Four years flew by. The enemy in the west did not attack again; but this worried the now eighteen-year-old Kris even more. It meant they were probably planning something, as their scouts had been spotted. 

One night, Kris could not sleep, so he was pacing all over the building. He was just thinking of going for a look outside when he heard a noise. 

He turned around quickly, and saw....

'Zitao, go back to the chamber.'

His voice came out sounding so cold, so unkind....

'But Kris.....I missed going out. I don't want to have that cord around my leg all the time.'

'But it's to mute your powers,' Kris hissed. 'You know that.'

Zitao winced. 'But.....'

'Go back to the Chamber,' Kris said, much more gently this time.

'Kris-' 

Kris leaned in softly to hug the younger. 'Go back.'

'Don't do this now, Kris, what about Junmyeon?' Zitao whispered.

Kris kissed him anyway. 'Junmyeon won't know. Go back.'

Zitao bowed his head and returned to the Chamber.

But Kris did not know that the entire conversation had been heard by two people; a small fourteen-year-old boy with a face resembling a puppy, and his friend the giant elf. 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun returned to their room silently. They had so much to talk about when. morning came.