as she looked at him. "That means my appoiment won't happen on time." She frowned.

"Yeah, I heard they got into a scuffle with some rebels." Daemin said "It was on the news." He added as they walked up to the front desk. Daemin watched Hwieul check in and told to go ahead up head up to the mental and psych. ward with him. He pressed the up button on the elevator as he let her get on first just pressing the right floor as he stood next to her as a foot caused the door to open back up as he watched the emperor and his two siblings get on as he stood infront of Hwieul. "What floor?" Daemin asked

"Oh seventh and tenth." Areum answered 

Daemin pressed the number as he felt Hwieul grabbed his hand. He simply just rubbed his thumb on her hand. He didn't say anything to them. Daemin guided Hwieul out as the elevator stopped on their floor. "Excuse us." He said 

"Hwieul-unnie?" Areum exclaimed as Hwieul looked back at her before Daemin pulled her along. "Oppa, did you see that. Why is she here? Why on that floor?" Areum poked the Haekyeon's side. 

"I am not sure." Haekyeon answered as he looked at her. 

Daemin looked at Hwieul. "You okay?" He asked as he let got of her hand. He didn't get an answer as he was directed to wait in the waiting room as Hwieul went back with a nurse. He waited around for a while as she finally came back out. "How did everything go?" He asked as he got a look. "Alright I will pretend not to care then." He rolled his eyes. 

"I just want to get out of here." Hwieul answered as she made her way to the elevator. She got in just seeing Haekyeon at the nurse's station as the elevator closed ont then just giving the other at the nurses station one last look before they saw her again standing next to Zero. 
 

•••
[a few weeks later.]

Daemin pulled off the helmet as he looked at Hwieul. "Well now we have more on our side that is good. Luna will provided a lot of information on the past." He said as Hwieul nodded. Daemin set down the cup of pills as he watched her take them. "By the way, how did you and Ardyn get away from all those soliders. I mean, he is a good marksman but he couldn't kill all of them." Daemin said  to her 

"I'll tell you when I understand it myself." Hwieul answered him as she ate.

"Have you or the others located the president's daughter yet?" Daemin asked 

"No, Ardyn said he might be able to ask around but to give him some time. He'll find her though." Hwieul answered as she looked at him. "By the way, you're doing a good job." She said 

"Thank you." He started to eat as well. 

"I am going to light some candles and stuff for my parents, do you want to come over?" Hwieul asked "I found some things." She added 

"Oh that box. Yeah, i hid it in your place thinking it would be safe there." Daemin was talking about the box that his family's wake pictures and items in it. "Did you move it here?" He asked as she nodded. Daemin and her had slowly started to live here to make it easier. "Okay, it will be nice." He commented  Daemin watched her eat as he looked up at her. "I have never told you this, but thanks for knocking me out that day." He moved around the food in his take out container

"No problem, it was fun." Hwieul answered 

"Fun? How was it fun? Like I am trying to be all you know like have a nice momment then you go and say something like that." Daemin glared at her 

"What were you expecting?" Hwieul gave him a puzzled look. 

"Not it was fun" Daemin answered as she shrugged. 

"I am going to go lay down." Hwieul said as she pushed her left over over to him. She walked off just leaving him alone at the table. 

"Okay." He said as he watched her leave. He sighed as he cleaned up the table and food just picking up his helment and walking off to his own room. 

author's Note

 hey guys, here is daemin's intro. i hope that you guys like it.