Something was not right.

Everything was always the same; it was a reality he had come to expect every time he opened his eyes. Each time he would find himself on the bed, his body covered and a pillow under his head, comforts that he could not feel yet Sang-hyuk insisted he have. He would then use his hand to push the blanket away, struggling to move his legs in the exact way Sang-hyuk taught him, his eyes so focused he could see every twitch of muscle underneath the elusive skin. Some days he was not able to move exactly how he wanted and was forced to wait for Sang-hyuk to find him, helping him with gentle words that always worked to calm his mind.

But this time, something was wrong.

When he opened his eyes, instead of the empty room that greeted him, there were four faces staring down at him, all wearing the same white coat that Sang-hyuk did. But they were drastically different than Sang-hyuk, each of their faces covered with a mask that left nothing exposed save for their eyes, their loose hair dangling well over their brows. A quick glance around revealed a cart similar to the one Seok-jin had, though Seok-jin was nowhere to be found. None of the faces were looking at him, talking quietly to each other as their hands busied with sharp instruments.

He attempted to move his hand to try and grab their attention, blinking when he looked down to see his arm remaining still despite his best efforts. He tried to wiggle the fingers of his good hand only to see the limb unmoving. He began to wonder what was happening, looking back up to the ceiling briefly as he tried to understand.

This had never happened before; no one had ever stepped in this room except for Sang-hyuk and Seok-jin, and occasionally Hong-bin. He had no experience speaking or dealing with others, and he was unsure whether they knew how to speak to him. He was not allowed to speak unless spoken to first, a rule that was embedded into his very being even without ever being enforced, and Sang-hyuk always made sure to greet him immediately. But these faces did no such thing, none of them addressing him and even appeared to be avoiding his gaze. He was not sure what he was experiencing as he listened to their soft voices, a trembling that fluttered underneath his skin and raced throughout his body, one that caused the little hairs lining his skin to stand on edge and his chest to constrict harshly.

It was an unknown feeling that he decided he did not like at all.

One of the faces eventually realized he was awake, a curse he had heard Seok-jin mutter many times muffled under his breath as they all whirled around to stare down at him.

“, it’s awake! What do we do?”

“Calm down, it’s not going to kill you. See it can’t move even if it wanted to.” The man closest to him poked his arm a few times, laughing as if his nonreaction was something funny. He was not sure if it truly was funny or not, and did not like how he could not ask.

“But didn’t they say it should stay asleep?” He stared at the quiet voice that came from another, realizing it was a woman. So soft. “What’s Doctor Han going to do if he finds out? He’ll kill us!”

“Don’t worry, it’s not like he’s going to find out. They wipe the things once they’re done, don’t they? It won’t remember anything.” He was not sure what they were talking about, their words purposefully vague in that way he had discovered everyone spoke in, as if trying to make sure he would not understand. It was something he did not like, and he hopefully would one day grow enough to learn. He blinked when the man closest to him pulled out a needle, not unlike the one Seok-jin had used. The one that had made Sang-hyuk angry.

He watched in silence as the man slid the needle into his skin, the liquid swishing silently as it flushed down into his body. He had only experienced this once, though it did not take long before he realized this time was very different.

It was in an instant; he suddenly could not breathe, his mouth opening wide yet no air entering his lungs. With each attempted gasp his chest constricted tighter, his body remembering things he could not as it instinctively seized, his legs kicking out and hands slapping at his chest. He was not sure what his body was trying to do as he continued to gasp for air, looking to the wide eyes of the faces, only to realize when the tightness that pressed down on his chest exploded into a raging flame that overwhelmed him, rushing through his body and engulfing him until he could see nothing but white.

He had never felt this before. The small touches that Sang-hyuk allowed him to feel, the soft brushes against his hand; those were nothing compared to this. This was…scary. While he could not feel with his skin, the inside of his body seemed able to comprehend some level of pain. And this pain…he did not want to feel this. The raging flame was so strong, so intense, ripping through each layer of muscle, cascading up his chest and through his throat and echoing in his ears, a loud piercing noise reverberating off the walls. It was only when he saw the faces jerking back, hands over their ears, that he realized the piercing noise was coming from himself, the white haze clearing his head just enough to hear himself scream.

The sound was so loud, so jarring, so different than the hushed conversations Sang-hyuk would have with him. He recoiled at his own voice, throat burning with each scream, and he jerked his head back as each one would give way just a little, allowing a small gust of air to rush to his lungs. He gasped at the small reprieve, watching his world tilt as his body rolled to its side, acting on its own as it fought to breathe.

And then the faces were moving. Voices filtered through as they pushed him back, two holding down his arms and legs while another pressed down on his chest. He screamed again, struggling with everything he had to try and move his body, to push them off, to breathe, when the last face reached down and grabbed his good hand and—

He screamed.

This was not right. Something was wrong. Where was Sang-hyuk? Sang-hyuk was always so patient, always explained everything so carefully; where was he? He would never put him through this kind of pain. Why was he not here? Why were these faces doing this to him? Why were they here? Sang-hyuk promised that he would never let anyone hurt him.

Why was he not here?

The woman backed away at his wretched screaming, her voice cutting through his pain and lighting his whole world on fire. “What’s happening? They said it was supposed to go to sleep!”

One of the other nameless faces whirled around on her, his furrowed brow the only way he could read his frustration. “How the hell am I supposed to know? We gotta stop it, if anything happens to it, we’re all dead!”

His body tried to roll over again, his lungs expanding again and wonderful air slipping through his throat, and he began to cough at the sudden freedom. He noted that his skin was much lighter than normal, nearly matching the sheets, and he briefly wondered if he could make it permanent.

The face closest to him ran to the cart and grabbed another needle, his fingers shaking as he filled it with another liquid. “They said to add this if there were any problems. If we can get it to shut down and stop moving, I’m sure we’ll be fine.” He tapped the needle a few times before lining it up to his arm, and he screamed as he tried his best to move away, to stop them from putting anything else in his body. He did not want it. He did not—he wanted Sang-hyuk. Or Seok-jin. Or—or Hong-bin. He did not want these faces, these faces that hurt him and treated him so differently.

He wanted Sang-hyuk.

He let out a low whine when the liquid flowed under his skin, his lungs collapsing as his body was suddenly wrested of any energy. He fell onto his back as his eyes began to feel heavy, his ears weakly picking up on his own strained breathing, his good hand finally back under his control as he fisted his blankets. They were so soft—Sang-hyuk only gave him the softest—but the softness of the sheets did nothing to stop the last thought that ravaged his mind, repeating on a loop that continued even through his dreams and until he opened his eyes once again.

Sang-hyuk was not here.

--

His eyes snapped open at the jarring sound of something rattling, only taking a second before his eyes adjusted to the bright lights of the room. It did not take long for his mind to remember what had happened earlier, his fingers under his control once more as they fisted the sheets. As he slowly became attuned to the sound of his own breathing, the diluted scent of the room he had come to recognize as his world filling his nose, he carefully scanned the room to find the faces that had been the cause of his earlier pain. But the faces were nowhere in sight, instead finding Seok-jin’s back as the other man fiddled with something on his cart.

He did not have to wait long before Seok-jin was turning around, the man giving another of his high-pitched squeals when he saw him awake. He did not drop anything this time, his cursing kept to a minimum as he ran his hands over his face, grumbling incoherent words to himself before putting on a smile.

His smile was nothing like Sang-hyuk’s.

“Ah, Y21, you’re awake.” Seok-jin’s fingers still curled instinctively when anywhere near his body, acting as if such a touch would bring him terrible pain. That was right; only Sang-hyuk appeared unafraid to touch him, always running his hands over Y21’s body without a second thought. Even Hong-bin appeared at times to be hesitant to touch him. “I-I’m sorry if I startled you, I just have to check to make sure you’re okay.” As he said this, he took out a small device that hooked into his ears, the other end reaching out to snake under the blankets.

Y21 fought to keep the growing fear from returning, forcing his hand to relax. “Where is Sang-hyuk?”

“I’m not sure, he’s probably still busy finishing up, so who knows.” He wrote something before looking back over at him, a flash of unknown crossing his face as his hands paused from pulling out the device from his ears. He watched as Seok-jin’s expression flickered, his eyes running over Y21 as his lips slowly pressed together, his hands lowering until the device fell harmlessly onto the cart. He could see Seok-jin swallow, his tongue darting over his lips in the way he did when he was uncomfortable. “I…I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”

Y21 was not sure what he had done to cause Seok-jin’s reaction, merely blinking as he hid his sadness at Sang-hyuk’s absence. “I understand.” Seok-jin’s discomfort only grew as he fidgeted under Y21’s gaze, his hands playing with the edge of his coat and his left eye blinking at an alarmingly faster rate than his right. It was familiar, and without realizing it, he reached out and brushed his hand over Seok-jin’s in an attempt to soothe him. Seok-jin flinched at his touch, burying his teeth into his bottom lip, though he did not pull away.

That made Y21 happy; Y21 always felt happy when Sang-hyuk soothed him. He felt happy that Seok-jin was the same.

“Sang-hyuk; did I do something wrong? He has never missed visiting me.”

Seok-jin’s eyes darted to the door before looking back at him, his whirling thoughts visible in his bright eyes, unable to hide a single thing behind a mask. It was so new, Sang-hyuk always able to hide what he was thinking behind a sweet smile that never wavered. Even when he cried, Sang-hyuk was able to distract Y21 until the tears were nothing but a memory.

Seok-jin swallowed again, wetting his lips. “No, o-of course not. He’s just busy with the sponsors and stuff.” When Y21 only stared at him, not understanding, he began to ramble. “I-I mean, he’s really important, you know? He’s super high up, so they’re probably asking him all kinds of questions. He probably misses you a lot.”

“Misses me…” Y21 slowly pulled his hand back as he stared up at the ceiling, the unwanted memory of needles pressed into his skin returning. The roaring pain, the pain; he looked back over to Seok-jin, the other man staring at him with a furrowed brow that Sang-hyuk had said meant concern. “Sang-hyuk misses me?”

Seok-jin nodded strongly, his head bobbing. “I’m sure of it! Sang-hyuk cares a lot about you; I’m sure he wishes he were here right now.”

He thought of Sang-hyuk’s praises, his gentle affection as he showered Y21 with words like “wonderful” and “beautiful”. How he wanted to hear those words now, to hear Sang-hyuk’s reassurances that everything was okay, that the faces had been a mistake and he would never let anything like that happen again. He wanted Sang-hyuk here now, his world suddenly so small and scary without Sang-hyuk by his side.

A small sound escaped his throat in surprise when he heard a soft creak, looking up to see Seok-jin carefully sitting on the edge of the bed, his movements stilted as if afraid any second someone would burst through the door. Y21 was not sure what would scare the man so much, though he was too confused at Seok-jin’s sudden proximity to question it. No one had ever sat this close to him except Hong-bin, not even Sang-hyuk. He was not sure why, but he felt something similar to comfort at how close the other was.

“I can’t stay too long,” Seok-jin said quietly, his eyes still glancing to the door, “but I can stay for a little while.”

“Why?” Seok-jin frowned, and Y21 wondered if the other had misinterpreted his question. “Are you not allowed to stay?”

Seok-jin bit his lip again. “Um…Doctor Han is really, uh, protective of you. He doesn’t like me staying in here once I’m finished.” He his lips. “I’m not even supposed to talk to you.”

Y21 reached his hand out and brushed Seok-jin’s arm, this time the other not even flinching as he merely waited for him to speak. It was such a change from his normal behavior, the fidgeting, worried mess having calmed until he seemed capable of looking at him normally. It made Y21 feel good. He liked it when Seok-jin looked at him like that. “I like when you talk to me. You are nice.”

A small smile appeared on Seok-jin’s lips, his eyes shining as he brushed Y21’s hair from his eyes. He blinked when Seok-jin’s fingers hovered over his face, keeping his breath steady as he watched the way Seok-jin paused between each touch, his reluctance bolstered with each passing second. While Y21 tried to understand what the other was doing, Seok-jin had already moved himself closer, his hands now easily adjusting the blanket over Y21’s body, his smile much wider. It was a strange sight to see, but Y21 found himself mirroring the other’s expression, smiling back.

Seok-jin let out a soft laugh, not unlike the way Sang-hyuk would when Y21 would ask something silly. “You remind me so much of someone…I can see why Doctor Han likes you so much.”

“Someone?”

Seok-jin’s eyes dulled slightly, the bright gleam replaced by a sadness Y21 could not reciprocate. “He…he’s like a brother to me. I had to bring him with me when I started working here, and he…he hasn’t taken it well. I used to tuck him into bed like this all the time. Though he was nowhere near as good as you.” His chuckle turned heavy, a grimace that was so similar to Sang-hyuk’s crossing his features. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be telling you this. Doctor Han would kill me.”

“Your brother, is he angry at you?”

Seok-jin’s mouth fell open, an attempt at words garbled on his tongue before he could finally speak. “I, uh, angry? No, I guess not. He doesn’t know about you or anything, so he’s just frustrated. I can’t tell him much.” He glanced at the door again, his hand pulling back into his lap, sad once again.

Y21 stared at Seok-jin’s glistening eyes as he tried to understand the other’s words, struggling to imagine his situation. He could not relate as he did not have a brother of his own, though he wondered if it would be similar to how Sang-hyuk, or even Hong-bin, treated him. There were many things he knew the other two did not tell him, purposefully hiding things from him, though Y21 was not angry at them for doing so. Despite wanting to become better for them, he knew they did so for a reason, and was sure Seok-jin’s brother felt the same.

He tapped Seok-jin’s arm, attempting a smile when he saw the other’s gaze on him. “I do not think your brother is frustrated with you. He probably just wants to see you happy. You are a good person, Seok-jin.”

Seok-jin smiled warmly at that, grabbing Y21’s good hand and squeezing it gently. Y21’s arm throbbed at the touch, though he did not pull away. “Thank you, Y21.” He held Y21’s hand in silence for a few more seconds before he carefully lowered them into his lap, his fingers absentmindedly playing with Y21’s. “You know, I was really scared when I started. Doctor Han would always threaten me if I didn’t take care good of you; I was terrified whenever I came in here. But…you’re nothing like they said. You’re really sweet, Y21.”

“Sang-hyuk was mean to you?”

Seok-jin’s eyes widened as his fingernails unknowingly pinched into Y21’s skin. “U-uh, no, no! Nothing like that! He-he’s just really protective, that’s all! I know he cares a lot about you, I understand. I-I-I was just scared to do anything wrong, in case I hurt you or something.” His hands began to tremble. “Please don’t tell Doctor Han, please. They’ll hurt Jung-kook again and-”

Y21 frowned when he saw how scared Seok-jin became, his words becoming stuttered and tears flooding his eyes. He had only seen Sang-hyuk cry before, and it was something he did not like to see. “I will not tell him. But if Sang-hyuk is mean to you, please tell me. Sang-hyuk should not be mean to others.”

Seok-jin did not appear fully convinced, though he nodded silently at Y21’s request. “I-I can’t have them hurting him again, not because of me. If they do-”

“Why would they hurt you?”

Seok-jin’s mouth snapped shut, shaking his head instead. “I can’t say. Just please don’t tell Doctor Han.” When Y21 nodded in reassurance, Seok-jin let out breathy laugh that did not match his teary eyes at all, wiping his cheeks with his palm before squeezing Y21’s hand again. “I’m sorry, I’m not supposed to show emotions in front of you, I know they’re confusing.”

“It is fine. I am learning.”

Seok-jin gave him a watery smile. “You’re learning, huh? I saw Doctor Han reading you fairytales. Do you like them?”

“I like them very much. The pictures are very helpful. You look just like Cinderella when you cry.”

Seok-jin’s laugh was loud, bouncing off the walls and filling Y21’s chest with a strange, welling feeling that made his lips spread in a wide smile. He liked the sound. “Well, that’s the first time I’ve been compared to a princess, though I can’t say you’re wrong. I know I look pretty good.” He paused when Y21 only stared at him, his cheeks flushing as he coughed. “I mean, you’re not bad to look at either. You’re pretty handsome.”

“Handsome? Is that like being beautiful?”

“Uh, I guess? Both mean you look good, so you can be whatever you want.”

“I see. Then I want to be beautiful.” Seok-jin laughed again, nodding along and promising to call him beautiful, and Y21 felt happy. Sang-hyuk always called him beautiful, and while he had never fully believed him, hearing another person agree felt good. He shook Seok-jin’s hand to get his attention, genuine curiosity in his voice as he asked, “Is Hong-bin beautiful?”

Seok-jin stopped. “…Hong-bin?”

“Yes. T52, is he beautiful?”

Seok-jin pursed his lips, shifting uncomfortably. “I…I’ve never really seen T52 myself, but I’m sure he’s beautiful.” There was an uncertainty in his voice, his eyes unable to meet Y21’s, and Y21 realized his words did not hold any truth. But before he could ask him why he lied, Seok-jin was already standing up, his hands fidgeting once again as he grasped onto the edge of his cart. “I-I should get going, they’ll start looking for me if I don’t get back.”

Y21 his sheets again, already missing the feeling of Seok-jin’s hand against his own. “I understand. Thank you for talking to me, I enjoyed it very much.”

Seok-jin smiled, his eyes shining once more. “I did too.”

“Will Sang-hyuk return soon?”

“I’m sure he won’t be long, don’t worry.”

“He is really not upset with me? I did not do anything wrong?”

“Of course not. I don’t think there’s anything you can do that’d make him mad.” His words were sweet, but they did nothing to stop the worry that began to creep at the edges of his mind. Sang-hyuk was always by his side, guiding him and helping him understand the world in a way that made it bearable. Sang-hyuk was all he had, and to suddenly have him disappear without a word left him in a whirling mess that he had no idea how to decipher.

“Then, would I be able to begin my tests? Like T52 and X39?” He saw immediately the way Seok-jin’s mouth dropped open, his face scrunched up in rejection, and Y21 hurriedly continued before the other could stop him. “I am sure if I passed my tests well, Sang-hyuk will be proud. I want Sang-hyuk to be proud of me.”

Seok-jin let out a small sigh, his shoulders slumping in a way that Y21 recognized as disappointment. He did not like disappointment. “Y21, you shouldn’t rush yourself.” He hesitated briefly before whispering gently, “I meant what I said, Doctor Han really cares about you. You’re all he ever talks about, and he always takes every precaution to make sure nothing ever happens to you. I’m sure there’s a reason he’s waiting so long to do anything, and if he says you’re not ready, then you’re not. Just let everything happen naturally.”

He reached a hand out and ran his fingers through Y21’s hair again, the motion so comforting despite not being able to feel any of it. “I’m sure he’s proud of you. There probably isn’t another person prouder than him.” Y21 let out a small whine when Seok-jin pulled away, unable to respond as his words echoed in his ears, mocking him.

If Sang-hyuk was really proud, then why did he leave him here alone?  

--

“Hak-yeon!”

Y21 turned his head at the sound of the sharp voice, the door slamming against the wall to reveal Hong-bin leaning against the frame. He had not moved since Seok-jin had left, having waited for Sang-hyuk to finally return, and found himself sad at the realization of how much time must have passed. Sang-hyuk had never come like Seok-jin promised, Hong-bin coming in his stead. It was something he was beginning to see as a pattern, Sang-hyuk coming less and less, each time holding back as if afraid to look him in the eye, his words holding less truth as he avoided confrontation.

“Hak-yeon,” Hong-bin said again, his voice raspy as he stumbled over his feet to approach the bed, dropping to his knees so that his face was only inches away from his own. He frowned when he took in Hong-bin’s appearance, never having seen the other look so terrible. His whole body shivered as if filled with unbridled energy, his hands unable to hold Y21’s face without occasionally poking his eye or slipping to clench into fists. His breath was labored, short and uneven, and his eyes were blown wide, pupils dilated and lined with swollen blood vessels that sparkled.

“Hak-yeon, please answer me,” Hong-bin whispered, his voice cracking, and it was only then Y21 realized Hong-bin was calling him. Hak-yeon. The name that Hong-bin gave him. A promise to keep between themselves, a name that not even Sang-hyuk knew. The thought left a strange feeling in his chest, one that he was not sure was happiness or worry.

All he did know was he loved the sound of the name in Hong-bin’s voice.

“Hong-bin,” he finally responded, and the absolutely relieved smile Hong-bin gave him was enough to have him smiling back, mirroring the best he could. Hong-bin immediately grabbed him, grabbed Hak-yeon, into a hug, smashing his face into his shoulder and letting out a shaky breath. Hak-yeon was not sure what to do, his hand crushed under his body and unable to respond, and could only wait until Hong-bin finally let him go.

Hong-bin breathed out heavily once more before pulling back, his bloodshot eyes staring intensely as he helped him sit up. Everything he did was full of concentration, his gaze never leaving Hak-yeon’s face even when Hak-yeon was sitting upright, his hands grasping onto Hak-yeon’s with a fervor that left him confused. Something had happened to Hong-bin, and he could only hope that it was nothing like what the faces had done to him.

“Hong-bin,” he said, “how are you?” It was not the question he really wanted to ask, unsure how to find the words to ask of Hong-bin’s wellbeing. But Hong-bin understood him, always had, and knew what he really wanted to know.

“It is nothing that I am not used to; it has happened to me many times. But it is your first. Did they hurt you?” When Hak-yeon did nothing but stare at him, unsure how to answer, Hong-bin made a clicking noise with his tongue that Sang-hyuk always did when frustrated. “Did anyone you did not know come into your room today?”

“Yes.”

Hong-bin did not look pleased with his answer, his lips pulling down into a frown. Hak-yeon did not like the look on Hong-bin’s beautiful face, tugging his hand free and using it to run his thumb over Hong-bin’s creased brow, trying to smooth away his unhappiness. Hong-bin blinked at him before understanding what he was doing, tilting his head with a look in his eye that rivaled the way Sang-hyuk would stare at him, guiding Hak-yeon’s hand down to his mouth so he could press a soft kiss to his palm. Hak-yeon liked kisses very much, and he liked that Hong-bin was not afraid to kiss him.

“Did they do anything to you when they were there?”

“Yes.”

“What did they do?”

“I do not know. They put a needle in me like Seok-jin had done before, but it was different. It gave me pain, though I do not know how to describe it. I could not breathe, and I screamed, though I cannot remember why. I only know that I did not like it.” Hong-bin nodded along to his words, his lips cold as they pressed against Hak-yeon’s hand, his shoulders lowering just a bit as he released a sigh. “Did they do the same to you?”

“Yes.” Hak-yeon made a small noise at that, and Hong-bin smiled sadly at him. “I do not want to hurt you, but I cannot lie. This is something that will happen from now on, whether it gives pain or not. Our lives here, we are not free. People like Sang-hyuk, and Seok-jin—we belong to them. We live to give them the information they need, and our pain and suffering is what gives them purpose. What they did today is what they will do many more times in the future; in order to continue their work and fulfill their happiness, they must force us to live through pain and sorrow.”

“Then what they did to you and I…did it give Sang-hyuk purpose?”

“Yes.”

“Did I make Sang-hyuk proud?” Hong-bin did not answer, the question more than likely one that did not have a definitive answer, and Hak-yeon regretted asking. He stared down into his lap, his other hand limp and unfeeling as it was cursed to a world of emptiness. He had not liked the pain that the faces had given him, and a part of him did not like that Sang-hyuk had possibly allowed for it to happen. He wanted to ask Sang-hyuk if it was true, wanting to hear him say that everything was a lie and he would never let that happen.

But Sang-hyuk had never come, and left him with nothing but doubt. Hong-bin had never lied to him before, and with what information he had, he could not argue.

“There is something I must ask you,” Hong-bin said suddenly, his tone neutral and so quiet it was almost inaudible. “Sang-hyuk will come back, and when he does, he will ask you if you remember what happened. You cannot tell him, and you must say that you do not.”

Hak-yeon frowned. “I cannot lie to Sang-hyuk.”

Hong-bin matched his frown. “I know, but you must. Sang-hyuk is not capable of handling the truth. Lies that help ease his mind make it easier for him.” When Hak-yeon did not answer, still unsure, he added quietly, “If you want to help him, then you must lie. Please, Hak-yeon. It is the only way you can help him.”

“I…okay.”  

He felt his gaze forced up as Hong-bin lifted his chin with the tip of his finger, his wide eyes staring unblinkingly. “Do not be afraid, Hak-yeon. No matter what they do to you, I will be here. I will repay all the kindness and love that you had given me, and make sure you are never without either of them. Even if that means I have to fight to keep you away from their pain.”

Hak-yeon was not sure what Hong-bin was trying to tell him, his words vague and full of a meaning he did not understand. But despite his struggles, he knew what the other was trying to do, and held his arms out invitingly. He was still unsure how exactly to initiate a hug, his body hesitant to lean forward and move without the help of another, though Hong-bin made sure not to leave him waiting, falling into his embrace with ease.

“Thank you, Hong-bin,” he whispered into Hong-bin’s ear, hoping he could convey his gratefulness into his voice alone. Words continued to escape him.

“Do not ever believe you are alone. I will never let that happen.”

“…thank you.”