"It's great to see you both are doing okay. Well, I'll get going now. I have some work to finish and... I'm sure you have lots to do too..."

Leeteuk's amusement doesn't show. Neither does any hint of discomfort.

But Donghae feels it.

Leeteuk stands to leave. He is smiling. He'd brought Shimkoong with him. She finally gets excited now. Leeteuk waves Koongie's paw. At Donghae and Hyukjae.

It makes the dog growl.

Hyukjae holds Donghae's arm.

"Bye, Koongie..." he says. Nervously.

She barks at him.

Leeteuk quickly turns her. "Sorry, I just don't know when she'll stop being such a brat. Bye! Have a lovely day."

"Thanks, Teukkie. Bye."

Donghae smiles. Closes the door. His neck is hot. He knows he's red.

"She's never going to like me..." Hyukjae mutters. Then he looks at Donghae. Grins. His eyes drop to his lip. He leans forward. Kisses Donghae.

"Mm--" Donghae holds his waist. Keeps him at a distance. "Hyukkie."

Hyukjae's startled. He has that little pout. Over being held away. He doesn't understand.

It's the same look he gave Donghae... a few times today.

"Sweetheart," Donghae says. "Come here." 

He takes Hyukjae's hand. Leads him to the sofa. Hyukjae doesn't sit. He just blinks at him. Donghae takes one end. Pulls his legs up. Folds them. Faces Hyukjae.

"Sit down, baby."

Hyukjae looks at his spot. At Donghae. At the distance between them. His lips protrude more. He slowly sits opposite. Copies how Donghae's sitting. Places his hands in his lap. Blinks at them glumly. 

"So..." Donghae says. He holds back. From moving to Hyukjae.

"So...?" Hyukjae says.

"We have to talk about a few things, Hyukkie."

Hyukjae looks heartbroken. Guilty too. "I did something wrong, didn't I?"

Donghae smiles. "No, baby. There's just something I should've told you before. Because I'm supposed to teach you, right?"

Hyukjae brightens immediately.

"Not that," Donghae says. "But other things about that."

"Not about ing?" Hyukjae says. He's crestfallen.

Donghae sighs.

---

It's something Donghae should've known. Expected. From all the enthusiasm Hyukjae showed. For kissing. Love. Care and affection. All the explicit images Hyukjae's been seeing. From comic books. Donghae's works.

Then all the soft scenes... about lovers... relationships...

Now that he's received more from Donghae...

Hyukjae will want it. As much as he wanted the kisses. "With tongue."

The day started... when Donghae was woken. Hyukjae was over him. Kissing him. They were not his cute kisses. Hyukjae wanted to makeout. Feel him. He was pulling off Donghae's clothes. 

Donghae managed to stop him. He doesn't know how. His body was ready. For whatever Hyukjae wanted. But his brain woke up.

He gently told Hyukjae to wait. Stop. They have many things to do. Donghae has work. Hyukjae still has loads to learn. Donghae has to show him. To make sure Hyukjae doesn't get hurt.

Donghae had sounded unwilling. Displeased. At being woken like that. But it was just because he'd been shocked.

It made Hyukjae apologetic. The joy left him.

To make it up to him... Donghae asked him to help. With breakfast. He gave Hyukjae pecks. Said thank yous. So Hyukjae can see: Everything was the same. Donghae loved him the same.

It worked. Hyukjae was beaming again. Over breakfast. Over him. He insisted on feeding half his pancakes to Donghae. Gave him kisses. Thank yous. Hugged him around the waist. Wanted to sit close. Have contact. His hands would slip under his shirt. His eyes would be infatuated. Innocent.

Donghae was too smitten. He didn't think too much of it.

Then Leeteuk called. Said he was on his way. A lot had happened with Hyukjae. In a short time. Since Leeteuk's recent visit. He wanted to know how Donghae was. How Hyukjae was.

"Sorry, I have to bring Koongie too. She's giving my parents trouble..."

Donghae said it was fine. He left Hyukjae in the kitchen. To do the dishes. Hyukjae had his sleeves rolled. He was up to his elbows in bubbles. Donghae knew Hyukjae would be fine. It was probably better than to have Koongie barking at him.

She had to get settled first. Be calmer.

So when Leeteuk came... Donghae spoke to him. Separately. Hyukjae wasn't there. He told Leeteuk about Hyukjae's memories. His health. How he was improving. He didn't give more details. Of his past.

He felt that Hyukjae... could choose to do that. By himself. If he wished to. Hyukjae had also been wary before. Of what Donghae shared. With whom.

So he refrained from it. He didn't need Leeteuk's help with answers now. Because Hyukjae had said... he was fully aware. Right? He could tell whoever he wants. Whatever he wants.

"I think... he's nearing the end of this, Teukkie..." Donghae told him.

"The end?"

"All that's happened to him -- happening to him," Donghae said. "Of gaining life and himself back..."

He didn't say anything else. About Hyukjae's body change. Obviously. 

But Hyukjae finished the dishes then. H