~*11*~

Kai kneeled down before them and politely said, “The Kingdom wants to summon you back to our motherland.”

The three exchanged looks at each other before they came aware they returned to their quarters. The royal guards were waiting for them there, particularly for Suho and Xiumin. They escorted the two boys to the exit, and as they cleared the area, the other members were there looking like they were abruptly awakened from their sleep.

“What exactly happened there, Hyung?” Baekhyun asked. “We heard Chanyeol was in a critical condition.”

Everything escalated quickly Kris was still confused and overwhelmed. His younger members were waiting for him to speak up. Before he could lose his balance, two of them approached him and held each of his arms.

“Maybe we can get answers by tomorrow, kids. Kris and the others were injured too.” Luhan was right. His eyes widen as he looked at himself, covered with burns. This was the first time that he got hurt by Chanyeol’s power.

Lay and Luhan took him to his room immediately so they could treat his wounds. The pain started to strike their captain while they were nursing him and his situation seemed to get more crucial.

Lay’s sweat was pouring all over his face and he was about to give up on Kris because his healing power was not working on him. If they wouldn't do anything to help him, he might die so they asked the remaining members to seek aid from the Blue Knights.

Kris had no knowledge of what came next because he lost consciousness right then. However, when he woke up, he was fully healed. The wounds he got from Chanyeol’s burning touches were all gone.

Xiumin, Suho, Sehun, and Chanyeol had returned and were getting along with their fellows as if nothing extraordinary happened, or as if it was merely a dream. His mind could not cope with this current environment.

One of the younger boys named Tao later told him that ten days had passed from the time he fell unconscious. A lot of things seemed to happen while he was asleep, and he felt out of place.

“A week ago, Xiumin-Hyung and Suho-Hyung returned looking like all beaten up. The elder knights strictly told Yixing-Hyung to not touch their wounds,” Tao said, “while Chanyeol-Hyung just recently came back untouched.”

Kris looked at the two older boys, who were both in separate corners of the room. The condition Tao told him was barely visible or there was nothing at all.

Chanyeol was at the center playing a percussion instrument with Yixing. The rest of the boys were watching them while having their respective conversations.

The pair finished the piece that they were playing and their brothers clapped at them. Chanyeol took notice of Kris’ eyes were on him so he waved at him. His fellows then approached the tallest boy and had a conversation with him.

Later that night, Kris joined his brothers in the bathhouse as Tao, who could not take a bath on his own, invited him earlier. He accepted his request since the younger told him that the other boys would be there too.

He found almost all of his White Knight brothers there relaxing and playing in the pool and a few heads might be not around. Tao excitedly asked him to plunge himself into the pool but he went down carefully making the boys chuckle with his prim manner.

“We thought none of the hyungs will join us,” Baekhyun said putting his arm around Kris's bare shoulders. “Lay and Xiumin-Hyung bathed here together earlier, and Suho-Hyung went alone in the other bathhouse too.”

While Baekhyun was talking to him, someone entered there. He was slender and tall, his body, which was covered by a white towel on his lower part, was shimmering under the moon.

Kris did not notice that his eyes were too fixated on the newcomer until he heard a snort from behind. He turned his head to that person and learned it was Kai, who was teasing the youngest, Sehun, with the way he looked at Chanyeol.

The redhead plunged himself into the pool making the water splash on his comrades’ faces. He was giggling happily after he rose from the water, brushing his hair up.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun pulled his ear playfully and Chanyeol splashed water on his friend. The young men continued playing in the pool just like they were doing previously.

Kris would only like to watch them with their fun but Chanyeol pulled him in the middle and they started attacking him with water.

Their sweet laughter died down as they rest at the side of the pool and talked about random topics.

“Isn’t this the first time Chanyeol joined us?” They all looked at the subject of Chen’s question, who looked surprised and flustered by the attention they were giving him.

“Oh, is that so? I just got used to being alone and heading to the bath first.” Chanyeol said with a blushing face.

“And when Xiumin and Suho-Hyung learned that you’re coming, they had these strange expressions,” Tao added.

“It’s maybe because they were afraid that you’ll burn them alive.” The boys laughed but when they realized Kris, Chanyeol, and Sehun did not enjoy Baekhyun’s humour, they awkwardly halted.

“Besides Chanyeol-Hyung, the only person I haven’t had a chance of taking a bath with is Luhan-Hyung,” Tao said breaking out the ice.

“You’re right.” Baekhyun agreed while deeply thinking. “But, maybe Sehun has gone with him before.” The youngest boy quickly dismissed his guess.

“Maybe he’s a girl.” Tao blurted out that made his brothers dumbfounded.

“But come to think of it, he’s always done changing clothes before we could do so, wasn’t it?” All of them nodded in agreement with Baekhyun’s thought. “Is he really a girl?”

“If you want to find out, I’ve seen him coming into the bathroom next door.” D.O. just triggered a mischievous idea in his fellows and they rushed going out of there while he was dragged along.

Chanyeol was laughing at them and he was about to follow where they were going, but Kris stopped him by gripping his wrist. He was surprised that his cheeks had just become redder.

“You already knew Luhan’s secret and you even told it to me yourself.” Chanyeol gazed down as he nodded and Kris then let go of him.

The younger did not mean to tell Kris what he had discovered, but because of the huge argument that happened between the two blonds before, the only way to cool Kris’ emotion was to inform him about Luhan’s hardship.

Luhan was from a noble clan whose members were almost wipeout by the enemy’s ambush. The remaining young family members were captured and tortured every day. Luhan was one of them but he was able to escape from their cruel hands with the others, but in the end, he was the only one saved.

Kris did not believe Chanyeol’s story at first since the boy refused to tell him where he got that information. But when he and Luhan landed into another confrontation, he discovered that the redhead boy was telling the truth. He accidentally had a glimpse of Luhan’s scarred body, when he pulled him by his collar.

Luhan was embarrassed to have his past got revealed but this episode helped him to reconcile with their leader. It made their friendship stronger and better.

Chanyeol was a boy who was hiding heaps of mystery. Kris may know more things about him than his comrades, but it was only a trinket compared to what the royal blood was keeping.

“I would like to see their disappointed faces now that Luhan-Hyung’s body was smooth and flawless.” Kris’ eyes sharpened as he looked at him and he seemed to get intimidated by it. “You see... he was treated by a great healer from the Kingdom... recently.”

“And, who was that?” Chanyeol was afraid to look him in the eyes so he lifted his face by his hand. “Who healed me? Who healed Xiumin and Suho? And, who healed you?”

Chanyeol’s tongue may have cowered back because he could not answer Kris’ questions immediately. The older eventually took notice that he was scaring the younger so he tapped the side of his arm and said his apology.

The younger shook his head while wearing a pregnant smile looking at him again. “I’m so comfortable with you that must be the reason why I like sharing some information that I know or something involved with you.”

Chanyeol glanced up to the moonlight and its reflection was causing his body to shimmer. Kris was mesmerized by his figure and as if he was not bathing with a man but rather a woman.

The younger noticed the look that he was giving so he lowered his body into the water till his head could only be the one to see. The other boy scratched his head in wonder and then he felt his hand was reached by Chanyeol.

The redhead had a shy smile on his face. "If you didn't find me that day, I wouldn't be alive now. Thank you for that, Hyung." He said. "Some people dear to me saved us from the accident. I do apologize if I can't tell you who they are. However, I can grant you one wish as my gratitude."

~*End*~

"Kris was not asking for a reward with what he did but his younger brother insisted so he thought of it for a while." For some reason, Tailong frowned at his grandfather's story. "Why are you suddenly sad, my child?"

"I felt something wrong is about to happen." His grandfather laughed at him which caused him to wonder.

"You have nothing to worry about." Tailong glanced up at him with hopeful eyes. "Kris wished to have a vacation outside the kingdom and the queen approved it with the help from Chanyeol. He was able to return and the rest of the stories were the ones I told you years ago."

That meant his grandfather had nothing to tell him anymore. He felt sad but grateful for the moments the old man spent with him telling wonderful tales about the White Knight.

“I hope you can take time to stroll around this place tomorrow.” His grandfather smiled warmly. “There are a lot more to explore here and I’m sure you’ll have fun with it.”

Tailong nodded. He was aware that the old man’s manor was huge. He was curious as well of what else he could see there. He greeted his grandfather goodnight and he went to his room so he could retreat beneath his blanket and sleep.

Little to his knowledge, the old man stayed at his seat staring at the fire pit for a while.